At a truly unsettling time, the Impact Hub network believes that our responsibility for one another should override our fear! 

COVID-19 (Coronavirus). Until some weeks ago, you had probably never heard of it. Fast-forward to today and it is dominating the headlines, leaving question marks hanging over your daily routines and wellbeing, and highlighting our interdependence across communities, borders and continents.

It is precisely in this strange and unsettling moment that the Impact Hub network wants to firmly reiterate a strong belief of ours when it comes to approaching the COVID-19 pandemic as a global network of entrepreneurial communities:

We are responsible for one another

At times like this, when authorities are taking action at different speeds and we are getting information from many different sources, it is maybe the most natural reaction to either panic or discredit the problem. When we are being advised to stay apart and away from group gatherings, it feels almost inevitable to lose a bit of our human spirit. But just because of that we shouldn’t forget our shared responsibility as residents of one planet.

Just because we cannot be physically together, we can still come together.

As such a situation proves, we are one, and now, more than ever, we have to ensure that every individual has the information, understanding and resources they need. We have to guarantee that everyone feels supported, has somewhere to turn to, has someone to ask. Just because we cannot be physically together, we can still come together. We can still combine our knowledge, share our experiences and offer our help.

We can still COLLABORATE

The Impact Hub network’s vision is to take collaborative action for a better world. We believe that at any time, with any global issue, but especially at complicated times like this, taking leadership, working together and responding to our responsibilities as members of a global community is the only way to overcome it. Together, we are powerful. We are sure that by helping each other as best as we can, combining our approaches and learning, each and every member of our network and broader community will feel more empowered and confident in facing challenges. 

As a global network sitting in over 100 locations worldwide, we are familiar with remote cooperation, having collaboration as one of our key values. We already have the infrastructure in place to ensure remote communication and support that is intuitive to all our members. In response to this current crisis we have:

• Created a health, security and business guideline, which is being implemented by all of our Impact Hubs to support local members’ communities – it is a combination of official sources and the knowledge that exists within our many locations. 
• A community platform, crucial technology implemented before COVID-19 to ensure that the global network stays connected and updated. This app now hosts a specific group dedicated to everything and anything related to the COVID-19 topic. It is providing our communities with a safe space in which they can ask questions, post assets and share the latest input on how to prevent the spreading of the virus, as well as mitigate risks for small businesses. A very real example of the global collaboration that exists in our DNA.

Our commitment to fighting this pandemic is to act in a proactive and collaborative manner, putting people’s health first. We are proud of our work so far, seeing it as the embodiment of our values of trust, courage, and above all, collaboration. But there is more that can be done. We want to partner where we can and with anyone out there that we can: entrepreneurs, innovators, governments, corporations, other global organizations. There is still a need for entrepreneurial and innovative action right now!

We want to partner where we can and with anyone out there that we can.

If you work with solutions, best practices or tools focused on health, entrepreneurial business support, global communications, etc., which can help global communities in this specific period, get in touch. If you think you can benefit from our network and experience, we are here for you. There are some resources available below for those managing entrepreneurial businesses in this moment of disruption. 

We want to ensure that our interdependence becomes the very source of solutions: that bringing together minds across borders in collective action against COVID-19 sets a precedent, spreading a spirit of collaboration and innovation. 

With love for people and planet,

The Impact Hub network 

Resources to help you manage your business in this moment of disruption (being updated continuously):

• Managing Remote Teams
• Virtual Communities for Impact – A Toolkit for virtual community builders
• Facilitating Remote Workshops