Airlink-backed report says private-sector partnerships are key to humanitarian response

A CHORD research report published with Airlink says humanitarian supply chains work better when companies, philanthropies and aid groups build partnerships before crises hit. The report, released June 23, 2026, finds private-sector donations are common but still too informal to reliably support complex emergencies.

Why it matters: - Humanitarian agencies are facing rising need and tighter funding at the same time. - The report argues that private-sector logistics, transport and planning capacity can help close that gap. - The findings point to a shift from one-off donations toward standing partnerships that can move aid faster and more reliably.

What happened: - The Center for Humanitarian Logistics and Regional Development, or CHORD, published a report with Airlink, Inc. on June 23, 2026. - The report was made possible by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. - The report is titled From Ad Hoc to Essential: A Growing Role for the Private Sector in Humanitarian Supply Chains. - The research draws on more than 100 touch points across humanitarian, aviation and logistics communities. - The report uses case studies from Airlink’s responses to Sudan’s ongoing humanitarian crisis and Hurricane Beryl in 2024.

The details: - The report finds that pre-crisis partnerships between companies, private philanthropies and humanitarian organizations shape response capacity. - The report says donated transport creates value for partners beyond budget relief. - The research finds that 95% of private-sector respondents have donated services since January 2024. - Only 32% of those respondents have formal partnership frameworks or engagement policies in place. - The report says that lack of formal structures makes private-sector support less predictable for humanitarian responders. - Private-sector actors are 10% less willing to provide donated services for a complex crisis or conflict than for a sudden-onset disaster. - The report says that gap can leave humanitarian groups with less capacity in the most difficult emergencies. - Airlink connects aviation and humanitarian partners to build logistics systems that speed disaster response, lower costs and help communities recover. - CHORD is a joint venture with Kühne Logistics University, which combines academic research with operational training focused on development outcomes. - Mojtaba Salem, Assistant Professor for Humanitarian Operations and Management Practice at KLU, said intermediary organizations help convert private-sector support into real response capacity. - Salem also said humanitarian organizations, the private sector, philanthropy and academia need data-driven evidence to strengthen delivery models. - Paloma Adams-Allen, president and CEO of Airlink, said nearly 300 million people need humanitarian assistance in 2025 and again in 2026. - Adams-Allen said global funding for essential programs is declining and new partners are needed to fill the gap. - Adams-Allen said Airlink has spent 15 years building a disaster and crisis response model that relies on aviation and private-sector partnerships. - Adams-Allen said Airlink reduces compliance, demand, vetting and documentation burdens for humanitarian and aviation partners. - Adams-Allen said Airlink provides transportation and aid delivery at no cost.

Between the lines: - The report is not just about donations. It is about operational reliability. - The emphasis on formal frameworks suggests the sector still depends too much on ad hoc relationships when speed and coordination matter most. - The findings also suggest aviation and logistics firms can be more useful when they are integrated into preparedness, not just activated after a disaster.

What's next: - The report calls for closer collaboration among humanitarian organizations, private companies, philanthropy and academia. - It also points to the need for more data-driven evidence to improve partnership models. - Airlink says trust-based relationships must be built before disasters so response partnerships can be activated quickly when crises hit. - To read the full report, see the full report.