Log in
Your Local Ericsson site

The Ericsson Response program

The Ericsson Response program

When there is a human need to communicate Ericsson is there

The core parts of the Ericsson Response program

  1. Volunteers
  2. Equipment
  3. Local involvement
  4. Research and Technology
  5. Partnerships

VOLUNTEERS

The Ericsson Response Volunteer program is Ericsson’s way to empower employees to make a difference in society and add another dimension to employees’ jobs, making them feel more motivated.

The volunteers are involved in different ways; in partner relief operations, in implementation teams, technical assessment and in communication and preparedness activities at home.

In a relief operation Ericsson Response can have different tasks, depending on the skills and the situation, but the volunteers will primarily focus on IT and telecom support to the disaster areas. In all international missions the volunteers will work with our partner organizations at the disaster site. And be involved in different activities:

Assessments

First-on-the-ground teams that will estimate damages and losses and propose resources and organization required for the relief operation. In the technical assessment the Ericsson Response will do a survey on the present communication situation on the site. Ericsson Response and the operational partner will then propose improvements of the communication.

Relief workers

The volunteers will work together with our partner organizations at the disaster site.

Ericsson implementation team

The implementation team will install, integrate and operate equipment at the disaster site.

EQUIPMENT

An Ericsson Response Unit consists of IT and/or telecommunications equipment and the people to implement and operate it. Normally standard cellular networks or Wireless LAN (Local area network) with hotspots is used. This equipment will improve the quality and efficiency of the disaster response operations.

Some of the existing Ericsson Response Units are:

  1. A GSM system to be used together with UN satellite network for connection between disaster site and the UN network or the public network.
  2. Various GSM mobile system and radio base stations are placed strategically. The local Ericsson Company takes the responsibility for maintenance and disaster preparedness of the systems.
  3. Support centers for WIDER (WLAN in disaster and emergency response) are placed in several countries, where also remote support is being handled.
Ericsson will install and operate the equipment and where possible include partner operators.

LOCAL INVOLVEMENT

The Ericsson Response program is based on Ericsson’s previous involvement and experience in various disaster response efforts throughout the world.

Local Ericsson Response programs aim at together with the Ericsson partners to develop and rollout country specific programs and strategies for disaster preparedness and response. Maintain active local and regional programs through regular meetings, workshops, training and networks. In times of disaster, we will provide communications aid and work with leading disaster response organizations. We will be a catalyst for greater awareness and give a more strategic response to major disasters.

RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY

The aim is to gather international expertise on disaster response to share lessons learned and new technologies for communication during disasters.

Ericsson Response has access to technically skilled people from across Ericsson, who identifies needs and develops technical proposals and applications to improve disaster response for international relief organizations.

PARTNERSHIPS

Ericsson Response never acts on its own, but always on request by one of our partners.

Through Ericsson Response, we want to improve the international relief work by bringing skilled staff and additional technology to be used in the relief operations. That requires close partnerships with the leading relief organizations.

Together with our partners Ericsson is involved in:

  • Activities for increased awareness in public and private sector
  • Field assessments (disaster assessment and assessments to improve on communication in the field)
  • Training of volunteers
  • Technical workshops, (Efficient use of cellular networks and phones in a disaster etc)
  • Disaster Response on site
  • Regional programs for disaster preparedness and response
  • Technical Seminars and Technical Development
  • Field trials of communication tools

ERICSSON’S FIRST ON THE GROUND INITIATIVE

The "First on the Ground" partnership between Ericsson and the United Nations, use private sector capacity to bring the power of technology and resources directly to the service of humanity, and in particular, humanitarian relief operations.

Ericsson’s "First on the Ground" concept is designed as an in-kind contribution at the disposal of the UN system to provide and maintain effective mobile communications equipment and expertise for humanitarian relief operations.

The UN-Ericsson partnership, which is facilitated by the United Nations Fund for International Partnerships (UNFIP), involves UN agencies that address emergency response and mitigation as well as the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

PARTNERSHIP WITH CORPORATIONS

In order to make sure the best solutions are being brought to the table, Ericsson would like to see more corporations stepping up to the plate and join the efforts. Corporate partners are therefore desired in this program. Several companies have showed interest and Ericsson encourage dialogue with customers and other companies that could bring important elements to the program.

Partnership with corporations could include:

  • Development of common modules to be used in disaster response with relief organizations
  • Work together with relief organizations in field operations. In areas like transportation, network implementation and operation
  • Common awareness and advocacy programs

GLOBAL COMPACT

Ericsson is also committed to UN Global Compact, which includes three parts; Labor Rights, Humanitarian issues and Environmental issues. Ericsson Response contributes to this commitment by promoting humanitarian issues and advocate better response to disaster. Ericsson has included our Global Compact commitment in the Annual Report and in presentations, and it is stated on web sites and newsletters. Ericsson advocates the better response to disasters by bringing up the issue on related conferences.

Share