# Hombro a Hombro
## OVERVIEW
### RISK PROFILE
Peru sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire and in the path of recurring El Niño events, leaving it exposed to earthquakes, flooding, landslides and drought across much of the country. Roughly 6 million people (approximately 18% of the population) are exposed to these hazards each year, and the 2017 El Niño alone caused an estimated US$6-9 billion in damage, affected 1.7 million people and pushed 370,000 into poverty.
Since the establishment of Soluciones Empresariales contra la Pobreza (SEP) (“Business Solutions against Poverty” in English), within the National Society of Industries in 2011, the network has been implementing a new method of tackling Peru's challenges and has demonstrated that public and private sectors can be more efficient if they work together as a team.
In 2021, the organization changed its name to Hombro a Hombro (“Shoulder to Shoulder” in English), capturing the philosophy of the movement – a team working side-by-side with all Peruvians so no one feels isolated in their most trying times.
Hombro a Hombro has three action areas: **rapid disaster assistance, disaster preparedness and public administration support.**
The network works alongside the government to leverage the know-how and management capacity of private enterprises in order to ensure reach to those who are in desperate need of assistance.
Sponsored by more than 68 companies and supported by various other enterprises, Hombro a Hombro is able to rapidly respond when a disaster strikes, channelling donations from companies of all sizes and from different sectors to meet the needs of the most vulnerable populations.
The network is also supporting different groups in need all over the country through partnerships with various entities, such as the National Institute of Civil Defense (INDECI), Ministry of Development and Social Inclusion (MIDIS), Ministry of Women and Vulnerable Populations (MIMP), Ministry of Defense (MINDEF), Beneficencia de Lima, Fundación Lima, UNHCR, IOM, CARITAS, several local governments, etc.
Since 2019, Hombro a Hombro has sounded the alarm for Peruvians to be more prepared in disaster management, offering interactive workshops to spread its knowledge to local communities. For example, the network designed the in-person Family Emergency Plan workshop in collaboration with INDECI. A critical component of the Family Emergency Plan workshop is the creation of a network of volunteers who embrace the philosophy and act as “ambassadors” in passing on their knowledge to others.
Hombro a Hombro has also placed particular emphasis on supporting the government by transferring the knowledge of private enterprises to public administration. The network participated in several social projects such as the Quipu Commissions, VRAEM Technical Roundtables and the Social Progress Index Development. The private sector's presence has allowed for the sharing of knowledge and resources to the public administration, increasing efficiency.
To learn more about the network, please go to the [Hombro a Hombro](https://hombroahombro.org.pe/) website.
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## Put the human back in humanitarian action
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqgyPuu1cNI
### Jaime Chavez
Chief of Operations for Hombro a Hombro, the CBI Member Network in Peru, shares why Peru is so vulnerable to natural hazards and how the organization works with the government to coordinate business engagement in humanitarian response.
## Network at a glance
Host organization
Non-profit civil association (Asociación Civil, A.C.)
Headquarters
Lima, Peru
Number of members
83 members
Scale / Business reach
National
Contact person
Juan Manuel Arribas Berendsohn
Contact email
hombroahombro@sep.org.pe
Areas of focus
Flood, Wildfire
## Most recent emergencies
- Earthquake
- Peru
### Peru Earthquakes July 2026
July 2026
15 SEP 2026 9:25 pm
[Read more about Peru Earthquakes July 2026](https://connectingbusiness.org/our-impact/peru-earthquakes-july-2026/)
- Flood, Tropical cyclone
- Peru
### Peru Floods and Landslides March 2023
March 2023
15 SEP 2026 8:23 pm
[Read more about Peru Floods and Landslides March 2023](https://connectingbusiness.org/our-impact/peru-floods-and-landslides/)
## What are CBI Member Networks?
**Our global impact at a glance**
**Localized business coalitions working together to prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies.**
### Coordinated response
CBI Member Networks bring together businesses operating in disaster-prone regions to coordinate their preparedness and response efforts.
## Latest from peru
News August 16, 2024
### How Artificial Intelligence is enabling disaster preparedness in Peru
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News April 20, 2023
### Peru faces first cyclone in 40 years: Local business network is an integral part of the response
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News July 20, 2022
### The Connecting Business initiative welcomes Peru’s Hombro a Hombro private sector association as its newest member
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News September 18, 2025
### How artificial intelligence is enabling a “culture of preparedness” in Peru
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News May 15, 2025
### Building Earthquake Resilience in Lima’s Classrooms: How children lead change in disaster preparedness in Peru
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News May 5, 2025
### Businesses Respond to Severe Flooding in Communities in the Peruvian Amazon
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News November 22, 2024
### Preparing for a high magnitude earthquake in the South of Peru: Lessons from a Simulation Exercise
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News July 19, 2023
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News August 17, 2023
### Rising to the Challenge: Private Sector’s “No Matter What” Commitment to Climate and Disaster Resilience
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News May 21, 2024
### “Disasters do not discriminate”: Building trust for effective crisis response at HNPW 2024
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News April 28, 2025
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News December 4, 2025
### From Vaults to Villages: How Banks Build Financial Resilience in Crisis Response
What comes to mind when you picture a bank supporting a flood response? Access to cash? Ensuring liquidity? What about the vulnerability of the…
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