Wildfires Underscore Urgent Need for Climate Contingency Plans for Employees
Knowing how to develop collaborative contingency plans to protect
employees’ physical and emotional health during dangerous climate events is
crucial to ensuring organizations and staff are protected at all levels.
Key Takeaways
Volatile climate events are having negative health and wellbeing impacts on
employees around the world, particularly the most vulnerable.
Organizations need comprehensive workforce resilience plans that include potential
climate-sensitive health impacts and robust emergency preparedness.
Staying up to date on changing conditions and recommendations is vital to the
success of healthy and resilient organizations and employees.
Catastrophic climate events not only pose a risk to our environment, but also significantly affect
human health and wellbeing. There is no part of the world that is untouched by the impacts of
climate change, and everyone is susceptible to the damaging consequences this reality can have on
mental health and wellbeing. Indeed, the World Health Organization has stated that climate change is
the single biggest health threat facing humanity.
Recent wildfires and their repercussions across Canada and the United States highlight the
detrimental health risks posed by weather and climate-driven events and bringing them to the
forefront of workplace discussions. These include:
Exacerbation of pre-existing health conditions (e.g., asthma and cardiovascular disease)
Increased risk to vulnerable populations such as pregnant women, people over 65, or young
children
Heatstroke and lung health problems
Increased pressure on employees with caring responsibilities
Mental health issues
Loss of productivity and difficulties in accessing the workplace and public infrastructure
Burnout and absenteeism due to increased stress levels
The direct impact of wildfire smoke is a concern in many parts of the world through the summer
months, and increasingly earlier as fires expand in scope and intensity and wildfire season lasts
longer. Even if there are no wildfires in the immediate area, smoke can travel hundreds of miles.
When it comes to air pollution, businesses that have installed air filtration systems (especially in
light of the pandemic), should consider giving employees the option to work in their safe office
environment. That said, employers should also recognize that extra care and attention should be
given to at-risk groups, including pregnant women or individuals with asthma, who may require
additional provisions such as N95 masks or being allowed to work from home where possible to avoid a
commute in hazardous conditions.
There’s another consideration companies should think about. Employees may have dependents,
including elderly parents or young children, significantly at risk from air pollution. They will
likely experience extra stress worrying about the health and safety of their loved ones. ”
Stephanie DeLorm
Senior Vice President, Aon’s Health Solutions practice
If employees work outdoors, extreme heat, air pollution and other health hazards from events such as
wildfires, floods, and typhoons are much riskier than commuting to an indoor workplace. Employers
should consider providing staff with safe work-from-home options whenever possible, flexible working
hours, suitable clothing for hot weather and safety equipment such as air filtration masks. Paid
leave is another option in extreme conditions or if safety equipment cannot be procured in time. A
recent example of such provision is in Spain, where the government has banned outdoor work during periods of extreme
heat.
The bottom line is employers should lead with an approach that puts the health, safety and
wellbeing of their employees and their families at its center. With the experience of the
pandemic still fresh in everyone’s memory, employers should take some of the same
practices developed in that period and apply them to the current situation. ”
Madeleine Catzaras
ESG People Solutions, Aon
Incorporating Climate Change Health Impacts into Workforce Resilience Plans
Identify which employees are most exposed to climate change-related risks based on their
location and which populations are at higher risk. To do this, location analytics and job
assessments play a role. Understand which regions are more likely to face more severe
consequences of climate events and the employees located there to inform rigorous protections.
Location analytics can help synchronize emergency information and employee locations to provide
the best response management and emergency care to safeguard a business and its employees in
case of disasters such as hurricanes and floods. Such measures allow organizations to be more
nimble when assessing hurricane threats, ensuring the safety of their employees before, during
and after landfall.
Identify roles and individuals whose jobs can be performed remotely if necessary. This
information allows employers to redeploy resources so affected employees can work from safer
locations and still be productive.
Examine whether actions are in place to compensate for and mitigate vulnerabilities from
sensitive employee groups, including pregnant women, children, the elderly, disadvantaged
communities, and those with underlying health conditions. There needs to be a particular focus
on vulnerable populations and healthcare access.
Assess whether current health and safety policies include wording around what to do in different
climate-related events. For example, does the organization offer benefits that help employees in
at-risk areas of air pollution to acquire home air filtration systems?
Provide upskilling and retraining support for populations heavily impacted by climate change who
need to adapt to new conditions in the event of forced displacement. Also consider revising
working hours, if possible, to avoid hazardous conditions and temperatures.
Ensure contingency and emergency preparedness programs are in place and simulations are
conducted regularly to better prepare for climate change-driven events.
Incorporate the health risks related to climate change into workplace risk assessments.
$2-4B
The direct damage costs to health from climate change are estimated to be $2-4 billion per year
by 2030.
Source: WHO Climate change and health
The health impacts of climate change will be determined by the vulnerability and resilience of
populations, and the scale of measures for adaptation. Businesses can play a key role in adaptation
and resilience building, and many actions can help to mitigate the worst impacts of climate change.
(This might look like electrifying fleets or regreening communities.) Aon’s expertise across
risk capital and human capital helps clients prepare, protect against, and mitigate the worst
impacts of climate on their people and business. To learn more about our climate capabilities,
please visit our climate change and sustainability page.
Key Contact
Madeleine Catzaras
ESG people solutions leader [email protected]
29%
Employees with employer-sponsored health insurance in the U.S. who are considered underinsured,
primarily due to costs.
Source: The Commonwealth Fund
General Disclaimer The information contained herein and the statements expressed are of a general nature and are not intended to address the circumstances of any particular individual or entity. Although we endeavor to provide accurate and timely information and use sources we consider reliable, there can be no guarantee that such information is accurate as of the date it is received or that it will continue to be accurate in the future. No one should act on such information without appropriate professional advice after a thorough examination of the particular situation.
Terms of Use The contents herein may not be reproduced, reused, reprinted or redistributed without the expressed written consent of Aon, unless otherwise authorized by Aon. To use information contained herein, please write to our team.
