How we leverage the Private Sector to meet International Cooperation objectives

Private Sector Engagement (PSE) is reshaping how international development and cooperation organizations address challenges like poverty, climate change, and migration. In this thematic paper, Co-Design for Impact: Collaborating with the Private Sector to Drive Sustainable Change, Caritas Switzerland highlights a defining feature of its approach—co-creation.

Unlike traditional models of engagement, Caritas Switzerland emphasizes working alongside private sector partners to co-design solutions that align business expertise with the needs and aspirations of local communities. This approach fosters:

• Mutual Innovation: Bringing together diverse perspectives to create practical, adaptable solutions.
• Local Relevance: Ensuring that initiatives are grounded in the lived realities and priorities of project participants.
• Sustainable Impact: Building solutions that are not only scalable but also deeply integrated into community contexts.
• Win-win Scenarios: While communities gain access to resources, technology, and sustainable opportunities through new markets, private sector partners enhance their social impact, build brand equity, and develop new market opportunities through meaningful engagement.

This co-creative process distinguishes Caritas Switzerland from other organizations by prioritizing collaborative design over top-down approaches. The thematic paper explores how this methodology supports ethical partnerships, reduces risk, and ensures long-term benefits for vulnerable populations.

For those exploring new ways to combine private sector expertise with impactful development practices, this resource offers valuable insights into the potential of co-creation in PSE.

Further information

• Thematic paper

• News

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