Kerian McManus, VP, Development at DynCorp International, participated in the first-ever Society for International Development (SID) Washington Chapter’s Private Sector Development Workgroup meeting, held Friday, January 20, 2012.

McManus serves as co-chair with Kristi Ragan, Chief of Party for USAID Grand Challenges Project, Development Alternatives, Inc. (DAI).  The workgroup hosted a planning meeting to discuss the upcoming year. McManus and Ragan led a discussion to develop and identify an accurate workgroup name, mission statement and description, exact functions of the workgroup, desired outcomes from workgroup participation and other key figures in the development area that should be engaged and participate.

The workgroup’s goal is to help evolve the discussion from Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to (1) the role of private sector in development, (2) partnerships that are more robust, and (3) bringing in non-traditional actors to international development.  The mission statement, which is under review, states the following:

This group will serve as a forum for discussion and exchange of information, solutions, innovation, models  on new directions that highlight the up and down side of private sector led development that looks at corporate responsibility including broader public private partnerships, supply chain management, global standards, accessing new markets, workforce development, impact investment and finance and community engagement. Through periodic seminars and other approaches including video, social networking, workshops the workgroup hopes to bring new thinkers, organizations and companies together to profile new models for development.  By sharing best and worst practices the workgroup hopes to build an expanded network of Washington, D.C.-based professionals.

SID Workgroups

One of the ways in which SID-Washington achieves its mission as a forum for the development community is through regional and topical workgroups.  Regional and topical workgroups, the true foundation of the SID-Washington Chapter, convene monthly allowing development practitioners to informally exchange ideas.

About SID-Washington

SID-Washington is the largest and most active chapter of the Society for International Development (SID), a not-for-profit founded in 1957 and headquartered in Rome. SID is a global forum of individuals and institutions concerned with sustainable economic, social and political development.  Today, SID has over 3,000 members in 80 countries and over 45 local chapters worldwide.