Poland: Private-social partnerships, a good CSR practice?

A debate, entitled Private-Social Partnership: increasing the innovation and competitiveness of companies, was held on January 22nd in Warsaw. The aim of the meeting was to present the benefits of coooperation between private and social sectors within projects financed by the European Social Funds [EFS]. The debate was organized by the UNDP Poland with the support of the SYNAPSIS Foundation.

During the debate many questions were asked on the principles and legal regulations of the functioning of the private-social partnership. What does such partnership consist of? How does one have to finance projects based on such a formula? How does it relate to the concept of corporate social responsibility? Does it pay off?

Kerstin Born, the key speaker at the event and Executive Director of CSR Europe ? a network of over 70 international corporations and 25 national partnership Csr organizations – highlighted that intra-sectoral cooperation is often practiced in countries in Western Europe and brings benefits to both sides. What is more, there are national governments who, in their policies concerning the use of the European funds, create opportunities for such partnerships to apply together for funds. This is also the case in Poland. During the debate, Piotr Stronkowski, Deputy Director of the EFS Management Department, presented concrete programs within the EFS funds where private-social partnerships can apply. These are II and VIII priorities of the Operational Program: Human Capital. As much as 11,5 million Euros will be awardable in the years 2007-2013 for the realization of partnership projects.

DGA, a consulting company from Poznan, in Poland, showed how the realization of projects funded by the E.U. based on private-social partnership contributed to the real development of the company. Among benefits resulting from working within such partners they mentioned profiting from different experiences of partners from other sectors and widening of horizons.

All in all the debate was quite one-sided. All presenters talked mostly about positive sides of private-social partnerships, even though there are certainly several problems connected with that as well, which might be problematic for those who think of creating such partnerships and might be unprepared for these problems. Also, nobody mentioned the fact that close cooperation between private businesses and nonprofits might create phenomena (such as commercialization of the nonprofit sector, for instance) that might not be always beneficial to society.

At the final part of the debate there was only one critical voice from the audience who said that the fact that private companies partner with nonprofits to improve their image, and, in consequence, boost their sales cannot be considered as an example of the corporate social responsibility. It is just a new and more and more popular nowadays way to stand out in the market. Real corporate social responsibility would take place if companies supported some initiatives of public benefit without having in mind their own profit. The difference lies in motivation.