We are living in a historic moment where companies can no longer operate with their backs turned to major social and environmental challenges. Faced with the climate emergency, growing inequalities and the exhaustion of extractive models, the economy of purpose is emerging as a new way of understanding the role of organizations. This paradigm proposes that economic growth cannot be separated from collective well-being and the regeneration of the planet. But this change cannot happen alone: alliances between corporations, social organizations and institutions are essential to achieve a real, deep and scalable impact.
The power of adding looks
When a company allies with an NGO or an international agency, something transformative happens: different worlds that have much to contribute to each other are connected. Social organizations understand the territory, know how to intervene, and have direct experience with people. Companies bring scalability, innovation, resources and influence capacity. And when a public or multilateral institution joins in, an ecosystem with transformative potential is generated.
These alliances allow a systemic approach to the challenges, avoiding isolated or punctual solutions. It is a matter of building shared responses, sustained over time and with local adaptability. The logic is no longer “helping others” but “transforming ourselves together”.
A value that multiplies
For companies, these partnerships are not only about meeting ESG criteria (environmental, social and governance). They represent a long-term strategy. Far from being a cost, collaborating becomes a competitive advantage: it enhances reputation, builds customer loyalty, attracts young and committed talent, reduces operational risks and strengthens the relationship with the communities where they operate. It also opens up new inclusive markets, drives innovation and responds to a growing demand from investors seeking positive impact.
For society, the benefit is clear: better financed, more visible projects with greater impact and sustainability over time. Collaboration makes it possible to scale solutions that work, adapt responses to each context and move more quickly towards a just ecological and social transition.
A critical moment: less funding, more partnerships
In this scenario, the recent decision of the U.S. government to drastically reduce its Official Development Assistance (ODA) funds is a matter of deep concern. This withdrawal implies a cut of billions of dollars earmarked for essential programs in health, education, food security and climate action in the world’s most vulnerable countries. The impact is devastating: humanitarian organizations without resources to operate, projects paralyzed, entire communities unprotected in the face of worsening crises.
ODA is one of the most important tools that rich countries have to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Its weakening puts at risk not only human lives, but also global stability and the progress achieved in recent decades. In this context, partnerships between business and civil society are not an option: they are an urgent necessity. If the States retreat, the private sector must step forward, not out of charity, but out of the conviction that its prosperity is linked to the well-being of the whole.
The time to act is now
Collaboration is no longer a trend, it is a condition for survival. Meaningful alliances not only transform communities: they also transform organizations. It is time to understand that the economy of purpose is not built on speeches, but on the courageous decisions we make today. The withdrawal of ODA funds by major powers is a wake-up call, but also an opportunity: to demonstrate that, by joining forces, the private sector and civil society can sustain the momentum towards a fairer, greener and more humane world.