Recipes for success

One feature of successful NGO-business collaborations stands out above all others: personal relationships. Mark Rudolph helped to broker the CARE Coalition of NGOs and businesses (see case studies), and he explains that the roots of the process were laid down years earlier. 'It's all about building relationships and trust,' he argues. 'It's about deciding to go for a beer or a meal together, and realizing that you have a lot more in common than you had thought.'

Often key players become good friends with like-minded individuals 'on the other side', says Rudolph. 'If you shipped Gord Lambert [vice president of sustainable development at Suncor] and Ken Ogilvie [executive director of Pollution Probe] to each other's offices, nothing in the two organizations would change.'

Paul Griss, coordinator of the New Directions Group (see case studies), agrees. 'Personalities make a huge difference.'

When canvassed for other ingredients of a successful relationship, the following suggestions were put forward by interviewees:

• Lois Corbett, former director of the Toronto Environmental Alliance:

'Only when the players share a set of values and come together themselves will you see collaborations move with lightning speed. But there also needs to be an acceptance that some values will differ.'

'Stepping out of interest boxes is the way to get things done.'

'[NGO representatives] need to be taken seriously, not debated point-by-point. The environmental community is not always treated with respect at the table.'

• Glen Toner, professor of political science, Carleton University:

'Imminence of government action - especially pending regulations - can be a real driver. Crises of various kinds can also bring people together and focus minds. In the New Directions Group we found that where there was no urgency, people were just too busy to come out.'

'Personalities make a huge difference.'

• Paul Griss, co-ordinator of the New Directions Group:

'Make it results-oriented. Figure out something you can work on, and then finish it. There is no time for open-ended debates.'

• Mark Rudolph, environmental consultant and architect of the Care Coalition:

'Only progressive business types can be at the table with only pragmatic NGOS. As soon as you have immoveable agendas, all you'll have is fighting. There will be no middle ground for constructive dialogue.'

• Julie Gelfand, director of the Canadian Nature Federation:

'You need the opportunities to meet and to form personal relationships.'

'Not having government at the table can often make it easier for NGOs and business to realize where they have common ground. Nevertheless, when it is known that government has the will to do something, this can also lead to a successful collaboration.'

'Having a specific topic is very important.'