Collaboration Tag

Iraq & Uganda

Launch of a new Business-Humanitarian Partnership Lab
Humanitarian crises are occurring with greater frequency within the global landscape. These crises are becoming long lasting and require long-term solutions. Simultaneously, NGOs and humanitarian agencies are experiencing declining donor funding. This development – coupled with an increasing pressure on crisis-affected communities – calls for innovative solutions to tackle protracted crises by involving new actors.

KJAER ADVICE has been instrumental in brokering and designing an innovative cross-sector partnership between the Danish Refugee Council (DRC), one of the world’s leading humanitarian organizations, and Grundfos, a world leader in water system solutions.

Pilot testing this new cross-sector approach will kick-off during field visits to Iraq and Uganda. The fact-finding missions – where also technical university scholars from the Danish Technical University (DTU) are invited to join – will visit not only camp-sites but broader refugee communities within the host countiries to explore water-related needs and un-met business opportunities . The aim is for the patnership to jointly identify commercial opportunities and aid effeiciency gains in the invention of new products and service development solutions. It is also envisioned that these joint efforts may enhance an environment of local entrepreneurship, job creation and micro-economic improvements for the benefit of refugees and the host countries

New York, USA

As Consulting Affiliate to the Shared Value Initiative KJAER ADVICE participated at the 6th annual Share Value Leadership Summit taking place in the beginning of May. At the Summit, world leaders and business thinkers alike discussed the private sector’s role in achieving the UN Global Goals, shared value’s power to attract and retain young talent, and equity as a business imperative. Among the 400 attendees were CEOs of Nestlé, The Coca-Cola Company, Yara, Novozymes, Mahindra Group, and many more.

President of the World Bank, Jim Yong Kim, in a panel discussion with Michael Porter, FSG/Harvard Business School, stated:
”Creating economic opportunity will avoid conflict. It is evidenced that better health and education outcomes account for growth” (..) ” Governments alone cannot deliver. It is critically important to collaborate across sectors to build necessary economic growth.”

With Michael Porter adding:
”There is money on the table for businesses if they can actually help solve social or societal problems. Look for competitive advantages. How can we do thing differently? It’s about seeing opportunities that others miss!”

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania & Accra, Ghana

Bridging the digital divide!
KJAER ADVICE is conducting the first round of fact-finding missions to Africa for BLUETOWN in preparation of new multi-sector partnerships for e-content distribution to rural communities that are currently digitally un-connected.

Access to information to e-education, e-health and e-governance are seen as vital drivers of change.

Istanbul, Turkey

KJAER ADVICE has been appointed Focal Point for organizing a Side-event at the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul, Turkey, hosted by The Danish Refugee Council, the Danish company Grundfos and co-sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark.

The event is entitled “From Donation to Market – Unlocking the Potential of Business-based Humanitarian Solutions”. The event will discuss how we can overcome the inherent obstacles associated with combining business culture, NGO-work practices and traditional public sector governance, thereby creating longer-term shared value for displaced populations and host countries.

Read more (Berlingske Tidende, in danish):
http://www.business.dk/danske-virksomheder-vil-udvikle-fremtidens-flygtningelejre

Copenhagen, Denmark

The Capital City of Copenhagen has contracted KJAER ADVICE to assist the newly established unit for partnership building residing with Denmark’s biggest employer, Copenhagen Municipality.

KJAER ADVICE has conducted series of internal training of staff and will continue to provide guidance throughout the year to the formation and implementation of partnerships with primarily the private sector.

Denmark, Global

The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is a humanitarian, non-governmental, non-profit organization founded in 1956 that works in more than 30 countries throughout the world.

For the third year in a row the DRC occupies third place on Global Geneva’s list of the world’s best NGOs, selected among 1.800 candidate organizations worldwide.

KJAER ADVICE is providing strategic advice to the DRC and its ambitious new approach to innovative business-humanitarian partnership collaboration.

Read more (Berlingske Tidende, in danish):
http://www.b.dk/humanitaert-samarbejde-med-erhvervslivet

Copenhagen, Boston, South Africa

Apparently, the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals have alerted more actors to the fact that cross-sector partnership collaboration is a promising route to pursue.
Hence, we have been very busy working in Denmark for among others the Danish Broadcasting Corporation, The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Copenhagen Municipality – assisting these clients in their efforts to design, refine and role out comprehensive partnership strategies.
Similarly, KJAER ADVICE has worked in the US organizing training for public sector officials.
Or in Southern Africa, assisting the design of a comprehensive public-private partnership program.

This year is coming to an end – lots of interesting work is waiting to be unfolded in the coming year.

Thank you to all clients and partners!

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

KJAER ADVICE has joined the Certified Affiliate Network of Michael Porter and Mark Cramer’s Shared Value Initiative based in in Boston.
The Consulting Affiliate Network is a consortium of independent consulting firms around the world that are trained to provide shared value consulting services to corporations, governments and civil society organizations.

“Affiliates have been selected, trained and certified in shared value consulting by FSG and the Shared Value Initiative. Each firm operates independently in its own geographic region, but shares a common understanding, methodology, and commitment to the practice of shared value. These organizations have been chosen for their thought leadership, consulting expertise and experience in designing initiatives that combine business growth and social impact.”
“Whether you are a corporation, government agency or civil society organization interested in applying the benefits of shared value to your work, the Consulting Affiliate Network is an essential partner in creating shared value strategies.”

Copenhagen, Denmark

KJAER ADVICE leads workshop to design pilot projects in Colombia and Kenya.
Grow Film Alliance (GFA) supports initiatives that promote independent film making, advance audience building and engage communities. It is the belief that all communities and countries can enhance tolerance and involvement in societal matters when watching, reflecting and discussing films about their own culture, in their own languages. Across the world individuals and groups are producing films that have the potential to advance democracy and engage and inform communities. However, in underdeveloped film cultures many films never reach their prospective national audience.

GFA is formed in 2015. Moving into the implementation phase, the Alliance will support pilot project development in Colombia and Kenya.