UN Global Compact in Western CIS and Caucasus Project: A Collection of Case Studies

Fostering Multi-stakeholder Partnerships in the Western Commonwealth of Independent States and Caucasus in the framework of the Global Compact
A COLLECTION OF CASE STUDIES
U N D P, B R AT I S L AVA , 2 010
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission. The views expressed in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of UNDP.
Author: Michaela Lednova Peer Review Group: Pascale Bonzom, Elena Panova, Yuliya Shcherbinina, Veronica White Editor: Barbara Hall
ISBN: 978-92-95092-08-2 Copyright 2010 By the UNDP Regional Bureau for Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States
Fostering Multi-stakeholder Partnerships in the Western Commonwealth of Independent States and Caucasus in the Framework of the Global Compact:
A Collection of Case Studies
Table of contents
Background, objective and purpose of this publication
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1. Business: A positive contributor to sustainable human development in the countries of Eastern Europe and the CIS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 2. About the Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 3. The UNDP and the multi-stakeholder partnership approach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 3.1. Multi-stakeholder Partnerships Definition and Benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 3.2. The Process of Building Multi-stakeholder Partnerships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 4. Lessons learned from the multi-stakeholder partnership projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 4.1. Key constraints and solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 4.2. Key Success Factors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 5. Case studies from the field . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 I. Enhancing Disabled People Livelihood Armenia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 II. School Milk Project: Promoting a Healthy Diet for Children Belarus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 III. Mobilizing Communities for the Restoration of Natural Springs Ukraine . . . . . . . . . . . 14 IV. Sourcing of Wool from Local Sheep Farmers Moldova . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 V. Socially Responsible Business Supporting the Sustainable Development of Small Towns Belarus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 VI. Improving the Employment Prospects of Young Graduates Armenia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 VII. Say STOP to Human Trafficking in Ukraine! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 VIII. Increasing Milk Production of Small-Scale Dairy Farmers in the Region of Tavush Marz Armenia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 IX. Fostering Social Inclusion and Civic Engagement of Young People Ukraine . . . . . . 22 X. Improving Access to Quality Medical Services through Telemedicine Belarus . . . . 24 Annex
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Background, objective and purpose of this publication

This booklet has been developed under the Project Fostering multi-stakeholder partnerships to achieve Millennium Development Goals in the Western Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and Caucasus in the framework of the United Nations Global Compact (GC) (hereafter the Project) implemented by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in 20062010. One of the main objectives of the Project was to engage the private sector, governments, civil society, trade unions and academia to work on partnership projects for poverty reduction and sustainable economic development. The role of the UNDP in this initiative was to broker and facilitate partnership projects, but also to address policy challenges through multi-stakeholder dialogues. This booklet is designed to share with a large audience of UNDP partners, donors, governments, private sector, media, civil society organizations (CSOs), but also the general public, the successful business partnerships initiated and implemented on the basis of the UNDP multi-stakeholder partnership approach. The first part of the booklet introduces the Project and the UNDP multi-stakeholder partnership approach. It is followed by key lessons learned from the Project on the process of developing and implementing sustainable business partnerships for development results. Finally, a collection of ten case studies from four countries illustrates how such partnerships yield benefits for the partners and contribute towards meeting national development goals.
B A C K G R O U N D , O B J E C T I V E A N D P U R P O S E O F T H I S P U B L I C AT I O N
1 Business: A positive contributor to

sustainable human development in the countries of Eastern Europe and the CIS
B U S I N E S S : A P O S I T I V E C O N T R I B U TO R TO S U S TA I N A B L E H U M A N D E V E LO P M E N T IN THE COUNTRIES OF EASTERN EUROPE AND THE CIS
A strong economic growth leading to increased economic opportunities and enhanced productivity can lay the foundations for reducing poverty provided that other factors such as the quality of growth and effective redistribution policies are also part of the process. Together, these elements can lead to sustainable human development. The private sector, from large multinational companies (MNCs) to indigenous small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), drive economic growth by generating wealth, innovation, income, employment opportunities and services for the poor and therefore has the ability to contribute substantially and qualitatively towards sustainable human development. The concept of doing well by doing good only reached most of the countries of Eastern Europe and the CIS a few years ago. During the socialist period, the state controlled business activities and guaranteed social protection. In addition, being socially responsible to employees, donating money to local communities, and complying with laws and regulations were all part of the state-mandated culture. As a result, for many businesses, especially during the 1990s, minimum compliance with laws and regulations, and the provision of wages for employees have been the only forms of social responsibilities they believed they had. The first big push towards understanding that participating in a globalized economy requires corporate socially responsible behaviour came to the region from foreign investors and MNCs seeking to align their business practices in Eastern Europe with those at home driven by CSR principles. In addition, in recent years, governments and civil society in the region are increasingly demanding more social responsibility and accountability from businesses with regard to the economic, social and environmental impact of their activities. A growing number of companies are becoming aware that their long-term viability depends on prosperous, stable and predictable societies that are most likely to generate sound business environments and opportunities, and that therefore they have all to gain in supporting their development. Companies in the countries of Eastern Europe and the CIS have therefore been increasingly involved, through a combination of philanthropic motives and self-interest, in more socially oriented multi-stakeholder projects, implemented through cooperation between businesses, inter-governmental organizations, CSOs, and central and local state authorities.
2 About the Project

The Project sought to contribute to sustainable economic growth and poverty reduction by promoting responsible entrepreneurship and developing multi-stakeholder partnerships, including those with potential for both commercial and developmental returns. The Project was funded with the support of the Government of Belgium and implemented with the participation of Belgian-based organizations. The recently launched Belgium GC Network offers renewed business outreach opportunities for the Belgian private sector using the Project approach. The Project aimed to achieve the following objectives:
Promote the principles of the United Nations GC and responsible social and environmental
behavior of companies;
Increase capacity of partners from business, government, civil society and academia to work
on partnership projects for poverty reduction; as government policies; and
Institutionalize the partnership approach to development through national structures as well Promote collaboration between the countries and the donor country by targeting Belgian investors as potential partners in the partnership projects. The Project was implemented from 2006 to 2010 in five target countries Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine by UNDP brokers. The title broker was used because the main responsibility of the position was to broker multi-stakeholder partnerships and dialogue. Among the challenges of these countries are a number of socio-economic problems such as social exclusion, poor quality governance, corruption, and slow improvements in the enabling environment for private sector development (including indigenous SMEs) and foreign direct investment. In the wake of armed conflict of 2008, the situation in Georgia has been aggravated even more by increased security concerns that eroded confidence in the political and business environment and further exposed the vulnerability and above-mentioned weaknesses of the countrys economy. As illustrated by the ten case studies in the last part of this booklet, the Project demonstrated the great potential of the multi-stakeholder approach in engaging the private sector and other stakeholders, namely civil society and governments, to contribute towards sustainable human development.
ABOUT THE PROJECT
3 The UNDP and the multi-stakeholder

partnership approach
3.1. Multi-stakeholder Partnerships Definition and Benefits

T H E U N D P A N D T H E M U LT I - S TA K E H O L D E R P A R T N E R S H I P A P P R O A C H
UNDPs cooperation with the business sector, CSOs and other partners can take many forms, such as advocacy, policy dialogue, capacity building, resource mobilization, and collaboration on joint programmes and on core business-related activities (e.g. in the private sector). The basis for establishing partnerships is to identify areas of common interest between the private and public sector, and to combine the resources and drive within private business with the public sectors legitimacy to achieve sustainable solutions.1 The multi-stakeholder partnership approach brings multiple benefits for each participating entity, for example:
For UNDP, the multi-stakeholder partnership ap-
proach shows great potential for accelerating the economic transition in the region and maximizing development benefits. It addresses the private sector as a partner in development in a very innovative way, namely, inviting companies to engage in national development priorities.
For the private sector, the partnership ap-
proach can bring clear business benefits. Governments are indeed needed as an enabler for the implementation of most business projects, and partnering with them can ensure successful
Partnerships are voluntary and collaborative relationships between various parties, both state and non-state, in which all participants agree to work together to achieve a common purpose or undertake a specific task, and to share risks, responsibilities, resources, competencies and benefits. 2
1 UNDP, Partnering for Development, 2006, http://www.undp.org/partners/business/UNDP-booklet-web.pdf 2 Towards Global Partnership, Report of the Secretary General, http://www.unglobalcompact.org/docs/about_the_gc/ Towards_Global_Partnerships_Resolution.pdf
business outcomes. Issues and challenges in the business enabling environment can be best addressed when business and government are working together towards the same goal. Finally, by engaging with civil society, businesses can improve their licence to operate,3 and better understand the possible business opportunities in terms of provision or purchase of goods and services to/from the local markets.
Multi-stakeholder partnership approaches allow civil society not only to be consulted, but
also increases its space to influence the policy agenda. In addition, civil society often benefits from the partnership outcomes, which may include improved access to goods and services, income generation and/or enhanced capacities.
Governments benefit from leveraging resources and competencies from other stakeholders (e.g. the private sector) that they do not have themselves but that are needed in order to meet national development priorities.
3 The social acceptance of an organization and its right to continue its activities. By pursuing corporate socially behaviour, companies can persuade governments and the wider public that they are taking issues such as health and safety, and environment seriously. It is the community, often with the active encouragement of advocacy groups, which has emerged as the force that grants a companys license to operate. Edward Burke at The Boston College Center for Corporate Community Relations, http://www.article13.com/csr/definitions-3.asp.
3.2. The process of building multi-stakeholder partnerships4

UNDP has long-standing experience in building multi-stakeholder partnerships. The partnering process that includes 12 phases is summarized below and is described in more detail in the Annex. 12 PHASES IN THE PARTNERING PROCESS
SCOPING Understanding the challenge, gathering information; consulting stakeholders, building a vision of partnership.
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SUSTAINING OR TERMINATING Building sustainability or agreeing on an appropriate conclusion.
IDENTIFYING Identifying potential partners, motivating them and encouraging them to work together.
INSTITUTIONALISING Building appropriate structures and mechanisms for the partnership to ensure longer-term commitment and continuity.
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BUILDING Building working relationship among the partners through agreeing on the goals, objectives and core principles of their partnership.
REVISING Revising the partnership, programme(s) or project(s) in the light of experience.
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PLANNING Planning a programming of activities and outlining a coherent project.
REVIEWING Reviewing the partnership: What is the impact of the partnership on partner organizations? Is it time for some partners to leave and/or new partners to join?
MANAGING Exploring structure and management of the partnership for the medium to long term.
MEASURING Measuring and reporting on impact and effectiveness outputs and outcomes. Is the partnership achieving its goals?
RESOURCING Identifying and mobilizing cash and non-cash resources by the partners and other supporters.
IMPLEMENTING Working to pre-agreed timetables and (ideally) to specific deliverables.
4 The whole section is based on the publication The Partnering Toolbox. It offers a concise, step-by-step overview of the essential elements that make for effective partnering. The toolbox was written by Ros Tennyson and produced by The Partnering Initiative in cooperation with the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), UNDP and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
4 Lessons learned from the multistakeholder partnership projects

L E S S O N S L E A R N E D F R O M T H E M U LT I - S TA K E H O L D E R P A R T N E R S H I P P R O J E C T S
The following section presents lessons learned from the multi-stakeholder partnership projects brokered by UNDP through its regional Project. It first presents key constraints and their corresponding solutions most commonly encountered by the UNDP brokers engaged in the day-to-day work of setting up and implementing multi-stakeholder partnerships. It then summarizes some key success factors identified by the brokers based on their experiences from the field.
4.1 Key constraints and solutions

1. Most target countries have suffered from an unfavourable legal environment hindering the development and implementation of public private partnerships, and not encouraging companies to participate in partnership projects in general. The local United Nations GC networks mitigated this by enabling companies, governments and CSOs to engage in policy dialogues with the view to improving the legislation on public-private partnerships. 2. In addition to the unfriendly legal framework, the social and political climate in the countries represented yet another set of external constraints for creating multi-stakeholder partnerships. In addition to low awareness of local stakeholders on the beneficial nature of joint projects in general, there is a prevailing attitude of skepticism about the collaboration between a governmental institution and the private sector, which is often perceived as a potential for corrupt business practices rather than a possibility to implement a socially valuable project. In many countries, the private sector is not seen as a trusted social partner by CSOs. The United Nations GC local networks offer companies the platforms where they can truly advance their commitments to act as responsible corporate citizens, i.e. with integrity and accountability according to the spirit of the law and managing their economic resources, while taking into consideration social, environmental, and political impact of their business activities.
3. In Georgia, the above-mentioned challenges have been intensified by the armed conflict that erupted in the country in August 2008. The conflict had an adverse impact on political stability, investors confidence and activities of local business, including their short- and longterm strategies. Despite a committed approach of the UNDP Project team to initiate partnership projects, both with local stakeholders and international partners, their endeavours have not yielded the expected results. Derived from the conflict-sensitive approach, the major focus of UN GC network activities have therefore been redirected towards reducing the unintended negative impact of the conflict, creating spaces for dialogue between actors, and awareness-raising of the private sector on its potential role in contributing to conflict transformation. 4. Partnerships involve diverse and sometimes very distinct stakeholders, which makes them complex and raises a number of challenges. In some cases, the difference in business cultures among the different partners each possessing their own values, procedures, norms, evaluation systems and communications tools could lead to a clash of organizational cultures. This can result in wasted efforts, confusion and tensions. Nonetheless, accepting each others vocabulary, resources, strengths and weaknesses for all partners to work together successfully demands time and effort. The UNDP Partnership Broker, as a neutral convener, facilitated dialogue and eased the partnering process between the various stakeholders, thus ensuring successful project partnerships. 5. Another challenge faced was the need to ensure a balance between the different core interests of the stakeholders and the objectives of the partnership. While private sector partners may naturally consider business benefits as their key interest, the projects development objectives also had to be maintained. This was achieved by ensuring that beneficiaries were represented in the partnerships as much as possible, at the very least through UNDP which serves as a guardian of the partnerships development objectives. 6. Although most business partners have demonstrated keen interest and motivation in participating in partnership projects, one of the key barriers to their full commitment is often the lack of access to the financial resources needed to initiate a new venture a situation currently exacerbated by the global economic crisis. Some new projects and planned project scale-ups had to be postponed or cancelled as a result. Building upon the long-term partnerships between UNDP and GC members and as a result of UNDP brokers enthusiasm and persistence through targeted communication and
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demonstration of concrete business benefits many companies have actually continued supporting the projects/partnerships financially and in-kind despite the current economic situation. 7. Partnerships are often formed under the leadership of one or two persons, and therefore tend to become highly personal. While a charismatic leadership is sometimes crucial to broker and drive the partnership process, problems may appear over a period of time when the individual leaves an organization or loses interest in the project. This dependency on individuals could be avoided by establishing a mechanism to institutionalize the partnering process and putting in place a succession strategy, possibly from project inception.
4.2. Key Success Factors

Based on the experience from successfully brokered multi-stakeholder partnership projects showcased in this booklet, the following success factors could be identified that can play a considerable role in the projects achievements: 1. The identification of the relevant stakeholders must derive directly from the specific purpose and goals of the partnership. The thorough stakeholder analysis as well as clear criteria and transparent process to identify partners are critical instruments in finding the right partners.
2. Successful partnership must be based on mutual dependency none of the partners can achieve the identified goals on their own. 3. The partnership must be designed to fit its specific purpose and unique circumstances, and innovation should play a key role in the design. 4. Partnership agreements should be introduced. They define the roles and responsibilities of each party, including the governance structures and mechanisms for smooth implementation of the joint commitments. They encourage ownership by the project partners from the onset and contribute to project sustainability and better results. 5. Systems should be in place to carry out proper financial management and to manage risks and issues from project initiation. 6. Trust is a key component in partnership development and implementation. It is needed not only between the partners themselves, but also with their stakeholders.
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7.
A neutral convener has proven crucial for brokering each partnership, which includes identifying opportunities, elaborating project ideas, identifying and bringing different actors together, as well as building consensus and trust. Within the framework of the Project, this role was held by UNDP.
8. The United Nations GC local networks served as crucial and effective instruments for building trust and relations between UNDP and the business community. They also provided an entry point for UNDP to approach the private sector as a potential partner under the projects. 9. When companies are engaged in a partnership through their core business, reaching beyond philanthropy and community investments, the results of the approach are much more sustainable. 10. The value and success of the partnership whose impact reaches beyond its immediate stakeholder group can be increased through direct involvement of the project beneficiaries in the management and implementation of the partnership projects. The strong sense of local and project ownership by the direct beneficiaries should be encouraged. 11. Helping partners to internalize the lessons learned from the partnership process and projects such as diverse operational styles and different forms of communication that can be observed in numerous organizational contexts such as meetings, negotiations, planning, explaining procedures, provide opportunities to think out of the box and can significantly contribute to a greater institutional capacity of the organizations involved in the partnerships.
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5 Case studies from the field

The ten case studies presented below demonstrate the benefits of multi-stakeholder partnerships for businesses, other partners and beneficiaries, and their potential to bring practical solutions to development problems. All partnerships have made a valuable contribution to society by bringing attention to important economic, social and environmental issues, while using innovative approaches. Although this booklet is not intended to fully capture the diverse range of partnerships that UNDP has initiated in this region with the private sector, CSOs and public authorities, it aims nonetheless to illustrate some of UNDPs work in multi-stakeholder partnerships in the region. While the Project was implemented in five countries, the case studies presented here were brokered in only four of them Armenia, Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine. In Georgia, the armed conflict and a challenging political and economic environment led the United Nations GC local network towards other priorities in the country and prevented UNDP from brokering any sustainable partnerships.
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CASE STUDIES FROM THE FIELD
I. Enhancing Disabled People Livelihood

Country: Armenia Project status: Completed Main partners: VivaCell, UNDP, Armenian Association for the Disabled - Pyunic Duration: 26 months (October 2006December 2008)
DEVELOPMENT BENEFITS
Improved skills and abilities of disabled people Higher quality of life for the disabled Increased awareness of the public on human rights of the disabled
BUSINESS BENEFITS
Increased trust and credibility with communities Trained potential workforce Enhanced companys image
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There are more than 118,000 disabled people living in Armenia with a very low level of participation in public life. People with disabilities are subject daily to discrimination in the workplace, schools, healthcare or recreational facilities. Under this project, the establishment of the Arts and Crafts Production Centres for the Disabled in two Armenian towns, Yerevan and Gyumri, contributed to a better integration of the disabled into profesKEY RESULTS: sional and social life. Arts and Crafts Production Under the supervision of professional trainers, Centre in Yerevan opened in disabled young people and children attended classes October 2007; five times a week in both centres to learn new and al Arts and Crafts Production ternative skills on how to produce artworks such as ceCentre in Guymri opened in ramics, embroidery, stone carving and other souJune 2008; venirs. Participation in extracurricular activities offered 100 young disabled people disabled children and youth a possibility to spend trained and new skills actheir time productively while developing new skills. quired; Their artwork was sold in the Centre and through a four product fairs organized; distributor in the retail souvenir shops throughout Ar increased capacities of the asmenia and at the airport. At the same time, by showsociation Pyunic to deal with casing their talents and abilities to learn, the project the needs of the disabled. contributed to changing the Armenian peoples perceptions about the disabled in the country.
The Armenian Association for the Disabled, Pyunic, is a long-established local CSO running programmes and providing services for disabled children and youth. Thus, both centres for the disabled, established as a result of this project complemented an ongoing vocational training programme implemented by the association. The financial sustainability of the centres has been ensured through a combination of resources, including gifts, donations and volunteer work. The small profits generated through the sales of products produced by the disabled have been reinvested into further activities focusing on the improvement of their social and cultural life. A number of leisure and confidence-building activities were organized such as training in problem-solving skills, relaxation techniques and self-confidence courses, including specific activities for children. It is hoped that in the long term, this training will offer young disabled people new ways to increase their competitiveness on the job market and enhance their opportunities to find a suitable profession in the future. The success of the project was based on strategic partnerships between the Armenian leading mobile operator VivaCell-MTS, UNDP, and the Armenian Association for the Disabled, Pyunic. Vivacell provided a financial donation of US$150,000 for the renovation of the centres and the purchase of equipment, while the Association provided four rooms (over 100 m2 in area) in Yerevan and Gyumri, and transportation support. UNDP ensured the implementation and management of the project as well as its monitoring. After the completion of the project, both centres for the disabled have been successfully run by the Association, achieving their economic and financial sustainability mainly through government and donors contributions.
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II. School Milk Project: Promoting a Healthy Diet for Children

Country: Belarus Project status: Completed (pilot phase) Main partners: OJSC Savushkin product, TetraPak, UNDP, United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), Ministries of Education and Health, Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education Duration: 17 months (January 2007 June 2008)
Increased awareness on health issues Improved health and quality of life Greater access to quality and affordable products Improved school attendance
BUSINESS BENEFITS
New markets and revenue growth Reinforced public image Increased brand value, positioning to capture future market growth Better government relations
The international programme School Milk,5 covering over 40 million children across the world, has been introduced in Belarus. The project was initiated at the international round table Development of a healthy diet programme for schools and pre-school establishments in Belarus: Expanding opportunities for partnership, organized in June 2007. Milk products, which were traditionally part of school meals in Belarus, are being increasingly replaced with fast food. As a result, the consumption of milk and milk products by youth is low and their diet is less healthy. Only 25% of school children consume milk and dairy products on a regular basis. During the 2007/2008 school year, the leading Joint Stock Company (JSC) Savushkin produkt, daily supplied Secondary School No. 163 of the City of Minsk with a special sour milkbased product called Montik, available to schoolchildren free of charge during milk breaks. In addition to providing its milk products free of charge, the company also developed specific information material for children. To support positive motivation for milk intake, public education campaigns and discussions with schoolchildren and their parents were organized on issues of healthy diets.
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5 Tetra Pak, in collaboration with governments, NGOs and private sectors entities, implements school milk programmes in 50 countries throughout the world. More information on the programme can be found at: http://www.tetrapak.com/ about_tetra_pak/food_for_development/school_milk_programme/pages/default.aspx
KEY RESULTS (PILOT PHASE):

20.2% increase in childrens milk consumption; booklet Diet and Health of Children produced; awareness on nutritional value of milk products increased: from 33 to 83% for children and from 46.5 to 95% by their parents; illness rates of children reduced 1.4 times; recovery period of children participating in the scheme fell from 11.3 to 9.4 days.
Leading pediatric specialists analysed the efficiency of the inclusion of milk products into pupils diets. Medical tests were carried out in the pilot school at the start and at the end of project and compared with the results of another school that did not take part in the project. The data obtained clearly showed the positive impact of sour-milk products on the childrens health indicators, highlighting the need for children and their families to select products more carefully. According to scientists, this project clearly demonstrated the efficiency of the inclusion of dairy products into schoolchildrens diet.
The pilot project idea to improve the quality of school catering through a regular supply of milk products materialized in a multi-stakeholder partnership including the leading diary company OJSC Savushkin product, TetraPak, UNDP, UNICEF and relevant state authorities. OJSC Savushkin product supplied milk products and conducted awareness-raising campaigns on the role of milk in a healthy diet, while TetraPak shared its international experience from similar projects in other countries. UNICEF and UNDP played a key role in raising awareness of
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state authorities and other stakeholders of the relevance of this initiative. The project enjoyed the full support of the Ministries of Education and Health, which provided the necessary research and official endorsement for the project implementation and the continuation of similar efforts in the future. The Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education conducted the above-mentioned medical research on the impact of dairy products on childrens health. As a result of its multi-partnership approach, the project has also significantly contributed to developing dialogue between the business community, legislative and executive authorities, international organizations, and academia on increasing cooperation in enhancing school and preschool catering programmes. The project also explained the need for further advocacy of a balanced diet as an essential component of childrens general health. The Belarusian Dairy Association called on their members to follow good practices of JSC Savushkin product across the country. Consequently, parallel efforts have been embraced with enthusiasm by a number of local milk companies, which are now engaged in similar projects in other regions of the country.
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III. Mobilizing Communities for the Restoration of Natural Springs

Country: Ukraine Project status: Ongoing Main partners: Coca-Cola Company, UNDP, State Committee on Water Resources, Kiev Water Museum Duration: January 2009 onwards
Improved quality of life Strengthened community empowerment Enhanced dialogue and awareness on environmental issues
BUSINESS BENEFITS
Improved understanding of local sustainable solutions Reinforced public and brand image Competitive advantage through a clear demonstration of the company values
To ensure the sustainability of the project beyond its duration, local ownership was created by involving local authorities and communities from the very beginning of the project. The selected communities had to follow the cost-sharing scheme, which required 50% to be provided by the funding agency (Coca Cola company), while 50% had to be invested by the community (40% came from local government and sponsorships, and 10% was a community contribution).
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6 More information on the initiative can be found at http://www.everydropmatters.com/en.
The project is a part of the Every Drop Matters regional initiative of UNDP and the CocaCola Company, which aims at promoting a responsible attitude towards water resources by introducing different innovative programmes and initiatives.6 In Ukraine, the project aimed to rehabilitate and protect natural springs, and to restore recreational areas around them by involving a private sector company, local authorities, local communities and educational institutions. The projects strategy envisioned mobilization of community members by involving them in community projects on the rehabilitation of springs and surrounding area, thus raising awareness on the environment and water preservation.
The project also envisioned the development and implementation of a public awareness campaign on water and environment preservation including an education component on water management. Numerous training sessions for schools were organized to promote socially responsible behaviour of young people towards environment and water resource management. The best performing and the most active schools were awarded with a trip to Kyiv, where they visited Kyiv Water Museum, the UNDP Country Office and the Coca-Cola plant. The direct educational activities were accompanied by the development of a manual for school-aged children. In addition, to support the awareness campaign on sound water management, a documentary film on the project and an ecological programme on sound water management were broadcast weekly on national television from October to November 2009. After the successful completion of the first year of the project, it has been envisioned to apply the community mobilization approach in the urban context, which would complement the ongoing UNDP Municipal Governance and Sustainable Development Programme that operates in 28 municipalities of Ukraine. This time, the project will cover a broader range of urban community initiatives addressing water management and preservation issues (including restoration of natural springs, but not limiting its support to this area).
KEY RESULTS:
15 springs rehabilitated; 28 training sessions for 14 schools conducted; educational programme with manuals for school children developed; 15 media events organized; a documentary film about the project produced; an ecological programme on water management broadcast weekly on national television.
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The project represents a successful partnership model involving public authorities, the State Committee on Water Resources and the Kiev Water Museum that provided organizational and educational support, together with local governments and communities. UNDPs roles as a broker and project implementer were in-
strumental for the success of the entire initiative. Coca Cola Company offered a financial contribution and invaluable marketing and media support. The project is being carried out in Ukraine under the brand of BonAqua, contributing to the effectiveness of its advertising and marketing programme, reinforcing its brand image and creating new visibility opportunities for the company.
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IV. Sourcing of Wool from Local Sheep Farmers

Country: Moldova Project status: Completed Main partners: Filatura Ungheni, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Competitiveness Enhancement and Enterprise Development (CEED), Dari Prirodi, Toplu Yapa, UNDP Duration: 31 months (June 2006 December 2008)
Increased income of small-scale farmers Development of new skills and capabilities of local farmers Enhanced farmers productivity and improved quality of local wool
BUSINESS BENEFITS
Reduced production costs for manufacturing company Increased efficiency and capacity of the companies' local supply chain Improved access to finance for local wool collectors
Sheep farming is an age-long tradition in Moldova, with approximately 10,000 farmers located in economically marginalized regions. Most of them are small-scale farmers raising flocks of 10 to 20 animals to meet household needs. Farmers have paid little attention to the quality of the wool, since their main source of income has been meat and diary. As at 2006, only 2,000 farmers had been involved in the local wool supply chain, selling small quantities of wool and felts that were used to craft warm clothes. The low motivation of the farmers in selling and improving the quality of wool was caused by low wool prices not covering the costs, and only one official purchase price for wool, which was not quality-related. In light of this situation, UNDP and USAIDs CEED programme jointly supported an initiative focused on building processes and structures to support local wool sourcing, and thus contribute to increasing sheep farmers income in the regions located in the southern part of Moldova. In order to increase the volume of wool purchased locally, UNDP and USAID CEED commissioned two feasibility studies on the wool sector in Moldova. The first study conducted in 2006 focused on the wool supply chain7 and demonstrated that Moldova had the potential to produce
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7 The study of sheep breeding development in the Republic of Moldova and an analysis of the wool supplies cluster to Covoare-Ungheni Company, December 2006.
high quality wool. The study also identified that to produce high quality carpets, only white wool of Tsigai sheep raised in the southern part of Moldova could be used. Filatura Ungheni, a national yarn and carpet producer, was approached with the suggestion to source some of their wool locally. Filatura was already involved in the USAID CEED project by receiving technical assistance to increase its competitiveness. At that time, the company was purchasing 97% of its wool from New Zealand and only 3% from the local farmers. Although the price of washed wool from New Zealand was almost twice that of local washed wool, the quality substantially differed. While the New Zealand wool was purchased clean and ready for spinning, the local wool was purchased unwashed and not immediately ready for spinning. Consequently, only around 50% of the wool purchased from the collectors could be used compared to 90% for the imported wool.
KEY RESULTS:
local wool sourcing increased up to 20%, leading to major savings for Filatura (US$1 million in the first year of the project); the number of farmers involved in the wool supply chain increased to 4,000; the price of local wool increased by 20% as a result of improved quality, leading to improved farmers income; the capacities of the two major wool collectors strengthened.
Wholesale collectors made significant financial commitments and played a key role in educating farmers on wool quality. During the implementation of the project, a mindset change among the farmers was observed. For example, the farmers started to wash the sheep before shearing since they became aware of the value of wool. As a result of improving the wool quality, both the volume of local sourcing and the price of the wool increased. By the end of the project, the overall proportion of wool purchased by Filatura from local farmers reached 20%. Further improvement of wool quality is still needed to ensure an increased local sourcing and price differentiation. This could be also achieved by creating farmers associations and marketing cooperatives, with the ultimate goal of purchasing a cleaning infrastructure.
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As a part of the project, Filatura worked with its two main suppliers wool collectors on improving the wool quality based on Filaturas quality requirements. Moreover, UNDP was instrumental in helping the wool collectors to draft business plans and negotiate better credit conditions with the banks in order to increase their capacities to get involved in Filaturas wool supply chain.
V. Socially Responsible Business Supporting the Sustainable Development of Small Towns

Country: Belarus Project status: Ongoing Main partners: GC Network Members, Ministry of Economy, UNDP Duration: January 2008 onwards
Created new job opportunities Supported local business development Improved business environment and investment climate Improved quality of life and access to facilities and leisure infrastructure
BUSINESS BENEFITS
New markets and increased revenue Understanding of local sustainable solutions improved and innovation encouraged Access to dialogue with government and opportunity to contribute to policy development
Belarus is a country with many small industrial towns, where employment of the local population largely depends on a single industry. When enterprise restructuring is needed, it clearly has an overreaching impact on the increase of unemployment and social tensions in the communities. To tackle these problems, UNDP efforts focused on raising awareness of the private sector of its critical role in the socio-economic development of small towns through investments and job creation. The nation-wide campaign Business for Sustainable Development of Small Cities and Rural Areas was launched by UNDP and the local GC network in cooperation with the Ministry of Economy of Belarus. The campaign positively contributed to the involvement of businesses in finding solution to problems faced by small towns, inter alia, by attracting investments, creating new jobs and fostering local entrepreneurship. The project linked private sector companies with government and local authorities with the aim to establish continuous dialogue and expand the involvement of the different stakeholders to the implementation of small-town development programmes. The representatives of local authorities and entrepreneurship support centres were trained in town marketing and investment promotion with a view to encouraging the development of strategies on local and regional levels
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that would attract investors to small towns. This entailed improving the efficiency of the current business support infrastructure, improving the technology and working methods of its entities as well as the creation of demonstration sites in villages to multiply the opportunities of experiencing private initiative in action.
KEY RESULTS:
nation-wide campaign launched in August 2008; a booklet on investment attractiveness of small towns published in March 2009; a guide for investors for Minsk and Mogilev regions prepared; hotlines in entrepreneurship support centres operational; interest of domestic and foreign investors increased; a pilot project in small town of Novolukoml successfully implemented; profitability of the catering company Vector increased by 15%.
The campaign has provided the basis for new impetus for concrete forms of cooperation between private investors and local authorities. Initiated by Coca-Cola Company, the idea to provide a replicable business model aimed at contributing to the development of small towns through employment generation and promotion of SMEs, materialized through a multi-partnership project in the small industrial town of Novolukoml. Located near Lake Loukomlskoje, one of the largest and unique reservoirs of Belarus, the town and its surroundings attract many vacationers in the summer; however, its strong potential for development of tourism remains untapped. The project sought to use the potential of the city and contribute to the development of tourism by establishing a summer cafe on the shores of Lake Loukomlskoje. The underlying idea to
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To draw attention of Belarusian and foreign investors to business development in small towns by informing them of their investment attractiveness, a special booklet on investment opportunities was published in English and Russian, and disseminated to investors and agencies from several countries. In close cooperation with the Business Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers (BUEE) and local authorities, an investors guide for Minsk and Mogilev regions was also developed. It provides investors with fundamental information on the competitive advantages of these regions, including infrastructure, telecommunications, banking and workforce. Promotion of local entrepreneurship in small towns required a holistic approach. The Small Business Incubator MAP ZAO organized a number of workshops on the topic, while the Centre for the Support of Entrepreneurs in collaboration with a local company Salon Stile set up a hotline to offer professional support for prospective entrepreneurs active in the services sector in small towns. The owner of the company, an experienced business manager, provides small entrepreneurs with free expertise and consultations, helping them to build their entrepreneurial skills and improve their business performance.
increase attractiveness of the city as a tourist destination has made it possible to build bridges between the local government, the private sector and UNDP. The Coca-Cola Company provided products, free equipment and its know-how in marketing and public relations. The local government of Novolukoml provided land and needed infrastructure, while UNDPs role was to facilitate links to local producers of beverages and food. The caf is run by a local catering company Vector, responsible for the equipment and personnel. Clients can purchase soft drinks, organic coffee, snacks, ice cream and other products supplied by small local retailers. This project is an example of how a large company can contribute to small town development and how social partnership and social investment can play a role in addressing common issues. In general, this initiative helped the private sector and other key stakeholders acknowledge the development potential of small industrial towns in Belarus. The campaign has successfully raised the interest of the companies and members of the GC network in the country, because many of them decided to invest into small towns and settlements, creating hundreds of new jobs. The members of the GC network involved in this effort, plan to continue and expand similar efforts in the future and hope to encourage others to replicate this partnership model across the country.
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VI. Improving the Employment Prospects of Young Graduates

Country: Armenia Project status: Completed (3rd phase) Main partners: Izmirlian Foundation, USAID Competitive Armenian Private Sector (CAPS) project, Armenian General Benevolent Union, UNDP Duration: May 2007 onwards
New employment opportunities Development of new skills and capabilities Improved quality of life
BUSINESS BENEFITS
Reduced labour costs and shared risks Trained and educated work force Competitive advantage through visible demonstration of values of the companies involved in the internship scheme
In 2005, the unemployment rate among young graduates in Armenia reached 47.7%, against a national average of 31.2%. The major challenge faced by young people included the availability and quality of employment and the low level of social protection. In addition, employers, in particular, the
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This project introduced an internship scheme that assisted young graduates in launching their careers by giving them opportunities to gain their first job experience and increase their competitiveness on the labour market. It was designed to provide them with direct employment opportunities with United Nations agencies, the private sector and community-based organisations, and to facilitate the transition period to paid employment.
companies, indicate that fresh graduates are not ready for direct employment right after finishing their formal education, since they usually lack professional experience, competitive marketable skills and practical knowledge in the relevant areas. As a result, employers need to spend considerable time and financial resources to train and integrate new graduates into their companies and prefer hiring professionals with relevant experience.
I feel that I have made very significant progress and have developed myself professionally. I am now more self-confident. Now I feel that there has been a tremendous change in my abilities as a result of the internship. I have gained familiarity with the professional environment and made many acquaintances who were able to help me with my career- oriented endeavours. Maro Kochinyan, 22, Yerevan, Armenia, participant in the internship scheme.
UNDP therefore entered into partnership with the private sector, and non-profit and development organizations that agreed to host young graduates as interns and provide them with on-the-job training relevant to their educational background, with the possibility to offer successful interns permanent employment after the internship had been completed. The selection, recruitment and job placement of interns KEY RESULTS: was based on competitive selection. (1ST AND 2ND PHASE): When accepted, interns received modest pocket money (US$100 monthly) over 50 organizations involved in the infor a six-month period. ternship scheme; 900 applications for internships received; In addition to UNDP, the organi first work experience obtained by 98 gradzations that provided major financial uates in the area of their specialization; contribution to this project were Izmir permanent employment offered to 31 lian Foundation, USAID, and the Aryoung people. menian General Benevolent Union. The project also involved cooperation with academia, in particular, the American University of Armenia, which provided training to interns on how to write curricula vitae and on presentation and communication skills. The project was replicated three times. The last (ongoing) phase only included graduates from the rural areas of Armenia. Despite accomplishments to date and significant interest of private companies in the continuation of the project, the Armenian private sector has been reluctant so far to provide direct financial contributions for the support of these internship schemes. Therefore, UNDP continues its efforts to ascertain the involvement of the private sector and increase its sense of ownership.
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VII. Say STOP to Human Trafficking in Ukraine!

Country: Ukraine Project status: Ongoing Main partners: Mobile phone operators LLC Astelit (life:), Kyivstar, MTS and Beeline, IOM, Galnaftogaz Duration: April 2007 onwards
Enhanced dialogue and awareness of human rights Increased security and reduced vulnerability of communities and individuals
BUSINESS BENEFITS
Improved credibility and trust with local communities Higher public profile and a better chance of attracting media coverage More marketing and advertising opportunities
Trafficking in human beings has grown to worrying proportions in recent years and has become a modern human rights challenge, demanding a strong and comprehensive response from governments, the private sector, civil society and the international community. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), an estimated 100,000 persons have been trafficked from Ukraine since 1991. While 78% of
KEY RESULTS:
more than 30,400 calls received; 206 victims identified; national hotline receives six times more calls through the 527 number than through the landline; number of victims identified through the 527 is 40 times higher than through the landline
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The principal objective of the project was to raise awareness among the Ukrainian population on how to protect themselves from becoming victims of trafficking when traveling abroad or within the country. This was achieved through a partnership with the private sector that enabled the set-up of a toll-free counter-trafficking hotline, operating with a non-commercial aim, where all callers receive accurate information about the current realities and possible dangers that migrants could face outside of Ukraine.
the Ukrainian population is aware of the existence of human trafficking and 66% consider it a serious problem, only 30% think it is likely to happen to them. Raising citizens awareness on the dangers of human trafficking was a critical step towards combating this heinous crime. To this end, the United Nations in Ukraine has partnered with Concern Galnaftogaz oil company and the leading Ukrainian mobile phone operators LLC Astelit (life:), Kyivstar, MTS and Beeline, all of which are members of United Nations GC. A toll-free counter-trafficking hotline 527 jointly created by the three leading mobile operators in Ukraine (LLC Astelit (life:), Kyivstar, MTS) routes all calls from mobile phones to a free consultation service. In 2008, the fourth big player of the mobile operators market Beeline joined the project. The hotline provides information on migrant workers rights, risks of illegal migration, and migration programmes, and provides potential victims with information on reintegration services. Requested information and advice are provided in person, by phone, and by electronic mailing. Since its inception in 2007, more than 30,400 calls have been made to the 527 short number, and 206 callers have been identified as victims of trafficking by hotline operators. The oil and gas company Galnaftogaz supported the trafficking awareness-raising efforts in 2008 by organizing a billboard campaign Going abroad? Take care of your safety on the northern and western borders of Ukraine (Lviv, Volyn and Zakarpattia Oblasts). The campaign message urged travelers to call the 527 hotline to get safe migration information. The company provided both financial support to the creation of billboards and free ad space at its gas stations. The public awareness campaign resulted in a five-fold increase in the number of calls made to the hotline from the target regions. All the companies involved in the project are members of the United Nations GC network in Ukraine, and view their participation in this campaign not only as an opportunity to reinforce their reputation or generate positive press-coverage, but mainly as a long-term social investment in the value of human dignity and human rights, as well as a proof of their pro-active social stand as corporate citizens of Ukraine.
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VIII. Increasing Milk Production of Small-Scale Dairy Farmers in the Region of Tavush Marz
Country: Armenia Project status: Ongoing Main partners: UNDP, Centre for Agribusiness and Rural Development (CARD) and AshatarakKat CJSC Duration: May 2007 onwards
Local economic development Increased local entrepreneurship skills and knowledge Improved quality of life Enhanced productivity and greater access to quality products
BUSINESS BENEFITS
Opening up of new markets and increased revenues Increased efficiency and capacity of the company's supply-chain Improved operational efficiencies Access to new technologies
According to an UNDP analysis conducted in 2006, around 60% of the inhabitants of the region Tavush marz lived in rural areas and their livelihoods solely depended on agriculture sales of crops, fruits and dairy products. They are small-holder farmers who produce agricultural products mainly for their own consumption and for sales at the local markets. As a result, their opportunities to make higher income and improve their livelihoods have been limited. The centres have collected milk from small-holder farmers from ten villages representing around 3,000 households that are now able to sell milk produced at their small farms and generate a stable income. This has increased the disposable income of the beneficiaries and allows them to acquire and pay for products and services other than basic food and utilities. The sustainability of the Milk Collection Centres has been ensured through their ownership structure, as
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Building Milk Collection Centres in the region of Tavush marz, Armenia, contributed towards addressing multiple problems in the communities: rural poverty, unemployment and the low quality of life. Setting up Milk Collection Centres equipped with refrigeration facilities and testing equipment resolved the main problem faced by the local farmers: most of the milk produced by smallscale farmers had ended up spoiled before it could reach dairy producers and consumers. As a result, the farmers were forced to sell or slaughter their livestock that would have otherwise provided for a stable source of income.
they have been established as business entities owned by communities, with all stakeholders involved individual farmers, managers of the centres and local governments having direct business benefits. Their profitability has been also facilitated by building linkages with a large-scale dairy products producer that agreed to purchase the collected milk at fixed prices. In addition, the centres also have the freedom to supply milk to other dairy companies.
KEY RESULTS:
three Milk Collection Centres established and opened in August 2008; capacity of each centre is 1,600 litres of milk; income of over 3,000 households increased by 3040%; 1,000 small-holder farmers engaged; contract with Ashtarak-Kat dairy company signed, ensuring long-term sustainability.
The success of the project was made possible by close cooperation with the local communities and local government, UNDP, the Centre for Agribusiness and Rural Development (CARD) and Ashatarak-Kat dairy company, which ensured the entire milk distribution process. UNDP assisted with the renovation of the premises for the collection centres, the installation of equipment and the purchase of milk collection trucks, the ownership of which was then transferred from UNDP to farmers cooperatives. CARD facilitated the installation of testing equipment and provided technical assistance to farmers by creating and managing farmer cooperatives. The project has a wide potential for being replicated in any other rural area in the country, where access to the markets and financial services are extremely limited.
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IX. Fostering Social Inclusion and Civic Engagement of Young People

Country: Ukraine Project status: Ongoing Main partners: Intel Microelectronics Ukraine Ltd., United Nations Volunteers (UNV), UNDP, Ministry for Family, Youth and Sports, Ministry of Education, International Charitable Fund Ukraine 3000, All-Ukrainian Association Alternativa-V Duration: December 2008 onwards
Improved access to new knowledge and competencies Building of social and human capital Greater access to services and facilities Community empowerment
BUSINESS BENEFITS
Increased brand value Greater community skills from which business can draw staff in the future Expanded future profit opportunities Introduction of innovative approaches
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Young people are a powerful resource for democratic transformation and are critical actors in the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. At the same time, in Ukraine, they encounter a combination of uncertainties and impediments that aggravate their social
exclusion and prevent them from fully participating in development and decision-making processes, such as unemployment, limited access to adequate education, lack of social competencies and limited access to up-to-date information resources. To support youth development in Ukraine, UNDP and the technology company INTEL decided to join forces and design a special project that would assist in developing youth social skills through the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) tools and onKEY RESULTS: line learning opportunities, enhancing social activism and re 40 youth centres actively operating in 11 responsibilities, and establishing gions of Ukraine and the Autonomous Restrong youth support institutions. public of Crimea; 217 public events conducted; The project addresses the is over 9,200 young participants engaged in acsue of youth inclusion, a new contivities in 2009; cept for Ukraine, by introducing 20 student networks on large-scale issues innovative approaches such as supported; working with volunteers as a tool over 600 volunteers involved in organizing for achieving local development project activities in target regions. goals, bridging the gaps between young people from rural and urban area, and creating an environment for social community projects. The capacities of 40 youth centres were built in 11 regions of the country and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea through various seminars and training sessions in project management, critical thinking, leadership and conflict resolution. The project also developed a model for the establishment of a network of National UNV programmes, Youth Centres and the Ukrainian Youth Work Placement Centre State Enterprise (YWPC), which operates under the Ministry of Ukraine for Family, Youth and Sports. YWPC has seven divisions in target regions. Cooperation with Regional YWPC is to be carried out by National UNVs in activity areas such as the involvement of Youth Centre representatives in the work of YWPC, the participation of Youth Centres at career planning activities organized by YWPC, and joint implementation of volunteer activities. Involving two ministries, two United Nations agencies, two non-profit organizations and an international corporation, the three-year UNDP-INTEL project is undoubtedly among one of UNDPs most complex and multidimensional partnership projects in Ukraine. Each partner uniquely enriches the project. In addition to programmatic and project management and financial contributions, UNDP provides the project layout, which builds on previously suc-
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cessful UNDP interventions, such as local development programmes, which established 52 youth centres in rural communities in nine regions and Crimea, and provides safe and creative places for youth to meet, socialize and engage in healthy activities. It also builds on a UNDP-INTEL demonstration project for building young peoples key social competencies and promoting youth inclusion through e-networks of knowledge-sharing and training. The Ministry for Family, Youth and Sports and the Ministry of Education and Science have been strategic partners in ensuring general political support for the project implementation and project sustainability as well as in providing regional networks of schools and youth employment centres involved in the project. UNV brings in its expertise in volunteering, which is used as a cross-cutting mechanism, instrumental and integral to each component of the project. INTEL provides knowledge resources and expert guidance on the use of ICT as a tool for youth social activism and expansion of its use in formal and informal education. Educating teachers and students in applying ICT technology and decreasing the digital gap between rural and urban youth brings long-term benefits to the company, i.e. enhancing new market segment and expanding profit opportunities as a result. By enhancing ICT skills of the potential customers and helping them to see the range of things they can do with ICT technology (to communicate, to share experience and knowledge, to solve problems together, to volunteer on-line, etc.), INTEL enters the digital home market in Ukraine, which has been growing rapidly in the pre-crisis times.
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X. Improving Access to Quality Medical Services through Telemedicine8

Country: Belarus Project status: Ongoing Main partners: Mobile TeleSystems (MTS), Ministry of Health, Belarus Centre for Medical Technologies, National Academy of Sciences, UNDP, World Health Organization (WHO) Duration: April 2008 onwards
Increased access to high quality and affordable medical services Reduced travel costs for rural population Improved rural health and life quality Environmental impact through reduced carbon emissions
BUSINESS BENEFITS
Introduction of innovative products and approaches Transformation of business models Opening up of new markets and business opportunities Higher public profile and a better chance of attracting media coverage
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With 27% of the population living in the rural areas where the basic living and recreation infrastructure are lacking, a considerable number of Belarusians have been experiencing difficulties with obtaining specialized medical services. Although free medical care is provided, the health care system lacks trained specialists and uses obsolete diagnostic equipment, particularly in rural hospitals. The development of telemedicine has offered a possibility to increase access to better medical counseling and provide expert assistance in remote areas, by using innovative computer and
According to the definition of the World Health Organization (WHO), telemedicine (distance health care) is the practice of providing medical services where distance is a critical factor. Services are provided using information and communication technologies (ICTs) after the necessary information for diagnosing, treatment and prevention of a disease has been received.
8 Taken from UNDP Growing Inclusive Market Regional Report Case Study Providing Affordable Health Care to the Poor: Telemedicine in Belarus, by Alesia Krupenikava, 2010.
telecommunication technologies, and at the same time significantly reducing patients expenses. The pilot telemedicine project was implemented in the hospital of the village of Ratomka, near Minsk. Cellular communications are used to transfer cardiograms for expert cardiological analysis in Minsk, because medical personnel of the necessary profile is lacking in the village. Cardiology has been selected as a medical branch, in particular because deaths from heart and cardio-vascular diseases prevail among the causes of mortality in Belarus. In cardiology, a provision of quick diagnostic services clearly becomes, without exaggeration, a matter of life and death. As part of the pilot project, the leading telecommunication Company MTS purchased a mobile telemedicine complex, Cardian-PM, for the local hospital in Ratomka. The complex includes software examining electrocardiograms (ECGs) of patients in Ratomka Hospital, by transferring the data for expert cardiological analysis to a computer in Minsk Central Regional Hospital. The specialists in the central hospital receive the data in a special software programme that allows them to immediately read the ECG in full detail. The cardiologists can phone the doctor in the rural hospital to discuss the case, or send back a complete diagnosis and recommendations on treatment over email. To achieve this, the MTS company also provides free Internet connections through MTS Connect, a special internet plan for cell phones and computers to Ratomka. As a result, people living away from specialized medical advice and requiring support are diagnosed and consulted remotely in just a few minutes.
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In November 2009, four more rural hospitals in Belarus connected their mobile cardiographs through MTS and have begun sending ECGs to cardio specialists. All of these hospitals are located in the Chernobyl area (Mogilev, Stolin, Zholobin, Mozyr). MTS provides mobile broadband Internet to the hospitals by selling them a USB modem that plugs into a computer and connects it to the Internet, or an Internet-enabled cell phone that can connect to the Cardian-PM. The hospitals then pay MTS for the actual amount of Internet traffic they use.
KEY RESULTS:
the first Tele-ECG equipment provided to Ratomka Hospital and Minsk Regional Hospital; 270 problem cases diagnosed within nine months in Ratomka; transportation costs of patients from remote areas significantly reduced; reduced emission of travel related CO2 by 3,240 tonnes; high quality Cardian-PM complex domestically developed and used; 60 ECG interpreted since June 2009 by four rural hospitals in the Chernobyl area; 30 people trained to operate modern diagnostic equipment.
This initiative showed that telemedicine can bring evident social, economic and environmental benefits to the country. In addition to the leading Communication Company MTS, the key partner that played crucial role in the success of this project was the Ministry of Health, whose involvement and support provided credibility and official status to this model. The Ministry has also started to buy cell phones and Internet access for the replication of this model, allowing hospitals in the regions to be connected to this service. Cardian, a Belarus company, invented mobile diagnostic equipment, providing local and low-cost solutions. Finally, the presence of the United Nations GC in Belarus gave the pilot the necessary credibility and allowed the business to successfully cooperate with the government. MTS is now extending their marketing efforts to other regions of the country. If most hospitals in Belarus begin using this equipment, MTS stands to profit from increased sales while helping to solve an acute problem with cardiac treatment in remote areas. Contact details For more information, please contact: Poverty Practice UNDP Regional Centre for Europe and the CIS Bratislava registry@undp.sk
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Annex: The process of multi-stakeholder partnership building

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Each partnership offers a new possibility for tackling development issues better by recognizing the qualities and capacities of each sector. In this first phase of the partnership process, the focus is on gathering information, understanding the needs and challenges giving rise to the opportunity of a partnership. On the basis of analysis of socio-economic and political trends, and through stakeholder analysis, development priorities and needs are identified. As UNDPs model pays specific attention to the needs of the vulnerable communities and development issues at large, direct consultations and dialogue with the various stakeholders, including the communities concerned, are conducted.
Phase 2: Identifying
In order to be effective, the identification of potential partners requires a careful and systematic approach, involving an analysis of each partners priorities, their expectations, motivation, experience, resources, and track record in such initiatives, but also compliance with specific principles or values. The process of selecting partners should be as open, participatory and transparent as possible. Usually, various options are explored either by building on existing and proven contacts, or by searching for new ones and then selecting the most appropriate partner. Within a potential partner organization, it is crucial to explain the idea of partnership and to make a sound case for why it would have something to contribute and how it would be able to benefit. Every participating organization needs to assess the risks and rewards that may arise from being involved in the partnership initiative. Although the risk assessment is important,
9 Drawn from Ros Tennyson The Partnering Toolbox, produced by Partnering Initiative in co-operation with the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), UNDP and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), 2003.
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A N N E X : T H E P R O C E S S O F M U LT I - S TA K E H O L D E R P A R T N E R S H I P B U I L D I N G
Phase 1: Scoping
it is sometimes simply overlooked, because it is often overshadowed by the enthusiasm for potential benefits from collaboration. Ideally, each partner should understand the potential risks and rewards of their counterpart organizations almost as much as their own if they are to truly commit themselves to genuine collaboration and the principle of mutual benefit. All of these items are crucial selection criteria in deciding which partners fit best, individually and collectively, in the partnership.
Phase 3: Building
The process of developing a coherent and shared strategy requires specifying goals, vision, core values10 and strategic objectives to clarify the expectations of each actor entering into the partnership. This includes an open discussion among partners on their respective motivations and defining what will be the concrete results of a partnership activity. At the same time, in addition to defining common objectives, each partner is invited to explore the specific challenges and risks it may face during the process, and the potential synergies and differences that may contribute to achieving their individual and common goals.
Phase 4: Planning
Partnerships are little more than dialogues until those involved have made a tangible commitment to collaboration. The first step to confirm such a commitment and consolidate partnership is a memorandum of understanding, a collaborative, non-legally binding agreement that delineates the framework for partners to undertake joint activities. Once the partnership is established and a memorandum of understanding in place, the partnering process continues with the development of the proposed project, programme of work, or joint activities to be pursued by the partners. This phase marks a significant transition from a focus on partnership building to project development and implementation. In particular, it is important that all partners are involved in the action planning to feel the sense of commitment and ownership. Similarly, each individual needs to consider the implications of the action plan for his/her own organization and its planning process and priorities.
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10 UNDPs vision and core values focus on human development, the respect of human rights and democracy, cultural liberty and gender equality.
Phase 5: Managing
The fifth important element towards the successful establishment of a multi-stakeholder partnership is to negotiate and agree on the rules of operation and management. To agree on specific commitments, a consensus among individual partners needs to be reached on their responsibilities. Based on experience, project activity can result in mutual competition and a change in interest of the participating actors. Therefore, it is crucial that specific roles and responsibilities of each partner are explicitly defined. In addition, shared governance and decision-making structures need to be set up to facilitate the process of managing changes and risks.
Phase 6: Resourcing
In this phase, the negotiations on partnership establishment have arrived to a critical decision point and now the final commitments on financial investments will need to be agreed. It is important to note that one of the real benefits of working on a cross-sectoral basis is the potential access to a wide range of non-cash resources that the partners can bring to the partnership. These non-financial resources can involve expertise, relations with key stakeholders such as donors, decision-makers, the media and the community, and/or knowledge of local conditions or the market. Formalization of funding commitments is implemented through legally binding arrangements called cost-sharing agreements.
Phase 7: Implementing
Once resources are in place and project details agreed, the implementation process starts and the whole partnership process is set in motion. In most cases described in this booklet, the implementation of the partnership projects has been entrusted to UNDP, which, in this role, provides oversight of the project activities, monitors their execution, and ensures that all agreed objectives and outcomes are being achieved according to the detailed work plan and on schedule. This may also involve the management of change processes in response to internal and external constraints or opportunities, as well as the facilitation of communication with all the partners and stakeholders of the partnership project.
Phase 8: Measuring
Most partnerships that have reached the stage of being evaluated tend to distinguish between measuring the impact of the partnership projects and assessing the value of the partnership to the
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partner organizations. In general, it can be very challenging to evaluate both multi-stakeholder partnership projects and the partnering process itself due to their multifaceted and complex nature. In this phase, outputs, outcomes and impacts of the projects are measured and evaluated. It is important that at an earlier phase of their partnership (Phase 4), partners agree on a number of indicators (both tangible deliverables and broader process indicators) and use them as a basis for tracking the impact and effectiveness of their partnership project over time. In addition, a regular cycle of reporting must be in place to ensure that the partners are informed of project progress and challenges.
Phase 9: Reviewing
This phase offers an opportunity to review the process and assess how effective the multi-stakeholder partnership has been in achieving its results. This evaluation process should cover the measuring of the results and effectiveness of the partnership from the perspective of the partnering organizations. Accordingly, partners are likely to measure or assess three things:
impact of their partnership project on society; value of the partnership to the individual partner organizations; actual costs and benefits of the partnership approach.
By considering all three issues, the partners will be able to evaluate if the partnership has been effective in achieving its aims, and if the partnership approach selected was the most appropriate. This information can provide a valuable basis for the review of the overall partnership strategy pursued in the next stage.
Phase 10: Revising

In light of the assessment and lessons learned, the key partnership documents may require a change that needs to be reviewed and agreed by all partners. On the one hand, there may be external influences that could change an individual partners perspective; on the other hand, it is more likely that other risks and issues to the partnership as a whole might be raised as a consequence of the individual partner review. It is essential that these risks and issues are discussed fully by all partners before the final decision is made and new priorities and goals are reflected on.
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Phase 11: Institutionalizing

Frequently, the partners will initiate and take on a partnership project in a pioneering spirit with the objective to pilot new idea or try out innovative approaches. Once their initiative has proved effective, more permanent mechanisms can be established. In these cases, one of the biggest challenges to partnership sustainability is the issue of long-term resourcing. Each situation will have different resource requirements, and therefore wherever possible, local and renewable resourcing arrangements should be put in place. Providing that the commitment of one or more project partners fades or the individual organizations leave the partnership, it is feasible to have a moving on strategy established from the beginning in order to ensure continuity of the project. This may include: a) succession planning handing over the partnerships activities and assets from one partner to another; b) creating a new cross-sector institution (e.g. consultative or intermediate body) supporting partnership initiatives or providing advice for new project ideas; c) flexibility in partnering enabling newcomers to reach the same level of understanding and involvement in the partnership project as the other partners, actively engaging them in the project with the view of replacing leaving partners.
Phase 12: Sustaining or terminating partnership projects

Once this process has been carried out, the question What next, sustaining or terminating? should be tackled. Each of options of phasing out or scaling up11 of partnership projects can be appropriate, depending on each individual partnership. Since some of the most successful and innovative partnership initiatives are often intended to be temporary, in this case, termination of the partnership should be considered an achievement and not a failure. When a partnership terminates, it is crucial that contributions of all partners involved are acknowledged, and achievements are shared with and communicated to external stakeholders.
11 UNDP is increasingly looking into the issue of scaling up successful partnerships by replicating successful models in other countries and regions, and with other companies, thus benefiting a greater number of poor people and resulting in greater impact. In doing so, UNDP builds on its Global Compact networks, which seek to promote CSR worldwide.
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United Nations Development Programme Europe and the CIS Bratislava Regional Centre Grsslingova 35 81109 Bratislava Slovak Republic Tel.: (421 2) 59337-111 Fax: (421 2) 59337-450 http://europeandcis.undp.org

UN Global Compact in Western CIS and Caucasus Project: A Collection of Case Studies

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Fostering Multi-stakeholder Partnerships in the Western Commonwealth of Independent States and Caucasus in the framework of the Global Compact

A COLLECTION OF CASE STUDIES

A Collection of Case Studies

Background, objective and purpose of this publication

Background, objective and purpose of this publication

1 Business: A positive contributor to

2 About the Project

ABOUT THE PROJECT

3 The UNDP and the multi-stakeholder

3.1. Multi-stakeholder Partnerships Definition and Benefits

For UNDP, the multi-stakeholder partnership ap-

For the private sector, the partnership ap-

3.2. The process of building multi-stakeholder partnerships4

REVISING Revising the partnership, programme(s) or project(s) in the light of experience.

PLANNING Planning a programming of activities and outlining a coherent project.

IMPLEMENTING Working to pre-agreed timetables and (ideally) to specific deliverables.

4 Lessons learned from the multistakeholder partnership projects

4.1 Key constraints and solutions

4.2. Key Success Factors

5 Case studies from the field

CASE STUDIES FROM THE FIELD

I. Enhancing Disabled People Livelihood

CASE STUDIES FROM THE FIELD

CASE STUDIES FROM THE FIELD

II. School Milk Project: Promoting a Healthy Diet for Children

CASE STUDIES FROM THE FIELD

KEY RESULTS (PILOT PHASE):

CASE STUDIES FROM THE FIELD

III. Mobilizing Communities for the Restoration of Natural Springs

CASE STUDIES FROM THE FIELD

CASE STUDIES FROM THE FIELD

CASE STUDIES FROM THE FIELD

IV. Sourcing of Wool from Local Sheep Farmers

CASE STUDIES FROM THE FIELD

CASE STUDIES FROM THE FIELD

V. Socially Responsible Business Supporting the Sustainable Development of Small Towns

CASE STUDIES FROM THE FIELD

CASE STUDIES FROM THE FIELD

CASE STUDIES FROM THE FIELD

VI. Improving the Employment Prospects of Young Graduates

CASE STUDIES FROM THE FIELD

CASE STUDIES FROM THE FIELD

VII. Say STOP to Human Trafficking in Ukraine!

CASE STUDIES FROM THE FIELD

CASE STUDIES FROM THE FIELD

CASE STUDIES FROM THE FIELD

CASE STUDIES FROM THE FIELD

IX. Fostering Social Inclusion and Civic Engagement of Young People

CASE STUDIES FROM THE FIELD

CASE STUDIES FROM THE FIELD

CASE STUDIES FROM THE FIELD

X. Improving Access to Quality Medical Services through Telemedicine8

CASE STUDIES FROM THE FIELD

CASE STUDIES FROM THE FIELD

CASE STUDIES FROM THE FIELD

Annex: The process of multi-stakeholder partnership building

Phase 10: Revising

Phase 11: Institutionalizing

Phase 12: Sustaining or terminating partnership projects

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