Bridge 5: Strengthening Cross-Sector Collaboration

Partnerships
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In my experience, four major barriers consistently get in the way of meaningful collaboration. Addressing these challenges head-on not only reduces friction—it’s what makes collaboration transformative, not just transactional.

  1. Power dynamics that go unaddressed: Disparities in financial resources, technical expertise, and institutional influence often translate into imbalanced decision-making power. This shapes everything from whose priorities set the agenda, to who understands and benefits most from the tools on the table. Progress depends on acknowledging these imbalances and actively redistributing power—through shared governance, equitable funding models, and capacity-building efforts tailored to partners with less access.
  2. Over-prioritisation of competition in early-stage markets: While competition has its place in mature systems, in emerging spaces like biodiversity credits and nature finance, a collaborative approach is critical. Early on, we need to prioritise shared learning, open-source methodologies, and collective standard-setting to prevent a race to the bottom on quality or inclusion.
  3. Differences in language, culture and technical framing: Cross-sector collaboration often requires careful translation—of terms, timelines, and values. In nature finance, for instance, private sector actors may lack familiarity with the rights-based frameworks and lived realities of IP and LCs. Bridging these gaps takes time, but it’s essential for building trust and avoiding misunderstandings.
  4. Real and perceived risks of unfamiliar partnerships: Working across sectors often brings together actors with different operating models and expectations. This can raise concerns about accountability, compliance, and reputational risk. To move past this, partnerships need to set clear roles, transparent decision-making processes, and safeguards like due diligence and Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC)—embedding trust into the structure of the collaboration itself.
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I see this every day in my work with companies … despite all the excellent examples given, and the evidence for the role that companies can and need to play in creating the social impact the world needs, there is still a lack of conviction among many companies (other than the very largest, and the ones many have mentioned) that this is the legitimate role of a company. Recent ‘anti-ESG’ sentiment has made it easier for companies to withdraw from any commitments they had and hide behind the sole objective of shareholder or investor value being their primary objective. They have returned to very transactional ways of thinking rather than global aspirational thinking. It’s cyclical though and I hope will pass

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I have been directly engaged in one such project, the Inclusive Market for Energy-Efficient Projects (IMEU) in Uganda, https://www.snv.org/project/inclusive-markets-energy-efficiency-uganda-imeu funded by the Embassy of Sweden, where the Triple Helix model has been effectively implemented. This model involves a wide range of stakeholders, including universities and research institutions, the private sector, the Ministry of Energy, development partners, and private companies.
I also led a cardamom market development initiative in Nepal Eknath Khatiwada, where you can find such effective collaboration among value chain stakeholders while providing a premium market to the 25000 smallholder farmers in the remote district of Nepal
I am also indirectly involved in the Energising Development (EnDev) Uganda - EnDev , a multi-donor partnership that includes governments, private sector actors, NGOs, and local communities. The projects in EnDev Uganda unite various efforts to improve energy access. A key factor in their success was the collaboration with communities/stakeholders that co-designed and adopted these solutions. This partnership underscores the effectiveness of collaborative efforts in addressing the challenges of energy access.
What made it work: WE can draw lessons from such initiatives as follows
• All actors focused on expanding affordable energy access through community consultations, aligning plans with local priorities.
• Donors provided funding, NGOs handled implementation and trust, and private firms scaled solutions.
• EnDev used performance-based funding, paying private players only upon successful delivery of energy products.
• Regular stakeholder meetings and a neutral organisation (such as GIZ) strike a balance between accountability and innovation. This cross-sector model is now recognised globally as a best practice for inclusive energy access and sustainable development.

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What’s a powerful example of cross-sector collaboration you’ve been part of or witnessed—and what made it work?

Cross-sector collaboration is at the heart of how we work at RISE. Our core belief is simple: no single actor can solve these systemic challenges alone. That’s why we bring together women workers, global brands, local suppliers, trade unions, women’s organizations, industry associations, governments, and large foundations all pulling in the same direction toward a shared goal: workplaces that are fairer, more equal, and more resilient.

But real collaboration means starting with the people most affected. For us, that means centering our work on the needs and priorities of workers—especially women. Take our recent work on climate change. We began by simply asking workers what they’re experiencing and what they’re worried about. Their insights led to practical shifts. Such as creating space in factories for workers to dry off and change after floods, reducing illness and productivity loss and absenteeism. Or when a worker tells us ‘I’ve heard of circular fashion. I think it’s important for the planet. And I think it will take my job’ it points to the need of retraining programs that equip workers, especially women, for roles in circular fashion, supporting both their future livelihoods and business resilience. It points to the need of retraining programs that equip workers, especially women, for roles in circular fashion, supporting both their future livelihoods and business resilience.

The challenges faced by women and men working in global supply chains are complex, and exacerbated by the uncertain political and economic environment that factories operate in. Businesses who invest in the resilience of their workers and do so collaborating with others will benefit from greater stability and efficiency. To achieve this and ensure that no one is left behind, we must start from the ground up. By listening to the women and men who power this industry, and building systems that respond to their needs. That’s how we unlock solutions that are good for workers, good for business, and good for the future.

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What did we observe? Businesses often prioritise short-term profits and shareholder value, as well as profit sharing, while foundations and civil society tend to focus on long-term social outcomes. This misalignment can make collaboration feel risky or inefficient, especially when there is no clear return on investment or mutual accountability. Conversely, companies may perceive NGOs or governments as bureaucratic or slow, while nonprofits might view the private sector as exploitative or self-interested. These differing perceptions can lead to mistrust, and without strong relationships or effective facilitators, collaboration can be ineffective. Defining mutual benefits and incentives is the key to making such collaboration meaningful and sustainable.

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What’s a powerful example of cross-sector collaboration you’ve been part of or witnessed—and what made it work?

I’ve been lucky to be part of several cross-sectoral collaborations. Involving banks, businesses, NGOs and universities. I am based in a University in the UK.

Our collaborations have worked well when:

  • co-designed (as much as possible) leading to good shared understanding of our purpose
  • communication is clear and regular between partners (and set up with clear roles and responsibilities)
  • there is a trusting, respectful and motivated dynamic between partners (they are all getting something they value from the collaboration)
  • when the work is properly resourced
  • when there is leadership to give momentum and direction

I can write up examples of good collaborations if you would like me to, just let me know. One with the Asian Development Bank, a youth NGO and the University of Cambridge.

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In terms of examples for the report, I’d suggest exploring two that align with businesses’ commercial priorities. Reflecting on this session and the broader report, I’d prioritise cases that show how those priorities interact with systemic challenges. We need to go deeper in terms of the ‘business case’, beyond reputation, employee engagement, good will etc to more hardcore business logic and hence create collaborations that are viable in the current climate and sustainable over time.

  1. The first example relates to modern slavery and the payment of recruitment fees. It’s an area where I’ve worked on diagnostics and tried to build collaboration — for instance, with energy companies in one of the countries where they build their platforms to extract oil. However, the logic of cheap labour tends to prevail, benefiting multiple actors: end companies, suppliers, sending and receiving countries, and various players along migration corridors.

An illustrative case is CIERTO, a US-based NGO led by Joe Martinez. They work with migrant farmworkers from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and South Africa to create ethical recruitment pathways. Their model embodies cross-sector collaboration, involving:

  • Workers and their communities
  • Local and the US goverment
  • Civil society organisations
  • The private sector

More at ciertoglobal.org

  1. The second example is IDH Sustainable Trade Initiative (idh.org), which operates globally through sector-wide/ supply chain of a commodity or place-based partnerships (landscapes they call them). Their work connects:
  • Corporates
  • Governments
  • Civil society
  • Academia

They create collaboration either across supply chains or through landscape approaches (a specific location). A strong illustration is the Brazil ‘landscape’ model in Mato Grosso, where they lead inclusive coalitions around soy and cattle production, forest conservation, and community inclusion.

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A powerful example of cross-sector collaboration I’ve been part of is the Jobtech Alliance, a pan-African initiative working to unlock inclusive, tech-enabled job creation. What made it work was its intentional ecosystem approach—bringing together platforms, funders, researchers, and policymakers around a shared vision. We helped shape a Systems Change Framework that provided both strategy and structure, acting as an architecture for collaboration across this traditionally fragmented sector. Crucially, the Alliance didn’t just coordinate actors; it built trust by telling a story that mattered—about creating quality jobs for Africa’s youth—and invited others to shape that story alongside us.

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What’s a powerful example of cross-sector collaboration you’ve been part of or witnessed - and what made it work? - In many collaboration that I have witnessed the success has been driven by commitment, purpose driven approach, and engagement of stakeholders. Co-designing is at time consuming yet very critical aspect of powerful collaboration. Its a continuous cycle of engagement where we reflects upon what we have achieved, are we reaching our shared goals, and how do we align our efforts for higher impact and outcomes.

What holds companies back from deeper, more meaningful collaboration with other businesses, foundations, civil societies or government? Business Matrix: The business matrix driven by profit and net promoter scores. I believe there have been efforts on prioritizing how business drive social impact or solve a persistent problem and not adding to the problem. Complexity and Time in managing governance and operations: The cycle of governance, reporting and the organization structure driven by the goals which are not centered around a shared purpose. The changing context adds to the complexity. Egos over larger impact: We are centered across our own goals and challenges and the efforts required to go beyond and understand each other and our collective goals requires us to move beyond.

How can partnerships move beyond short-term projects to create long-term systemic change? I believe we need to start building trust which is the biggest factor in creating systemic changes. With complexities around how do we build trust across govts, corporations, public at large. Can business and govt. be trusted with principles such as ‘do no harm’ or ‘transparency’, I believe these will lay a foundation of long-term systemic changes.

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As the Community Relations Manager for AUT University, my first big project was to ‘solve’ rough sleeping and homelessness on our inner-City campus. We partnered with the Methodist Mission Northern ((MMN) who ran a homeless shelter and soup kitchen located just across the road to co-design a solution which included:

  • Designing a training programme and continuum of response for AUT’s security team
  • AUT changing its policy for managing rough sleeping on campus
  • MMN put the word out in the street community that they were welcome on campus if they respected the people and facilities.

The issues ceased almost overnight.

Key learnings:

  • Each party played to their strengths
  • The relationship was about reciprocity and mutual benefit
  • Money and resource was secondary to our shared focus on creating a solution that worked and was sustainable
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Our third and final question today:

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One powerful lesson we’ve learned at RISE is that true collaboration starts with centering the people most affected by the problem. It’s not enough to bring sectors together around a table—collaboration becomes transformative when it begins with listening to and designing for the needs of women workers.

This worker-centered approach has allowed RISE to build trust, relevance, and sustainability into our programs. Whether we’re addressing gender-based violence, financial health, or climate resilience, the solutions that last are those that are co-created—not imposed. When women are supported to advance, lead, and make decisions in the workplace and at home, the impact extends far beyond the individual: productivity rises, turnover drops, and whole communities become more resilient.

By anchoring collaboration in worker agency and equity, we move from compliance to partnership—and from fragmented efforts to scalable, systemic change.

In the face of growing disruption across the global garment, footwear, and textile industry—from climate change to automation—RISE is championing a collaborative, worker-centered approach to reimagining women’s advancement and leadership as a strategy for business resilience. Despite making up the majority of the workforce, women remain underrepresented in leadership and technical roles, due in part to narrow definitions of advancement, bias, unstructured promotion systems, and the unequal distribution of unpaid care and domestic work. To address these challenges, RISE developed a Women’s Advancement and Leadership roadmap by going directly to the source: we consulted women workers in Bangladesh and India on their views, needs, and aspirations. These insights were complemented by interviews, workshops, and a mapping of 25 existing programs focused on women’s advancement—95% of which narrowly aimed to promote women from operator to supervisory roles. Recognizing the need for more inclusive and diverse pathways, we brought together 80 industry stakeholders in Dhaka, Delhi, Bangalore, and online for a series of systems change and futures workshops to co-create a multilayered response. Together, they identified three priority areas: expanding advancement beyond supervisory tracks to include technical and flexible roles; embedding gender equity into business practices through supplier scorecards, improved forecasting, and targeted training; and recognizing the economic value of unpaid care work through supportive policies and male engagement. This inclusive, cross-sector collaboration ensures that solutions are rooted in the lived experiences of women, unlocking both worker potential and business performance.

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One of the biggest challenges to cross-sector collaboration is quite simply misaligned objectives. Companies are driven by profit and often short-term value creation, whereas nonprofits are often focused on long-term outcomes.

Frequently the pace and timescales and bureaucracy involved are at odds with private sector ambition and creates challenges for those trying to deliver impact.

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To achieve long-term systemic change, partnerships must move beyond short-term projects by adopting a strategy that includes adaptive leadership and structures that extend beyond typical funding cycles. Some of the illustrative suggestions are:
• Establish a collective impact framework with a common agenda, shared measurement systems, and clear end goals.
• Leverage blended finance and risk-sharing mechanisms to attract long-term private capital aligned with public goals, for example, AgDevCo’s and other DFIs are strongly making investments in African agricultural SMEs.
• Implement adaptive management strategies and real-time feedback to adjust approaches while focusing on end goals, as demonstrated in Uganda’s IMEU project, which utilised open data to inform policy changes through networks such as EEAN. EEAN (Energy Efficiency Accelerator Network) and IMEU (Inclusive Markets for Energy Efficiency in Uganda) work together to promote energy efficiency and increase the adoption of energy-efficient products in Uganda. It is a kind of collective agenda for universal energy access in the country

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What holds companies back from deeper collaboration is the overarching system they operate within. Most of our institutions weren’t built to collaborate—they were designed to compete, to extract, to maximise individual gain. The private sector, in particular, is shaped by shareholder primacy and short-term incentives that pull focus away from long-term, collective outcomes. These aren’t just surface-level barriers—they’re baked into the architecture of our economic and governance systems. Until we begin to shift that dominant paradigm, most collaboration will remain shallow or short-lived. From a systems change perspective, this means we need to challenge the core assumptions driving our institutions—who they’re accountable to, how they define success, and what they believe is possible when working with others. Without that shift, we’ll keep treating symptoms rather than transforming the conditions that sustain complex problems.

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When partnerships really focus on empowering all actors with a supply chain to have the information they need to make informed decisions about their livelihood. When projects focus on shifting the power. This may mean reducing the ‘short term profit margin’ and designing projects that empower those who have historically been excluded, marginalised or exploited – so that these groups can make informed decisions about their resources and livelihoods, demand a fair price and build profitable business partnerships that benefit their families and communities for the long term. Farmers’ Voice Radio’s approach connects smallholder farmers to the information they need to strengthen the quality, sustainability and profitability of their farming, but it also shifts the power to the smallholder communities and builds confidence to demand a fair price, decent working conditions and a more equitable voice in business partnerships, that will create long term systemic change.
It is therefore essential that cross-sectoral collaboration starts with a shared vision rather than just project objectives – and this will take time to get to know each other as organisations and ensure you have shared values.
It is then important that the collaboration’s success indicators reflect long-term systemic change, such as shifts in power, voice/responsiveness and wellbeing. These are more difficult to measure that increases in yield or number of trees planted but will have longer lasting impact.
Farmers’ Voice Radio also believes that it is it vital to invest in strong local partners and ensure the collaboration helps to build their capacity and supports their longevity rather than being a transactional relationship.

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How can partnerships move beyond short-term projects to create long-term systemic change?

To drive systemic change, partnerships must evolve from ad hoc cooperation to long-term, values-based alignment. Ultimately, partnerships that centre trust, redistribute power, and stay committed beyond short-term wins are the ones that build resilience—and reshape systems for good.
This shift demands intention, patience, and new ways of working. Key actions include:

  1. Co-create a shared vision anchored in long-term outcomes: Partners should start with a clearly defined, collective goal for the system they want to shape—whether that’s equitable benefit sharing, robust biodiversity outcomes, or market integrity. This deeper alignment on “why” provides a foundation that outlasts any single project.
  2. Embed structures for mutual accountability and adaptive learning: Change is rarely linear. Successful partnerships invest in mechanisms to track progress, reflect on what’s working, and course-correct based on data and lived experience. This includes staying in touch beyond the life of a project, building institutional memory, and being open to constructive challenge.
  3. Shift power and localise ownership: Long-term change takes root when it’s driven by those closest to the problem. That means ensuring IP and LCs and local actors are not just consulted but co-own the work—from policy to implementation. This also involves investing in their capacity and leadership, and ensuring long-term resourcing to support their continued role.
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To create lasting systemic change, partnerships must evolve beyond short-term projects by:

  • Building Trust Through Transparency: Regular communication, shared data, and clear accountability mechanisms foster trust among partners.
  • Aligning on a Shared Vision: Partners should co-create long-term goals that address root causes, not just symptoms, of systemic issues.
  • Investing in Capacity Building: Training and resource-sharing empower all partners, especially smaller organizations, to sustain efforts over time.
  • Creating Scalable Models: Pilot projects should be designed with scalability in mind, incorporating feedback loops to refine and expand impact.
  • Leveraging Policy Advocacy: Partnerships can influence policy changes to create enabling environments for systemic impact (e.g., tax incentives for sustainable practices).
  • Committing to Multi-Year Frameworks: Long-term funding and strategic plans ensure continuity and deeper impact, as seen in initiatives like GAVI.
  • Measuring Impact Holistically: Use metrics that capture both immediate outcomes and long-term systemic shifts, such as changes in policy, behavior, or market dynamics.

By focusing on shared goals, mutual accountability, and scalable solutions, partnerships can drive transformative change that outlasts individual projects

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  • Elevate community voice to help inform and co-design programmes with the people they aim to serve, ensuring cultural relevance and local ownership. This will help bridge the gap between public and private.
  • Honesty and transparency about aims ad motivations (real honesty – not just what you think they want to hear!)
  • Clarity on timeframes and markers – and then stick to them.
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The companies I work with need reminding of the ecosystem they exist within which enables their commercial success! People, natural resources, infrastructure … all of which are shared resources not exclusive to them, and they need to be reminded to share!