All of CANARI’s partnerships are guided by the following key principles:
- Shared vision and values: CANARI and its partner(s) must have a common vision of what they seek to achieve together. The collaborating partner(s) must also have deep respect for CANARI’s core values as well as a strong commitment to its own core values, which must be well aligned with those of CANARI.
- Relevance: The partnership should support CANARI’s focus on facilitating and promoting participatory approaches to natural resource governance to conserve biodiversity, enhance ecosystem goods and services, and enhance livelihood benefits and well-being of the poor.
- Deliver mutual benefits: The partnership must be built on the current and projected niche(s) and strength(s) of each partner and add to each partner’s capacity, access to resources and/or ability to deliver results.
- Specificity: The scope of the partnership or collaboration must be specifically defined. Each partner organisation then retains the right to take independent and autonomous decisions on all matters outside these defined areas.
- Ownership, equity and trust: Collaborating organisations are considered owners and full participants in the arrangement. All decisions regarding partnerships will be taken collectively and on the basis of consensus. Partners must respect CANARI’s autonomy, independence and right to advocate on issues.
- Effective governance: Mechanisms will be put in place to facilitate joint decision-making and to avoid and resolve disputes. These mechanisms will be transparent, accountable and participatory to reinforce trust and ownership.
- Risk management: The partnership should not put either CANARI or its partner(s) at any fiduciary or reputational risk that cannot be managed within the partnership arrangements.
- Learning and continuous improvement: Mechanisms will be put in place for ongoing and collaborative monitoring and evaluation of the partnership process, the costs and risks entailed, the results delivered, and the lessons learned.