Paragon, a Unilever initiated partnership, and GRBN join forces
17 January 2017

Paragon, a Unilever initiated partnership, and GRBN join forces to create a global database of research companies willing to help Governments, Academics and NGO’s tackle the UN Global Goals

Paragon Partnerships and The Global Research Business Network (GRBN) today announced in conjunction with Unilever and other global companies as their members, a joint initiative aimed at enabling Governments, Academics, UN and NGO’s around the world, which are working to tackle the 17-point plan of the UN Global Goals - end poverty, combat climate change, and fight injustice and inequality around the world - to connect with market, opinion and social research companies, which are committed to helping by providing access to quality data and insights on the issues that the world is facing.

GRBN has created a form on its news website, where people working for research companies, either as individuals or as representatives of their companies, can sign-up and express their willingness to help solve these global issues and indicate the resources they are willing and able to donate to assist Governments, Academics, UN and NGO’s in order to do so.

Governments, Academics, UN and NGO’s will then be able to easily tap into this pool of resources so that they can get the data and insights they need, when they need them. As part of its 100-day challenge initiative, GRBN will be encouraging as many of its 3500 plus corporate members as possible to sign-up during the first quarter of 2017 and in this way to show their commitment to giving something back to society.

Dilek Ozler, Senior CMI Manager at Unilever, commented: ”Humanity has a hard task in front of it to bring Sustainable Development to our world. And the to-do-list for the planet will only be achieved if everyone plays their part, and work together. Individually, no single body, government or business will be able to find solutions to address these challenges. Our only hope is to work in partnerships. And that is why the partnership between Paragon and GRBN is so important. This is going to open up a new venue for market research agencies all around the world to contribute to this noble cause. And that makes me so proud of the industry I belong to. I encourage all agencies to join this effort and contribute as much as they can.”

Andrew Cannon, Executive Director at GRBN, said: “We are extremely proud to be able to support this fantastic Paragon Partnerships initiative and to use our reach into the global research industry though our 45 national association members. We are confident that the research industry will step up to the challenge and dedicate resources to tackling these serious issues for the benefit of people needing help.” 

Jane Frost CBE, CEO of the Market Research Society (MRS) – GRBN’s partner in Britain – said: “This initiative was launched at the MRS Annual Conference, IMPACT 2016 and we are delighted to support this initiative. It’s great to see organisations coming together to tackle the big issues facing the world today. The research and insight sector has so much to offer in enabling understanding, and it’s only once we truly understand our problems that we can begin to create innovative solutions.”