Event The Shift & partners

The Shift, together with OVO, Acodev, NGO Federatie, Trias and Via Don Bosco invite you to a joint event

Collaborations between the private sector and NGOs are an important means of achieving the SDGs. But do you have all the tools to build sustainable partnerships? In this networking event, we want to inspire you and prepare you for future collaborations that will result in lasting positive impacts.

This event seeks to inspire and prepare participants for collaborations between the private sector and NGOs as an important lever to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). SDG17 speaks entirely on ‘Partnerships for the global goals’ and stresses the importance of working together towards achieving the global goals.

This event will take place on March 23, 2023 as from 1.30pm at Ateliers des Tanneurs, Brussels and will be divided in 3 parts:

• a plenary session with keynote speaker, Caroline Gennez, Belgian Minister for Development Cooperation & Urban Policy, and different panel discussions;
• thematic discussion groups;
• networking.

This event will be held in English and is open to everyone, but the number of participants is limited.

Agenda

13:00-14:00  Reception & registrations

14:00-14:10  Welcome - The Shift

14:10-14:20  Keynote Speech by Caroline Gennez (Belgian Minister for Development Cooperation & Urban Policy)

14:20-14:35  Guide to structural Partnerships between Enterpreneurs & NGOs - by NGO Federatie

14:35-15:15  Panel Discussion feauturing 3 duos with existing partnerships - Moderated by Ellen Vermorgen (De Tijd)

15:15-15:35  Q&A & Plenary session wrap-up

15:35-15:55  Coffee/Tea Break

16:00-17:00  Breakout Rooms focusing on specific topics

17:00-18:30  Networking (drinks + finger food) 

What's in it for you?

• Learn more about the different ways of cooperation between businesses and NGOs;
• Engage in discussions on the possibilities, pitfalls and good practices of collaboration between the private sector and NGOs;
• Get inspired by testimonials from existing partnerships during a panel discussion;
• Network and establish contacts with NGOs/businesses that fit your objectives.

Topics for Breakout Rooms

• Failing forward: lessons learned from difficulties in partnerships (moderated by VIA Don Bosco & Join for Water)
  • Collaborations often come along with challenges and hurdles, from setting up a good partnership to maintaining it. Sometimes there is breakdown of trust, or misalignment of common objectives, different priorities or at times financial inequalities…the lists continues. At times this can lead partnerships to fail. But what do we do when faced with such dilemmas? What lessons can we learn from these practical challenges? 
• Traceability: how to collaborate for more transparency in the value chains (moderated by Colruyt & Trias)
  • Making supply chains more transparent is increasingly topical and remains a crucial issue for both companies and NGOs. And there are many ways NGOs can promote this through various insights.
• Social and ecological sustainability in the core of the business model ?  - Case Rikolto
  • Lidl joins forces with Rikolto, Fairtrade and Kuapa Kokoo in Ghana to produce and sell Way2Go: a chocolate bar that is sustainable across the supply chain. It’s all about doing business with a long-term outlook, contributing to a living income of farmers, and responding to the expectations and needs of buyers, retailers and consumers.
• The enabling ecosystems for impactful partnerships (moderated by Louvain Cooperation & Ondernemers voor Ondernemers OVO)
  • There are different opportunities for NGOs and private companies to set up win-win partnerships. In this interactive workshop, we will explore some possibilities using examples and generate new avenues with the participants.