Spada signs up to support RICS BuildAction initiative to improve international disaster management


April 2009 – Spada, the leading professional services PR consultancy, has signed up to support BuildAction, an initiative of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) to provide free built environment expertise to disaster related projects in the developing world.  Spada will provide strategic communications advice and help BuildAction on a pro bono basis to raise its profile amongst key target audiences.

Following the Indian Ocean tsunami of December 2004, many chartered surveyors contacted RICS to offer their help and expertise to the relief effort.  As part of the response, RICS established a Commission on Major Disaster Management  to contribute built environment professional skills and knowledge to help improve effectiveness of the humanitarian sector to assist vulnerable communities at all stages of the disaster management cycle, BuildAction is the operational arm of the Commission.

The BuildAction initiative aims to bring together industry and humanitarian expertise to coordinate efforts around disaster risk reduction and post disaster planning and reconstruction operations to boost longer term social and economic recovery.

David Tuffin, Chair of the RICS Commission on Major Disaster Management  said: “RICS’ BuildAction initiative has huge potential to help improve disaster risk reduction and disaster response operations.  Spada’s strategic and operational support is invaluable in spreading awareness of the BuildAction initiative and generating even greater support of the built environment industry for this worthy cause.”

Gavin Ingham Brooke, Managing Director, Spada, said: “We are delighted to be able to support such a worthwhile initiative and look forward to working with David and the team.”