Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Acknowledgements
The Partnering Initiative (TPI) gratefully acknowledges the
UK Department for International Development (DFID) for its
support in the development of this report which has been
funded by UK aid from the UK Government.
The view expressed in this report are those of the authors
and do not necessarily reflect the UK Government’s official
policies.
TPI also gratefully acknowledges the Swedish International
Development Agency (Sida) for its support of a workshop
in April 2014 that for the first time brought together
practitioners from 11 partnership platforms from around
the world. The rich learnings from the workshop have
contributed significantly to this report.
Finally, TPI would like to thank all the platform practitioners
involved in the development of the report, either as case
studies or as participants at the workshop.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1 Introduction 12
6 Conclusion 36
In September 2015, the UN will announce the post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals.
While specific targets and indicators are still being finalised, one aspect is clear: multi-stakeholder
partnerships between business, NGOs, government, the UN and communities will be essential
to achieve the goals and they will be needed at a scale and quality that dwarfs current levels
of collaboration.
The question of how countries can systematically scale up support government in engaging business in the setting of
the engagement of business as a partner in development was development priorities. And by providing direct support to
the subject of the ‘Roadmap’ report,1 launched in April 2014 partnerships, the platforms can help to ensure they are set up
by the UK Secretary of State, Justine Greening, at the GPEDC to be as robust and effective as possible as well as assisting in
high-level meeting in Mexico City. measuring their value to all sides.
Developed with extensive consultation with business, Multi-stakeholder platforms form an essential part of the
government and civil society around the world, the Roadmap ‘infrastructure’ that is necessary to scale up public-private
sets out a series of milestones building up the level of public- collaboration for post-2015 development. Creating effective,
private engagement and collaboration, leading to the ultimate sustainable platforms, however, is a significant challenge.
goal of business as a ‘full partner’ in delivering the post-2015 It requires a whole range of skills, support and processes to
development agenda (figure 1). engage stakeholders from all sectors and ensure they receive
sufficient value to remain engaged; to host innovation labs
The Roadmap designates five action areas to be undertaken by and other creative dialogues to spark collaboration ideas; to
all societal sectors in order to complete the journey: provide technical support to facilitate nascent partnerships;
1 Build trust across the sectors and build understanding of and measure the value partnerships are delivering. And,
their alignment of interest and the benefits of partnering; of course, all the time ensuring the platform has sufficient
resources and a sustainable business plan.
2 Ensure open and inclusive planning of development
priorities to engage business;
This report sets out emerging good practice on creating
3 Create in-country multi-stakeholder platforms to effective platforms that can systematically engage business
systematically broker partnerships across the sectors; as a partner in development through public private
4 Ensure partnership good practice and effectiveness and collaboration. While being academically well-grounded, it is
measure results to demonstrate value; a highly pragmatic report, based on the real, on-the-ground
5 Build institutional capability for partnering, including experiences of developing and running platforms. As such, it
developing strategies, systems and processes and directly acknowledges and tackles the tension between what
individuals’ partnering skills and understanding. is theoretically desirable and what is practically feasible under
normal, resource-constrained circumstances.
This report focuses on the in-country multi-stakeholder
platforms: ongoing mechanisms that can systemically While the report is a significant contribution to the art and
bring together business, government, the UN, NGOs and science of developing effective platforms, the field is still
communities around issues of both business and societal emerging. The Partnering Initiative, through its Business
importance, and catalyse direct innovative partnership action. Partners for Development programme, is supporting the
creation of platforms in a range of countries and will continue
Depending on their focus, such platforms can in turn to draw out learning from these experiences and develop tools
significantly impact several of the other action areas. and guides for effective practice.
Through the dialogue that the platforms facilitate and, most
importantly, through working together in the partnerships
the platforms catalyse, business, government and other
development actors will naturally build understanding and Darian Stibbe, Executive Director,
trust. By demonstrating the intrinsic alignment of interest The Partnering Initiative
between government and business, the platforms can directly November 2014
1. The Roadmap was developed for the GPEDC by The Partnering Initiative with support from UK Aid: BPDF.org
FIGURE 1: SERIES OF MILESTONES ALONG THE JOURNEY TOWARDS BUSINESS AS A ‘FULL’ PARTNER IN THE POST-2015
DEVELOPMENT AGENDA
THE GOAL
Business is fully engaged as a partner in the
post-2015 development agenda
1 Business engages in
philanthropy; engages in
Government starts
to invest in business
some ‘partnership’ activities enabling environment;
on an opportunistic basis; open to public-private
engages with government policy dialogue; ad hoc
on business enabling responses to industry
environment initiatives
Executive Summary
G BUI
LD
P IN
Context and needs analysis Engage stakeholders and build
l
IN
l
l
l Identify key interested parties
Identify host institution
l
l Indentify potential resources
Create governance and
l
l Raise awareness management structure
Secure resources
l
l
Identify priority projects
l
M
DA E
Move to local ownership and
PL Put in place M&E processes
l
TIN
l
Note: Depending on context, certain activities may take place across multiple phases of the lifecycle
1 2 3
BUSINESS GOVERNANCE OPERATIONAL
MODEL STRUCTURE
4 5 6
COMMUNICATION VALUE CORE
STRATEGY ADDED COMPETENCIES
SERVICES
7 8 9
MEMBERSHIP MONITORING AND PARTNERSHIP
ENGAGEMENT EVALUATION CULTURE
2
Our research, involving platforms for partnership from all over Governance
the world, has identified nine critical elements that constitute The actions of those managing the platform, allocating
the ‘building blocks’ for any platform for partnership. An resources or selecting partnerships to support, must
understanding of these elements – and proper attention be accountable to all stakeholders within a clear system of
to their achievement – will maximise the likelihood of a rules. This is not only a basic requirement to demonstrate
platform meeting its internal and external goals, establishing transparency but a practical means of monitoring actions
a sustainable institution and delivering development impact and outcomes. An absence of good governance systems will
through cross-sector partnerships. Each of these building undermine trust between participants and may increase the
blocks represents a summary of factors that are critical in (already high) transaction costs involved in a multi-stakeholder
designing, managing and implementing a multi-stakeholder platform.
platform for partnership.
At the same time, it is important not to rush into too-rigid
1
Sustainable Business Model governance structures in the early development stages while
Every platform needs a strategy to achieve its purpose. the platform is engaging its core group of partners and co-
Central to this strategy is the issue of how the platform developing its activities and approaches. It is also essential
is going to access and generate sufficient funding both to that governance structures can adapt and change as the
support its core operation and to enable it to broker and platform itself adapts and iterates its approach when it begins
support innovative new partnerships. Initial grant funding may to implement in earnest.
be essential to set up a platform in the first place and allow it
3
time to build up wider knowledge and interest in partnership Operational management structure
as well as to demonstrate success. For it to remain sustainable, Building an effective platform institution requires the
the platform must be offering sufficient value, through its design of an appropriate and effective management
services and through the impact generated, that organisations structure to implement the platform’s tasks and produce its
wish to continue to support it through grants, fees for service, stated outputs. All platform participants need to understand
membership service, or some combination of these. the structuring of the platform, the roles of respective actors
7
and the systems that are in place to achieve realistic outcomes. Membership engagement and management
The operational structure should be in place at an early stage Particularly in the early stages, the identification of
to ensure that participation is purposeful and productive. platform champions can be an effective element in
developing and retaining engagement from members and
4
Communication strategy other external stakeholders. Strong public champions of the
Good communication is vital to the success of all platform will motivate participants, raise wider awareness
cooperation. It is especially critical in platforms where of the initiative and engage stakeholders in contributing
the large number and diversity of stakeholders makes resources or promoting the added value of the platform to
communication potentially complicated or cumbersome, and others.
methods of communication must be carefully chosen to suite
the range of organisational or professional cultures. Effective Critical to the longer term success of any platform is the
communication is not only about internal information- ability of its members to move from engagement driven by
sharing and trust-building: it must also involve promotion of initial goodwill to long-term collaboration based on trust,
the platform’s vision and purpose to the wider audience of an understanding of a shared movement towards a vision,
interested parties and potential partners. and an appreciation of received value. The platform has an
essential role in facilitating dialogue among its members,
5
Value-added services in communicating success with excellence, in listening and
Platforms must offer well-defined and relevant services reacting to its members’ needs, and in helping its members
that provide significant value to members, partners appreciate, and articulate, the value of the platform.
and clients. Typically, a platform will offer services including
8
innovation spaces for engaging stakeholders and identifying Monitoring and Evaluation
partnerships; partnership facilitation and brokering; and Monitoring and evaluation of a platform for partnership
training to build partnering capacity. should aim to focus on three main areas: the platform
itself; the specific partnerships it brokers or supports; and the
Innovation spaces or other forms of facilitated cross-sectoral overall contribution to business and development goals.
dialogue have the potential to build understanding of the
overlapping interests of organisations from different sectors, to Within each of these areas, monitoring and evaluation might
begin to align those interests, and to be creative in identifying look at process (how are things working?); outputs (are goals
the potential for innovative win-win partnerships. Brokering being met according to plan?) and impact (is there evidence of
of those nascent partnerships (or scaling up or replication of improvement in key social and economic indicators?).
existing partnerships) then entails taking the partners through
an effective partnering process to ensure all are fully engaged Well-integrated review mechanisms will not only support
and committed and the partnership is set up to be as robust learning and decision-making for the platform but will
and effective as possible. also provide important reassurance for national and global
stakeholders seeking evidence of value and impact.
6
Core Competencies
9
Creating and catalysing new development partnerships, Partnership culture
and providing services to them, all require a high level Just as with any partnership, a complex, multi-
of competence in both the theory and practice of cross-sector stakeholder platform requires a strong overall vision
partnering. Hiring experienced professional partnership around which diverse sectors can mobilise, acknowledging
brokers and putting in place training and development that they will have different reasons for participation but
programmes to develop the necessary knowledge and skill can still develop common objectives, towards which they can
are essential to establishing a viable structure, team and work collectively.
procedures for a new platform.
Delivery of the vision has to be supported by strong
In addition to the knowledge and skills required to directly partnership values of respect, mutual benefit, equity and
support partnerships, the platform secretariat will also transparency. Values are not only a key element of the overall
require skills around membership management, financial vision but a critical contributor to building a demonstrably
management, and fundraising. collaborative culture in the platform.
However, they are not an easy option. While they have great
potential for impact, they require long-term stakeholder
commitment, sustained resourcing and consistency of
personnel to help ensure their success.
1 Introduction
The past 20 years have been characterised by increasing levels of private sector engagement
with issues such as poverty, humanitarian crisis, and long-term sustainable development. The
acknowledgement, by leading global companies, of the need to work in the developing world with
sensitivity to local context, local needs and local institutions has resulted in a multitude of initiatives
aimed at reconciling the growth of developing world markets with the improvement of health,
welfare, education and living standards in low and middle income countries.
This process has been characterised by a shift from a These trends are clearly evident in the current debate over
primarily philanthropic approach (business donating how to organise and accelerate sustainable development after
funds to communities, NGOs and the UN) to one based the expiry of the Millennium Development Goals in 2015. The
on the long term business interests and core resources of conceptualisation and construction of a post-2015 agenda
companies, working in partnership with government, the for global development will depend heavily, at country level,
UN system, International NGOs, local small producers and on the closer alignment of national aspirations, international
community-based organisations. The rise and rise of the multi- support and the realisation of business interests. Such
stakeholder cross-sector partnership has facilitated a positive alignment will require more, and more innovative, forms of
transformation in the way that private companies interact collaboration between actors from all sectors.
with other sectors and in the way they do business with local
producers, suppliers and communities. The active engagement of the private sector – at global,
national and local level – is integral to the post-2015 vision,
At the same time, donor governments, UN agencies and but it is an engagement that will focus more than ever before
international NGOs have recognised that long-term solutions on the value offered by core business activity: wealth creation,
to poverty, disease and food insecurity in developing countries employment, technological progress and investment in
have to include private business – not just through their human resources.
charitable foundations but also through the impact of their
core business activities. In order to achieve the necessary scaling up of public-private
collaboration, a new ‘infrastructure’ will be required to
In recent years attention has turned to the challenge of how catalyse and drive partnership action. One key element of that
best to engage the private sector through more innovative infrastructure is the multi-stakeholder platform at country
partnership arrangements and the pooling of financial, level. Such platforms are focused on bringing together local
technical and commercial resources. At the global policy actors from the public, private and not-for-profit sectors to
level, the Busan High-Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness foster dialogue and to generate partnerships for development
(2011) confirmed the centrality of cross-sector partnerships that derive from the compatible aspirations of the different
to sustainable development and cited public-private co- sectors. Platforms of this kind most directly reflect the
operation as one of the “building blocks” of aid effectiveness. priorities articulated at Busan – they are at country level; are
Busan also marked an important shift of focus towards the based on the alignment of interests between participating
national level and the primacy of aligning global development actors; and are committed to practical, measurable impact on
plans with national plans and aspirations. Accordingly, there development needs.
has been increased interest in the forms of partnership which
might deliver optimal results at the country and regional level.
In recent years attention has turned to the challenge of how best to engage the private
sector through more innovative partnership arrangements and the pooling of financial,
technical and commercial resources.
To date, the number and visibility of such platforms has The intended audience for the study comprises national and
remained low and there has been limited monitoring and global policy-makers, donor organisations, humanitarian
evaluation of their progress. If such collaborative mechanisms agencies, private enterprise at international and local levels,
are to be an integral part of the post-2015 architecture for and civil society bodies. It is primarily aimed at informing
delivering social and economic improvement to low and practical decisions on the modes of investment, planning,
middle-income countries, there needs to be considerably structuring and management of in-country platforms to
better knowledge available, on which to base future decisions ensure that they can deliver the public-private collaboration
on investment, support and advocacy for multi-stakeholder essential to achieving progress in all fields of sustainability
platforms. and development.
The drive to create a coherent architecture of business engagement acknowledges the complexity
and diversity of the current development landscape. There is a need for greater co-ordination
and coherence in aid and development activities. There is also a widely-expressed desire for
better mapping, monitoring and evaluation of the impact and value of business engagement in
development. Multi-stakeholder platforms are currently regarded as one effective means both of
responding to this fragmentation of effort and of enhancing the level and impact of business sector
engagement.
There have, to date, been a number of influential studies replicating locally-focused platforms for partnership. Indeed,
which have identified the characteristics and benefits of a the most recent FSG work on “backbone structure” for
development approach based on diverse, multi-stakeholder “collective impact”6 emphasises the role of major global
platforms that focus on building cross-sector dialogue and partnerships such as GAIN and RBM in “defining a high level
acting as a catalyst for new projects and partnerships within framework for action towards a common agenda and defining
a defined geographic area. These include the work by King’s shared metrics while the local backbone organizations
College, London on humanitarian platforms,2 the work of coordinate implementing partners on the ground in specific
the CSR Initiative at Harvard Kennedy School3 on “business locations.”7
ecosystems”, the studies by FSG of “collective impact”,4 and
The Partnering Initiative’s (TPI) experience in establishing The country-level platforms for partnership that are the
and analysing Business Partners for Development Facilities.5 subject of this report are defined as:
The terminology used to describe these innovative “An ongoing mechanism to systematically drive
arrangements still varies from study to study and, indeed, the creation of bi-lateral or multi-stakeholder
from one project to another. Nevertheless, there is a growing partnerships for development. Platforms undertake
consensus around the unique character and benefits of activities to convene and align government, business,
multi-stakeholder platforms established in limited geographic NGOs, donors and other development actors around
regions with the resource and commitment to catalyse and a particular issue or geography, facilitate innovative
support new partnerships for development. These are distinct collaborative approaches and directly broker and
from many existing partnership and platform activities in their support new partnership action.”
membership, structure, scope, location and outputs.
2. Oglesby & Burke (2012) 5. Most notably, ‘Creating the Zambia Business Partners for
Development Facility – Scoping Report & Recommendations’ July 2013
3. Jenkins (2012)
6. Patscheke, S. et al (2014)
4. Kania, J. and Kramer, M. (2011); Turner, S. et al (2012); Patscheke, S.
et al. (2014) 7. Ibid. p.3
There are already a wide variety of platforms operating across Africa, Asia and Latin America. Although
they have certain key features in common, they will also display differences in their priorities, their
constitutions and their membership profiles. What makes them identifiable as part of a common
phenomenon is the overall commitment to bringing together public, private, not-for-profit and
community actors to create dialogue and partnerships around shared local development goals.
Typically, a platform for partnership might aim to achieve a The Partnership Platform Lifecycle
combination of two, three or more of the following inter-linked
The Partnership Platform Lifecycle sets out the main stages
objectives:
and the typical activities at each stage in the development and
• Promote, support and enable a range of cross-sector
management of the platform.
partnerships for development at the local (national) level
• Increase awareness of the role of business in development
The life-cycle model divides the overall development of
• Provide new opportunities for dialogue between business
the platform into Scoping, Building, Implementing and
and government
Consolidating phases. In practice there will not, of course,
• Increase the impact of public sector and civil society action
be such a clear-cut distinction between the stages of
by leveraging the expertise and resources of the private
development: the growth of a platform is not a direct linear
sector
process and will be subject to review and revision as it
• Build capacity for partnering among public and private
develops. Sources of funding, membership profile, staffing and
bodies
many other elements will need to be revisited as the external
• Sustain and scale development activities through effective
environment changes and the platform encounters new
cross-sector partnership
challenges. Growing a multi-stakeholder platform is always
an iterative process where learning from experience must
continually inform the improvement of practice.
G BUI
LD
P IN
Context and needs analysis
l Engage stakeholders and build
IN
l
DA E
Move to local ownership and
PL Put in place M&E processes
l
TIN
l
Note: Depending on context, certain activities may take place across multiple phases of the lifecycle
Nevertheless, the use of a model enables us to focus on those There are similar tensions evident in other aspects of the
issues of primary importance at the stage when they are most practice observed in ongoing platforms. For example, the need
likely to be encountered. Figure 2 is a visual representation of for high-profile champions in the early stages of development
the platform life-cycle with typical activities that will be carried can compete with the need to establish a core administrative
out at each stage of the cycle. The yellow arrows indicate the team for the platform as it moves into the more settled phase
typical chronological sequence of development. The blue of implementation. At this latter point there is a greater need
arrows highlight the iterative nature of the cycle whereby for institutionalisation of good practice and the creation of a
learning will feed back into the development and growth central administrative structure that is adequately resourced
process. and trusted to deliver the facilities required for successful
catalysis of new partnership projects. Over-reliance on high-
profile individuals, or on leadership intervention, begins to
Inherent tensions constitute an obstacle to progress or an undermining of the
In terms of this evolutionary cycle of a platform, an important role of the core platform institution.
finding from the research was the prevalence of internal
tensions within platforms, which could represent significant Similarly, the absolute necessity of engaging state actors in the
challenges to their successful development. Drawing on the platform carries with it the risk that conventional modalities of
insights from our nine case studies of current platforms, it planning and funding will be imposed and that there will be
was clear that, even where there was well-planned progress less opportunity to create innovative partnerships. Conversely,
towards creating and sustaining a new platform, inherent an over-emphasis on the staff and processes coordinating
contradictions could emerge between the activities and the the platform can lead to them struggling to get internal
intended goals. Thus, despite a platform’s key stakeholders commitment and this can inhibit the organisations’ ability to
being cognisant of good practice and doing their best to scale-up activities
implement it, internal tensions can be created which need to
be acknowledged and planned for. Although such inherent tensions in the partnership-building
process cannot be entirely eliminated, an awareness of the
The simplest example of such inherent contradictions challenges they create will make platform stakeholders better
appears in the tension between the principle of inclusivity prepared to manage the developmental life-cycle of the
and that of administrative efficiency. There is virtually platform. This is of particular importance to funders, to the
unanimous agreement, both in the literature and among initiators of the platform and to global networks that might
our case study respondents, that in-country platforms for be supporting the new initiative. Preparation for the likely
partnership need a large group of stakeholders representing challenges to platform success needs to be an integral part
a full range of relevant sectors and institutions, from central of early-stage planning and, in particular, of the allocation of
government to local enterprises. Consequently, many of the resources to the support and facilitation of the platform.
platforms included in this study had large numbers of formal
participants, often totalling forty or more organisations. Figure 3 below uses forcefield analysis8 to present a number of
Although such inclusivity contributes to effective consultation, challenges rooted in the tension between good practice and
credibility and alignment of goals, it also generates challenges the costs, commitment or contradictions it might create. The
of managing communication, funding the high transaction table also includes a column of practical recommendations for
costs of co-ordinating the network, and creating mechanisms improving planning and preparation for such challenges.
to reconcile the diversity of opinions and approaches offered
by the stakeholders. It also makes more difficult the task of In Section 5, we present in greater detail our conclusions on
creating a new and shared culture of partnership to bind the critical activities required to build a successful platform for
the stakeholders together over the long haul of developing, partnership and how those activities might enable platform
maturing and sustaining the platform. stakeholders to avoid or to overcome the most serious
challenges at each stage of the platform life-cycle.
8. Lewin, K. (1943)
Following an extensive review of the available literature, the research team selected nine current
platforms, all of which conformed to our definition of a country-level platform for partnership,
and undertook a short case study of each. As the brief descriptions below demonstrate, platforms
have been created to address a range of different economic, social and environmental problems in
developing and transitional economies
A number of these in-country platforms have their origins in 3. Business Partners for Development Facility
major global partnerships and represent an extension of the (BPDF) Hubs in Zambia and Colombia
principles of cross-sector co-operation into a local context. The BPDF, a programme of Sida, the Dutch Ministry for Foreign
Other platforms have emerged from independent initiatives by Affairs, DFID and The Partnering Initiative, supports the
private companies or civil society bodies seeking to establish creation of partnership ‘Hubs’ in-country, including in Zambia
national or regional initiatives which might have substantial and Colombia. The Hubs help to drive the engagement
impact in a well-defined sphere of activity. All require the of business in development by systematically promoting
active endorsement and co-operation of governments and supporting the development of ‘win-win’ partnerships
and public agencies and all acknowledge that business between companies, international agencies, government
involvement must go beyond philanthropy and incorporate and NGOs to tackle business sustainability or development
core commercial interests. challenges. In Colombia, the Hub hosted by Andi, the national
association of business, and supports a range of collaborations
1. Amsterdam Initiative on Malnutrition (AIM) mainly involving its members. In Zambia, AMSCO, an
AIM is a cross-sector group brought together to explore independent host iwth a number of dedicated brokers,
partnerships in 2009. The purpose of AIM is to provide a supports the creation of partnerships in a number of areas
platform to develop innovative and sustainable solutions to including job creation and agriculture.
malnutrition through collaboration between NGOs, academia,
Dutch businesses and government, with organisations in 4. Musika
economically developing countries. AIM brings global partners Musika is a Zambian non-profit organisation established
together to develop links and implement partnerships with in 2011. The aim of Musika is to improve the livelihoods of
in-country partners (e.g. agribusiness, healthcare, civil society) small-holder farmers across Zambia. They aim to achieve
on seven work streams: rural retail hubs; milk fortification; this through supporting the development of the agricultural
food fortification; vegetable supply; nutrition for employees; private sector via technical services and subsidies to change
water and health kiosks; and farm produce quality assessment. the practices of existing agriculture companies who want
The platform offers collective analysis of business and to work with small-holder farmers. Thus, they support the
development challenges, information sharing, facilitated creation of private-private partnerships. Musika provides
dialogue and learning, on-going partnership support and three broad services: i) technical assistance to private sector
access to finance. This is primarily carried through group calls organisations; ii) access to resources to catalyse change in
on a monthly basis with bi-annual face-to-face meetings. private sector practices; and iii) brokering between the private
sector and communities.
2. ALIARSE
ALIARSE is a Costa Rican foundation established in 2007. The 5. Partners Forum for Action on Chronic Non-
aim of the ALIARSE is to promote and support private-public Communicable Diseases
partnerships that contribute to sustainable development The Partners’ Forum is a Trinidad and Tobago group
and to equity, through social responsibility. ALIARSE acts as a established in 2011 for an initial period of 2 years. The aim of
catalyser for Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) for sustainable the Forum is to act as both a catalyst and a mechanism for
development. This involves developing the capacity for multi-sector action to promote health and reduce chronic
working in partnership focusing on health, education and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Trinidad and Tobago.
the environment. ALIARSE provides secretariat services and The partners build and develop a cross-sector approach
brokers PPPs, carrying out research, providing training and to reducing non-communicable diseases. This involves
staff exchanges. It focuses on managing the platform, acting as establishing joint planning and coordinated implementation
the initiator, coordinator, broker and catalyser. across public and private sectors, identifying and sharing
best practice, and mobilising resources (political will, finance, 8. The Southern Agriculture Growth Corridor of
community involvement etc.) to support joint actions. Tanzania (SAGCOT)
They also are building a repository of evidence on reducing SAGCOT is a Tanzanian public-private platform initiated
non-communicable diseases and are developing standards/ in 2010. The aim of SAGCOT is to coordinate government,
policies for government and industry. donor and corporate investments and interventions in
agribusiness value-chains and supporting infrastructure.
6.The Niger Delta Partnership Initiative (NDPI) The purpose is to remove bottlenecks and improve the overall
The Niger Delta Partnership Initiative is a partnership agriculture system to kick-start environmentally sustainable
established in 2010 by Chevron Corporation through and socially beneficial commercial agricultural development
the creation of a strategic foundation in the USA (NDPI in the Southern Agricultural Corridor of Tanzania. SAGCOT is
Foundation) and an implementation foundation in Nigeria a long-term platform with targets for 2030. SAGOT provides
(PIND Foundation). The aim of NDPI is to establish innovative a dedicated secretariat and forum to facilitate dialogue and
multi-stakeholder partnerships that empower communities catalyse new public and private sector investments in
to achieve a peaceful and enabling environment for equitable the corridor.
economic growth in the Niger Delta. NDPI provides access to
finance, dialogue between public and private sectors and civil 9. The National Platform for Responsible
society, and acts as an information hub. It focuses on four key Production and Trade of Pineapples
programme areas: Economic Development, Capacity Building, UNDP Pineapple platform was established in 2010 in Costa
Peace Building, and Analysis and Advocacy. Rica. The aim of the platform is to establish a multi-stakeholder
and inter-institutional dialogue, with the aim of creating a
In particular, PIND supports partnership activity through its joint action plan that provides tangible solutions to reduce
two Economic Development Centers (EDC). The EDCs act as the negative environmental and social impacts of pineapple
resource and coordination hubs for development programs production in Costa Rica. The platform provides a space where
and partners in the Niger Delta. They provide a broad range of stakeholders come together to share knowledge and create
support for PIND’s programs and other development partners new partnerships around the pineapple production process.
(including USAID, DFID, U.S. African Development Foundation In the platform, participants have focused on developing
[USADF] and Chevron Nigeria Ltd). a national strategy for sustainable commodity production
and trade, creating working groups to analyse and discuss
7. Project Laser Beam (PLB) solutions, documenting case studies, creating capacity
Project Laser Beam is a global and local public-private building programs for public and private sector organizations
partnership launched in 2009. The aim of Project Laser Beam is and proposing policy reform recommendations.
to reach 500,000 malnourished children and create a scaleable,
replicable and sustainable model to significantly reduce child
under-nutrition. PLB plans and implements public-private
partnerships in Bangladesh and Indonesia on four nutrition-
related themes (food, water, health and hygiene, women
and employment). This covers a variety of programmes e.g.
providing high nutrient school food, home gardening, hand-
washing, supporting women to continue education. Research
and planning of interventions is carried out at the global level,
with coordination of activities carried out by a lead global
partner in-country. Interventions build on existing nutritional
solutions drawing partners together to provide a holistic
response to child under-nutrition in-country.
Our research has identified nine critical elements that constitute the ‘building blocks’ for any
platform for partnership (see figure 4). An understanding of these elements – and proper attention
to their achievement – will maximise the likelihood of a platform meeting its internal and external
goals, establishing a sustainable institution and delivering development impact through cross-sector
partnerships.
1 2 3
BUSINESS GOVERNANCE OPERATIONAL
MODEL STRUCTURE
4 5 6
COMMUNICATION VALUE CORE
STRATEGY ADDED COMPETENCIES
SERVICES
7 8 9
MEMBERSHIP MONITORING AND PARTNERSHIP
ENGAGEMENT EVALUATION CULTURE
1
Every platform needs a strategy to achieve its purpose. Central to this strategy is the issue of
how the platform is going to access and generate sufficient funding both to support its core
operation and to enable it to broker and support innovative new partnerships. Platforms are
themselves complex forms of co-operation which involve significant transaction costs.
There is little value in allocating substantial resources to establishing platforms in an
environment that is inappropriate. Thorough preparatory research is needed into the
suitability of any local environment for investment in a new platform.
Platform practitioners have highlighted the funding to support its core administrative
need to undertake an initial review of the and management functions while creating a
suitability of the environment for partnership sustainable financial relationship with those
activity, analysing the local infrastructure, the institutions and projects that it helps to
availability of resources and the maturity of broker, establish or support with guidance,
markets for goods and services. An effective training, or other services.
business model for a platform has to be fit-
for-purpose: it must demonstrate that any This raises the possibility of a number
proposed funding streams are realistic and of different long-term funding models
sustainable within this local context. Expert depending on where and for whom value
input can be of value – to do cost modelling, is being created. Such models may include
create budgets and build financial projections. donor funding, membership charges, fees
for services, in-kind contributions and social
There is no single model for funding the investment.
creation of platforms but there is a recognised
need for secure funding to be in place in Any charging for membership or services will
order to underwrite activities for a specified need a clear pricing structure and a persuasive
time-period at the outset of the platform statement of the value proposition offered by
initiative. This might be provided by donor the platform to potential donors, members or
governments, by international agencies or by clients. Platform stakeholders will also need
a combination of private and public sources. to build in a degree of flexibility so that the
The initial time period needs to be sufficiently financial model can be changed over time as
long for the platform to achieve success priorities change from start-up to capacity-
and demonstrate its value to its ‘clients’ and building and to implementation.
partners.
As the platform develops, consideration
Donors also need to consider whether the needs to be given to the challenge of moving
platform itself will provide funding for the towards greater local ownership. Research
partnerships it helps to create and support: shows that establishing a strong sense of
a clear distinction has to be made between local responsibility and ownership for the
central funding provided to finance the operations of the platform (and its associated
platform administration itself and any partnerships) increases the likelihood of
subsequent ‘catalytic’ fund established to long-term sustainability. Any partnership
support local partnerships. projects need to be closely aligned with the
needs of local actors, with local communities
Most platforms have been established as and organisations taking a leading role in
facilitators of dialogue and partnerships rather such initiatives. Too great a dependence on
than as funding mechanisms so it is important external ‘top-down’ funding can endanger
that the overall strategic model clearly the credibility and viability of the platform at
demonstrates how the platform will access national and local level.
CHALLENGE
How do we mobilise resources in a sustainable way?
As the platform-building Constituent elements within Practical steps to be taken to meet this challenge
process develops, this challenge include: will include:
participants need to address
1 How to retain stakeholder • Consider establishing a membership model which
the issue of how its activities
commitment after the initial requires members to demonstrate long-term
will be sustainable in the
‘honeymoon’ phase; commitment through cash or in-kind contributions
longer term: raising start-up
funding may be a lot easier 2 How to cope with periods • Encourage high-level champions who can endorse
than creating medium and of transition and change as the platform and act as ambassadors and conflict
long-term revenue streams. the platform develops; resolvers;
The platform also has to 3 How to establish the • Research external trends so that the platform can
establish its own identity platform’s credibility; offer relevant, income-generating services;
and credibility independent 4 How to secure access to • Build capacity through selecting skilled staff and
of the institutions that long-term resources. through sharing learning with regional and global
originally created it. bodies;
• Build membership trust through good
communication and attention to members’ needs;
• Maintain neutrality by establishing clear terms
of reference and demonstrating the platform’s
independence from any specific sector or institution;
• Respond immediately to challenges and demonstrate
‘quick wins’ and added value.
2
The actions of those managing the platform, allocating resources or
selecting partnerships to support must be accountable to all stakeholders
within a clear system of rules. This is not only a basic requirement to
demonstrate transparency but a practical means of monitoring actions and
outcomes. An absence of good governance systems will undermine trust
between participants and may increase the (already high) transaction costs
involved in a multi-stakeholder platform.
At the same time, it is important not to rush To enable good governance to be established,
into too-rigid governance structures in the key values and principles must be agreed and
early development stages while the platform communicated to all participants. If values
is engaging its core group of partners and and principles are unclear, it will be hard to
co-developing its activities and approaches. achieve consensus on issues of accountability
It is also essential that governance structures and harder still to establish trust. At a practical
can adapt and change as the platform itself level, there is a need to embody good
adapts and iterates its approach as it begins to governance in an appropriate committee
implement in earnest. structure underpinned by standard operating
procedures (SOPs). A number of our case
In order to support good governance, the study platforms had to dedicate considerable
platform should espouse and embody time and resource to ensure that both
clear values, around which participants can the principles and the practice of good
mobilise. Values are not only a key element of governance were in place.
the overall vision but a critical contributor to
building a demonstrably collaborative culture
in the platform. The values most frequently
cited in our research were neutrality (the
platform is neither political nor partial); equity
(all members have equal status regardless of
size or resources); and transparency (the work
of the platform is undertaken in an open and
accountable way).
CHALLENGE
How do we formalise commitment and find out who really means business?
As the platform structure Constituent elements within Practical steps to be taken to meet this challenge will
and goals begin to come this challenge include: include:
together and governance is
1 Ambiguity over whether • Address non-commitment quickly;
put in place, it is essential
stakeholders contribute • Start with small group of committed members who
to understand which
towards the objective; can demonstrate they can achieve targets;
stakeholders can, and will,
show long-term commitment 2 People say they are • Formalise commitment as soon as possible through:
to the initiative. committed but when – Defining clear objectives and expected results
it comes to investing – Defining clear added value of partnership
resources they are absent; and payback
3 Commitment at – Working together in a participatory way
mid-management level – Gaining commitment of resources when
is not taken up by or action plan is defined;
communicated to senior • Check each organisation has the ability to partner.
levels;
4 Poor commitment by one
actor: you can have high
commitment from an
organisation but the person
at the table doesn’t fulfil it.
3
Creating a strategy for the platform and ensuring clear values and good
governance will provide a sound basis for development. Building an
effective platform institution requires the design of an appropriate and
effective management structure to implement the platform’s tasks and
produce its stated outputs. All platform participants need to understand
the structuring of the platform, the respective roles of actors and the
systems that are in place to achieve realistic outcomes. The operational
structure should be in place at an early stage to ensure that participation is
purposeful and productive.
CHALLENGE
How should we structure the platform for success?
As the platform starts to Constituent elements within Practical steps to be taken to meet this challenge
identify its objectives, this challenge include: will include:
vision and strategy there
1 Building a shared vision • Build a shared mission and vision of platform’s
is a need to systematically
and defining common objective;
structure and organise how
objectives that can • Define platform leader, governance body (equal
the participants will work
be operationalized participation, rules), and team members;
together. This involves
in guidelines, legal
identifying what is shared, • Create a budget with defined purposes and team
frameworks, working
what is available, and what roles (desired and real);
practices;
can be done. • Identify potential members;
2 Developing human
resources, networks of • Develop an action plan based (what do we want
support, capacity building to do, with whom, and how).
for participants;
3 Obtaining resources
(financial, human, technical
assistance);
4 Creating tools,
management systems and
procedures.
4
Good communication is vital to the success of all co-operation. It may
be especially critical in platforms where the large number and diversity
of stakeholders makes communication potentially complicated or
cumbersome. Good communication means communicating in an open
but focused way and using channels of communication accessible and
familiar to participants. The identification of appropriate methods of
communication is a vital factor in effective collaboration when participants
are drawn from different organisational or professional cultures. Effective
communication is not only about internal information-sharing and trust-
building: it can also involve promotion of the platform’s vision and purpose
to the wider audience of interested parties and potential partners.
At the beginning of the National recognising that it was important CASE STUDY
Platform for Responsible to establish a communication NATIONAL PLATFORM
Production and Trade of strategy to inform all stakeholders FOR RESPONSIBLE
Pineapples, coordination and about the scope, progress
PRODUCTION AND
communication were key to and results of the process to
convening participants and consolidate and increase the TRADE OF PINEAPPLES
creating a dialogue between platform’s credibility. As the
pineapple producers and platform now moves towards
exporters. Unfortunately, a implementing their action plan
reduction in initial funding led they have established funding
to cuts to communication staff from the Sustainable Trade
and less clarity in the platform’s Initiative of the Netherlands
purpose both internally and (IDH) to develop a platform
externally. This led to participants communication strategy.
5
Platforms for partnership act as a catalyst for innovative partnerships
between its members, its external stakeholders and other local parties.
Platforms – primarily through their core management team – have to offer
well-defined and relevant services that are strongly aligned with the needs
both of national development plans and commercial business growth and
which provide sufficient value to engage members and attract funding.
Those services have to be communicated and delivered by a team with
access to appropriate human, technical and information resources.
Three typical core value-add services are: sources, roles and responsibilities, governance
innovation spaces for engaging stakeholders and operational structures, and reviewing
and identifying partnerships; partnership arrangements.
facilitation and support; and risk management.
The brokering role is a highly specialized one,
Innovation spaces or other forms of facilitated requiring significant experience and skills to
cross-sectoral dialogue, have the potential do it well. This is therefore an area where there
to build understanding of the overlapping is very significant potential for the platform to
interests of organisations from different offer genuine value to its members.
sectors to begin to align those interests, and
to be creative in identifying the potential Institutions and actors differ in their
for win-win partnerships. Approaches such willingness to expose themselves to risk or
as ‘innovation labs’, when run properly and uncertainty and this is a particular problem
with the right people in the room, have when institutions from different sectors –
the potential to bring people out of their with very different risk cultures – are brought
usual ways of thinking, drive creativity, together in new partnerships. A platform’s
build connections and social capital, as well operating model might include resources to
as building understanding of how diverse create initial vehicles for higher-risk activity to
resources can create innovative, win-win be undertaken securely, offering mechanisms
solutions, and develop momentum towards to support or underwrite early-stage projects
nascent partnership ideas. in order to permit members to take a degree
of risk in launching innovative partnerships.
A successful partnership platform should Managing risk is another way in which a
have the capacity to nurture the development platform can foster innovation, encouraging
of new partnerships, replicate those that business to move into new areas.
have been successful, and scale up existing
partnerships that have the potential to grow. Our case study respondents highlighted the
For all but the simplest of partnerships, given value of carrying out a professional market
the diversity of partners’ interests, cultures, assessment and needs analysis to identify
systems and expectations, a highly robust local needs; also of identifying potential
approach to brokering is essential. Brokering partners to engage with in offering services
a partnership entails engaging organisations; and managing risk. It was important that
building trust and mutual understanding; any services and outputs were aligned with
finding areas of common interest; developing shared development goals and responded to
a shared vision; identifying competencies perceived gaps in local skills and knowledge.
and resources, and building Equity. It also
requires agreeing or identifying objectives
that create value for all, a workplan, funding
CHALLENGE
How do we demonstrate the platform’s added value?
At the outset of the platform- A number of separate Seven practical steps can be taken to address these
building process those elements to this challenge issues and meet the challenge effectively:
driving the initiative need can be identified:
• Find ‘low-hanging fruit’ and design the platform’s
to engage key stakeholders
1 How to articulate the outcomes so that participants will see early evidence
from many different
added value of the platform of added value;
organisations. The initiative
and, in particular, how to • Select a clear focus for the platform’s work that can be
has to attract support,
distinguish it from ongoing easily understood and has relevance to all sectors;
resources and commitment
initiatives or partnerships;
despite being a new, and • Demonstrate an awareness of the languages and
perhaps unfamiliar, style 2 How to engage the private perspectives of all participating sectors and create a
of collaboration. There is a sector effectively, using platform that reflects this diversity;
basic need to demonstrate existing models such as
• Engage the private sector through both philanthropy
that participation in the philanthropy, market
and core business models e.g. raising seed funding
platform will deliver value for development, base of
through initial philanthropy but leveraging the
participants, over and above the pyramid;
commitment to build a core business model;
what they might be deriving 3 How to avoid the platform
• Be responsive to stakeholders’ concerns and
from existing activities. being dominated by one
objectives;
sector or institution;
• Create shared responsibility (e.g. shared or alternative
4 How to communicate
chairing of meetings) and give an equal voice to
both the platform process
different institutional representatives;
(how to engage) and the
platform outcomes (what • Promote the platform effectively to generate
will be done). visibility and impact.
6
One of the primary functions of the multi-stakeholder platform is to
create, catalyse and provide services to new development partnerships.
Such activities require a high level of competence in both the theory and
practice of cross-sector partnering (see figure 5).
CASE STUDY
ALIARSE
One of the main activities in further by creating partnership platform and contribute to its
the work and development training courses tailored to long-term sustainability as the
of ALIARSE is training. This has clients’ needs. This recognises individuals themselves build and
included building the skills that developing the awareness maintain its partnering culture.
of employees in brokering / of potential participants on
negotiating / facilitating, and the needs and benefits of
developing and providing partnering was an inherent part
specific joint training courses of catalysing successful cross-
with other organisations. sector partnership outcomes
ALIARSE highlighted that this for ALIARSE. Partnering
was an opportunity to develop competencies helped create the
and reasons for partnering. They will also need Beyond the core staff, if partnerships are
to be able to recognise the benefits and the to be successful, those organisations and
costs of partnering and to understand how to individuals engaged in partnerships will
monitor and assess partnership performance, themselves need to build their skills and
in order to help keep partnerships on track competencies for effective partnering.
as well as being able to recognise and report The platforms have a significant role to
success. Finally, much valuable learning can play here. By offering training to the platform
be gained from established alliances and members and others, it can increase the
partnerships, and the ability to draw out and level of partnership understanding and skills
disseminate that learning is essential. among potential partners. This will help
both to significantly speed up the process of
In addition to the knowledge and partnering and also help to ensure that the
skills required to support partnerships, partnerships developed will be of the highest
competencies relating to membership quality.
management, financial management, and
fundraising will also be required.
7
Critical to the success of any platform is the ability of its members to move
from initial goodwill to long-term collaboration based on trust and shared
objectives. This is why the creation or extension of cross-sector dialogue
is a core feature of platform activity. Collaboration across sectors is often
hampered by long-standing misconceptions and an absence of mutual
respect or trust. It is also constrained by the different working methods
and internal cultures of public, private and civil society organisations.
Consistent and well-managed dialogue can mitigate many of these
problems.
Maintaining the commitment of platform the platform will motivate participants, raise
members also means demonstrating clear wider awareness of the initiative and engage
alignment with both national goals for stakeholders in contributing resources or
development (health, education, employment promoting the added value of the platform
etc.) and with business goals for commercial to others. Strong leadership also needs to be
prosperity and sustainability. The integration evident in the administration and governance
of private sector objectives – and expertise of the platform with boards, committees
– into national and international efforts to and secretariats headed by competent and
meet development targets is an important motivating leaders.
part of creating an enabling environment for
business to operate, establishing better cross- The centrality of national government
sector dialogue and generating sustainable institutions to platform activities was
partnerships for social progress and business highlighted by respondents in our research
sustainability. who regarded management of government
relations as a separate goal from the general
Conversely, business clearly articulating its management of relations with platform
commitment to development goals is an membership. It is important to develop a high
important part of finding an effective role in a level of awareness of government structures
platform, building trust with government and and politics and to establish a network of
civil society and establishing accountability. key government officials, to spread risk by
The focus on national and regional level working with officials in more than one
platforms also creates an opportunity for the department. Sharing information on activities
inclusion of smaller, local businesses. This is and results with public sector contacts will
critical to the long-term sustainability of the also enhance government buy-in to the
platform’s operations as the mission of the platform’s work.
platform must ultimately be “owned” at local
level.
In NDPI a number of activities – it was not about business engagement techniques. their decision-making and
were set up to develop providing finance. Particular effort Working with government was engagement. This has enabled
and maintain membership was also placed on community seen as a particular challenge NDPI to influence decisions
engagement with 172 partners engagement through a due to the multitude of agencies and policy to promote broader
across different sectors. First, partnership to give voice to with different mandates. Critically, support and commitment
it was important to share communities across nine states NDPI developed its credibility towards development goals in
knowledge and experience to with training for civil society with each sector through using the Niger Delta.
effectively partner with business organisations in constructive data and analysis to support
CHALLENGE
How do we maintain the support of our members and stakeholders?
As the platform moves Constituent elements within Practical steps to be taken to meet this challenge will
into maturity, with strong this challenge include: include:
core staffing and a range 1 How to turn short-term • Actively engage with stakeholders and members to
of ongoing activities, investors into long-term research their changing needs and offer opportunities
the challenge will be to investors; for consultation;
maintain the support of
2 How to go beyond • Ensure a visible and consistent advocacy of the
those essential members
individual support to secure platform’s achievements;
and stakeholders whose
institutional support; • Allocate core staff time to managing member
resources, knowledge and
networks are still of high 3 How to survive changes in relations and mobilising new resources;
value to the platform. There personnel, leadership and • Invest in developing staff skills in order to offer a
can be a natural tendency for champions; greater range of high-value services to partnerships;
individuals and institutions 4 How to respond to evolving • Manage internal costs carefully through
to reduce involvement over interests and needs. standardisation of activities, sharing of knowledge
time, especially in the face and resources with partner organisations and utilising
of competing interests, and state-of-the-art technology (where appropriate);
to withdraw commitment • Strive to be seen as a leader in the sector both in
before the initiative is fully terms of expertise and policy development.
established.
8
There has been an almost universal recognition in the past decade of
the need for better monitoring and evaluation of the many cross-sector
partnerships created to support and facilitate development. Research
has emphasised the need to move from the initial motivating vision to
a process of learning from experience through a systematic monitoring
of activities and outcomes. Well-integrated review mechanisms will not
only support learning and decision-making for the platform but will also
provide important reassurance for national and global stakeholders seeking
evidence of value and impact.
Monitoring and evaluation of a platform for At the level of overall development impact
partnership should aim to focus on three main the platform team firstly needs to ensure that
areas: the platform itself; the partnerships it the partnerships themselves have adequate
brokers or supports; the overall contribution M&E mechanisms. It then needs to look at
to development goals. Within each of these the achievements of the partnerships in
areas, an evaluation exercise might look at relation to the known development goals and
process (how are things working?); outputs to the given role of the platform in helping
(are goals being met according to plan?) or to achieve those goals. This can be complex
impact (is there evidence of improvement but, if possible, the platform members need
in key social and economic indicators?). It is to know whether the platform is, in practice,
important here to distinguish clearly between delivering added value to the development
outputs and impact (or ‘outcomes’): the former process.
relates only to the formal goals set out in an
agreed plan; the latter relates to the bigger From the outset, the platform team needs
issue of the platform’s ability to enhance the to ensure that members and stakeholders
desired local development goals. set agreed performance indicators for every
partnership project and that adequate
At the level of the platform the members need resources – both financial and technical – are
to define the appropriate indicators both available to undertake regular monitoring and
for the process and inputs (e.g. number and evaluation. For the core management this may
diversity of members; number of workshops mean initially drawing on external expertise
or meetings held; attendance rate; regularity to design and analyse evaluation processes so
of communication) and for the outputs that an understanding of good practice can
(e.g. funding mobilised; new partnerships be established as part of the platform team’s
brokered; existing partnerships supported). core competencies. Helping new partnerships
to embed good M&E practice within their
At the level of the partnerships the core structure should then be seen as part of the
management team similarly needs to monitor value offered by the platform, with evidence
the process and inputs (number and nature of from evaluation exercises being used to
partners involved; evidence of commitment; create shared learning for all stakeholders and
plans and agreements; active dialogue) and project participants.
the outputs (projects initiated; contribution to
social and commercial development; potential
for scaling-up).
CHALLENGE
How do we show the difference partnerships and the platforms make?
As partnerships get under Constituent elements within Practical steps to be taken to meet this challenge
way the platform will need this challenge include: will include:
to capture and record their 1 Identifying platform level • Identify relevant and appropriate development goals;
progress and achievements. indicators and targets; • Identify what is success for partners and platform;
This allows participants
2 Identifying indicators of • Define and capture indicators in M&E framework:
to understand how they
success for partnerships;
are doing and to share – On process e.g. attendance, diversity, commitment
tips internally but also 3 Linking platform and – On outcomes (relevance, effectiveness,
to communicate back to partnership activities appropriateness, impact)
participating organisations to development goals/
• Review framework;
and funders on the difference outcomes.
• Set aside resources to carry out M&E.
the platform is making.
9
Much of what has been presented in the previous eight building blocks
assumes that those most closely involved in the platform can build
an effective culture of co-operation within and beyond the platform.
Accepting the recommendations in each of those sections will maximise
the likelihood of this happening but there also needs to be an awareness
of the value of embedding partnership values in the everyday work of the
platform. This means understanding the risks and benefits that derive from
diversity; building trust through openness and shared practical activities;
and modelling good practice in the core team’s behaviour, which will inform
the partnerships that it helps to create and support.
Bringing together actors and institutions Delivery of the vision has to be supported
from diverse sectors requires a strong by strong values: everyone associated with
motivating vision. All partnerships need a the platform should espouse and embody
clear set of shared objectives and common clear values around which participants can
goals which will provide an overall vision mobilise. Values are not only a key element of
CASE STUDY for the participants and motivate them to the overall vision but a critical contributor to
BPDF contribute commitment and resources to the building a demonstrably collaborative culture
partnership. A complex, multi-stakeholder in the platform.
Creating a partnering culture platform requires a strong focus around which
is not straightforward and diverse sectors can mobilise, acknowledging Trust in partnerships is built, not given.
often surfaces inherent
differences between that they might have different reasons for Partners often need to overcome entrenched
participants. In BPDF in participation but can still have common goals. prejudices or misconceptions about other
Zambia, securing buy-in to To facilitate the process of mobilisation, the sectors before they can collaborate freely and
the platform was deliberately
platform’s key stakeholders must define the this is best done through shared action and
participatory and tailored
to the local context. This overall mission of the platform and articulate the demonstration of strong values. Platform
involved creating a dialogue an inspirational vision of what the platform participants frequently emphasise the need
with partners (rather than to “go the extra mile” in order to achieve
can achieve. Practical steps taken by actors
a one-size-fits all approach)
and providing explanatory in our case studies included fully consulting objectives and to meet the expectations of
materials on the process of stakeholders and ensuring representativeness their partners. Demonstrating commitment,
partnering. While this process on committee or governance structures; consistency and reliability will all contribute
took significant time due to
existing cultural silos between embodying the shared vision in written to the creation of trust between diverse
public and private sectors, it agreements such as a Memorandum of collaborators: those driving and managing the
allowed various partnering Understanding; and auditing the skills and platform need to embody these behaviours
values to be built e.g. treating
resources available from platform members in themselves in order to build an understanding
partners as equal, obtaining
a trusted facilitator, selecting order to identify complementary strengths. of partnership culture among their wider
diverse representation in membership group.
advisory groups, creating a
jointly owned platform. These
values were highlighted
as important factors in
being able to successfully
create the platforms. This is
just the first step as BPDF
prepares to nurture and
maintain partnering values
supporting staff and partners
while it moves into early
implementation.
6 Conclusion
Multi-stakeholder platforms for partnership have been identified as an important mechanism for
increasing the engagement of business in development at the country and regional level. More than
any other collaborative model, they embody the principles adopted at Busan and enshrined in the UN
vision of a post-2015 architecture for development. They offer the potential for intensive, innovative
and sustained collaboration from all sectors on issues that are integral both to national development
plans and to a flourishing and sustainable private sector. International donors seeking to support
platforms for partnership rightly seek value-for-money from their investments and evidence of
impact from the initiatives they choose to support.
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