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Professionals Launch a New Partnership Declaration

A New Breed of Professionals Launch a ‘Declaration’ Challenging Leaders to Release the Power of Partnerships for Sustainable Development

Over the last three days 130 professionals from around the world joined forces in Cambridge to write a Declaration targeted at leaders from across the corporate business, government and charitable sectors. Titled “The 21st Leadership Challenge”, and with the ambition of tackling the persistent problems of poverty, environmental degradation and government accountability, the Declaration describes seven actions that society’s leaders need to take to realise the full potential of strategic alliances between businesses, government and civil society organisations.

The idea of these three sectors working together on global and local sustainability issues is itself not new. What is new is the emerging critical mass of specialists, with years of hard fought experimentation under their belts, experienced and trained in a rare combination of skills in cross-cultural negotiation, multi-stakeholder brokering and collaborative management.

“It is only now, after having tested the idea out on some of the most persistent environmental and social challenges in the world, that we can truly see its potential” said Ros Tennyson, of the International Business Leaders Forum, the inspiration for the Declaration and organiser of the event.

Speaking as a practitioner, Dr Michael Warner of the Overseas Development Institute said, “There is just so much more we could do with this partnership idea. From building water, road and telecommunications networks in the very poorest of regions, battling the world’s mass diseases, enabling poor communities to sell their products in the global market place, conserving critical habitats and cultural sites, and promoting accountable within state institutions. But we are at a cross-roads. Either we carry on in our dedicated, but small and piece-meal way, or we take the whole thing to scale and see just how high this thing can really fly.”

The Declaration calls on the leaders of businesses, government authorities and non-governmental organisations everywhere to stop for a moment and give serious attention to the way their organisations work. The Declaration asks for:

The event in Cambridge from 24th to 26th September 2006 was a one-off event, organised by the Prince of Wales International Business Leaders Forum, the Cambridge Programme for Industry and the Overseas Development Institute, and supported by Rio Tinto, Shell and Nike. 130 professionals involved in brokering and managing complex multi-stakeholder partnerships came together from across five continents.

A recorded speech by HRH The Prince of Wales, provided the context for the launch of the Declaration at a Gala Dinner in front of leaders from the corporate, public and charitable sectors. “Many had high hopes that globalization, of itself, would lead to more equitable development and, indeed, an end to poverty. But it has become increasingly clear that these hopes were rather vain and unbalanced. Cross-sector partnering, as a way of building on the best aspects of globalization and mitigating the worst, has come into its own.” said the Prince.

In his key note address to the dinner guests, Leigh Clifford, Chief Executive Officer of Rio Tinto, said “Partnerships for sustainable development are now part of our core business and we couldn’t have got this far without the kinds of trainings offered to practitioners”.

NOTES FOR EDITORS

Ros Tennyson and Dr Michael Warner are both available immediately for interview or comment. Please contact Anna Tublin, ODI Media & Events Officer – tel: +44 (0)20 7922 0419, mobile: +44(0)7799 140470, email: a.tublin@odi.org.uk; or Claire Kilvert, IBLF Communications & Media Manager – tel: +44 (0)20 7467 3652, email: claire.kilvert@iblf.org