When the voluntary sector meets business: the Stuttgart Market Place

Introduction

As third sector organisations find it more and more difficult to get public sector funding, corporate social responsibility is becoming an issue again. However, what Reinhold Halder practices in Stuttgart is a lot more innovative than just persuading business ‘to do good’: The Stuttgart Market Place provides voluntary organisations and private firms with a platform, where for two hours they can match the supply and demand of ‘socially responsible opportunities’ - companies can find ways of demonstrating their social responsibilities, while voluntary organisations can get access to resources. It’s a simple idea but, as the case study shows, success depends on careful preparation of the event through a multi-stakeholder group from different sectors. The results speak for themselves – find out how you can do this in your own local area...