Ch 3 - Question 8 | foundation-guide

CHAPTER 3: ESTABLISH NETWORK MODEL

After establishing that a private sector network has opportunities to create value and fill unmet needs in your country, there are two next steps: establishing the network itself and determining what its initial activities should be. This chapter focuses on establishing the network model, including considerations like hosting arrangements, legal requirements, and initial funding. While there is no one best model for all networks, there is a standard set of questions to address and the experience of other networks can be informative. The questions in this chapter will help set up a private sector network for success, ensuring it has the required structure and support for long-term sustainability and scale. This chapter and its associated resources can also be used to support the ongoing work of your network as it grows and evolves.

The resources in this chapter will help you answer the following questions:

8. What partnerships should a private sector network form?

<<IMPORTANCE OF THESE RELATIONSHIPS>>

Strong partnerships can help ensure that a network's activities are coordinated with other DRM efforts and that the network draws on all relevant expertise in pursuing its work. Many other bodies, particularly within the government, United Nations, and NGOs such as the Red Cross, have been active in disaster response for decades and will typically lead the humanitarian response in a country. Other types of partnerships may focus on a particular activity or capability, for example partnering with a local university or school to provide translation of training materials.

When setting up a partnership, it can be helpful to categorize potential partnerships based on what they are trying to achieve. These may have implications for how that partnership is structured. Below are examples of particular partnership types and how you might consider structuring those engagements.

<<IDENTIFYING KEY PARTNERS>>

In Chapter 2 of this guide, you identified which stakeholders are active in DRM in your context. This landscape and the members of the network's Initial Working Group are a good starting place to determine with which organizations you may wish to pursue formal partnerships.

<<EXAMPLE PARTNERS FROM OTHER NETWORKS>>

Examples of partners of three CBi member networks in the Philippines, East Africa and Turkey

Examples of key partnerships (Philippines Disaster Resilience Foundation):

Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT): Initial private sector champion, helped to launch organization and provided initial office space, staff and resourcing for initial activities; helped bring in additional leading private sector members (including main competitors); provided support on key organizational functions (finance, legal, etc.)

Humanitarian Leadership Academy: London-based NGO that wanted to set up operations in the Philippines, PDRF helped them set up a branch then partnered with them to provide BCP trainings to SMEs. They ran training modules together and eventually expanded to cover 1000 SMEs for Unilever, as well as vendor/supplier trainings to companies like Coca Cola and major local telecoms companies
Suy Sing Commercial Company: Chinese/Philippine wholesale group who wanted to provide assistance following the 2013 Haiyan typhoon. PDRF partnered them with their wireless telco group to focus on providing support to small telco and SIM vendors. Suy Sing helped them fix stores damaged by the typoon and supplied them with goods on credit for a period of time to help them get back on their feet. Over 90% of businesses they helped set up and stock repaid those initial debts
US-Philippines Society: Washington DC-based organization with significant ties to the US Philippine diaspora community. Looking for someone credible to donate through. PDRF's ties to major companies in the Philippines and transparent financial reporting system gave them comfort they weren't going to misuse the funds and led to a series of sponsored fundraisers to benefit PDRF's "Brick by Brick" earthquake relief fund

Once you've identified and approached key potential partners, it is important to define your ways of working. This can be done through establishment of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) or pre-negotiated Long-Term Agreements (LTAs), developed through discussions with key stakeholders and partner organizations. These SOPs should cover the following;

The scope and type of the partnership (operating partner, advisor, resource partner)
The role of each partner (including how those roles might change before, during and after emergencies)
The type of support each partner is expected to provide, and under what conditions that support will be activated
The structure and cadence of interactions between partners and how frequently the agreement will be updated or refreshed
How the partners will engage or interact with other key stakeholders or the broader humanitarian coordination system
How key decisions will be made between partners
Any other guidelines for how the key stakeholders will interact and what a successful partnership will look like

<<SUPPORTING MATERIAL>>

A sample commitment declaration/cooperative framework [Note to CBi: Need to get example from Member Network]

Network Foundation Guide

Connecting Business Initiative

CHAPTER 3: ESTABLISH NETWORK MODEL

8. What partnerships should a private sector network form?

CHAPTER 3: ESTABLISH NETWORK MODEL

8. What partnerships should a private sector network form?

​