Radical Collaboration at SAN: Partnering for Outcomes and Impacts

Radical collaboration is the heartbeat of SAN. It’s how we unite diverse voices to transform agriculture at scale—turning differences into strengths, challenges into opportunities, and ideas into innovations that restore ecosystems and improve livelihoods.

What follows is a story about how collaboration feels when you work with SAN. It’s less a checklist and more a way of moving together—clear on purpose, generous with knowledge, and honest about trade‑offs real change requires.

Why Radical Collaboration—and Why Now

The climate crisis, biodiversity loss, and persistent inequities don’t fit neatly within the borders of a single country, sector, or institution. Transforming agriculture is a systems challenge, and systems challenges reward organizations that think together, act together, and learn together. Radical collaboration is SAN’s way of converting the scale of our global Network into the scale of our impact. It helps us move faster where speed matters, make wiser trade‑offs where choices are complex, and strengthen credibility with the communities we serve.

Our Shared Definition

At SAN, radical collaboration rests on four living commitments. We start with respect, which for us is the discipline of listening closely and seeking what’s true in perspectives that challenge our own. We build trust by doing what we say, sharing evidence of progress, and surfacing risks before they become surprises. We practice open communication by being clear about decisions, commitments, and learning—and by putting that clarity in places where others can build on it. And we hold shared accountability, making roles and responsibilities explicit so outcomes are jointly owned, transparently stewarded, and fairly credited.

These aren’t slogans. They are standards for daily behavior—how we show up in meetings, make decisions, navigate conflict, and share knowledge.

What Radical Collaboration Looks Like in Practice

Imagine the start of a new partnership. Before the first workshop, we clarify why we’re meeting and what will change because of it. If the goal is to decide, we name who decides, who contributes, and how dissent will be honored before commitment is asked. If the goal is to create, we invite the people who will live with the consequences from the beginning.

When we convene, the tone is curious and practical. Naïve questions are welcome. First drafts are expected. We test ideas in public because psychological safety isn’t indulgent—it’s the precondition for surfacing risks, disagreeing productively, and innovating without apology.

As choices come into view, we aim for decisions that are both timely and visibly fair. The person or team with accountability is clear. Relevant perspectives are consulted. Criteria are named, trade‑offs are explicit, and the reasoning is documented so even those not in the room can see themselves in the process.

When friction appears—as it should in meaningful work—we treat it as data, not a threat. We name tensions early, stay with the substance over story, and, when it’s time to move, we disagree and commit so teams can execute.

Learning is the through‑line. We prefer small experiments with big learning. After‑action reviews focus on choices, consequences, and surprises—not culprits. Knowledge at SAN is a commons: methods, tools, and results are documented so others can adapt them to their context. Across our Network, we intentionally weave connections among Members, regions, and partners so ideas, skills, and resources circulate—and solutions scale.

What This Means for You (Members, Partners, Funders, and Allies)

If you work with SAN, you’ll notice a rhythm. We begin with clarity—who decides, who contributes, and how we’ll handle dissent—because speed and fairness both matter. Co‑design starts early; those closest to the work, especially communities who will feel the outcomes, help shape the approach. As we make decisions, you’ll see the criteria and the rationale. We invite you to challenge our assumptions and strengthen the logic. When disagreements arise, we stay with the problem, not the people, and we move forward together once the choice is made. Throughout, we document what we’re learning and make it reusable. We welcome co‑authored case studies, data sharing where possible, and fair credit for contributions. And we ask funders to back learning—not only success stories.

Signals We Look For

We know radical collaboration is taking root when people can explain not only what we are doing, but why—and how their contribution connects. Decisions feel timely and fair, even when a preferred option isn’t chosen, because the reasoning is visible. Teams reuse each other’s work instead of reinventing it. Partners describe their experience with SAN as co‑authoring solutions, not receiving support. And in the hardest trade‑offs, we disagree well and keep moving. These human signals are precursors to hard metrics: shorter cycle times, fewer rework loops, better experiences for Members and communities, and more resilient outcomes in the field.

Where We’re Still Growing

We’re proud of our shared sense of purpose—it’s the strongest signal our teams named. We also see clear growth edges. We want equity and reciprocity to be even more visible in decisions and partnerships. We’re sharpening role clarity and governance so accountability is crisp and genuinely shared. And we’re investing in the collective skill of constructive conflict, because courageous conversations are how ambitious work gets better. We read these not as weaknesses but as signposts for the culture we’re building together.

Leadership Behaviors We Model

Radical collaboration doesn’t require heavy processes. It requires everyday habits. We name the decision or learning we seek at the start of meetings. We document commitments where everyone can see them—and revisit them as shared responsibilities. We practice curiosity before advocacy, showing how dissent strengthens decisions. And we narrate our work in the open so others can join, adapt, and amplify it. Over time, these habits create the rhythm that keeps our culture alive, ambitious, and adaptive.

An Invitation

Radical collaboration isn’t a finish line—it’s the way we travel. If you’re a practitioner, funder, company, government agency, or community organization committed to equitable and regenerative agriculture, we invite you to work with SAN. Bring your perspective, your questions, and your constraints. Help us co‑create solutions that heal agriculture, nourish communities, and restore ecosystems.

Let’s think together, act together, and learn together—so we can transform together.