Putting Partnerships to Work : Strategic Alliances for Development Between Government, the Private Sector and Civil Society

This text shares practical experiences in establishing and implementing partnerships for development between business, government and civil society. The focus is on the oil, gas and mining industries, who increasingly operate in regions characterized by poor communities and fragile environments. "The World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg clearly identified the corporate sector as one of the key actors in the delivery of national and international poverty reduction targets in developing countries. "Partnerships" between government, civil society and business were proposed as one means whereby these poverty reduction targets were to be achieved. Despite the rhetoric, there was less consideration of how such partnerships could work in practice, the outcomes that could be achieved, or the relative merits of partnerships over other, more traditional approaches to development. This book is about partnerships between the private sector, government and civil society. Its objective is to share practical experiences in establishing and implementing such partnerships and to show how partnerships work. The focus is on the oil, gas and mining industries, as these sectors have tended to be the primary drivers of foreign investment in developing countries. These corporations increasingly operate in regions characterised by poor communities and fragile environments. The more effective use of external relationships to ensure the effective contribution of these investments to poverty reduction and local environmental management is critical, for the companies, for government, and for the poor. Putting Partnerships to Work is based on the work of the Secretariat of the Natural Resources Cluster (NRC) of Business Partners for Development (BPD). This major research programme, which ran from 1998 to 2002, aimed to enhance the role of oil, gas and mining corporations in international development. The programme objective was to produce practical guidance, based on the experience of specific natural resource operations around the world, on how partnerships involving companies, government authorities and civil-society organisations can be an effective means of reducing investment risks and of promoting community and regional development. The programme encompassed partnerships in Colombia, Nigeria, India, Venezuela, Bolivia, Zambia, Azerbaijan, Indonesia and Tanzania. The specific projects that were implemented included not only "traditional" development projects such as the provision of water, healthcare or infrastructure but also themes as diverse as conflict prevention, regional development, micro-enterprise development and managing oil spill compensation. Based on the experience of establishing and implementing effective partnerships, the NRC identified good practice, and developed replicable guidelines, tools and training materials. This book is not only about good practice; it presents both the positive outcomes and lessons from the programme, as well as the risks and costs, and where things went wrong. It also provides evidence not only of the viability of partnerships (i.e. that partnerships "can work") but also evidence that partnership approaches can provide substantially better outcomes for all parties than can more traditional approaches to development or corporate social responsibility. For example, a road in India was constructed at 25% of the cost to government; it took just 11 months for a community health centre in Venezuela to become operational and with its long-term financial future assured; and primary education enrolment rates in the vicinity of a gold mine in Tanzania have jumped from a historic level of 60-80% to almost 100% (as a consequence of improved infrastructure and community awareness of the importance of education). These development and public-sector benefits have been accompanied by substantial business benefits, including significant reductions in the cost of community development initiatives and/or the leverage of additional resources, greater sustainability and viability of development projects and significant improvements to corporate reputation and their local "social licence to operate" with communities. The book argues that to achieve these benefits requires all parties to invest time and effort in first exploring the best design for the partnership, understanding the motivations of their potential partners and, once the partnership has been established, continuing to actively support the partnership and ensure its ongoing viability. Partnerships that engage the strengths of companies, government and civil society can, under the right conditions, yield better (and more sustainable) results for communities and for business than traditional approaches to development. The authors argue that, because it is built on the central idea of each partner "doing what they do best", the partnership approach offers an opportunity to rethink the way in which companies view they contributions to the livelihoods of local communities. Through partnerships it is possible that community development will be seen less as an "add-on" or "cost" to the company but more an integral part of business strategy providing significant commercial and other benefits. Perhaps most importantly, partnerships offer the potential for regional operating companies to change the perceptions of government and of civil society that the company will take the primary responsibility for local development. Rather, partnerships enable companies to locate themselves as one of (but not the only) agent of development in the local region. Partnerships enable communities to take charge of their own development needs, interacting with government to jointly design and maintain public services. They also allow government to play its proper role of fulfilling its public mandate, delivering necessary services and ensuring the quality and sustainability of development impacts. The challenges of poverty reduction in the developing world are so great that no one sector can address them on its own. Partnerships between business, government and civil society are a means of addressing this most fundamental of truths. It is hoped that this book will provide a road map for all those working towards making the elimination of poverty a reality."--Provided by publisher This Book Is About Partnerships Between The Private Sector, Government And Civil Society. Its Objective Is To Share Practical Experiences In Establishing And Implementing Such Partnerships And To Show How Partnership Work. The Focus Is On The Oil, Gas And Mining Industries, As These Sectors Have Tended To Be The Primary Drivers Of Foreign Investment In Developing Counties. These Corporations Increasingly Operate In Regions Characterised By Poor Communities And Fragile Environments. The More Effective Use Of External Relationships To Ensure The Effective Contribution Of These Investments To Poverty Reduction And Local Environmental Management Is Critical, For The Companies, For Government, And For The Poor. Putting Partnerships To Work Is Based On The Work Of The Secretarial Of The Natural Resources Cluster (nrc) Of Business Partners For Development (bpd). This Major Research Programme, Which Ran From 1998 To 2002, Aimed To Enhance The Role Of Oil, Gas And Mining Corporations In International Development. The Programme Objective Was To Produce Practical Guidance, Based On The Experience Of Specific Natural Resource Operations Around The World, On How Partnerships Involving Companies, Government Authorities And Civil-society Organisations Can Be An Effective Means Of Reducing Investment Risks And Of Promoting Community And Regional Development.--book Jacket. Preface / Michael Warner And Rory Sullivan -- 1. Introduction / Rory Sullivan And Michael Warner -- 2. Building Blocks For Partnerships / Michael Warner -- Pt. 1. Case Studies -- 3. Shell Petroleum Development Corporation, Nigeria : Partnering And Environmental Impact Assessment / Rory Sullivan And Michael Warner -- 4. Integrated Coal Mining Limited, India : Livelihoods Assessment, Road Construction And Healthcare / Rory Sullivan, Santiago Porto, Michael Warner, Amit Mukherjee, Rajat Das And Joydev Mazumdar -- 5. Placer Dome And Corporacion Venezolana De Guayana (minera Las Cristinas Ca, Venezuela) : Healthcare Partnership / James Tull, Edgardo Garcia Larralde, Alex Mansutti, Santiago Porto, Nicola Acutt, Ralph Hamann And Michael Warner -- 6. Transredes, Bolivia : Managing Oil-spill Compensation / Vicky Copeman And Enrique Rivas -- 7. Bp And Others, Azerbaijan : Conflict Prevention / Nick Killick -- 8. Kahama Mining Corporation Limited, Tanzania : Social Development Programme / Rory Sullivan And Aida Kiangi -- 9. Konkola Copper Mines Plc, Zambia : Local Business Development And Partnerships / Rory Sullivan, Michael Warner And Theo Hacking -- 10. Kelian Equatorial Mining, Indonesia : Mine Closure / Ralph Harnann -- 11. Bp Exploration Company : Contributing To Long-term Regional Development In Casanare, Colombia / Michael Warner, Edgardo Garcia Larralde And Rory Sullivan -- Pt. 2. Partnership Tools -- 12. Getting Started / Michael Warner -- 13. Monitoring Partnerships / Michael Warner -- 14. Measuring The Added Value Of Partnerships / Jol Mitchell, Jill Shankleman And Michael Warner -- Pt. 3. Issues -- 15. Towards Evidence Of The Costs And Benefits Of Partnerships / Nicola Acutt, Ralph Hamann, Assheton Carter And Paul Kapelus -- 16. Ownership And Control Of Outcomes / Aidan Davy -- 17. Companies In Conflict Situations : A Role For Partnerships? / Aidan Davy -- 18. Partnerships And Local Corporate Foundations / Ralph Hamann, Nicola Acutt And Assheton Carter -- 19. Managing Community Expectations Through Partnerships / Aidan Davy -- 20. Learning From Project Partnering In The Construction Industry / Dom Verschoyle And Michael Warner -- Pt. 5. Conclusions -- 21. Conclusions / Rory Sullivan And Michael Warner -- App. A. Example Of A Grievance-resolution Process -- App. B. Example Of A Partnership Memorandum Of Understanding : The Sarshatali Coal Mining Project Partnership For The Construction Of A Metalled Link Road From Rasunpur Forest Area To Barabani Railway Yard -- App. C. Example Of A Partnership Charter : Charter Of The Kelian Mine Closure Steering Committee -- App. D. Checklists Of Impact Indicators -- App. E. Examples Of Impact Tables : The Tri-sector Healthcare Partnership, Las Cristinas Gold Mine, Venezuela, December 1999 To January 2001 -- App. F. Publications Of The Natural Resource Cluster. Edited By Michael Warner And Rory Sullivan. The Overall Aim Of This Book Is To Communicate The Lessons Learned And Outcomes Achieved From The Nrc [natural Resources Cluster Of Business Partners For Development]--p. 21. Appendix F: Publications Of The Natural Resources Cluster-p. [317]-320). Includes Bibliographical References And Index.