What they really think

So I’m off on a bit of a world tour today.

An exciting few weeks ahead that will not only find me in some beautiful cities (San Francisco, Toronto, New York and London), but also meeting some absolutely fantastic people and companies.

These trips always give me the buzz I need to keep doing what I do – full of inspiration, ideas, guidance and new partnerships.

As I prepare for my meetings, and learn more about the companies that I’ll be speaking with, I feel so positive and excited about the role that the private sector is playing, and will play, in making the world a better place.

This Fast Company article beautifully illustrates how a handful of the companies that I’m meeting with are thinking, and what they are up to.

It got us thinking about what we do, and how the third sector benefits from collaborating with the private sector, and vice versa.

So, we thought that we would ask a handful of our partners around the world what they think. How have they benefited from this type of collaboration in the past? And what is their vision for a stronger collaboration moving forward?

I think you’ll find their answers really insightful.

“Working with the private sector has really broadened our views. In Brazil, the 3^rd sector needs more professionalism (with regards to work commitment and the achievement of goals, for example) and collaborating with the private sector shows us how this is possible.” Núbia Mesquita, Espaço da Criança (Brazil) Dhatri Navanayagam (WPP, 2017), Melissa Parsey (WPP, 2013) and Joseph Pirrie (Proximity, 2011)
“Having a private sector professional’s commitment, skill set and background were fundamental to the success of our project. We learned so much from the discipline, focus and methodology used whilst developing the project, and this gave us many insights on how to better run our programs moving forward after seeing how they approach their work.” Nivete Azevedo, Centro das Mulheres do Cabo (Brazil) Kelly Satchell (W+K, 2016)
“Working with a professional from the corporate sector helped us identify plans, visions and critical areas of concern. We collaborated to properly define the challenges associated with our mission and see how you get to our vision. Our priorities were established and it helped us understand how to be clear about what we want and what we had in mind. After that, we were much better equipped to articulate the value of the organisation and the opportunities we had available to us.” Deborah Ahenkorah, The Golden Baobab (Ghana) Scott Brenman (WPP, 2016) and Tiffany Winter (WPP, 2012)
“After working with a private sector professional, we had tangible and actionable next steps around the long-term sustainability of the Girl Effect. It definitely impacted how we approach short and long-term opportunities, shaping our vision and our approach. It was exceptional and has given us a really clear direction to follow.” Emma Roscoe, Girl Effect (Rwanda) Elisa Birtwistle (WPP, 2016)
“We gain invaluable input from our partners in the private sector, especially those who have supported and worked with us for the longer term. From business knowledge to networking, we have evolved, and continue to do so, in response to the invaluable lessons our private sector partners teach us. As for lessons we can impart, we support and advise our partners on how to make sustainable business decisions, how to work with communities to achieve maximum impact and how to mobilize their business towards a specific cause they care about and want to support. We can achieve so much more by working together. Our vision is for a network of organisations within the third and private sectors to come together and work towards the same goal: a sustainable future for our ocean. It should not matter what sector an organisation hails from. Each party brings a unique set of skills and values to share for the mutual benefit of one another. In the majority of the situations, the benefits are clear and both recognise the advantages, however the most challenging part is to define the best partner for each situation – accounting for common goals, ways of working and timeframes. For the partnership to be effective, both sides will need to invest time in maintaining the connection, to keep it strong and on the right path towards achieving the vision.” Frederico Carita, Marine Megafauna Foundation (Mozambique) Lauren Smith (W+K, 2016)