A report released Monday by the Conference Board of Canada outlines the actions that leading organizations are taking to respond to the H1N1 pandemic.

The independent research body calls the pandemic “a business issue for organizations — one that could adversely affect their operations and their employees.”

The report is based on a June 2009 meeting convened by the Conference Board with organizations that have actively prepared for a pandemic. Participants from a broad range of sectors and industries discussed the status of the situation at the time, assessed the effectiveness of actions already taken, and the planned responses if the virus becomes more aggressive.

“The H1N1 virus is behaving differently than organizations expected. Even though the summer months are not usually hospitable to the influenza virus, H1N1 continues to spread quickly,” says Trefor Munn-Venn, director, national security and public safety.

“Those organizations that don’t already have a plan need to recognize just how serious the pandemic is expected to be and start preparing both their staff and their businesses,” says Munn-Venn.

According to the report, leading organizations are focusing on communicating their response effectively.

A central challenge is to communicate effectively and share information with employees, customers, supply chain partners, governments and media. By providing clear, consistent and balanced messaging, organizations can be viewed as trustworthy in the midst of a crisis, the Conference Board says.

Organizations are also developing internal support and capacity. “The pandemic threat is more of a marathon than a sprint, so resources must be allocated to sustain the response,” the Conference Board says.

Organizations are also garnering external support by coordinating with supply chain partners and government bodies. Organizations should also share their lessons with peers, the Conference Board adds.

IE