Linked to this, companies’ NGO partners will have different and valuable perspectives on how the world is being changed by the crisis. They may see unexpected knock-on effects of the crisis on communities and vulnerable groups. Smart companies are drawing on their NGO partners’ insights and intelligence for their own business planning, and working together to re-frame their partnerships to respond to the future post-crisis context.
A common theme we’ve seen emerging in member discussions is that the knowledge and insight built up through deep engagement with communities over the years has proved invaluable in helping them to navigate effective community responses. Strong and trusting company-community relationships are vital, and the role of community relations teams at mine sites working to provide practical support to communities is critical.
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A question from the Business Fights Poverty community:
From Peter Murage: in view of the extreme climate change food will continue to be scarce to the most vulnerable. Maybe a concerted effort to support the farmers against vagaries of climate change is needed. How would this be actioned by Businesses? (Food security - MSMEs and Vulnerable Workers)
@Jane_Nelson1 responded: “Peter - your point about food security is key. The World Economic Forum’s food systems initiative, IFPRI, AGRA, A and WBCSD are all doing work on this topic that is worth looking at.”
Caroline Ashley responded: I agree about the threat of climate change. People who say Covid is a rehearsal for climate change speak sense. Whole value chains need to be reconfigured for resilience to climate change with resilient farmers at the heart. I am hopeful that this crisis will make the concept of ‘resilience’ much more popular and make it a focus of corporate strategy going forward.
@Christina_Tewes-Grad responded We have a Guide on NGO and company partnerships for building sustainable inclusive / impact business : http://endeva.org/publication/ngo-company-partnerships-inclusive-business
the vulnerabilities of the present version of capitalism have been exposed now. Short term profit maximisation has mean fragility to systemic shocks, precarious employment models, exorbitant executive pay that is tolerated as long as shareholder value is at a behaviourally acceptable level…and vast underfunding of public services. Who is going to change this?
Giles, you raise an important question. This isn’t a full answer, but a related point that came up from both companies and NGOs in our research for a toolkit on helping companies support their NGO partners through the crisis. Quite a few companies recognise that fundamental questions about the relationships between economies and wellbeing have been raised by the crisis. The policy discourse on companies’ purpose and their contribution to society will change, in unpredictable ways. NGO partners could play an important role in helping companies navigate that future.
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A question from the Business Fights Poverty community:
Olusegun Mayungbe: My question is: What are the available resources to small businesses especially in Africa where there isn’t structure for small business funding. Most resources are focused on healthcare and research but nothing on food production. My people need access to good food and that area is neglected but it is as important as healthcare. Olusegun Mayungbe of Oluadepe Farms
I wish we had the answer to this - Job one is to prioritize taking care of people - humanitarian and health support. The 2nd step very close behind this first fundamental is when it is safe and possible to do is to get people back to work, understanding that some jobs and ways of doing them will be different.
We need governments to be clear, phased and integrated in their responses. Key areas that are needed include:
• Providing direct budget support and concessional financing for developing countries to adopt reforms for socio-economic development and poverty reduction, and measures to protect workers;
• Supporting business and commercial entities, especially SMEs and the self-employed, via guarantees, liquidity provisions and technical assistance
• Providing public sector loans notably for healthcare equipment and supplies;
• Working with companies to build strong, flexible and resilient value chains in strategic sectors
• Promote forms of debt relief considered by the IMF in affected countries.
Hi Giles! Great point. I share your concern. Most action so far is focussed on immediate response, and rarely did I see a long-term view included there. We are still in the middle of the crisis, but as we emerge from it, I am worried that the “New Normal” looks much like the “Old Normal”. We need a broader conversation about what “better” means in “Rebuild better” . We need to articulate our demands to governments, and I very much subscribe to Jane’s point on the importance of advocacy platforms. These platforms need to become much more radical in what they demand from government, and what they are willing to contribute. Still, there is way too much compromise and trying to protect business as usual.
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I agree, David. These NGOs and community groups have local and on-the-ground knowledge that is not accessible to others. They have also built trust over time, which is very important in dealing with vulnerable people/groups, and so are able to tap into spaces that corporates won’t.
Yes, Olusegun, it is very tricky. I actually also co-run a food social enterprise un Uganda and there is nothing available so far. You could check One Acre Fund and Root Capital as two of the bigger funders for small ag enterprises in Africa.
I echo this too - really important for companies to develop strong partnerships with local NGOs/ community organisations to support responses
Giles - you make a really important point. After the Global Financial Crisis in 2008-2009, we went back to “business as usual” - there is a real possibility that in 2-3 years time, the follow-up from this even more widespread humanitarian and economic crisis will be the same. How do we change that? We need a combination of social movements, strong voter activism and turnout in elections, new policies and regulations, increased expectations by investors and consumers on corporate responsibility and accountability, and multistakeholder partnerships - of course, none of these are new, but they still seem to be the best pathways we have to drive change - unless the worst happens, and we see the ‘pathway’ of growing social and political unrest and violence due to increased inequalities, poverty and conflict for scarce resources. Given the current gaps in multilateral governance, it is a very worrying prospect. This is why well respected leaders from all sectors need to stand up and speak out in promoting specific proposals for more inclusion and resilience.
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Our third question today:
Q3. What are the practical risks and opportunities for business to step up and make a greater contribution in supporting those most vulnerable during and after COVID-19?
Olusegun makes a very important point about food provision/nutrition. The WHO has linked malnutrition to a weakened immune response which puts one more at risk to COVID-19.
You make a good point but I think many large companies are already taking a long-term view on the sustainability of their supply chains and their impacts. The challenge for many companies is when they move beyond their core operations to try and address some of the entrenched and complex challenges that need tackling. Many of these issues lie beyond the experience and understanding of companies - hence the need for long-term collaboration with other sectors. Companies need more help and guidance on the role they could and should be playing in driving longer-term system level change.
Answer to Olusegun ; For now i think it’s important to collaborate with other NGOs and moreso youth groups where you can organize a funds drive to support vulnerable communities with food hampers and also do training on small subsistence farming in their homesteads. My opinion. Also seek support from your ministry of Agriculture
Hi Christina, thanks for replying and I agree with you there. I like the idea of radical advocacy as I think that we have a massive hill to climb to shift behaviours.
A3 - I think there are challenges in re-imagining community engagement and consultation processes to continue to reduce risks of transmission. We may be inhabiting the virtual space for a while to come and this poses challenges - as well as opportunities - for how companies engage with community stakeholders
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A question from the Business Fights Poverty community and one of our panellists today:
Ruth Thomas asks: we talk about new types of partnership and radical collaboration - what are the barriers? trust? resources? skilled facilitators?
@Christina_Tewes-Grad responds: Great question! Interestingly, partnerships have been taking a lot more agile approach during this crisis, and it has produced good results. A greater risk tolerance has been critical , and trust is built along the way. Facilitation can definitely help in areas where the solution and the way to get there is not so clear, to involve several players and to explore more systemic approaches. Facilitation can also reduce the barriers surrounding trust, establishing process, negotiating benefits etc.
A3 By working in partnership with specialist organisations and services companies can hugely reduce their risks when it comes to addressing gender based violence. Two recent examples of this - some of you might have heard how pharmacies in Europe have instigated code words for survivors to use when buying essential supplies. However unless the pharmacy staff are effectively trained in where to refer survivors the system breaks down. Similarly some hotels have provided rooms for survivors of domestic violence, but unless this is done in partnership with those working in domestic abuse it can be easy for perpetrators to track down their victims.
However the risks of not doing anything are huge. It has been suggested that the levels of violence being experienced during the pandemic will set gender equality back at least a decade. (even pre C-19 the WEF estimated that it will take over 200 years for women to achieve economic parity with men!!.)
Companies that work to protect their employees from domestic violence and workplace harassment during C-19 will be well positioned to create workplaces that are fit for purpose in an age of automation where more people will be working remotely. They will also be on the front foot for the impending ratification of an ILO Convention on eliminating violence in the world of work, that was agreed in 2019.
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