"Partnership is a cross sector collaboration in which organisations work together – committing resources as well as sharing risks and benefit – to achieve sustainable development goals."A partnership approach should ideally add value to each of the collaborating organisations as well as those directly impacted by the partnership. Partnerships, at their best, bring innovation and energy to intractable development issues and can have far greater reach and influence than single sector approaches.
Since 1992, IBLF has led the field in promoting cross-sector collaboration (in which business is an important part of the solution) as the most effective and sustainable way of achieving development goals. Our experience leads us to believe that partnership approaches are highly adaptable to different cultural contexts and that partnerships can operate at international, national and local levels. They can also add value at both strategic / policy and operational / delivery levels. But partnership is not an easy option.
Successful partnerships are underpinned by a number of core principles, for example: Equity, Transparency and Mutual Benefit.
It takes equity in a partnership (each partner having an equal ‘voice’ and being valued for the resources and competencies they bring) to engender genuine respect.
It takes transparency in a partnership to build trust between players with – typically – diverse experience, expertise and values.
It takes an acceptance of the importance of mutual benefit by each partner to build sustainable relationships.
We believe that it is also critical for organisations in every sector to invest in building the capacity of individuals to work effectively as partnership practitioners. It is equally important to invest in making organisations themselves more fit for purpose as partners. To support this belief, in 2004 we established The Partnering Initiative, using our 18+ years of partnering experience as a basis for promoting the ‘art’ and ‘science’ of cross-sector partnerships for sustainable development.
The Partnering Initiative
The Partnering Initiative is a global programme of IBLF, operating as a not-for-profit social business that:
• Promotes new thinking and practice in the field of cross sector partnering
• Provides advisory services, support, training and problem solving to ensure more effective partnerships with greater influence and impact
• Coordinates global knowledge and experience networks to share good practice worldwide
After 5 years, we are able to see some measurable results from this work in terms of:
• Increased rigour – in thinking and practice
• New leadership – both organisational and individual
• Greater focus on sustainability and impact of a partnership’s activities
• Better networking between practitioners and sectors
As a matter of principle, we always strive to work collaboratively – as partners – ourselves in developing a wide range of creative connections with organisations where there is potential for mutual benefit, innovation, learning and impact – often exploring uncharted territory. We have a number or inter-organisational partnerships under the title ‘Creative Connections’ and are always happy to discuss new opportunities for such collaboration.
For a comprehensive overview of The Partnering Initiatives activities and products or to discuss ideas for collaboration please click here.
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