Since I have started at FleishmanHillard, I have always viewed the organization as a global problem-solving platform. With its deep global network and diverse portfolio of clients—including NGOs, foundations, corporations and governments, FleishmanHillard has been able to convene clients to “do good and do well.” In the Washington, D.C. office, our team has strived to work with colleagues around the world to create partnerships and promote the concept of “shared value.”

We have found that building inclusive multi-sector alliances has the most impact on society. An example of this is the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves (Global Alliance). More than 3 billion people depend on food cooked over open fires or with smoke-producing traditional cookstoves. This has caused a stunning 4.3 million premature deaths annually from exposure to the toxic emissions from cooking. Women and girls are the most vulnerable facing these health and safety risks. Moreover, up to 25% of the climate pollutant black carbon are attributable to cooking smoke, while the use of wood for cooking leads to widespread deforestation and related environmental issues.

To address these issues, the Global Alliance has brought together more than 1,500 partners from public, private and non-profit sectors to create a thriving market for clean cooking solutions that will help save lives, empower women, and protect our environment. Since its inception in 2010, the Global Alliance has raised millions of dollars in investment funds for the sector, helped prioritize the issue at the highest levels of development, and enabled nearly 50 million households to gain access to cleaner, more efficient cookstoves and fuels worldwide.

A few years ago, FleishmanHillard assisted the Global Alliance in their first investment summit. The Cookstoves Future Summit attracted more than 400 leaders and influencers from across the globe. Furthermore, the event raised $413 million in grant and investment funding from across sectors to go toward building a global market for clean cooking technologies.

The Global Alliance is hosted by the UN Foundation (client)—an organization with which FleishmanHillard has had a great relationship. Last year, we supported the launch of an effort called the Mobile Hub, later named the Digital Impact Alliance (DIAL). The DIAL initiative accelerates unified efforts of governments, industries and NGOs to facilitate a more inclusive digital economy for the underserved in emerging markets.

Ultimately, no single entity or sector can solve the complex global problems we face alone. Using “our power to convene” we can better understand issues, provide tangible solutions, and help our clients communicate their goals and objectives. The FleishmanHillard platform has the ability to utilize our trusted relationships and knock down the silos to move forward on these pressing problems.