UN-led initiative, of which Willis is a founding partner, continues push to revolutionize business and public sector resilience to natural disasters

Boston, March 19, 2015 - TheUN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction(UNISDR) has hosted the US R!SE initiative launch in Boston, MA, to further prioritize disaster resilience into mainstream decision-making, corporate planning and investment in North America. The launch was attended by local leaders, including Mayor Martin J. Walsh.

The initiative is a private sector partnership created by the UN and a unique alliance that aims to provide global leadership in the field of disaster risk reduction. Its key objective is to make all investments risk-sensitive to protect lives, livelihoods and property around the world now and into the future.

The Boston event is the latest in a series of R!SE launch events around the world. It follows the initiative's original launch in May 2014 at the UN's headquarters in New York, following on a statement by the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon that "economic losses from disasters are out of control and can only be reduced in partnership with the private sector."

Boston, like other coastal cities around the world, faces growing levels of exposure to natural disaster risk with the emerging impacts of climate changecausing sea level rise and more frequent severe weather events. Civic and business leaders recognize that proportionate adaptation and mitigation must begin now to ensure that investments in infrastructure and property maintain their value into the future.

Willis Group Holdings is one of six founding partners of R!SE, which also comprises PwC, The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), Florida International University (FIU), Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) and AECOM.

Speaking at the launch, Rowan Douglas , CEO of Willis' Capital, Science & Policy Practice and Chairman of the Willis Research Network, said: "It was the Great Fire of Boston in 1872 that was the final tipping point which drove a transformation of urban investment in North America. The new risk management requirements demanded by sustainable insurance systems such as building codes, zoning laws and fire departments saved thousands of lives and millions of dollars. Within 50 years major conflagrations, the scourge of centuries, were a distant memory in North America. How appropriate that the journey to confront its modern equivalent has begun in the City of Boston."

Kirk Metcalf , Managing Partner, Northeast Region of Willis North America, commented, "As a global risk advisor and re/insurance broker, one of the roles Willis plays for our clients is to help them become more resilient to catastrophic loss events. Our participation in the UN R!SE initiative is central to that role. Boston's efforts to deal with climate change and the integrated public-private approach being taken has created an ideal opportunity for us to contribute locally to the dialogue. We look forward to staying engaged and helping deliver measurable improvement to our clients' and the city's ability to deal with this changing environment."

About R!SE

Following a decade of record-breaking economic losses and disruption due to natural disasters(*), R!SE brings together leading names in business, investment, insurance, the public sector, business education and civil society to develop and promote global standards on risk metrics and voluntary industry standards for disaster risk-sensitive investment.

The initiative is structured aroundeight activity streamsthat aim to deliver tools, recommendations and good practice to implement comprehensive disaster risk management for investments.

Willis leads the 'insuring resilience' activity stream. It supports the aspiration that everyone should have access to the benefits of sustainable and effective insurance, particularly in the context of current low levels of disaster insurance in both developing and developed countries, and will further support the correct pricing of risk and the development of insurance incentives for disaster risk reduction.

For more information, visit:http://www.preventionweb.net/rise/what-is-rise

(*) The UN's 3rd Global Assessment Report, Creating Shared Value: the Business Case for Disaster Risk Reduction demonstrated that economic losses from disasters so far this century are 50% higher than previous estimates: in the range of a massive $2.5 trillion. Private investment largely determines disaster risk: 70-85% of overall investment is made by the private sector including annual institutional investments worth more than $80 trillion globally:http://www.unisdr.org/archive/33003

The 2015 GAR report can be viewed at:http://www.unisdr.org/archive/42814

About Willis

Willis Group Holdings plc is a leading global risk advisor, insurance and reinsurance broker. With roots dating to 1828, Willis operates today on every continent with more than 18,000 employees in over 400 offices. Willis offers its clients superior expertise, teamwork, innovation and market-leading products and professional services in risk management and transfer. Our experts rank among the world's leading authorities on analytics, modelling and mitigation strategies at the intersection of global commerce and extreme events. Find more information at our website, www.willis.com, our leadership journal,Resilience, or our up-to-the-minute blog on breaking news,WillisWire. Across geographies, industries and specialisms, Willis provides its local and multinational clients with resilience for a risky world.

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