Disparities of all types are being amplified by COVID-19. Every community’s health, environments, economic, and other issues are being thrown into sharp relief. Meanwhile, community engagement tends to involve conversations, face-to-face encounters, and so on — activities that are potentially dangerous during the COVID era.

Now is the time to shift to virtual platforms and innovate new approaches to projects. Even if it’s not convenient, life goes on, and the fact is that few of these industrial, environmental, or public works projects have stopped due to the pandemic.

That’s why it’s crucial to mitigating disparities to develop meaningful conversations surrounding these projects. Don’t be afraid to be proactive in communication to help facilitate these projects and maintain community engagement.

There is a wide range of platforms to empower communication, so ensure that you are taking advantage of new virtual technologies as well as good old-fashioned conference calls. It’s crucial to maintain a consistent connection to the affected community and provide accessible opportunities for engagement.