Private Environmental Governance and the Sustainability Transition: Functions and Impacts of NGO-Business Partnerships by Philip

Abstract: The report looks into whether firms involved with NGOs for the purpose of furthering sustainable development, are actually doing so. A key concern of the report is that NGO-business “voluntary initiatives” may weaken traditional engines of corporate responsibility such as governmental and inter-governmental regulation as well as critical NGO and civil society activism. Utting fears that, though NGO-business partnerships do have advantages, the initiatives could lead to a process of cooptation whereby the critical positions of public officials and activists are increasingly ignored. Ultimately, Utting argues that partnerships are continuing to help economic growth, capitalism, and globalization, while hindering sustainable development. He calls on NGOs to forge greater links with organized labor in promoting corporate social responsibility. Utting clearly points out several problems involved with NGO-business partnerships. Though he mentions that there are advantages, he fails to clarify these. As a result, Utting’s report appears somewhat tarnished with a lack of balance. He comes out swinging against “big business” and “globalization” and seems to assume that these creatures are the natural enemies of sustainability. Finally the report reveals some suspicion of NGOs who even decide to partner with free enterprise. Regardless, this report offers constructive criticism and food for thought about NGO-business partnerships today. Full Paper