Private firms should learn that the value of life matters all the time not just in times of crisis

Many private firms responded impressively during the Paris attacks, but they should learn to value people all the time, not just in times of crisis, writes Lucy P Marcus

AS THE world comes to terms with the wider implications and consequences of the terrorist atrocity in Paris, an important story risks being lost in the welter of coverage and analysis: The increasingly vital role that private companies play in planning for and responding to emergencies. And there’s more to the story than that.

As the wave of synchronised attacks unfolded, people around the world followed it in real time via Twitter, and Parisians reached out to those who found themselves stranded by posting offers of safe havens with the hashtags #PorteOuverte and #OpenDoor.