Business Partnerships Platform
Engaging the private sector is a key approach by the Australian Government to support economic growth, incomes and jobs.
The Business Partnerships Platform (BPP) is DFAT's principal program contributing directly to accelerating Australia's collaboration with business to address development challenges in our region.
Responding to COVID-19
The COVID-19 global pandemic is currently the over-riding challenge for the Indo-Pacific region with impacts being felt across countries and economies, including for business.
The BPP's COVID-19 Recovery Partnerships support the expansion of inclusive business practices to build more resilient economies and will help businesses to create livelihood opportunities, enhance gender equality and support green and resilient economic recovery.
Call for COVID-19 Recovery Partnerships now open:
- Samoa – closed 12 October 2020
- Sri Lanka – closed 4 November 2020
- Regional (Bangladesh, Nepal, the Philippines, Timor Leste, Tonga) – closed 4 November 2020
- Fiji call – closed 8 December 2020
Receive matched funding
The BPP matches funding from business for initiatives that deliver commercial outcomes while:
- Advancing Australia's development investment priorities
- Allowing DFAT to increase the number of its private sector partners
- Leveraging the experience and ability of business to address intractable development challenges.
Benefit from DFAT's expertise and experience
The BPP enables businesses to invest in initiatives in developing countries that deliver both a social and commercial return by enabling them to benefit from DFAT's:
- Convening, brokering and influencing abilities in partner countries
- Deep knowledge of the business, political and regulatory environment in the developing countries where Australia's aid program operates
- Support in creating a more attractive business operating environment through our broader policy reform and governance programs.
Achieve shared priorities
Partnerships through the BPP will create scalable partnerships that achieve shared priorities by advancing economic and social conditions in developing countries, based around three principles:
- Development
DFAT country, regional or global development objectives achieved. - Partnership
Increase in number of businesses partnering with Australia’s development program. - Business
Partners' commercial interests and social impact advanced.
BPP partnerships are primarily being created in one or more of the following ways:
- Creating new products and services for existing or new markets which better serve the needs of consumers and communities
- Improving the productivity, inclusivity, or sustainability of value chains
- Supporting the adoption of inclusive business practices at scale.
Businesses partnering with DFAT under the BPP may assist the Australian Government to meet development program objectives through:
- Business insights and ideas to tackle the unprecedented challenges of COVID-19 recovery
- Private sector efficiencies, innovation and ingenuity
- Finance to leverage development program funding to achieve greater impact at scale.
BPP partnerships require partners to invest resources and capital alongside DFAT in pursuit of the BPP and partnership goals.
For information on all our BPP partnerships, please visit the BPP webpage.
Related information
More information on Australia's development program, including its engagement with the private sector, can be found at: