PSHA
United Nations endorsed humanitarian alliance

By 2023, humanitarian needs had reached levels not seen since the Second World War, whilst the UN and its partners faced a $41 billion funding gap. The existing architecture, reformed two decades ago, had become inadequate for a world shaped by climate disruption and conflict. What was needed wasn't simply more funding; it was a fundamental shift in how the private sector could participate in humanitarian response.By 2023, humanitarian needs had reached levels not seen since the Second World War, whilst the UN and its partners faced a $41 billion funding gap. The existing architecture, reformed two decades ago, had become inadequate for a world shaped by climate disruption and conflict. What was needed wasn't simply more funding; it was a fundamental shift in how the private sector could participate in humanitarian response.

PSHA emerged from direct experience. Corporate responses to crises in Afghanistan and Ukraine revealed both the willingness of businesses to help and the practical difficulties they encountered in doing so effectively. Without a centralised platform or clear pathways for engagement, even well-intentioned efforts often struggled to find their mark.PSHA emerged from direct experience. Corporate responses to crises in Afghanistan and Ukraine revealed both the willingness of businesses to help and the practical difficulties they encountered in doing so effectively. Without a centralised platform or clear pathways for engagement, even well-intentioned efforts often struggled to find their mark.

Felix&Friends worked with the PSHA team to create a brand identity, visual system and digital presence that could speak credibly to both audiences: the humanitarian community with its established protocols and the corporate sector with its commercial imperatives. The challenge was positioning PSHA as a serious institutional presence whilst maintaining the approachability necessary for productive partnerships.Felix&Friends worked with the PSHA team to create a brand identity, visual system and digital presence that could speak credibly to both audiences: the humanitarian community with its established protocols and the corporate sector with its commercial imperatives. The challenge was positioning PSHA as a serious institutional presence whilst maintaining the approachability necessary for productive partnerships.

Featuring images from © UN OCHA
Featuring images from © UN OCHA

The brand work focused on establishing PSHA as a catalyst rather than simply another coordinating body. The organisation's strength lies in its ability to bring together corporations, UN entities and governmental bodies on a single platform, something that requires both diplomatic credibility and operational pragmatism.The brand work focused on establishing PSHA as a catalyst rather than simply another coordinating body. The organisation's strength lies in its ability to bring together corporations, UN entities and governmental bodies on a single platform, something that requires both diplomatic credibility and operational pragmatism.

The identity needed to convey this dual character, sophisticated enough for boardroom presentations yet accessible enough for rapid crisis deployment. Felix&Friends developed visual language that balanced institutional gravitas with the urgency humanitarian work demands, using imagery from UN OCHA to ground the brand in the reality of field operations.The identity needed to convey this dual character, sophisticated enough for boardroom presentations yet accessible enough for rapid crisis deployment. Felix&Friends developed visual language that balanced institutional gravitas with the urgency humanitarian work demands, using imagery from UN OCHA to ground the brand in the reality of field operations.

The website serves as PSHA's primary tool for engaging corporate partners and demonstrating practical mechanics of private sector involvement. Felix&Friends structured the site to answer the questions businesses actually ask: what are current needs, what contributions make genuine impact, and how does engagement work in practice.The website serves as PSHA's primary tool for engaging corporate partners and demonstrating practical mechanics of private sector involvement. Felix&Friends structured the site to answer the questions businesses actually ask: what are current needs, what contributions make genuine impact, and how does engagement work in practice.

Case studies from Mastercard and Google.org provide concrete examples of how corporate capabilities translate into humanitarian outcomes, from financial inclusion technology to grant programmes. These aren't philanthropic gestures; they're strategic applications of private sector expertise to public challenges.Case studies from Mastercard and Google.org provide concrete examples of how corporate capabilities translate into humanitarian outcomes, from financial inclusion technology to grant programmes. These aren't philanthropic gestures; they're strategic applications of private sector expertise to public challenges.

Beyond immediate brand and digital work, PSHA's positioning establishes it as permanent humanitarian infrastructure rather than temporary coordination. Operating from New York reflects its ambition to integrate corporate participation into the core of humanitarian response.Beyond immediate brand and digital work, PSHA's positioning establishes it as permanent humanitarian infrastructure rather than temporary coordination. Operating from New York reflects its ambition to integrate corporate participation into the core of humanitarian response.

The brand system provides tools to present consistently across contexts, from UN conferences to corporate partnerships. Brand guidelines, presentations and materials reinforce the organisation's role as credible intermediary between sectors that historically have operated in parallel.The brand system provides tools to present consistently across contexts, from UN conferences to corporate partnerships. Brand guidelines, presentations and materials reinforce the organisation's role as credible intermediary between sectors that historically have operated in parallel.

The humanitarian system's $41 billion shortfall isn't simply a funding problem; it's an architecture problem. PSHA addresses this by creating formal pathways for private sector participation, turning goodwill into structured response. The humanitarian system's $41 billion shortfall isn't simply a funding problem; it's an architecture problem. PSHA addresses this by creating formal pathways for private sector participation, turning goodwill into structured response.