Saving lives, saving time, saving money
Post-conflict and humanitarian assistance is crucial to international development and poverty reduction. Conflict and natural disasters destroy livelihoods and economic growth. But effective relief and reconstruction operations save lives and help communities to recover.
We are recognised worldwide as a leading and trusted provider of emergency relief and post-conflict reconstruction services. Our products and services match the entire crisis response spectrum from preparedness, through to relief, recovery and reconstruction.
We help countries to prepare for emergencies. During any crisis we source goods worldwide, negotiate and place contracts, inspect goods and arrange transportation in record time - often to difficult and remote locations. When the crisis is over we work alongside communities, helping them to rebuild shattered infrastructure. At the same time we help governments to strengthen their capacity to manage reconstruction programmes more effectively.
We do this through:
- being on call every hour of every day, ready to respond immediately to any need
- maintaining close relationships with suppliers and manufacturers all over the world. This gives us access to emergency items at a fair price and ensures that we can deploy aid rapidly
- creating and maintaining an efficient supply chain
- having a global network of inspection teams to ensure quality
- providing the flexibility of multi-currency accounts and worldwide payments through Crown Agents Bank, whose international banking services are available to governments, development agencies, central banks and NGOs
- ensuring inclusive and participative project management, creating a valuable sense of community ownership
- employing experts with the right skills and experience
- using local firms and contractors wherever possible, particularly in post-conflict societies
- ensuring aid is used in the way it was intended, by monitoring the disbursement and use of donor funds
- supplying the British government's Conflict, Humanitarian and Security Department with an Operations Team - a well-resourced, highly responsive, flexible and dedicated group of humanitarian professionals capable of short-notice global deployment for bilateral and international operations.