More than 1000 representatives from corporations, NGOs and governments gathered in San Francisco last week for the annual Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) conference.  The long-standing conference covered 4 days this year, beginning with pre-conference trainings on Tuesday and carrying through Friday with a series of keynote speakers, group panels, working sessions, and networking events.  As a rookie attendant, I found the event exhilarating and was particularly enthralled by two sessions that incorporated public-private partnerships.

The preconference training session, “Corporate Responsibility and ROI in Hard Economic Times,” was led by Mission Measurement CEO, Jason Saul, and featured a case study presentation by Avery Ouellette, an alliance advisor at the Private Sector Alliances (PSA) division of the US Agency for International Development (USAID).  Ms. Ouellette described a cross-sector alliance in Indonesia through which the private sector partner, BP, was able to reduce the risk of its regional operation by partnering with USAID and local organizations to strengthen the local government.

 
Reduced risk is one of the many business outcomes that Mission Measurement highlights when approached by corporate clients who seek guidance on their involvement in development initiatives.  Partnering in development projects can also help corporations improve the vitality and environmental sustainability of their supply chain, increase access to skilled talent and gain access to new and attractive markets.  Many of these outcomes were mentioned in another conference session, “Sustainability on a Budget: Sharing Cost (and Risk) through Government Partnership.”

This session featured a panel of private sector representatives from Abbott, BD, Howcast, the Calvert Foundation and Dialog Telekom.  Each described the partnership or partnerships their respective organizations take part in, often praising the support they receive from their public sector partners such as USAID, the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC).  Panelists noted that partnerships have delivered a number of results including:

• Increased scale and reach of their business and social endeavors
• Faster access to remote markets
• Increased engagement with community leaders and elected officials
• Higher value experiences for their own employees

Ultimately, this conference served to reinforce my opinion that corporations are now recognizing the business value associated with contribution to social change and are seeking new and innovative ways - like partnerships - to participate in social initiatives that are good for the business and good for the developing world.