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The Seed Initiative
[last updated January 14, 2005 10:01 AM]
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General Information
Partnership website(s) |
Expected TimeframeApril 2002 - April 2012 |
Partners
Governments:
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Major Groups:
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UN System:
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Other intergovernmental organizations:
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Other:
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Thematic Focus
Primary Themes:
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Secondary Themes:
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Geographic Coverage
Geographic Scope: Global
Country(ies) where the partnership is being implemented: France, Germany, Switzerland, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America |
National Focal Points
This partnership has not made any contact with the national focal points for sustainable development in the countries involved
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Goals and Objectives
Summary of the partnership's goals and objectives
The Seed Initiative (Supporting Entrepreneurs in Environment and Development) aims to inspire, support and build the capacity of locally-driven entrepreneurial partnerships to contribute to the delivery of the Millennium Development Goals and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation.
The initiative focuses on 'business as unusual' - innovative action delivering real solutions through project cooperation among small and large businesses, local and international NGOs, women's groups, labour organisations, public authorities and UN agencies, and others working in the field of sustainable development.
Through an international award scheme, intensive capacity-building activities and a research programme, the Seed Initiative will stimulate and build the capacity of entrepreneurial, nascent partnerships executing action on the ground; create a conduit for investment in partnerships; disseminate good practice and lessons-learned from successful partnerships to inspire further new partnerships; and generate evidence-based research to assist policy makers.
The Seed Initiative aims to:
* promote and support on-the-ground action by social entrepreneurs working in partnerships that contribute to achieving international agreements: the goals contained in the Millennium Declaration and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation;
* provide an incentive for investments in developing countries that contribute to sustainable development in an integrated manner and that advance collaboration among stakeholders;
* jump-start networking and knowledge building among all stakeholders working on sustainable development partnerships, promoting innovative good practice;
* capture and disseminate lessons learned from real partnership creation and examine the role and effect of an independent partnership broker in nascent partnerships;
* nurture a network of institutions and partnerships that build expertise in partnership management and that facilitate learning and an exchange of ideas.
The initiative focuses on 'business as unusual' - innovative action delivering real solutions through project cooperation among small and large businesses, local and international NGOs, women's groups, labour organisations, public authorities and UN agencies, and others working in the field of sustainable development.
Through an international award scheme, intensive capacity-building activities and a research programme, the Seed Initiative will stimulate and build the capacity of entrepreneurial, nascent partnerships executing action on the ground; create a conduit for investment in partnerships; disseminate good practice and lessons-learned from successful partnerships to inspire further new partnerships; and generate evidence-based research to assist policy makers.
The Seed Initiative aims to:
* promote and support on-the-ground action by social entrepreneurs working in partnerships that contribute to achieving international agreements: the goals contained in the Millennium Declaration and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation;
* provide an incentive for investments in developing countries that contribute to sustainable development in an integrated manner and that advance collaboration among stakeholders;
* jump-start networking and knowledge building among all stakeholders working on sustainable development partnerships, promoting innovative good practice;
* capture and disseminate lessons learned from real partnership creation and examine the role and effect of an independent partnership broker in nascent partnerships;
* nurture a network of institutions and partnerships that build expertise in partnership management and that facilitate learning and an exchange of ideas.
Targets and Progress
Partnership targets* Increased awareness successful partnership initiatives
* Increased number of partnership initiatives with private sector¿s involvement beyond the Johannesburg Summit, and increased number of replications of successful initiatives * Increased sustainable investment opportunities in developing countries, in order to promote sustainable trade and development in an integrated manner, combining economic, social and environmental benefits, and further collaboration between different stakeholders * Increased networking and knowledge building among governments and stakeholders working on sustainable development in different areas |
Progress against targetsThe Seed Awards closed its call for submissions in August 2004 and was inundated with a truly exciting range of projects. Over 260 entries from sixty-six countries, involving a total of 1,200 organisations were received. As well as being geographically diverse, the proposals are spread across the entire range of development issues including the ¿WEHAB¿ issues of water, energy, health, agriculture and biodiversity and include every type of stakeholder.
90% of projects came from developing countries, with the vast majority being driven by local actors. Twelve finalists have been chosen for their outstanding potential to contribute to economic, social and environmental development. Five winners of the Seed Awards will be announced at the UN CSD meeting in April 2005. |
Capacity-Building and Technology Transfer
Arrangements for Capacity-Building and Technology Transfer
- Human resources development/training
- Education/building awareness
- Institutional strengthening, including local participation
- Technology transfer/exchange
Knowledge building on partnerships
A Secretariat shall serve to administer the award scheme and to build information & networking service and guidance for award recipients and other submissions, based on accumulating experiences with existing private sector/multi-stakeholder initiatives for implementation of sustainable development agreements.
Award winners receive a tailor-made package of support, based on a needs assessment developed with a facilitator / broker provided by the Seed Initiative.
General support services for partnerships are being developed and will mainly be provided via the website, http://seedinit.org
Relationship to International Agreements on Sustainable Development
How the partnership contributes to the implementation of Agenda 21, the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21, and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation
The role and influence of the private sector has significantly increased over recent years. Correspondingly, governments, stakeholders as well as the private sector community itself have recognized the increased responsibility of the private sector in contributing to sustainable development.
For example, at the Global Ministerial Environment Forum (GMEF) in Malmö in May 2000, Ministers called for a greater commitment by the private sector "to engender a new culture of environmental accountability". Since then, UNEP, in co-operation with the CSD Secretariat, has engaged in an evaluation process of contributions of business and industry to the implementation of Agenda 21. A report on this joint effort was submitted as a background paper to the GMEF in Cartagena in February 2002 (UNEP/GCSS.VII/Inf/4, "Business, Industry and Agenda 21: Paving the way for sustainable entrepreneurship"). The authors of the report conclude that
* a number of companies have demonstrated that leadership and sustainability is good business, even among SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises). The challenge is now to expand rapidly the corresponding practices and technologies in all companies, and globally demonstrating that sustainability is good business.
The UN Secretary General¿s report "Implementing Agenda 21" (December 2001) has outlined the basic strategic components for strengthening implementation of and global partnerships for sustainable development. The suggestion in this report was to arrive in Johannesburg at a "Global Deal" which "seeks to reflect the notion of partnership and commitment". The common understanding of the concept is that such a global deal would encompass not only intergovernmental commitments (type 1 outcomes), but also the contributions of civil society to sustainable development with the private sector being one of the Major Groups (type 2 outcomes: Partnership Initiatives).
The draft "Johannesburg Plan of Action", being negotiated at this point, highlights the important role of initiatives of/with the private sector in implementing Agenda 21, the Millennium Development Goals and the Johannesburg Summit outcomes.
Relevant Sections of Agenda 21
For example, at the Global Ministerial Environment Forum (GMEF) in Malmö in May 2000, Ministers called for a greater commitment by the private sector "to engender a new culture of environmental accountability". Since then, UNEP, in co-operation with the CSD Secretariat, has engaged in an evaluation process of contributions of business and industry to the implementation of Agenda 21. A report on this joint effort was submitted as a background paper to the GMEF in Cartagena in February 2002 (UNEP/GCSS.VII/Inf/4, "Business, Industry and Agenda 21: Paving the way for sustainable entrepreneurship"). The authors of the report conclude that
* a number of companies have demonstrated that leadership and sustainability is good business, even among SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises). The challenge is now to expand rapidly the corresponding practices and technologies in all companies, and globally demonstrating that sustainability is good business.
The UN Secretary General¿s report "Implementing Agenda 21" (December 2001) has outlined the basic strategic components for strengthening implementation of and global partnerships for sustainable development. The suggestion in this report was to arrive in Johannesburg at a "Global Deal" which "seeks to reflect the notion of partnership and commitment". The common understanding of the concept is that such a global deal would encompass not only intergovernmental commitments (type 1 outcomes), but also the contributions of civil society to sustainable development with the private sector being one of the Major Groups (type 2 outcomes: Partnership Initiatives).
The draft "Johannesburg Plan of Action", being negotiated at this point, highlights the important role of initiatives of/with the private sector in implementing Agenda 21, the Millennium Development Goals and the Johannesburg Summit outcomes.
Relevant Sections of Agenda 21
Strengthening the role of business and industry; International institutional arrangements
Relevant Sections of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation Poverty eradication ; Sustainable development in a globalizing world ; Means of implementation ; Participation of major groups
Coordination and Implementation
Coordination Mechanism of the PartnershipCore partners: IUCN - The World Conservation Union (Gland); UNEP/DTIE (Paris); UNDP (New York).
Channel Coordinators: Partnerships Central (Oxford) - Partnership Support Services; Global Public Policy Institute (Berlin) - Research & Learning. Supporting Organisations: The Governments of Germany, Norway, United States of America, the Netherlands and the UK; the UN Global Compact and a corporation: Swiss Re. Associate Partners: NGOs; private sector; research institutions; governments; award scheme bodies. Board: Members: focal points from the three core partners and the additional partners; Secretariat is the responsibility of IUCN - The World Conservation Union. It serves to coordinate the implementation of the Seed Initiative activities (award scheme; support services; resarch & learning). |
Implementation Mechanism of the PartnershipThe Seed Awards is a competitive award scheme which supports on-the-ground action for nascent partnerships.
Rather than rewarding successful partnerships financially and then walking away, the seed awards appreciate that funding is only one part of a successful partnership and that nascent partnerships often lack access to experienced people and institutions that can provide them with guidance and practical input. The Seed Awards publicly recognize promising, entrepreneurial ideas and, using the connections, knowledge and experience of the seed partners, make available the most appropriate direct assistance to help turn these ideas into reality. Awardees are nascent partnership initiatives that show great promise. Through the support of the award scheme, the partnerships will be given every chance of success and will go on to serve as inspiration for other new partnerships. The awards will be decided by a jury of experienced partnership practioners following the criteria layed down by a specially-convened technical committee. The maximum financial value of the services offered as part of the awards package will be ¿25,000. To be eligible for submission, projects should: * relate to the three pillars of sustainable development: environmental, social, and economic and have the potential to contribute towards the Millennium Development Goals and/or the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation; * have a minimum of three partner organisations from different stakeholder groups; * have the potential to serve as inspiration to others; * display entrepreneurship in its broadest sense, by the private sector and/or others, and are driven by the local actors, such as small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs); * help to demonstrate the case for engaging in innovative ways of doing business through partnerships; * include a business plan and the partners should already have agreed in principle to work together. Twelve finalists have been chosen for their outstanding potential to contribute to economic, social and environmental development. Five winners of the Seed Awards will be announced at the UN CSD meeting in April 2005. |
Resources
Funding Currently AvailableAmount in US$:
Source(s): Government - IGO
Initial development of the the initiative was funded by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation & Nuclear Safety of Germany. They continue to support the initiative financially with the Norwegian, UK and Dutch environment ministries and the United States government, and a corporate sponsor, Swiss Re. Two of the partners - UNEP and IUCN - have also contributed financially and all partners have put in considerable in-kind contributions. |
Non-financial resources availableType(s):
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Funding SoughtRequired Amount in US$: not specified
Source(s) already approached: Funding is being sought from governments, foundations and the private sector.
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Non-financial resources soughtRequirement(s):
Source(s) approached and details:
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Additional Information
Additional Relevant Information
No additional information at present.