Catalina, I have seen really good examples of AbInbev in Brazil. You are building a hospital together with Gerdau and Sao Paulo government, it has been inspiring! and really quick reaction on using the factories for alcohol gel. At the League, one common topic is emerging is into medium term recovery how to collaborate with small and medium enterprises, and digital inclusion, would love to learn more about your thoughts or initatives on that.
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Curious Catalina: is there any innovation coming out of those partnerships that is valuable for your core business? In terms of products, services, business models?
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And then we have all sorts of clever use of resources. Tesco supermarket in the UK taking on the staff of charities that support older people, that have had to shut their retail shops. Those staff, are then deployed to provide support to vulnerable shoppers in the supermarkets.
We are seeing companies retooling their production lines to produce critical items like personal protection equipment (PPE), hand sanitizer and medical equipment. Global tech companies are making their digital connection services available for free and telecoms companies working with governments to disseminate public health guidance, as well as widening internet access to rural communities. Other companies that cannot operate are supporting their employees to instead volunteer in the community.
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For malaria, RBM & WHO and partners are working together on in malaria-affected countries, which often have more fragile health systems. Engagement with communities is already underway and adapting to COVID-19 – to give out preventive tools in advance of the malaria season (preventing fever) for one example.
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Darian_Stibbe- What a fantastic idea, Kudos to Tesco
At Endeva, we are developing systems change initiatives for immediate Covid19 response as well as to rebuild better. We are using our www.ii2030.com methodology to bring different players together and make a lasting and deep change. For example, we have an initiative in Nigeria with different players to provide 3D printed spare parts for medical devices. Also in Nigeria, we are working on an initiative with startups around food security and inclusive food systems. Cannot mention the names yet, so stay tuned for more!
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Another example from GSK…GSK and Vir Biotechnology entered a collaboration to research and develop solutions for coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 - read more: https://www.gsk.com/en-gb/media/press-releases/gsk-and-vir-biotechnology-enter-collaboration-to-find-coronavirus-solutions/
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What do you think stimulates the creation of new partnerships to mitigate the effect of C19? Is it just goodwill?
More examples from AB InBev:
www.ab-inbev.com
o In Canada, Stella Artois launched “Rally for Restaurants,” allowing users to buy gift cards, and the brand will add an additional $10 to the value of every card purchased to go directly to the restaurants, bars and pubs.
o In Colombia, also in Peru, Ecuador and El Salvador, www.TiendaCerca.co is a digital platform that allows users to access a directory with more than 100,000 neighborhood mom and pop shops nationwide.
o Redirecting sport sponsorship funds to emergency efforts, including Anheuser-Busch’s $5 million donation to the American Red Cross and South African Breweries’ contribution to the nation’s Solidarity Response Fund
o We have recently launched a cloth mask toolkit to produce masks and support our small retailers and local communities. We are looking for partners that would like to join this project around the world; artisans, fashion designers and commercial producers to produce these cloth face masks thus create job opportunities and support local communities.
o AB InBev Foundation Community Fund – No Excuse campaign in South Africa to support victims of domestic violence – Help Line in partnership with the Government and the NGO Father a Nation.
We are in this together!
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The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) is launching an initiative to share, as broadly as possible, its research on issues related to COVID-19 with the media, policymakers and the public: https://www.ilri.org/news/ilri’s-response-pandemic-deepening-engagement-press-and-policymakers
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That’s great example
Our second question today:
Q2. How can partnerships be set up rapidly?
Which models can be used?
How can processes be fast-tracked?
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Apart from goodwill, I think there is also a real need to pivot for business reasons - such as strengthening and re-arranging the supply chain, and making it more sustainable. This is driving innovation quickly
This is a good idea, but COVID is moving much quicker than this and so the time factor may not allow for research to happen. What I have realized is that C-19 is simply exacerbating that which already was a problem. I feel that the plans that were in place to curb existing issues need to be sped up through partnerships, such as the one that Catalina Garcia has described where Ministry of Health and AB InBev have worked on…
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Julian thanks for this, I think there is a special opportunity to lower done the institutional barriers in the time of crisis and uncertainty. I see that the decision making process speed has shifted and the need to launch “perfect” things has shifted. It is allowing for a different behaviour coming from human behind the institutions
Everyone needs to re-think their processes, starting from SMEs, to corporates, and also Foundations. Whilst this does mean throwing key principles out of the window, speed is of the essence – this is not always easy. From a Foundation perspective, there is a tricky balance between sustainability and helping partners and others get through a crisis - how much do you compromise key values of long-term impact in benefit of immediate gains.
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How is that partnerships are happening so quickly? It’s informative to look at normal partnering processes and then see what the differences are.
In our new partnering guidebook, we introduce a set of four key building blocks for successful partnerships: 1) fundamentals are in place (alignment of interest of partners around a common vision, clear ‘collaborative advantages’ through which partnerships will deliver more than the sum of its parts, sufficient compatibility between the organisations, all partners will benefit etc.); 2) there is a strong, trusting relationship; 3) proper structure and set-up and 4) excellent management and leadership.
We also talk about a typical ‘partnering journey’ in which partner representatives come together to discuss and negotiate a partnership, each go back to their organisations and discuss the opportunity internally. Then they go back and forth between partnership negotiation and internal negotiation in some kind of dance, slowly building up alignment, clarity over the partnership vision, its objectives, what each partner will be doing etc. And internally making the case that it is in the organisation’s strategic interest, ensuring all the right people internally are fully on board, going through legal due diligence, getting resources committed etc.
Going through the partnering journey and building up the key building blocks all takes considerable time - maybe 3 months to 2 years!
The COVID-19 has taken a sledge hammer to this usual approach!
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Hi Florencia, I just posted a few examples on how we are supporting small businesses.
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