Our Work

Cross-sector Collaboration

Greenpeace & McDonalds?

Its counter-intuitive, it pushes boundaries — and it works!

Inspiration

"For big problems and their big solutions, we need to think big, act boldly and with innovation. Government, business and individuals: all need to work together. We need to consider doing things which transcend our business as usual thinking..." In noting these observations, Gerd Leipold, Executive Director of Greenpeace International, referred to the challenge his organization had faced in its battle to stop the de-forestation of a large chunk of the Amazon rainforest.

Greenpeace had worked out that the need for soy to feed animals was the strongest driver for deforestation, as forest is cleared to make way for soy fields. Having found that Amazon soy, with the involvement of the big grain traders, was fed to McDonalds chicken and others, Greenpeace used its inimitable campaigning style to get the attention of McDonalds. To their great credit, on realizing their link to the issue the team at McDonalds agreed to join forces with Greenpeace to address the problem.

What they achieved together, is a great testament to the power of collaboration. In a clearly unusual partnership, pressure from the 'odd couple' secured a 3-year moratorium from the big grain companies: they would not buy soya from newly deforested areas in the Amazon while more permanent regulatory solutions are established.

Action

At C&E we believe in the power of collaboration — particularly the amazing things that can happen when the potency of organizations from different sectors are blended. As the NSPCC-Microsoft or the UNICEF-P&G example show, we help our clients enhance existing partnerships. Additionally, we take inspiration from the mission-focused Greenpeace-McDonalds collaboration. We are therefore particulary adept not only at inspiring new and unusual collaborations, but also at bringing the skills required to create the 'safe space' in which such collaborations can be nurtured and sustained.