Corporate and Foundation Partners
A Pact with the Private Sector
Partnerships are at the heart of UNHCR's work. To achieve its mandate, UNHCR has both a moral and practical obligation to leverage the expertise and resources of a broad range of actors. The goal of UNHCR's corporate and foundation partnerships programme is to contribute to this goal through mutually beneficial cooperation with private sector organizations.
Building on the philosophy and achievements of the UN Global Compact, UNHCR envisions a world in which the private sector plays a constructive role in finding durable solutions for people forced to flee their homes, including refugees and the internally displaced, as well as returnees.
To achieve this, we proactively engage with corporations and foundations eager to help drive change and find innovative solutions to refugee issues. This collaboration can take many forms ranging from special events to cause-related marketing campaigns reaching millions of people.
A dedicated Corporate and Foundation Partnerships Unit, based in Geneva, manages UNHCR's partnerships in close collaboration with a network of regional offices in key markets. The team comprises senior professionals with extensive experience across the public and private sectors.
Due diligence
UNHCR engages with companies in order to raise funds for UNHCR's programmes; raise awareness of the issues faced every day by refugees and others persons of concern; engage smart minds in finding and developing solutions to those issues; and encourage more individuals and organisations to donate money to support refugees and other persons of concern.
UNHCR's Corporate Partnership Governing Board verifies that all companies UNHCR work with meet UNHCR's Screening Criteria are not involved in armaments, exploitation, forced displacement, child labour/forced labour, United Nations sanctions, or tobacco. UNHCR undertakes a detailed screening of all prospective partners and those that meet all of the criteria are eligible to become partners of UNHCR.
