2.08.2005 ET

(CSRwire) LONDON - Ethical Corporation will host a sell-out two-day conference from 22-23 February 2005 in London focusing on crucial issues in Business/NGO partnerships and accountability.

For the first time in Europe, Ethical Corporation is presenting a critical evaluation of 29 of the world's most innovative business-NGO partnerships with 16 interactive workshops and over 60 expert speakers.

The perpetual war of values and ideologies between corporations and NGOs is moving on, and yesterday's adversaries are increasingly becoming allies.

But the transition from foes to friends is rarely straightforward.

No partnership is ever easy, comfortable, secure, safe, quick or cheap.

And while successful partnerships benefit everyone, the price of failure can be high. Your brand, reputation, even profitability or donor income; all risk serious damage.

So how do you create a win-win partnership; one that satisfies all your stakeholders without putting your organisation at risk? Why do some partnerships thrive, while others end in disappointment and sometimes, acrimony?

These critical questions lie at the heart of a landmark conference that is set to make headlines in 2005. And by taking part in this initiative, you can gain a detailed understanding of best practice within the field of partnerships for your organisation.

Ethical Corporation has spent months talking to people who are involved (or want to be involved) in partnerships. You've told them you want a conference where the emphasis is firmly on the practicalities of partnerships and we have taken this on board.

The conference aims to address most of the concerns you raised.

How can you quantify the benefits of a partnership? * What's actually being delivered? * How do NGOs counter criticism that they've become lapdogs instead of watchdogs - and can true partnership equality ever happen, or is it just a nice idea? * What about the risks of divulging sensitive information that could be misused? * Or the fact that partners often have different levels of accountability? * Is it possible to work productively together while still agreeing to disagree? * And is your ultimate shared goal a deep relationship that challenges - and changes - business practices or government policies, or would that be going too far? *

There's also a session where speakers talk frankly about the failure of some partnerships - and show you how to avoid making fatal errors!

In the opening keynote session of the conference, Robert Napier, CEO of WWF-UK and a senior representative of HSBC will discuss why the partnership they have developed is working for both their organisations.

Following on from this, David Threlfall, CEO of npower and Greenpeace UK, Executive Director, Stephen Tindale will make a keynote presentation on what the risks for both sides are in engagement and what they've gained from working together.

Just a few of the over 200 participants who've already registered for the event:

DHL* IFRC * Unilever * Marine Stewardship Council * WWF * Oxfam * UNESCO * Timberland * UNIDO *Cadbury Schweppes * Exxon mobile * Nike * Vodafone * Fauna and Flora * RWE Thames Water * Care International * Repsol * Codespa Foundation * H&M * Nike * European Trade Union Federation of Textiles, Clothing and Leather * Inditex * IPEDEPH * Royal Bank of Scotland * Princes' Trust * International Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility * Camelot Group plc * Global Action Plan * Rio Tinto * Earthwatch * Marks & Spencer * Ethical Training Initiative * Shell International * Institute of Public Affairs * Unilever * Forum for the Future * SustainAbility Ltd * Ashridge Centre for business and Society * Asia Pulp & Paper * Gap Inc * BASF * Christian Aid * Chiquita * Collaborative for Development Action * Good Business * Fundación Lealtad * German Technical Co-operation Agency * Social Accountability International...

Attendees wishing to come should register their place NOW before the event sells out!

More details on the topics, speakers and agenda for the conference are available online at www.ethicalcorp.com/engagement

For more information please contact: