What is it about?

Alex Wong, founder of Hong Kong Bunny Rescue (HKBR), faced a decision when Century Honest Pharmaceutical (CHP) suggested a long-term partnership to develop a new business line on rabbit-specific herbal supplements. While the opportunity offered HKBR a stable revenue stream to support its mission of rabbit welfare, it raised concerns about mission drift and stakeholder trust. Past experiences had shown that corporate partnerships often prioritized profit over genuine animal welfare and led to potential skepticism among HKBR’s adopters, donors and volunteers. CHP’s initiative promised mutual benefits, but Alex needed to assess whether it aligned with HKBR’s grassroots values or risked commercializing its advocacy. The case explores the challenges of balancing financial survival with mission integrity and requires Alex to evaluate CHP’s motives, assess long-term risks and benefits as well as communicate effectively with wary stakeholders.

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Why is it important?

The case illuminates the practical and ethical complexities of corporate-NGO partnerships in pursuit of sustainability. By addressing risks such as mission drift, stakeholder trust, and power dynamics, it equips students with critical analytical tools to manage real-world dilemmas in cross-sector collaboration and sustainable organization strategy.

Perspectives

This case highlights tensions I frequently hear in discussions with NGO practitioners, specifically the struggle to balance financial sustainability with core mission values in NGO-business partnerships. These situations often involve difficult decisions about partnership alignment and reputational risk. This case is therefore a valuable tool for exploring how NGOs can remain true to their purpose while managing partners' and stakeholders' expectations.

Hoi Man Brandon Ng
Hong Kong Baptist University

Read the Original

This page is a summary of: When Corporate-NGO Partnerships Become Sustainability’s Double-Edged Sword, Journal of Critical Incidents, January 2026, Society for Case Research,
DOI: 10.69521/jci.v18i1.23.
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