A new deal

Until the 1990s, the relationship between companies and organizations representing the interests of civil society (CSOs/NGOs) was limited to two prevailing patterns: confrontation and sponsorship. The last fifteen years or so have however witnessed a notable evolution of this relationship. With the increasing scarcity of fossil fuels, with “global warming” becoming a reality, with increasing social and ecological challenges, the adoption of new rules for the development of business activities appears no longer to be a mere option but an imperative necessity.

Moreover, the number of CSOs/NGOs have multiplied worldwide(1), and the attention they confer on companies’ practices clearly contributes to the challenge that companies face in the global economy . Today, CSOs are no longer confined in a role of service delivery but are increasingly influential in policymaking and performing watchdog functions. Therefore, engaging with CSOs allows moving towards inclusive globalization, promoting accountability, and fostering solid linkages between the grass-root organizations and the private sector.

A time for action

In parallel, the private sector is changing, and as companies can no longer afford to act in a “non-responsible” manner without being pointed at and suffering severe consequences (negative media exposure, loss of confidence, product boycotts, fall in stock value, etc.), they are more and more expected to better understand their relationships with organizations representing the interests of civil society, in order to be proactive rather than reactive, and position themselves in a positive logic of value creation.

These findings reveal that partnering with CSOs represents an important yet relatively unexplored opportunity for the private sector to make markets more inclusive, in a sustainable way. However, even when they’re internationally renowned, businesses are often clueless about the magnitude and intricacies of the complex world of CSOs.

Our methodology is based on an adaptive approach:

1. Identification of general issues and impact of the businesses.
2. Compilation of a registry of all the CSOs related to the line of business.
3. Risks/opportunities analysis for each structure.
4. Formulation of a strategy.

To be effective and sustainable, the implementation of the private sector/CSO strategy must align with the company’s line of business and goals.

Our expertise is based on a solid experience with companies, a strong network of NGOs in the field, multilateral agencies and Governments and an extensive knowledge of current issues. All this is further strengthened by our links with the academia around the world which enables us to remain at the forefront of academic thinking, while keeping a strong and practical operational dimension.

(1) Paul Hawken in Blessed Unrest (2007)