As confirmed cases of swine-origin influenza A(H1N1) infection continue to increase globally, this report by The Conference Board summarizes the business and health lessons from previous epidemics and provides important insights to managers about dealing with today's pandemic-related issues. Included are action steps that managers within companies should be taking to prepare for a possible worsening of the "swine flu" pandemic. Topics addressed include:

• Design and implementation of pandemic plans
• Disruptive impacts to business continuity
• Critical HR response issues
• The role of communications.