The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development which sets out the SDGs envisions a “revitalized global partnership for sustainable development” based on the understanding that the UN and governments do not have the reach nor the resources to achieve the Goals alone. Engagement, especially with the private sector, is imperative for the 2030 Agenda to succeed.
Our world faces increasingly complex and inter-connected challenges, such as: highest displacement rates on records, soaring global food insecurity, increased structural social and economic inequalities, climate change and environmental degradation, or global health risks that affect us all.
If we want to stand a chance to effectively address such challenges we need to find safer, more financially viable, more effective, and more sustainable ways to support and work with individuals, communities and systems.
And this is where ‘partnerships’ enter the picture. Creative and bold partnerships beyond the ‘traditional’ aid ecosystem can provide an opportunity to build new good practices on resilience, sustainability and impact. There is a potential to form new partnerships and purpose-driven coalitions to mobilize and leverage private financial investments, technological and business model innovations, and networks to tackle these challenges. This requires us to innovate, collaborate, and adapt mindsets.
Here are 6 core recommendations that came out of our series of workshops with Google aimed at social impact start-ups interested in exploring partnerships with the humanitarian and international development ecosystem.