HSBC Climate Partnership recognized by peers
HSBC’s Climate Partnership, featuring Earthwatch, Smithsonian, Climate Group and WWF as well as the bank, has been named as one of the most admired partnerships between a corporate organization and an NGO, as both sectors seek out more strategic partnerships.
Specialist business consultancy C&E surveyed corporate responsibility professionals from more than 150 leading companies and NGOs in the UK. The HSBC Climate Partnership was named as the fourth most admired NGO/corporate partnership, just behind Sainsbury’s and Comic Relief, Pampers and UNICEF and, leading the field by some margin, the M&S and Oxfam partnership. Each of the three highest-ranked partnerships has been promoted heavily to the company’s retail customers.
The report found that the majority of businesses (88%) and NGOs (93%) believe that partnerships are becoming more important to their organizations. Partnerships between corporates and NGOs are becoming more important and strategic in nature as companies come under further pressure to demonstrate sustainable and ethical business practices.
The number of organizations looking to engage in more strategic partnerships has increased by 14% since 2010, with 57% of corporate respondents describing their partnerships as strategic as both sectors look to leverage each other’s skills and assets.
NGOs and businesses feel very differently about corporate employee volunteering, with businesses much more enthusiastic about this method of engaging than are NGOs.
C&E Advisory sees a bright future for corporate-NGO partnering. CEO Manny Amadi commented: “The most successful partnerships blend corporate, brand and commercial objectives, with a clear focus on benefit for society. The prominence of major consumer-facing retail companies and brands reflects not only their focused approach, but also their preparedness and ability to invest in strategic partnerships, including in their promotion and marketing.”