112: The Politics of Disaster Responses - Alison Covington

A disaster brings out the best and at times, the worst in everyday ordinary people. Rarely is it something less polarizing. Thinking of devastating bush fires, major floods, or terrorist attacks and the raw, media images of what disaster looks like -- and the days that follow -- are pretty confronting for many people, let alone those experiencing the incident firsthand.

My guest today is Alison Covington, the woman who brought the ‘Good360’ charity to Australia.

Good360 is Australia’s largest online marketplace, matching surplus brand-new goods to people most in need.  It offers the retail sector a sustainable, community-focused option to redirect surplus products from landfills.

In just six years, over 300 retailers and manufacturers have signed on and donated over $192 million in brand new products, including essential toiletries, household items, clothing, shoes, PPE, and stationery supplies to name a few. Their network of almost 3,000 member charities and disadvantaged schools Australia-wide, across 31 cause areas, order the goods they need from the Good360 website with the ease of 24/7 access, saving time and precious budget.

Thanks to Alison’s business model and vision, more than 22 million brand-new items have been matched to people in need, helping to provide dignity and equality. Of this, due to back-to-back disasters over the last two years, including drought, floods, bushfires, and the ongoing devastation of COVID -19, 9 million items have been matched directly to assist communities in disaster recovery.

Good360 Australia is well on the way to achieving Alison’s goal of matching $1 billion worth of brand-new goods to Australians in need by 2025. We are discussing the Politics of Disaster Recovery.

Here she discusses:

1. What makes disaster recovery easier – charity, government support, good systems or insurance, or solid communities that can help others? Explain your view.
2. Do disaster recoveries ever go wrong and why is that?
3. How has Covid19 changed perceptions of disasters and the steps needed to get our lives back on track? It is a two-year disaster with different strains of the virus and many unknowns.
4. How can leaders become better at disaster recovery say in a business or their own communities?
5. Take away: What is your final takeaway message for us on The Politics of Disaster Recovery?

To connect with Alison:

LinkedIn: (16) Alison Covington | LinkedIn

Website: http://www.good360.org.au/