The project developed a Charter for Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships (MSPs) and those working in and with MSPs. The 3rd, and final, version of the MSP Charter presents nine key principles of MSPs, from defining clear objectives through using a systemic approach and promoting good governance to building effective leadership and fostering learning. The document also includes concrete guidance on how to put these principles into practice.
PDF download: MSP Charter 2018
Developing the MSP Charter (2017-2019) benefitted from a global multi-stakeholder advisory group of experts and practitioners, a 2-day multi-stakeholder workshop, and a wide consultation process among governments, intergovernmental organisations, civil society and business. Using UN decisions, research findings, and guidance literature as the basis, the Charter articulates a positive vision and valued principles of MSPs. It is aiming to promote high quality standards, thus contributing to increasing the quality of MSP practice and maximizing their contributions to realizing the SDGs.
The experience with Multi-stakeholder Partnerships (MSPs) over the last 15 years has been mixed. At the centre of this has been that there is a lack of shared understanding of what partnerships are, how they should work, and what they should accomplish.
Unfortunately, there is a lack of shared understanding of what partnerships are – i.e. the current reality – and what they should be. There is hardly a shared vision of what we should aspire to when creating and operating in partnerships and what core principles should be included. Some guidance has been provided by UN agreements and there are some guidebooks and tools for practitioners, but there is hardly a growing community of practice and practitioners, and no common voice of such a community sharing their experiences, building a shared body of knowledge, and articulating their quality standards.
This was the background to the MSP Charter project, undertaken by the MSP Institute – Multi-Stakeholder processes for Sustainable Development eV and the Tellus Institute in 2017 – 2019.
The objective of the MSP Charter project was to enable a focused discussion on a shared vision, and synthesize key principles in a simple, brief document. By articulating a positive vision and valued principles of MSPs, the Charter is aiming to set and promote high quality standards, thus contributing to increasing the quality of MSP practice and maximizing their contributions to realizing the SDGs.The Charter can be used to promote principles and best practice.
The MSP Charter is based on existing agreements, research and practical experience synthesized in various handbooks and how-to-guides. It is also based on dialogue with and detailed feedback from members of a global multi-stakeholder advisory group of experts and practitioners, and a 2-day multi-stakeholderworkshop held on the margins of the High-Level Political Forum (UN HLPF) in July 2017 in New York (“Making MSPs Work for the SDGs”). In addition, a wide consultation process among stakeholders was conducted, using an open internet-based call for comments.
Thank you to everyone who provided comments, suggestions, and questions on the drafts!
Here is the 3rd, and final, version of the MSP Charter: MSP Charter 2018