In Times of Crisis, CDC Helps Businesses Ensure Continuity

ATLANTA – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) plays a vital role in helping businesses prepare for and respond to public health emergencies. In the first of a new series of quarterly business features, CDC’s connection with business and public health preparedness and response is highlighted, coinciding with September’s National Preparedness Month. The series, titled Business Pulse: How CDC Protects the Health of Your Business, was created by the CDC Foundation, an independent nonprofit organization that helps to connect CDC to the private sector to address important public health issues.

“Private enterprise is just as important of a partner as any other CDC works with to protect the health of our nation and its communities,” said Dr. Ali Khan, U.S. Assistant Surgeon General (retired) and director of CDC’s Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response. “I look forward to the collaborations that could be possible from this exciting CDC Foundation endeavor to better connect the agency to businesses interested in helping with the important public health challenges we face.”

To access Business Pulse, visit www.cdcfoundation.org/businesspulse.

Each quarterly Business Pulse highlights specific challenges faced by businesses, as well as a question and answer feature between a business leader and a CDC expert. Business Pulse also features an interactive infographic that provides useful facts and links for connecting with CDC, along with online CDC resources. The first Business Pulse question and answer focuses on a business continuity discussion between CDC’s Dr. Khan and Chris Summerrow, director, Business Continuity Management and Corporate Security for UPS.

“We’re pleased to offer Business Pulse as a series aimed at increasing awareness about the important public health work CDC does 24/7 to protect the well-being of our nation’s citizens, businesses and economy,” said Charles Stokes, president and CEO of the CDC Foundation. “Business Pulse conveys relevant information to businesses, and, more importantly, provides opportunities for them to take action to connect with CDC in preparation for emergencies or in times of crisis.”

Established by Congress, the CDC Foundation helps the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) do more, faster, by forging effective partnerships between CDC and corporations, foundations and individuals to support CDC’s 24/7 work to fight threats to health and safety. The CDC Foundation manages approximately 200 CDC-led programs in the United States and in countries around the world. For more information, please visit www.cdcfoundation.org.