To promote questions and discussions about the many different influences and involvement of the corporate sector in UK development work To explore how INGOs relate to their engagement It is very preliminary, just ideas because there has been no serious research into this issue and some information is hard to come by 10/26/11 1 Relating to the corporate sector, Tina Wallace, for DSA and GADN, Nov 2011

The main focus is on corporates such as KPMG, PWC, Nike, large PR companies. There are smaller players, referred to as the private sector i.e. for profit assessment/evaluation organisations, which work only in UK, have limited briefs 10/26/11 Relating to the corporate sector, Tina Wallace, for DSA and GADN, Nov

Just some examples to clarify what we are discussing: The outsourcing of much INGO communications and marketing work The role of the private/corporate sector in *Appraising organisations * Project management * Auditing * Monitoring and evaluation Their Access to large development funds, often employing INGOs as sub contractors Their influence on Government, e.g. Nike as part of DFIDs approach to girls, as consultants and reviwers 10/26/11 3 Relating to the corporate sector, Tina Wallace, for DSA and GADN, Nov 2011

So far it has not been possible to find out what % of the formal aid budget goes through the private, usually corporate, sector It is not easy to know how much individual INGOs spend on outsourcing specific functions The aid transparency website does not discuss their role or funding 10/26/11 4 Relating to the corporate sector, Tina Wallace, for DSA and GADN, Nov 2011

The purpose and ways of working of the corporate sector may not align easily with those of development organisations Whose concepts and whose approaches count? The pragmatism of working together may challenge INGOs around issues of ethics and values 10/26/11 5 Relating to the corporate sector, Tina Wallace, for DSA and GADN, Nov 2011

The language of development is changing: concepts of efficiency, effectiveness, risk, results, branding, profile are imported Definitions and understanding of these concepts may not be clear, because while they work in the context of for profit organisations with clear bottom lines they are often messy concepts in development. Clear misuse of terminology is evident, e.g. of risk/branding The shift from strategic planning to corporate and business plans, set at HQ and rolled out globally 10/26/11 6 Relating to the corporate sector, Tina Wallace, for DSA and GADN, Nov 2011

Focus on single issues, short term gains Focus on changing individuals (e.g. girl effect) rather than addressing underlying social structures of inequality Advertisements, communications and concern with branding can simplify and distort: images and claims often focus on the INGO over the women and men themselves INGOs can find themselves as sub contractors, working to tight contracts they cannot influence, though their staff have the development knowledge/experience (e.g. cash transfers) 10/26/11 7 Relating to the corporate sector, Tina Wallace, for DSA and GADN, Nov 2011

INGOs needed to become more professional Surely private public partnerships and people working together is the best way forward? There are positive impacts from adopting corporate sector language and approaches, getting staff to think smarter, work with recognised management tools and project manage more efficiently 10/26/11 8 Relating to the corporate sector, Tina Wallace, for DSA and GADN, Nov 2011

But some questions to ask include: What happens to the voices and realities of the women ands girls we say we work with in the complexity of negotiating business and corporate plans, signing off logframes, setting quick results, meeting deadlines for outsourced work? How much power is being reinvested in UK INGOs rather than locally based NGOs in this process? Who decides what are good results? What happens to the communications/messaging? In each case need to understand which values, knowledge and approach drive the work? 10/26/11 9 Relating to the corporate sector, Tina Wallace, for DSA and GADN, Nov 2011

How much time is spent in INGOs talking about their values, their experience, what they have learned about development and getting clear when engagement with corporate approaches is appropriate or inadvisable? Is it clear when values and ethics mesh between these sectors and when they clash? How easy is it to work in bottom up, empowering, listening and learning ways (often promoted by INGOs) in the current environment? What is being gained and what is being lost? 10/26/11 10 Relating to the corporate sector, Tina Wallace, for DSA and GADN, Nov 2011