Societal change doesn’t happen in isolation – future organisations require strong partnerships

It’s all about finding a partner who can develop your work. The partner who can contribute the knowledge, perspectives, skills, and possibly even the resources that you lack, but which are essential for your success. This applies across many aspects of life but is particularly relevant when it comes to realising the undoubtedly ambitious sustainability strategy you’ve developed.

Partnerships enable the sharing of best practice, knowledge, technologies, and infrastructure. This can create synergies and accelerate scalability, a crucial factor in overcoming many of the challenges that arise in implementing sustainable practices in a single organisation. An example is Novo Nordisk's collaboration with other life science companies in the “ReMed” programme. The partnership allows patients to collect and recycle their used diabetes pens easily, regardless of the manufacturer. This enables rapid scalability, and it is easy for patients to take part.

But how do you establish a partnership? When should you take each step? And how do you ensure that the whole process contributes to the sustainable transformation your organisation is looking for? Here are three suggestions to help your organisation start finding a partner – before it’s too late:

Define your objective: This provides the foundation for finding the right match

The first step on the journey to finding the right match for a partnership is to define its objective. To do this, you must first determine what you can offer in a partnership. What strengths can you bring, and where do you need support from a partner?

This can be achieved by developing a set of design criteria or a customer value proposition that sets the framework for the partnership. The framework should define which part of your sustainability strategy you want to deliver through the partnership, what you can contribute, what qualities you are looking for in a partner, and what you consider to be a good partnership. These criteria should be used as a guide to find the right partner who is aligned with your goals and vision, and can help you create the optimal operating model for the collaboration.

Identify potential partners: Don’t just choose the first one you find

Rather than jumping blindly into a partnership with the first company that shares your interest in sustainability, it is important to exercise caution and conduct a thorough evaluation. The first partner that comes along may not be the best fit for your organisation’s unique needs and goals. Keep an open mind and use the market to search more widely than you might have initially considered. We often stick to familiar platforms and types of partners, but by doing so, we risk missing out on valuable opportunities.

Therefore, try to step outside your comfort zone and explore new networks beyond your usual scope. You might encounter potential partners who are different from those you typically work with but they might suit your organisation’s needs better than you expect. An example of this is the public-private partnership between Dublin City Council and Google. The partnership aims to monitor the city’s air quality and continuously track efforts to reduce pollution. A collaboration like this might not have materialised if both parties hadn’t dared to look beyond their immediate interests and explored how different sectors could come together. Remember, a sustainable partnership is a long-term one, so choose one that feels right not only in the short term but also meets the key criteria for your organisation, and what you want to achieve with your sustainability strategy over the longer term.

Establish a strong foundation: Open communication and clear KPIs are key to a successful partnership

Once you and your potential partner have found each other, the real work of building your relationship can begin. Communicate openly and honestly to avoid misunderstandings and premature conclusions. The more clearly and candidly you can communicate, the easier it will be to handle the difficult challenges that might arise in the partnership.

In your newly established green partnership, it is also important to discuss the future and ensure that your ambitions are aligned. By setting clear KPIs and success criteria, you can create a shared language for achieving success together. Shared benchmarks also allow both parties to hold each other accountable and maintain momentum. The KPIs can be made even more concrete by developing a roadmap and assigning responsibilities for specific deliverables. This way, the green partnership will create value, and you can avoid it ending up sidelined.

Finding the right partner to support your sustainability strategy requires both time and insight. By taking the first step now and exploring the market, you can secure a collaboration that will make a real difference to your shared future.

Read the article in Danish here.