CSR projects often require companies to adjust to cooperating with different kinds of partners; they are no longer working with other companies, but with social organizations, nonprofit nongovernmental organizations or public administrations.

Over the past few years, companies and NGOs have begun to work more closely together, particularly in developing and emerging countries. Companies have initiated aid programs in such countries, and NGOs have established enterprises aimed at meeting the needs of the very poor (such as banks to provide microcredits). Clearly, their goal is the same. It is only the logical next step to cooperate with and learn from one another.

More information on cooperative efforts by companies and development organizations in the public sector – so-called Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) – can be found under Financing.

A foundation for successful and sustainable joint projects with NGOs or public partners rests on the following principles of partner management:

Preparation

• Partners need to share a common goal.
• The selected partners should have expertise in the respective area, good contacts to the relevant stakeholders or decision makers, and well designed organizational structures.
• Prior to or at least during the course of negotiations, it is important to be clear on the goals and expectations of both sides. There should be no ambiguity about the benefits of the project and the respective roles of the partners.

Organization

• Cooperation is easier if the on-site partners have already had positive experiences in working with companies.
• Each side should meet with counterparts at the same level, which generally means that company executives meet with officials who have a similar rank in the company’s partner organizations.
• Clear rules of cooperation must be accepted and followed by both sides.
• The partners need to be open to cooperation and willing to participate. Mistrust interferes with progress. It is essential for the company to be transparent and honest.
• Successful intersectoral partnerships require a high level of personal commitment on the part of the partners involved.

Cultural differences

• It is important to be aware of the differences between the corporate culture and the culture of the participating NGOs or public partners, and to take advantage of those differences in a positive way.
• When companies work with partners abroad, embracing cultural differences can be crucial for success. Such differences may include communication styles, attitudes toward time, the importance attached to specific subjects and principles, and social conventions.

Success

• Recording and measuring a project’s progress is vital for identifying potential improvements and avoiding setbacks. The UN Global Compact has designed a tool for this purpose (Partnership Assessment Tool).
• It is important to provide continual motivation, prepare the way for success and celebrate the partnership.