A suitable partner can be found in various ways for instance an assessment of stakeholder interests may alert your business to a community group that is aligned to your organisation’s character and climate.
If you are looking independently for a group that matches your stakeholders interests you may want to start by speaking to government departments working in these specific areas. For example, if you have decided that you would like to partner with an environmental group, it would be useful to contact local, state and federal government environment departments for names of relevant organisations. Alternatively, the telephone book can be the best research tool you have.
Other resources available to help you locate suitable community organisations are 'peak bodies' of not-for-profit groups and Internet listings of community groups. A selection of these types of organisations could include:
Once you have a listing of suitable community groups it is time to research a selection of them. You could do this by an Internet search, a media article search at the library and by requesting annual reports from the individual community groups.
While researching it is important to look at other businesses (if any) with whom the community groups have partnered. If there are other businesses that have been involved with one of the groups you have selected it would be worthwhile contacting them to discuss their experience working with the community group in question.
It is also important to consider what type of organisation you want to partner with and, in particular, what size organisation would be appropriate. If you are a large organisation with exacting bureaucratic guidelines to your work, a small community organisation may find it too challenging to comply with strict accountability rules.
It is important to consider the culture of the community group and if it would complement your business. For example, a group working with gambling addiction may find it confronting for a casino to suggest collaboration. It is important to be open to the concerns and conditions that a community group may have, just as you would for any business associate.
Partnerships between private sector and not-for-profit organisations are an emerging concept in Australia and, as a result, community groups may have a different understanding of what 'partnering' with business means. Preliminary discussions could be held between organisations to ensure that both groups have the same understanding. There are some suggested references for community groups in Box 4.
“We see no conflict between business goals and social and environmental needs. I believe the distinction between a good company and a great one is this: a good company delivers excellent products and services; a great one delivers excellent products and services and strives to make the world a better place.
William Clay Ford, Jr, Chairman of the Board, Ford Annual Report letter, March 1999
Box 4
- Dees, Gregory (1998) 'Enterprising Nonprofits.' In 'Harvard Business Review' January-February. USA.
- Franklin, Douglas (2000) 'Social Marketing for the New Millennium: A Practical, ‘Do-It-Yourself’ Manual for Non-Government Organisations and Community and Voluntary Associations.' The Australian Youth Foundation with support from The International Youth Foundation, Sydney, Australia.
- Mallee Family Care Inc and the Sidney Myer Fund (2000) 'Beyond the Bottom Line: Creating Opportunities for Corporate-Community Partnerships in Rural Australia.
- Sims, Sandra (2000) 'Creating Effective Partnerships with Business: A Guide for Charities and Nonprofits in Canada.' Imagine, Canadian Centre for Philanthropy, Toronto, Canada.”
For a partnership to be successful, it is necessary that differences between the operating cultures of businesses and community groups are understood and appreciated. In business the focus is usually on the financial bottom line and maximising profits (possibly for shareholder satisfaction) whereas client services are the measure of success for community groups. Both priorities are legitimate and equally valid. Tensions can arise between partners when these differences in approach are ignored or under-valued.