The Blue Mountains business community has turned out in force to support the launch of the new Blue Mountains Business Resilience Roadmap, with special guest visiting disaster recovery expert and Fulbright scholar, Professor Daniel Aldrich.
Professor Aldrich spoke to a packed room of local business owners, chamber members, and community organisations on March 15 at Silvermere Guesthouse in Wentworth Falls.
"I'm really excited about this project and believe it can make a positive difference for this community, preparing Blue Mountains businesses to be better placed to survive and thrive following future disasters," Professor Aldrich said.
"By upskilling and empowering local small businesses, we also improve the resilience of our communities. Small businesses are a cornerstone of communities, providing employment, goods and services, and opportunities for social connections. We can't afford to overlook their role in disaster recovery."
Sixteen local Blue Mountains businesses feature in the new 'Blue Mountains Business Resilience Roadmap', a free digital learning tool to empower local businesses to better prepare, connect and build resilience within their communities
The 'Blue Mountains Business Resilience Roadmap', a collaboration between regional business network BusinessBM and social enterprise Resilient Ready (formerly corporate2community), features businesspeople, including Indigenous business owners, from across the Mountains sharing experiences and lessons in how to disaster-proof a business.
"Our digital roadmap educates businesses about disaster preparedness and resilience through short modules, meaning they can learn wherever and whenever they want, fitting in learning around their busy work commitments," Resilient Ready founder Renae Hanvin said.
Business Blue Mountains director Emma Madison said the free roadmap was a welcome and much-needed addition to local resilience-building efforts.
"I'd urge all local businesses to register and complete the roadmap - it's exactly what we need right now as businesses struggle to move forward and make gains in the wake of the 2019-20 bushfires and the ongoing impact of Covid-19," Ms Madison said.
The 'Blue Mountains Business Resilience Roadmap' is made up of 16 modules grouped into the themes of Understand Your Business, Know Your Risks, Plan Your Response and Build Your Networks.
Funded through a grant from the joint-funded NSW and Commonwealth Government Bushfire Local Economic Recovery (BLER) Fund, the roadmap was shaped through a series of workshops held across the Blue Mountains with local businesspeople, and consultation with a local multi-stakeholder steering committee.
Local businesses featured in the roadmap include: Robert Spitz from Blue Mountains Limousines, Emma MacMahon from Dryridge Estate, Merylese Mercieca from Blue Eco Homes, Ross Purser from The Bunker, Sheryn Phillips from Blooms the Chemist, Mitchell Duncan from Duncan, Cameron & Associates, Anny Druett from Global Values Exchange, Christine Thompson from Christine's Millinery, Tahmour Bloomfield from Sublime Pilates, Jason Cronshaw from Fantastic Aussie Tours, Andrea Comestari from Hotel Etico, Margaret Boutella from Glenella, Emma Madison from INDY MTNS , Mary Coin from Good Earth Bookshop, Brett Groves from Bilingarra, Dimitri Douchin from Blue Mountains Stargazing.
The roadmap is free for all businesses operating from the Blue Mountains, with data shared with the local community to build business community resilience. In-community events are planned for March 2023.
To register and use the free Roadmap, visit: https://resilientready.org/hubs/blue-mountains-business-resilience-roadmap/
