Strategy

The underpinning theories of change for development progress require strengthened engagement of the private sector in development context. In order to tap into the huge potential of the private sector to tackle critical development challenges and their underlying causes, a strategic, unified and well-coordinated approach is required.

Governments, civil society and development agencies all need to create opportunities and support by the private sector to become transformative partners in advancing sustainable development, inclusive and democratic governance, and resilience while minimizing negative impacts. This can be achieved when an enabling platform is created, which facilitates partnership development dialogues, conducts research, develops policy and strategies, which are all aligned with the SDGs.

*Theory of change for the UNDP Private Sector and Foundations Strategy for the SDGs 2016-2020.

The overall objective of the Business for Goals Platform, as in line with the theory of change explained above, is to contribute to the achievement of SDGs in Turkey through a strategized partnership model with the private sector, by creating an “Inclusive Business” for achievement of SDGs as a result. The B4G will adopt an inclusive approach reaching our private sector at all levels as a one stop shop policy and implementation point to conduct research, develop policies and coordinate and facilitate the contributions of the private sector to SDGs. The correlation matrixes will help understand the relevance of sectors with the SDGs in terms of potential contributions for the achievement of SDGs and also potential business opportunities for investments to address the needs of economically excluded communities and in energy and environment. It will produce qualitative assessments for public and private sectors to realize meaningful and most relevant partnerships and investments with optimum management of resources.

The businesses will have a healthy direction towards utilizing their CSR and sustainability funds towards different models of partnerships (SDG Accelerator, sectorial action, value chain integration, theme based multi-stakeholder partnerships, alternative financing models) for SDGs. Technology or innovation-based solutions will also be explored, by linking with STEM and Industry 4.0 Work Groups as well as the work of SDG Impact Accelerator and UN Technology Bank, both with a global mandate to be hosted in Turkey.

The Platform will be closely linked with efforts that require engagement of the private sector, such as the upcoming initiative SDG Impact Accelerator of the Government of Turkey, which aspires to be a central node in a global network, to have a social mandate and a forward-looking perspective, and to provide cutting edge services to enterprises contributing to addressing the challenges of target populations.

B4G will also benefit from the vast experience of UNDP CO on development partnerships with the private sector, the networks of TURKONFED with an outreach of over 40,000 member businesses throughout Turkey and highly committed Fortune 500 companies within the membership of TUSIAD, who are organized in clusters and committees within those voluntary business institutions to work for country’s needs, in return of business benefits.

The analyses and research that will be developed throughout the proposed Project will help to produce a partnerships strategy and policy framework, which would help development of holistic and responsive government policies and sector-based and individual corporate strategies. The Project at hand will also support research and analyses to identify the correlation matrix between the sectors and SDGs; strategy and policy development based on the research and lessons learned in implementation of over 50 partnerships by the UNDP CO; and sector-based dialogues with the private sector for the activation of the ‘Business for Goals’ Platform by the end of the project implementation.

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