Plastic Reboot shares lessons learned from private sector integration at the first GEF IP Forum - Plastic Reboot
Plastic Reboot shares lessons learned from private sector integration at the first GEF IP Forum
In April 2026, Plastic Reboot proudly joined the first Global Forum for the GEF Integrated Program in Nairobi, Kenya to learn from and share knowledge with other Integrated Programs.
While on site at the forum, Plastic Reboot co-led a knowledge café focused on how Integrated Programs can operationalize private sector engagement to deliver tangible, durable environmental outcomes.
The session emphasized practical design principles, governance arrangements, and implementation approaches that align sustainability objectives with market incentives and can be scaled across commodity landscapes.
Matthew Reddy, Senior Private Sector Specialist of the GEF Secretariat, kicked off the session with an overview of private sector engagement in IPs – emphasizing the importance of collaboration and the power of building on established platforms.
The Plastic Reboot Global Project team then shared early lessons learned from structuring and governing private sector engagement from the onset of program design. For example, the team shared that when engaging with the private sector, momentum truly matters; early co-creation with companies can thus help accelerate participation, adoption and sustainability.
The session ultimately concluded with the following advice:
Private sector engagement should not be looked at as an ‘add-on’ but rather should be integrated into the heart of the program design for best success.