Programme

If you would like to be involved as speaker, sponsor, or exhibitor, please contact Andy Quildan, Conference Director, at +44 (0)20 7375 7165 or andrew.quildan@ethicalcorp.com

Day 1 Thursday, 26 June 2008

Plenary 1 09.30 - 11.00

Do Business-NGO Partnerships Really Make a Difference?

According to Dalberg Global Development Advisers in 2007, there are now nearly 1000 business–NGO partnerships worldwide. This represents huge growth. But what do partnerships really achieve for companies, NGOs and most importantly the vulnerable stakeholders they are supposed to benefit? The opening keynote session will kickoff debate on what partnerships can actually deliver for those that matter–and whether continuing to run them is really worth it for all parties involved. In this session, you´ll hear about:

  • When relationships go bad. Hear the key lessons of turning failure into success
  • Are big NGOs confused about their mission? What has WWF learned about collaborating vs. campaigning?
  • Hear how Nestle's partnership with UNDP has helped to empower 4,000 female livestock workers, who impact the lives of more than 100,000 female dairy farmers in Pakistan

Nestle Pakistan, Syed Fakhar, Head of Public Affairs and Corporate Communications

Starbucks, Hans van Bochove, Director of Communications and CSR (EMEA)

Anglo American, Edward Bickham, Executive Vice-President, External Affairs

WWF, Andrew Murphy, Director of Enterprise Planning

Moderator: Ethical Corporation Institute, Toby Webb, Co-Director

Plenary 2 11.30 - 1.00

Get ahead of the game: Learn how to innovate with the experts in CSR partnerships

Innovation is a much used term in business. But what does it mean when business and civil society groups work together? New techniques and ideas can deliver more, faster, leading to real progress. So what has been learned in recent years? What does innovation actually mean in practice, when organisations collaborate to tackle big problems?

  • Find out what partnership innovation means in REAL terms. When does learning actually become innovation? Discover practical examples
  • What specific innovations have sprung from NGO and Government partnerships? How has innovation helped advance business goals and the greater good?
  • Learn what our experts think business–NGO innovation looks like and learn from practical examples based on vast experience to date

Innocent Drinks, Jessica Sansom, Head of Sustainability

Cadbury-Schweppes, Allison Ward, Head of Corporate Affairs

Shell Foundation, Allison Warters, Programme Manager

The Partnering Initiative (IBLF), Rafal Serafin, Development Director

Moderator: Ethical Corporation Institute, Toby Webb, Co-Director

Choosing the right partner 14.30 - 16.00

A partnership is not just for Christmas (a successful one at least) Getting into a partnership is serious business, so choosing the right partner is paramount. The criteria that companies and NGOs should apply when selecting partners depend on the goals of the partnership.

Find out what questions you should be asking.

  • How do you assess whether your potential partners have sufficient resources to make it work?
  • Learn how to work out whether you both think the same way, and why
  • How much partnership are you comfortable with?
  • How to recognise hidden agenda–before they cost you
  • Using stakeholders effectively to inform decisions

WWF, Andrew Murphy, Director of Enterprise Planning

The Partnering Initiative (IBLF) , Rafal Serafin, Development Director

Two´s company but is three a crowd? A look at Multi Stakeholder Initiatives 14.30 - 16.00

We know business–NGO partnerships can work. But does adding a third party create a time saving solution or a time consuming problem? Whilst it may seem like the logical step forward to scale up your partnerships, it could just slow you down. Does adding a third party just add another possible breaking point in the partnership chain?

  • Does having many voices clamoring for attention mean that there´s a danger of one party being drowned out?
  • Another partner, another set of interests. Find out how to broker satisfactory solutions
  • Does the maths add up? Discover if doubling the number of partners can ever double success

Diageo , David Lawrence , Diageo Global Procurement, Risk & Governance Director

Anglo-American, Edward Bickham, Vice-President, External Affairs

Communicating partnerships publicly 16.30 - 18.00

The partnership is in place, but how do you go about communicating its benefits to worldwide audiences?

The time worn debate of CSR vs. PR comes into play here. You may have initiated partnership with the best intentions. But that won´t necessarily protect you from critics labeling you as a ‘greenwasher’ and turning what should be a positive PR move into a negative.

This session is dedicated to debating how to develop strategies to prevent trouble–and maximise reputational benefits

  • Where do you start? Call the press, hire a PR firm or just hope for the best?
  • How to extract the maximum communications value from your partnership
  • Determining when to make noise and when to keep quiet

Cadbury-Schweppes, Allison Ward, Head of Corporate Affairs

Starbucks, Hans von Bochove, Director of Communications and CSR, EMEA

Microsoft, Melissa Pailthorp, Senior Manager, Comm Affairs

Balance of power: How to keep your partnership fair 16.30 - 18.00

Getting into partnership is a daunting prospect. With such high stakes and a need to satisfy both parties´ long term goals, the balance of power and responsibility should be spread evenly. If everything goes wrong both parties might be left with a tarnished reputation and damaged CSR programmes. There´s certainly a lot to lose. But if done correctly there´s also a huge amount to gain.

In this session we look at:

  • Who takes the risks? Practical tips from the foremost experts on resource allocation in partnerships
  • Fix partner accountability problems before they hurt you. Identify what might trip you up in advance
  • How to ensure that power and responsibility are spread evenly throughout the partnership
  • When NGOs grow, find out how the dynamics change–and what you need to be aware of

Fauna & Flora International, Monica Harris, Partnership Manager

Rio Tinto , Gabrielle Iwanow, Partnership Manager

MADE-BY, Karin Reimerink, Supply Chain Manager

M'Braze, Erik De Wit, Marketing Manager

Evening Drinks Reception from 18.00 Thursday 26th June

Join your fellow delegates for drinks and snacks in a fund and relaxed setting. Just another unparalleled opportunity to network with influential players, discuss the day's events, share experiences and develop future partnerships!

Day 2 Friday, 27 June 2008

Plenary 1 09.30 - 11.00

Business-NGO Partnerships: a Critique

Partnership may seem like the ideal solution but can it really deliver on the big problems? Is there a danger that alliances can detract from focusing on the real issues? Find out from environmental leaders why it doesn´t always make sense to jump into partnerships–and how NGOs must balance campaigning with collaborating.

  • Money talks. Can NGOs afford to be picky about potential partners? Hear our panel debate whether NGOs are compromising their integrity by working with companies
  • Discover what NGOs believe are the drawbacks to corporate-NGO partnerships
  • Alternatives to partnerships. Shouldn´t companies be lobbying governments for real change?
  • Does voluntary end up as mandatory? Hear our panel debate the future of partnerships
  • Why Business NGO partnerships in poor countries make little difference without a focus on institutions

Alliance Boots , Richard Ellis, Group Head of Corporate Social Responsibility

International Labour Organisation, Tom Etty, Member of the Governing Body (and former head of the FNV)

The Climate Group, Jim Walker, Chief Operating Officer

Moderator: Ethical Corporation Institute, Toby Webb, Co-Director

Plenary 2 11.30 - 1.00

Long Standing Partnerships and When Partnerships Go Wrong

The best way to learn is from someone who has already succeeded. This will be your opportunity to hear about some well–established, long term partnerships. Whilst those engaged in sustained partnerships may be in a position to teach, they themselves are constantly learning as they enter untested ground.

  • Discover the main contributors to success in sustainable business–NGO relationships
  • As partnerships mature, which new challenges arise–and how are they tackled effectively?
  • Getting too comfortable: Learn how to manage the risks of complacency
  • Delivery times: How long should a partnership last? Do short–term quick wins deliver more for stakeholders and the environment?

British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection, Michelle Thew, CEO

USAID, Nancy Wildfeir-Field, Regional Alliance Advisor

Equally for every partnership success story you hear, you can be sure that there´s a broken partnership swept quietly under the carpet. But this process of ignoring those who didn´t achieve their ultimate goal is not a productive one. Learning from failure will give your partnerships a better chance of success.

  • Is it possible to continue forward if there´s a conflict of interests?
  • How do you set the rules of engagement so disputes can be easily and quickly resolved?
  • When is it time to call it a day?
  • Prepare yourself for problems:– develop exit strategies early to ensure as clean a break as possible

SOMO, Bart Slob, Senior Researcher

Moderator: Ethical Corporation Institute, Toby Webb, Co-Director

Local and global partnerships: A comparison of the risks and advantages of each 14.30 - 16.00

Local partnerships represent a very different proposition to those on a global scale. They will present you with a very different set of demands, and offer you a very different set of rewards. In this session you will learn what these demands and rewards are–and will also get concrete information on which situations require each type of partnership.

  • Choosing between the two: When should you prepare for a local partnership, and when should you go global?
  • What tangible results can you expect from each partnership variant?
  • Discover how basic communications will need to change within the partnership, depending on the option you choose

Heineken, Katinka C van Cranenburgh, International Programme Manager

USAID, Nancy Wildfeir-Field, Regional Alliance Advisor

Microsoft, Melissa Pailthorp, Senior Manager, Comm Affairs

Rainforest Alliance, Joke Aerts, European Network Co-ordinator

Unilever, Lettemieke Mulder, Director External Affairs, CSR & NGO Stakeholder Management

Moderator: CommUnity, Torsten Sewing, Managing Partner