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United Nations System
Private Sector Focal Points Meeting 2011

Day 1 | Day 2 | List of Participants | Meeting Report

Tuesday, 12 April

9:00 - 9:30 Opening Plenary Session and Introductory Remarks
 
  • Mr. Hans d’Orville, ADG Bureau of Strategic Planning, UNESCO
  • Mr. Georg Kell, Executive Director, UN Global Compact Office
  • Ms. Maria Bobenrieth, Moderator of the Meeting, Global Development Director, The Partnering Initiative, International Business Leaders Forum
9:30 - 11:00 Plenary Session and Discussion #1: Enhancing UN-Business Relations
 

There is an acute sense that “the time is now” for working to facilitate more strategic and “transformational” partnerships between the UN and the private sector that place a greater emphasis on achieving impact and scale. However, while the number of partnerships and different models proliferate, the conditions under which lasting impact can be achieved are often unclear. This session will introduce a new concept of “transformational” partnerships and encourage participants to reflect upon their own experiences to highlight partnership success criteria. This session should set the stage for a discussion of how we can achieve more “transformational” collaboration.

Discussion Questions:
How do we define partnership success?
What are the enabling conditions needed to bring successful partnerships to scale?

Speakers

  • Mr. Wade Hoxtell, Research Associate, Global Public Policy Institute (GPPi)
  • Mr. Miguel Pestana, Vice President External Affairs, Unilever
11:15 - 12:30  
Plenary Session and Discussion #2: Enhancing Collaboration with the UN Global Compact Office
 

This session will highlight recent developments in the evolution of the UN Global Compact. It will also serve to illustrate the various ways in which UN Agencies, Funds and Programmes can work more closely with the UN Global Compact Office - both at the global level (on issues and initiatives including GC LEAD, the Women’s Empowerment Principles, the UN Private Sector Forum among others) – as well as at the country-level with GC Local Networks.

Discussion Questions:
What is the status of the Global Compact to date?
Why and how can UN Agencies, Funds and Programmes work more closely with the UN Global Compact Office?

Moderator: 

  • Ms. Melissa Powell, Head, Strategy and Partnerships, UN Global Compact Office

Speakers:
14:00 - 16:00 
Working Groups Sessions
 

Capacity-Building and Staff Exchange Programmes

How can staff exchange programmes between the UN and the private sector be used to foster mutual understanding and enhance communication? How can we enhance the capacity and skills of UN staff to more effectively manage partnerships with the private sector?

Discussion Questions:
What motivates a company to participate in a secondment scheme?
How do secondees benefit from their placements? Can the models presented be replicated by other UN Agencies, Funds and Programmes and by other companies?

Moderator: Mr. Joe Bradley, Head, Program Management and Performance Section, WIPO

Speakers:


Exploring New Media/Social Networks

Rapidly evolving forms of information technology (new media/social networks) create new and dynamic opportunities for the UN to engage with the global public at large - including the private sector. In this session participants will explore: when and how to use new media for communications and outreach; examples of social media currently in use in the UN context; and additional opportunities to make use of social media.

Discussion Questions:
When and how should the UN consider employing new media for communications and outreach?
What are some examples of social media in use in the UN context?
Are the additional opportunities to make use of social media that haven’t been explored yet?

Moderator: Mr. Alonzo Addison, Head, Corporate Web Services, UNESCO

Speakers:


UN Brand Management, Due Diligence & Partner Screening

Restricted to UN staff members, this session is an opportunity to further advance a range of issues connected to protecting the UN’s reputation when partnering with the private sector. Implementing “to dos” from previous meetings and as a follow up to the implementation recommendations stemming from the review of the UN-Business Guidelines, tools to help agencies with selection of potential partners will be presented. In addition, a representative of a small informal focus group of UN agencies will share the group’s perspective on whether and how to proceed with a UN-wide service provider. The session will conclude with a discussion about other possible steps that could be taken to enhance coherence.

Discussion Questions:
How are UN Agencies, Funds and Programmes managing reputational risk in the partner selection process?
What tools, including commercial due diligence services, can help?
What other steps could be taken to enhance coherence among UN entities in terms of partner selection?

Moderator: Ms. Ursula Wynhoven, Head Policy and Legal, UN Global Compact Office

Speakers:

  • Mr. Philipp Müller-Wirth, Chief of Promotion Unit, External Relations and Public Information Sector, UNESCO
  • Ms. Carlotta Barcaro, Corporate Alliance Specialist, UNICEF
  • Mr. Alex Ross, Director, Department for Partnerships, WHO

 

Innovative Funding Mechanisms

In a climate of decreasing funding from government donor agencies and fiercer competition than ever for development, sustainability and humanitarian funding, how can UN organizations work together with the private sector to access new, sustainable funding streams? This session will look at examples of non-traditional funding mechanisms and the role of the private sector in their development, with a view to identifying common success traits and replicable models.

Discussion Questions:
What are examples of best practice and what can we learn from them?
What traits do successful models have in common?
How can they be replicated?

Moderator: Ms. Susan Myers, Executive Director of the New York Office, UN Foundation
Speakers:

  • Mr. Julien Meimon, Secretariat of the Leading Group on Innovative Financing for Development, French Ministry of Foreign Affairs
  • Mr. David Evans, Manager, Private Sector and Non-Government Donors, The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria
  • Mr. Kelly Brooks, Director, Stakeholder Relations, The Coca-Cola Company
  • Ms. Laure Duault, Responsable Pôle Entreprise, UNICEF France
16:15 - 17:30  
Reporting-back and Concluding Plenary Session
 

One person from each working group will provide a brief overview of the key outcomes of the discussion. 

  • Closing Remarks by Ms. Maria Bobenrieth, Meeting Facilitator