Royal HaskoningDHV joins the United Nations Disaster Risk Reduction Private Sector Partnership

Royal HaskoningDHV has become a member of the UN's Disaster Risk Reduction Private Sector Partnership. The DRR-PSP supports the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR).

This partnership fits into Royal HaskoningDHV's aim to contribute to enhance global, national and local resilience to disasters by raising awareness and bringing private sector knowledge and skills of risk anticipation, management and business initiatives in disaster mitigation.
The United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction is a strategic framework, adopted by UN's Member States in 2000, aiming to guide and coordinate the efforts of a wide range of partners to:

• Achieve substantive reduction in disaster losses
• Build resilient nations and communities as an essential condition for sustainable development

The UNISDR has a keen interest in getting the private sector involved, not least to showcase best practices and push a disaster risk reduction agenda through a strong base of advocates. DRR-PSP aims to serve as a catalyst to bring together a wide range of private sector entities into a global partnership for action.

"I am extremely proud that we are now a member of the UN Disaster Risk Reduction Private Sector Partnership. Royal HaskoningDHV aims to play a vital role in the reduction of risks related to the ever increasing global water and urban challenges the world is facing. Membership of UN DRD-PSP will allow us to contribute to disaster reduction using our extensive expertise and network in this field. Together with our clients and partners we endeavour to build resilient nations, cities and communities as an essential part of our sustainable development commitment. This forward and innovative thinking fits seamlessly with the aims of UN DRD-PSP" said Lisette Heuer, Chief Officer Operations & Technical Director of Rivers Deltas and Coasts.

Royal HaskoningDHV will participate in UNISDR's coordinated 3rd World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR) which will be hosted by the city of Sendai in Japan between 14th to the 18th March 2015. Royal HaskoningDHV's leading professionals, Nanco Dolman and Mathijs van Ledden, will speak and participate as panellist on the following subjects:

• 'Planning for Flood Resilience and Adaptation for Climate Change - our international experiences in building water resilient cities', IGNITE Stage presentation by Nanco Dolman, Leading Professional Water Resilience in Urban Areas.
• 'Land Use Planning for DRR' Working Session panellist Mathijs van Ledden, Director Business Development Flood Risk Reduction.

Mathijs van Ledden said "this is a great opportunity for Royal HaskoningDHV to help deliver on our core mission of 'Enhancing Society Together' and we all very much look forward to engaging and supporting the DRR-PSP not just by sharing our extensive knowledge and skills but also by direct actions where needed".