The coordination of skills and expertise across companies to respond effectively to disasters, is a key aim of the Disaster Response team of the Tata group. Based on employee’s availability and their ability to commit to about seven days during the response period, volunteers sign up to join the Disaster Response (DR) team deployed by the Tata Sustainability Group.
         
Responding to communities in need, after humanitarian disasters, has been an integral part of the Tata tradition. The Tata Engage platform is leveraged to call upon Tata employees during the response to a disaster.
Through Disaster Response, the group leverages employee volunteers in its Disaster Response efforts whenever required. Volunteers, selected from various Tata companies, play a crucial role in the disaster response by providing essential support to Project Managers (employees with requisite knowledge and capabilities to manage future disaster response initiatives of the Tata group) and Procurement Officers (trained in emergency supply chain management and logistics) on field. They spend anywhere between seven to ten days in disaster affected areas as part of Tata teams that execute the response through need assessments, preparation and distribution of relief kits, conducting medical camps, etc.
Who Can Volunteer?
Tata Employees
Expression of interest is invited from Tata employees registered on tataengage.com. Based on certain criteria and their ability to contribute their time and effort, volunteers are allowed to sign up to join the Disaster Response team on the ground.
How Do We Go About It?
On receiving a request from Project Managers, the process of identifying volunteers is initiated through two sources - volunteers who have signed up on Tata Engage website and through CSR Heads of companies. Based on certain parameters such as vicinity to disaster affected area, knowledge on local language of disaster affected area, past volunteering experience, etc. the volunteers are interviewed and selected. Selected volunteers undergo orientation and are deployed on field to provide essential support. Volunteers typically spend seven to ten days in disaster affected areas as a part of Tata team and immerse themselves in the rescue and relief measures. Post completion of given tasks, volunteers are awarded certificates for their contribution towards to the response.
Role Of Tata Sustainability Group
TSG helms the response and works along with companies to execute the relief and rehabilitation measures at the disaster effected areas.