Forging Trust for Resilience in Times of Crisis

As disasters and crises become increasingly frequent, a group of industry experts confronted these critical challenges during a panel at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s 13th Annual Building Resilience Conference.  

Moderator Marc DeCourcey,senior vice president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, spoke with the panelists to explore why trust leads to more effective crisis response and ultimately builds stronger communities.  

Cultivating Relationships and Partnerships Can Build Trust and Resilience 

In disaster preparedness and response, building relationships and forming partnerships with entire communities is paramount to building trust. Tom Sivak, Region 5 administrator at FEMA, recommended leaders assess the four R’s: risk, readiness, relationships, and resilience.  

“We have to think about how we build resilience within the communities so they don’t have to respond to the shocks of when a disaster takes place, but really respond to the stressors of what can happen so they can rebuild,” he said.  

Nikki Clifton, president of social impact at The UPS Foundation, emphasized how trust underlies UPS’s service model. 

“The trust we have to establish [is] not only as a service provider but also as a community citizen…[with] vested interest in making sure we do our part to build back strong, resilient communities,” she explained. “Trust is about understanding partnerships and making sure we are careful in selecting our partners, but also [knowing] the skills and capabilities we can best bring to the table.” 

Trust Is Needed Between Private and Public Entities 

Collaboration between the private and public sectors is crucial for both to provide effective crisis relief. According to Nicolette Louissaint, senior vice president of policy and strategic planning at Healthcare Distribution Alliance, this is especially important when providing necessary healthcare supplies.  

“When a loved one goes to the pharmacy counter to fill a prescription, we trust the product is going to be there,” she said. “We’re building trust, protecting trust, and protecting confidences…to deliver services to the American people.” 

Clifton further emphasized the importance of private-public partnerships, particularly as UPS relies on public partners to identify the community’s genuine needs. 

“It’s building those relationships before the disaster,” she added. “While we know how to move goods, we may not be the best at knowing what the needs are…[so] listening is super important.” 

Risk Management and Community Involvement Are Crucial to Resilience 

According to David Mussington, executive assistant director for infrastructure security with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), education around risk management is critical to building resilience. 

“Think of schools, hospitals, those victimized by ransomware…we have to be there with best practices, guidance, [and] risk advisories in plain language,” he said. “[Then] we show up again to help you implement the guidance we publish.” 

In addition to educating communities, Sivak recommended that leaders offer everyone a seat at the table to encourage ongoing dialogue. 

“When we start showing that communities can bounce back from a disaster…[and] we have partners around the table today, it builds their trust. Then, we have to maintain it,” he shared. “We have to be uncomfortable at times…and have those conversations with the community.”