Co-operation with the business sector

Partnerships between development cooperation and the private sector are becoming increasingly important worldwide. There are many forms of cooperation, ranging from individual projects, for example in a specific region of an African country, to global initiatives covering all the continents.

Public-private partnerships (PPP) are development partnerships with the private sector. In PPP projects, GTZ – acting on behalf of the German Federal Government – and private companies jointly implement concrete, clearly defined projects in emerging and developing countries. The partners share all the risks and contributions. Many of the joint projects arose out of the Global Compact and follow the principles of Corporate Social Responsibility.

The Global Compact is a global initiative of former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. Its goal is the binding recognition of ten principles concerning human rights, labour standards, environmental protection and fighting corruption. The Global Compact offers companies an opportunity to share ideas with other interest groups, initiate partnerships and develop feasible approaches. GTZ coordinates the German Global Compact Network, on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and in close coordination with the Federal Foreign Office.

More and more companies are acknowledging their social and ecological responsibility. They are not motivated solely by ethical considerations, having recognised that the economic capability of their company can be increased through a socially and ecologically sustainable orientation of their corporate policy. There are many international initiatives promoting Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), and also some concrete projects. GTZ services and instruments help companies put their social commitment into practice