How can you negotiate a partnership agreement that promotes social justice?

1 Define your vision and mission

Before you enter into any partnership negotiation, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve and why. What is your vision for the social impact of your partnership? What is your mission statement that guides your actions and decisions? How do your vision and mission align with those of your potential partner? Having a shared vision and mission can help you establish common ground and trust with your partner. It can also help you avoid conflicts and misunderstandings later on.

2 Identify your strengths and needs

Another important step in preparing for a partnership negotiation is to assess your strengths and needs as an organization or individual. What are your core competencies, skills, and resources that you can offer to your partner? What are your gaps, challenges, and areas of improvement that you need support from your partner? How can you leverage your strengths and address your needs in a mutually beneficial way? By identifying your strengths and needs, you can communicate your value proposition and expectations to your partner more effectively.

3 Research your partner and context

Before you meet with your potential partner, you should do some research on their background, culture, and context. What are their values, goals, and interests? What are their challenges, opportunities, and constraints? How do they operate and communicate? What are the social justice issues and trends that affect them and their stakeholders? By researching your partner and context, you can gain a deeper understanding of their perspective and needs. You can also identify potential areas of synergy and alignment, as well as potential risks and barriers.

5 Incorporate social justice principles

As you negotiate the terms and conditions of your partnership agreement, you should incorporate social justice principles into your decision-making process. These ethical guidelines can inform your actions and behaviors in relation to social justice, such as participation, accountability, transparency, equity, inclusion, and empowerment. For example, participation means ensuring that all relevant stakeholders have a voice and role in the partnership while equity ensures that the benefits and costs of the partnership are distributed fairly. By incorporating social justice principles into your agreement, you can demonstrate your commitment and credibility to your partner and other stakeholders while also enhancing the quality and impact of your partnership.

6 Review and revise your agreement

The last step in negotiating a partnership agreement is to review and revise your agreement as needed. You should not sign an agreement that you are not comfortable or satisfied with. You should also not assume that the agreement is final and fixed. You should review your agreement periodically and make adjustments based on the changing needs, interests, and circumstances of both parties. You should also monitor and evaluate the performance and impact of your partnership and provide feedback and recognition to your partner. By reviewing and revising your agreement, you can ensure that your partnership remains relevant, effective, and aligned with your social justice vision and mission.