Partnerships with purpose
by Kevin Peach, NRS International’s Business Development Executive – Washington D.C., USA
Now more than ever, we know that we cannot work in isolation as the humanitarian and development landscape is shifting.
Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) No. 17 recognizes that the ambitious goals cannot be achieved unless governments, civil society, the private sector, the UN systems and other stakeholders work together.
This past year, we continued to create meaningful partnerships through various industry platforms to leverage expertise, pool resources, and share best practices. Through this collaborative approach we are creating systematic change to the aid, relief and development sectors.
“We continue to create meaningful partnerships to leverage expertise, pool resources, and share best practices. Through this collaborative approach we create systematic change to the aid, relief and development sectors.”
NRS Relief’s products used in the aftermath of Caribbean hurricanes.
Partnership for Humanity
One example I would like to highlight is the ‘Partnership for Humanity’ (P4H). Humanitarian relief and disaster response are not unilateral. It requires a whole community approach, identifying and leveraging cross-sector capabilities to provide life-saving and life-preserving services through a unity of effort. In 2017 NRS International was one of the founding members of P4H, in collaboration with partners such as ADRA, AmeriCares, Globus Relief, Mercy Corps, Rise Against Hunger, Lutheran World Relief, Airlink, American Logistics Aid Network and LIFT.
Over the past several decades, natural and man-made disasters have grown in frequency, size and complexity. Unfortunately, funding shortfalls in support of worldwide humanitarian relief efforts have created an unsustainable response mode. NGOs are sometimes duplicating procurement and response efforts and, by doing so, are paying a premium for humanitarian goods and transportation services.
Promote efficiencies
Partnership for Humanity is a collaboration of like-minded NGOs and suppliers like us, that have come together to promote efficiencies and to leverage their economies of scale in the purchase, transportation, and warehousing of goods and services. This solution streamlines the acquisition, storage and delivery of relief goods to disaster sites around the world, bringing much needed assistance to disaster-impacted communities around the world.
This partnership has already borne fruit. For example, by leveraging this collaboration, member ADRA was able to save $75,000 in storage and transportation during the Hurricane Matthew response.
New way to approach disaster relief
Our products are only as good as the partners who distribute them and the people that use them. As an industry leader, we continually think of ways to support our partners in providing sustainable solutions as world threats evolve. The Partnership for Humanity has provided us at NRS International with a new way to approach disaster relief and response, creating efficiencies to build upon a new culture of preparedness and disaster relief.
NRS International’s partnership and membership organisations include:
- UN Global Compact UAE
- UN Women’s Empowerment Principles UAE
- Roll Back Malaria Partnership
- Vector Control Working Group
- Integrity Pact for global LLIN procurement
- Helen Storey Foundation with London College of Fashion, UAL
- Dubai International Humanitarian Aid & Development (DIHAD)
- Partnership for Humanity (P4H)
- Protect The People / Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC)
- Surge For Water
- Global Off-Grid Lighting Association (GOGLA)
- Energy Access Practitioner Network
