Words do not do justice to describe the devastation brought by Hurricane Harvey to the city of Houston and elsewhere on the Gulf Coast, just as photographs cannot fully capture the depth of the human heartache left in the storm’s wake. But nothing shines through the darkness of tragedy more brightly than human compassion.

Hurricane Harvey is a testament to what corporate America can achieve when it unites toward a greater good. It is a testament to what happens when competitors become allies and when small businesses and global conglomerates alike band together in the name of helping others.

Jaclyn Jaeger is a freelance contributor to Compliance Week after working for the company for 15 years. She writes on a wide variety of topics, including ethics and compliance, risk management, legal,...