Marsh joins U.N. disaster risk reduction effort

Marsh Inc. has joined the United Nations Disaster Risk Reduction Private Sector Partnership to support efforts designed to enhance national and local resilience to disaster, the New York-based unit of Marsh & McLennan Cos. announced Thursday.

“The Partnership supports the U.N. Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction and seeks to raise awareness of risk management and contingency planning by partnering with leading organizations in the private sector,” said Marsh in a statement announcing its action. “As a member, Marsh has signed UNISDR's “Statement of Commitment,” which pledges the company's support to UNISDR's fundamental principles – achieving a substantive reduction in disaster losses; and building resilient nations and communities as an essential condition for sustainable development.”

More than 200 million people are affected by disasters each year and in 2010 at least 300,000 people died in major disaster events, said Marsh. Reported disaster losses now regularly exceed $100 billion each year, it said.

“Marsh's Public Entity Practice brings together thought leadership globally to share best practices and develop risk management insight for the benefit of our clients,” said Jean Demchak, global leader of Marsh's Public Entity Practice. “Building resilience is a major challenge and we are honored to share this working agenda with UNISDR.”