Hurricane season reflections: How business engagement is shaping a safer future for Mexico’s Pacific coast

Over the past three years, southern Mexico's Pacific coast has become a textbook example of how climate change intensifies disasters - and how vulnerabilities related to social infrastructure can amplify their toll. But as the risks intensify, so does the response. The private sector is turning these challenges into momentum, deploying strategic interventions and powerful partnerships to rewrite the narrative for the most vulnerable communities in Mexico.

The impact of three hurricanes in as many years

The states of Guerrero and Oaxaca have endured a relentless cycle of devastating hurricanes. In 2023, Hurricane Otis struck Guerrero with record-breaking intensity. In 2024, Hurricane John impacted both states. Most recently, in 2025, Hurricane Erick once again battered Guerrero and Oaxaca. This repeated exposure to increasingly frequent and destructive hydrometeorological events, exacerbated by climate change, is pushing local communities into states of chronic emergency, leaving them with little time to recover before the next disaster strikes.

The science is clear: warmer oceans fuel stronger hurricanes. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the frequency of Category 4 and 5 storms has increased globally since the 1980s, with regions like the Eastern Pacific particularly exposed. While climate change is a global driver, local realities shape the severity of its impact.

Beyond the human cost, the economic toll continues to mount. According to data from UNAM's Institute of Engineering, Otis alone caused over USD16 billion in damages, affecting thousands of homes, businesses, and public infrastructure. Cumulatively, the economic losses from the past three hurricane seasons across Guerrero and Oaxaca have exceeded $18.5 billion. Rebuilding infrastructure, restoring livelihoods, and responding to emergencies have strained both local and federal resources. Without a shift towards risk-informed development, this cycle of destruction and recovery will only deepen.

But as the risks intensify, so too does the response.

When vulnerability meets action

Guerrero and Oaxaca are among the poorest states in Mexico, with over 60% of the population living below the poverty line. Educational attainment and access to services remain significantly lower than the national average, which further exacerbates vulnerability. As a result, when disaster strikes, recovery is often slower, and losses are far more severe, particularly in rural and Indigenous communities.

However, these challenges have sparked a wave of collaborative action. Building resilience is no longer an option - it has become a necessity.

The private sector has played a pivotal role in this transformation. At the heart of these efforts is CENACED, the CBi Member Network in Mexico. Not only has CENACED, through the Unidos por Ellos (UxE) network, coordinated the delivery of over 12 tons of essential goods during humanitarian responses to the hurricanes, but it has also mobilized over $2.8 million dollars in private sector contributions to support 15 recovery and reconstruction projects, focused on restoring livelihoods and rebuilding local infrastructure.

In parallel, CENACED is strengthening cross-sectoral coordination to ensure effective collaboration - what is increasingly referred to as Risk Governance. By working closely with government institutions, UN agencies, NGOs, and the private sector, CENACED helps to avoid duplication of efforts and ensures that resources are optimized, accelerating the impact on the ground.

With support from over 200 strategic partners, CENACED has positioned itself as a central hub for disaster risk management solutions. Private sector allies, such as OXXO, UPS, Laboratorios Senosiain, Fundación Pepsico, Rotoplas, AXA, CEMEX, Fundación Coca-Cola, and many others, have contributed not only financial resources but also logistical support and technical expertise.

Lessons learned from Hurricane Otis that were applied during Hurricane Erick

Stronger communication among different sectors 

One of the clearest lessons from Hurricane Otis was the need for stronger and more agile cross-sector communication. Ahead of Hurricane Erick, the UxE network issued early guidance through its own media channels, monitored the storm in real time, and shared critical information such as official shelter locations. By the time the hurricane made landfall, UxE was working in coordination with 14 national and international NGOs on the ground and had established alternative communication channels. With the support of local partners such as Asociación SOCPINDA, rapid needs assessments were carried out, while direct lines with federal and state authorities ensured a more timely and coordinated response.

Private sector coordination protocols 

CENACED activated its UxE streamlined coordination protocol with key business networks, growing from 70 to more than 200 allies ahead of Hurricane Erick. Since Hurricane Otis, volunteer teams from partner companies have undergone training to build knowledge, raise awareness and, above all, learn how to do good in a good way. The message was clear: goodwill alone is not enough. Effective private sector support requires professionalism and coordination so that aid reaches communities with dignity, without duplication or risk. This expanded, better-prepared network enabled real-time updates between companies, government responders, and humanitarian actors-cutting response times and enabling smarter, more efficient mobilization of resources.

A new path for resilience

The past three years have underscored the human and economic costs of climate-driven disasters in vulnerable regions. But they have also shown the remarkable outcomes possible when sectors come together to prioritize resilience. From rebuilding livelihoods to enhancing local capacity and strengthening coordination, CENACED and its partners are helping to shape a new narrative for Mexico's Pacific coast-one where risk is not just managed but reduced.

Now is the time to shift from response to resilience, from isolated efforts to shared responsibility. Whether public or private, local or global, we all have a stake in ensuring that communities on the frontlines of climate change are not left to weather the storm alone.

As climate threats continue to grow, this model of inclusive, cross-sectoral action offers a roadmap-not just for recovery, but for a safer, more resilient future.