It has become fashionable in recent years to dismiss the United Nations as a bureaucratic institution resistant to innovation and change. Yet, the degree of experimentation and organizational change that can be observed in the context of United Nations partnerships with business and civil society tells a different story. Partnerships can be defined as voluntary and collaborative relationships, in which all actors agree to work together to achieve a common purpose or undertake a specific task and to share risks and responsibilities, resources and benefits.

Partnerships have allowed the United Nations to become increasingly creative and sophisticated in its attempts to leverage the skills and resources of non-governmental actors toward the goals of the Organization. In fact, partnerships have become a catalyst for reform and institutional innovation across the entire United Nations system.

Business UNusual explores best practice, conceptual advancements, and lessons learned from the partnership agenda. A survey of more than 120 Global Compact participants and numerous interviews with leaders and practitioners from business, civil society, and the United Nations reveal that the world organization has made significant progress in advancing its partnership efforts. Fifteen case studies illustrate pioneering partnerships, including the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, Stop TB, Health in Your Hands, the Global Reporting Initiative, First on the Ground, Financing for Development, the Shea Butter Production Initiative, and disaster relief projects that emerged after the devastating tsunami in late 2004.