In recent years, the private sector has emerged as a key development actor, as it is given a role in defining, pursuing and financing development. With this, there is a need to ensure that private sector entities promote responsible business behavior in development cooperation, promoting accountability, adhering to the development effectiveness principles and upholding the human rights-based approach. In this context, CPDE’s initiative on private sector engagement (PSE) is two-fold – monitoring existing PSE projects through the Private Sector Watch, and conducting outreach to social enterprises as potential partners in development cooperation through the Action Research on Key Actors in the Social Enterprises Sector.
The CPDE Private Sector Watch (PS Watch) aims to monitor private sector engagement in development cooperation through case studies from the network’s constituencies. Under the PS Watch, constituencies looked into specific country initiatives where private sector entities are partnering with governments for development, its impact on specific sectors of society, and their compliance with the Kampala Principles. These case studies are compiled into a Global Synthesis Report and an online hub.
The PS Watch Global Synthesis Report highlights common themes, trends and forwards policy recommendations for more effective private sector engagement. The PS Watch Online Hub is an online repository of development projects conducted with private sector entities, spanning across various countries, sectors, modalities and partnerships. The online hub will feature case studies from the PS Watch research, as well as the Action Research on Key Actors in the Social Enterprises Sector, in order to facilitate the continued monitoring of the private sector’s role in development cooperation and to highlight the impact of social enterprises in contributing to the development of their partner communities.
The CPDE PSE Task Force will be holding “Bridging the Gap: Ensuring private sector accountability in development cooperation” on 1 December 2022, 12 PM CET/ 7 PM Manila, in order to launch the Private Sector Watch Global Synthesis Report and Online Hub.
The launch aims to:
- Discuss key findings and forward policy recommendations on PSE in time for the Effective Development Co-operation Summit
- Facilitate dialogue and peer-learning among development actors on how to effectively implement private sector initiatives
- Promote the watchdog function of CSOs and highlight the potential of social enterprises as potential partners for development cooperation
Register for the event here!