Sirkka Korpela

Partnerships have become the modality of choice – almost de rigeur – in corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes. In a 2007 survey of Global Compact business participants, 75 percent of respondents said that they had engaged in multi-sector partnerships. A growing number of these collaborations are with United Nations organizations, and many also include partners from civil society and different levels of government. This is a promising trend considering that effective multi-sector partnerships are critical for overcoming development challenges that are too complex for one organization or sector to address alone – for example, in areas such as poverty reduction, health, education and community development.

Partnerships provide an opportunity to leverage the strengths and specific contributions of each partner to address shared concerns and issues. However, if managing a company or international organization well is demanding, then making a partnership of several entities of different natures work seamlessly can be even more challenging. It is, therefore, not uncommon for multi-sector partnerships to struggle to fulfill their goals and deliver expected benefits. Structuring a partnership so that its impact is maximized and sustainable is a core challenge in many collaborations.

The idea of sustainable development is often depicted as a Greek temple, the three pillars representing the economic, social and environmental components that must be given equal attention. This temple stands on the foundation of governance – in other words, the organization and working mechanisms of the implementing institutions. In thinking of partnerships as a key delivery mechanism for sustainable development, we must pay attention to the governance of this mechanism, as well as the sustainability of the outcomes.

Partnership Assessment Tool

In order to provide improved guidance on designing effective and high-impact partnerships for all parties involved, the Global Compact brought together a considerable number of UN organizations, businesses and other stakeholders to develop a “Partnership Assessment Tool” (PAT). Released in July 2007, PAT is a simple-to-use, operational “scorecard” to be used when forming new partnership initiatives. It takes the partners through a systematic examination of the internal and external aspects of the governance of the partnership, as well as the elements contributing to the desired sustainable development outcomes. Specifically, PAT looks at six key dimensions of partnerships: (1) alignment, (2) internal partnership management, (3) external partnership management, (4) multiplier effect, (5) environment and (6) socio-economic.

The first dimension PAT addresses is the alignment of partner organizations, in terms of their shared objectives for the initiative. Companies, UN organizations and other development actors have quite different overall goals, but for a partnership to work there has to be an explicit area of overlap where the aims are aligned – where a contribution to development goals makes business sense. Partners are prompted to examine the comparative advantages they each bring to the table. Going through this inventory of unique strengths and differentiating capabilities can be very helpful in unlocking the full potential of resources for the initiative. In doing so, the core reasons for each entity to engage in the potential partnership emerge or are clarified. The alignment of objectives and comparative advantages forms a key starting point.

The next PAT step is to go through the main aspects of the internal management of the partnership, such as the inherent risks in engaging with organizations of a different nature and the specific resources required from each collaborator throughout to the project. This enables the partners to plan and budget their own contributions, as well as to prepare the partnership project budget on realistic grounds.

Another key element of the internal governance of a partnership is the clear definition of roles, responsibilities and decision-making. Partnerships are inherently collective efforts and require collective decision-making mechanisms that are not necessarily common in more traditional command-and-control entities. It is important to pay attention to this dimension and make sure that all partners are equally committed to making the partnership work as effectively as possible.

Managing the linkages between the partnership and external stakeholders requires transparent engagement and reporting mechanisms. Building up and strengthening these linkages helps ensure the sustainability of the project beyond the partnership’s life span. One example is integration into the development plans and budgets of local government, thereby preparing the ground for scaling up the project.

PAT also helps partners think through the environmental and socio-economic outcomes of the project, including necessary considerations for building the capacities of beneficiary communities to effectively manage themselves and the project outcomes.

After guiding partners through the six key design elements of partnerships, PAT provides a summary assessment. This “scorecard” indicates the areas that might require further thought and refinement in order to provide a strong foundation for sustainable partnership performance. It also highlights the areas where the initiative is reaching the level of best practice, and thus has the potential to contribute to the shared learning experience of all Global Compact participants. The Global Compact Local Networks will help to gather these learning experiences. In 2008, the Global Compact Office will report on the use and implementation of PAT, with the goal of more fully assessing the effectiveness and sustainable impact of partnership projects undertaken by the Global Compact community.

PAT users report that simply working together with potential partners to complete the tool’s questions helps to solidify the foundation for a successful partnership. The process aims to ensure openness and improve understanding among partners on the specific challenges related to their collaboration. In the words of one company, “By using the tool during the partnership development, both parties get a better understanding for each other’s priorities and values.”

More information on the Partnership Assessment Tool.


Sirkka Korpela has 20 years of professional experience both with the United Nations and the private sector. As the UNDP’s Director for Business Partnerships, she created the global practice and was in charge of designing and negotiating large and innovative public/private partnerships in some 20 countries. Ms. Korpela has also advised large multinational companies, such as Royal Dutch/Shell and Newmont Mining, on political and socio-economic development and corporate social responsibility issues. Ms. Korpela currently teaches issues related to CSR in developing country contexts at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs.