What are Public Private Partnerships in humanitarian response?
Partnerships are at the centre of effective humanitarian response. Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) are collaborative agreements between State-run or public entities, such as the United Nations, and private sector* organizations. By working with private entities, the humanitarian community can benefit in many ways, such as making better use of technological innovation and expertise.
During a humanitarian response, PPPs contribute funds, in-kind donations, employee mobilization, cause-related marketing or expert services. Private sector donors are strongly encouraged to give cash rather than in-kind donations, since cash donations allow humanitarian actors to determine where and how to best allocate resources based on the most pressing needs. In-kind donations can also be beneficial, but must be well matched to a specific need and implementing partner.
Businesses can facilitate individual contributions and enhance their impact by adopting employee giving programmes that include matching contributions and fund-raising activities. Cause-related marketing programmes targeting customers are also a unique opportunity to build awareness of a particular humanitarian crisis and demonstrate to customers the company’s commitment to humanitarian relief efforts.**
Private organizations can provide services in their area of expertise to complement and assist humanitarian actors in relief and rehabilitation efforts. They may also second highly specialized technical staff to United Nations agencies that can accept such resources.
To find out more:
- UN & Business Partnerships website: www.business.un.org
- Website for CERF private donations through the United Nations Foundation
- General Assembly Resolution A/RES/56/76 “Towards Global Partnership”
- Guidelines on Cooperation between the United Nations and the Business Sector (updated Nov. 2009)
- Guiding Principles for Public-Private Collaboration for Humanitarian Action Prepared by OCHA and the World Economic Forum.
* Private sector partners are understood here mainly as corporations and their philanthropic foundations, small- and medium-sized enterprises, cooperatives and business associations. When referring to the private sector as a humanitarian donor, the definition also includes private individuals, NGOs and not-for-profit organizations, and public charities.
**For example, the Pampers® “1 Pack = 1 Life-Saving Vaccine” cause-related marketing campaign. Since 2006, P&G has been a partner of UNICEF’s campaign against maternal and neonatal tetanus. The UNICEF logo appears on the Pampers® packaging with a disclaimer that the agency does not endorse the product. Sales have resulted in 200 million tetanus vaccines around the world. See www.business.un.org for more information.
