Successful partnering in business is central to reaching social and environmental sustainability goals. This is why ´Partnerships for Goals´ is its own Sustainability Development Goal, SDG 17.
We take our multi-decade experience of creating and nurturing strategic partnerships within ´big four´ business consulting and now apply that knowledge and practice to benefit wider business.
We understand that sustainable success means a departure from traditional top-down, hierarchical and linear approaches to implementing change. It calls for innovative and adaptive approaches that engage broad networks of diverse stakeholders to advance progress toward a shared vision for systemic change.
A commitment to innovation and sustainability
Interwoven believes that business outcomes are better when businesses collaborate to create shared ecosystems of influence, insight and expertise. That means businesses working with other businesses as partners, but also businesses partnering with government, civil society, NGOs and academia, to create better outcomes to some of the toughest, multi-dimensional, most complex challenges.
We are Interwoven because we see business, social and environmental interests as intertwined. No entity operates in a vacuum. We have seen that, for most organisations, there is untapped value in working collaboratively. If done well, expertly curated and aligned to business strategy, collaboration is a business accelerator.
Interwoven Consulting harnesses its cumulative experience of international influencer relations, alliance building, and multi-stakeholder partnerships to create bespoke ecosystem solutions for clients.
Influencer and
stakeholder mappings
Engagement Design
& Operationalisation
Ongoing
programme-based
engagement
Ecosystem Design
& Build
The benefits of
effective partnering
include:
• Reputation and brand management
• Access to new and wider markets
• Relevance and license to operate, increased pressure to respond to the changing context and stakeholders’ needs
• Improved performance from integrating social and environmental issues into management practices
• Creation of new business models that have value for a wider set of stakeholders (as compared to financial value alone)
• Compliance
• Solving operation challenges
The defining factors
for successful
partnering:
• Identify clear reasons to collaborate
• Find a ‘fairy godmother’ or powerful champion
• Set simple, credible goals
• Get professional help
• Dedicate good people to the cause
• Be flexible in how you define success
• Be open to change
• Prepare to let go
Geese fly in a V-shaped formation.
This is because the V:
Conserves energy, collectively they go farther.
Aids communication, coordination, ensures they go in the right direction.
In the same way, human organisations can benefit from
multi-stakeholder partnerships.
