Call for Partnerships: Private Sector Innovations for Slum Upgrading in ACP Countries

Deadline: 1-Jan-21

UN-Habitat has launched a Call for Partnerships with companies for private sector innovations, for investment proposals and business cases for low-income urban communities.

The overall objective is to demonstrate business potential and explore opportunities to develop and deploy low-cost and innovative methods and solutions through partnerships for joint projects creating a positive social-economic impact in slums and informal settlements and to explore a feasible model for public private partnerships and serving the improvement of living conditions in slums and informal settlements through job creation and urban service delivery.

Through strategic financing and project partnerships with the private sector, the social and economic impact of business models shall be upscaled in slums and informal settlements, and UN- Habitat’s participatory community-based methods, training and tools shall provide an enabling environment for the replication and sustainable growth of innovative private sector products, methods and solutions.

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) together with the European Commission (EC), and the Secretariat of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP) entered a tripartite partnership to address the challenge of slums in the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific Countries through the launch of the Participatory Slum Upgrading Programme (PSUP) in 2008. The PSUP is funded by the European Commission (EC) and slum upgrading projects are implemented trough the PSUP and with co-financing contributions from the ACP partner governments.

The Benefits of the Partnership for the Business Partner

• Companies involved in innovation and project partnerships can receive impetus for production and services, test innovations, obtain access to new markets, develop new business models, expand their business and connect core competencies to social and environmental responsibility.
• Global implementation partnerships allow companies to influence global agendas that, in return, affect companies’ strategic market positions and promote market stability and growth.
• Local implementation partnerships help SMEs to improve products and services and to obtain access to new markets, above all to new customers. Through the PSUP, private sector partners will be able to expand their business model. They profit from new customers and suppliers, while being supported by an enabling environment through multi-lateral partnerships that provide an enabling environment for investment into the informal sectors.
• Increase of national and international visibility: Profile-raising opportunity of being part of a global challenge, including being profiled in media campaigns, on the MyPSUP website and on PSUP international events and forums (Upcoming Forum for Private Sector Partnerships, 1st Quarter of 2021)
• Corporate responsibility initiatives help to improve a sector’s prospects. The company gains global and/or national visibility through the promotion of the supported project through PSUP online platforms and those of partner countries. Single companies can receive impetus for production and services and demonstrate good corporate citizenship.
• Innovative companies get known and promoted among the PSUP’s enabling partners and investors
• Companies’ involvement in advocacy campaigns can increase market shares. It also allows companies to signal social and environmental responsibility and to promote employee retention and motivation, enable their consumers to do good and can open opportunities to partner with the UN in other ways.

Outcomes

The Planned Outcomes of the Private Sector Partnership Initiative:

• A long-term project platform fostering partnerships with the private sector for slum upgrading is developed;
• Business potential is demonstrated through joint projects, and opportunities are explored to develop and deploy low-cost innovative solutions in slums and informal settlements;
• Governments and investors are matched with investable innovative solutions and business models to that address slums and informal settlements;
• Six Global Partnerships under bilateral and/or multilateral agreements between UN-Habitat, the private sector and/or social enterprises, national and local governments and community-based organizations and associations.

Geographic Scope

The partnerships shall be realized in the countries of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP). Proposals can be submitted for all countries where PSUP is currently active:

Eligibility & Selection Criteria applicable for all partnerships:

• International and national private sector companies, corporations and social enterprises are equally eligible.
• In considering collaborations and partnerships, UN-Habitat will seek to engage with Business Sector entities that support the core values of the UN and its causes as reflected in the Charter and other relevant conventions and treaties, and companies that demonstrate a commitment to meeting or exceeding the principles of the UN Global Compact by translating them into operational corporate practice within their sphere of influence including and not limited to policies, codes of conduct, management, monitoring and reporting systems. The United Nations Global Compact provides an overall value framework for cooperation with the Business Sector. The principles of the Global Compact on human rights, labor, the environment and anti-corruption. Although it is not mandatory for a private partner to be member of the UN Global Compact, companies shall provide a confirmation in writing using the template stating that they subscribe and support the principles of the UN Global Compact.

For more information, visit https://www.mypsup.org/News#CALL_FOR_PARTNERSHIPS_-_PSUP