Office Depot

Planning and Early Response

Based in Delray Beach, Florida, Office Depot knows hurricanes all too well.  When Hurricane Katrina was bearing down on the Gulf Coast, the company swung into action. 

Even before the storm made landfall, Office Depot pledged $1 million dollars to the American Red Cross, and the office Depot crisis management team, in conjunction with several company departments, began planning the relief effort. 

The company offered city officials in New Orleans the contents of five stores to help get the city back on its feet.  Local stores filled backpacks with school supplies to help area children go back to school as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, the crisis team was attending to associates and securing property.  Satellite phones were sent to the impact zone so key staff could report back on local conditions.  The team established One-Stop Disaster Relief Sites at seven stores in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Texas to provide associates with supplies, information, and counseling.

Success Factors

Extensive predisaster planning. Office Depot prides itself on robust preparation before a disaster strikes.  Tom Serio, who leads the company's crisis management team, emphasizes a phased response as the disaster unfolds.

Serio's core team has established clear protocols for disaster response and a discrete budget for operations.  As Katrina ran its course, Serio pulled together support from information technology, facilities, human resources, construction, community relations, and government affairs. 

Coordination with local entities.  Office Depot's willingness and ability to communicate with local officials greatly enhanced its effectiveness.  New Orleans government officials relayed needs assessments directly to Office Depot's crisis team and community relations office.  This dialogue expedited the supply of relief items

Outlook

In addition to responding to immediate relief needs, reopening stores quickly is a priority for Office Depot. 

The rapid reconstitution of retail outlets not only ensures financial viability for the company but is also critical for supplying local businesses with essential items. 

Office Depot management understands that small business activity is vital for economic renewal in communities.  Through strong mitigation strategies and a commitment to supporting local businesses, Office Depot remains a critical supplier for the Gulf Coast.

How Office Depot is Helping Small Businesses

To help small businesses prepare for the future hurricane seasons, Office Depot launched an educational campaign called "Disaster Preparedness: Advice You Can Depend on to Weather Any Storm."

The program offers lessons learned from Office Depot's first-hand experience and underscores the critical need for businesses to take disaster preparedness – from natural disasters to daily threats such as a computer viruses and power outages – seriously.

As part of the educational campaign, Office Depot conducted a comprehensive media campaign and published a free downloadable brochure, which emphasized simple, affordable solutions to help small- and medium-sized businesses take the necessary steps to protect their two most important assets: their people and their data.

Learn more about the educational campaign here.

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Company Snapshot

Annual Revenues:
$14 billion

Industry:
Products and Services

Headquarters:
Delray Beach, FL