While many organizations, including governments and nonprofits, have critical roles to play in fighting COVID-19, Americans are increasingly turning to companies to not only provide immediate relief, but also reimagine ways to continue so many facets of our daily life. Through the use of technology, companies can leverage both speed and scale to deliver necessary goods, services and support to individuals.
This week, we’re rounding up the companies that are leveraging tech to create new commerce streams and expand response efforts. Here are our top examples:
- When the healthcare industry was in dire need of N95 masks, the KIND Foundation jumped in and partnered with Project N95 to launch the Frontline Impact Project. This created “a platform whereby healthcare institutions and other front-line response organizations can request resources to help meet their greatest needs in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.” Now, the program has expanded to pair other products and services from companies with those individuals and institutions that need them most.
- With countries beginning to ease lockdown restrictions, companies are creating new ways to ensure people can continue to access the products and services they need and are accustomed to receiving. Since many individuals are using online ordering to stay safe, PepsiCo built two direct-to-consumer website platforms that bring its pantry and snack items right to our doors (and our bellies).
- The pandemic continues to impact education, with many children unable to attend school or daycare. To address this issue, Hasbro announced its support for Explorers for the Global Goals in partnership with UNICEF earlier this month. This extension of The World’s Largest Lesson is an innovative online way for kids, ages 4-8, to learn about global communities and the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals from their computers at home.
- As food waste becomes a larger byproduct of the global pandemic, supermarket chain Giant incorporated a new app called Flashfood to incentivize consumers to purchase produce close to their ”best by” date at lower prices. By doing so, it ensures that most families have access to fresh produce and that the produce makes it to people’s tables, rather than a landfill.
While many organizations – including governments and nonprofits – have critical roles to play in fighting COVID-19, increasingly Americans are turning to companies to not only provide immediate relief, but also reimagine ways to continue so many facets of our daily life. And through the use of technology, companies can leverage both speed and scale to deliver necessary goods, services and support to individuals.