NGOs should not seek ‘one-night stands’
NGO莫贪图“一夜情”
By Chen Jiajun 陈嘉俊, Philanthropy Times 公益时报, April 3, 2014
Partnerships between NGOs and private enterprises can sometimes become win-win relationships. However, choosing a partner needs serious consideration. In this article Chen Jiajun, secretary-general of Bike Guangzhou, an environmental NGO that works to promote cycling, shares his worries about the “cause marketing” trend and warns social organizations to not forget their own mission for the sake of money. Private companies can be keen to collaborate with NGOs to advance social goals, but ultimately they only have one aim: profit maximization. NGOs should be careful to not lose credibility because of their partners. Chen Jiajun has a clear opinion on the strategy that social organizations should implement: instead of establishing short-term cooperation with private enterprises or foundations, NGOs should put more effort into connecting directly with common citizens, raising awareness of social issues, and creating a network of donors that can sustain their work for the long term.
Translation by Martina Poletti. Original article can be read here.
