It has now been more than a year since avian flu first appeared on risk managers' list of concerns. In that time, governments, health organizations, industry groups, and individual companies around the world have been bracing for the potential consequences should the H5N1 strain of avian flu mutate to allow easy human-to-human transmission. If that happens, a worldwide pandemic could result in millions of deaths, and business damages could reach hundreds of billions of dollars.
Since January 2006, Marsh has been conducting a survey about companies' avian flu pandemic preparations. As of December, more than 900 respondents have identified their top five concerns as being:
- Exercising their pandemic plans;
- Health care and benefits;
- Clients and markets;
- Human resource issues; and
- Business recovery.
A recent Marsh panel discussion on pandemic preparedness highlighted the questions companies need to ask themselves:
- Do I know what steps to take if there is a suspected case of avian flu in our organization, and does my company have the skills and personnel needed to handle a crisis?
- What risks does avian flu pose to our supply chain, particularly if we are sourcing from areas where outbreaks have been reported?
- Are our emergency-response and business-continuity plans up to date, and can they adequately respond to specific risks posed by a pandemic?
Access the audio replay of the Marsh panel discussion.
Additional Resources for Dealing with Avian Flu
Business Continuity Preparedness Survey
Test your level of business continuity preparedness for avian flu with this
brief survey. After completing the survey, you may compare the ranking of
your most urgent issues with other survey participants by visiting the home
page of Marsh's Risk Consulting Practice site.
Risk Alert - Avian Flu: Preparing for a Pandemic
Register now and download this special report which discusses corporate preparedness and business-continuity management considerations, as well as international implications and potential insurance coverage issues.
New Reality of Risk® Avian Flu Panel Discussion
Experts from the Centers for Disease Control, Marsh, Kroll and Mercer discuss the potential dangers of avian flu; its impact on business continuity; emergency and workforce management; and potential workers compensation and insurance coverage issues.
Assessing and Preparing for an Avian Flu Pandemic
Kroll's summary analysis of steps senior executives should consider before a pandemic begins.
Contact Marsh to discuss avian flu preparedness:
