How do local civil society leaders view the role business in emerging market countries?

A Synergos Consulting Services survey looked at how civil society leaders view the capacity of private companies to establish partnerships that enhance the delivery of social impact.

We collected insight from 50 Synergos Senior Fellows - civil society leaders from around the world working in areas such as education, community development, leadership development, healthcare and agriculture.

Key findings

• With the escalation of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs, civil society’s perception of private companies has seen marked improvement - particularly for international firms. This improvement is magnified when the company engages honestly and transparently with the communities in which it operates. However, their efforts still remain viewed with some level of scrutiny by local partners.
• Short-term commitment as well as the absence or ineffective use of communication with communities and partners is a leading impediment to successful corporate initiatives and contributes to the belief that private companies are not yet equipped to form functional partnerships.
• Financial assets are ranked as the most valuable resource companies can offer to potential partners; however, simply making donations is not enough to gain the trust of local partners. Trust can be established by actively engaging with the partners as well as the community.
• The importance placed upon achieving sustainable impact is highlighted by the fact that expertise, training and access to technology - after financial assets - are among the most important resources companies can offer when engaging in partnerships.