The Think 20 (T20) process: Good Practices

The Think 20 (T20) is a network of research institutes and think tanks from G20 countries. It is one of the seven Engagement Groups (alongside the Business 20, Civil 20, Labour 20, Women 20, Science 20 and Youth 20) that support the G20 process.

Since its creation in 2012, the T20 has comprised think tanks that are able to develop sound policy recommendations for governments, assess G20 policies and plans, and monitor their implementation and results – contributing to a broader vision that in turn guides the G20 policy making process. The T20 must demonstrate that technical knowledge is at the service of the world’s population and countries’ growth and development. It is our job to think, to produce evidence, and to look for new solutions in order to achieve an economically prosperous, environmentally sustainable and socially inclusive future.

The T20 community has expanded widely in recent years. Although there is still work to be done in terms of network growth and widening its geographical representation, the current structure is strong in terms of expertise. It is quite representative of G20 countries and has managed to create an atmosphere of respect, trust and scholarship among its members. Below is a set of guiding principles that members of the T20 community believe will help foster its growth in terms of representation, relevance and incidence. The principles are lessons learned that the T20 Argentina wishes to share with future T20 Chairs.

It is a living document that should be updated and modified as the T20 community continues to grow and recognizes futher best practices.

Overarching Principles: Representativeness and Diversity

The T20 is representative and diverse by nature. As with the G20, it is home to 66% of the world´s population, accounts for 85% of global production, and takes part in 75% of international trade. Its representativeness and value also derive from the diversity of its members. We recommend that these principles be respected throughout all T20 governing bodies as well as in any T20 event.

  • Gender balance in the selection of Task Force co-chairs, Advisory Board and Steering Committee members, experts/ authors involved in the drafting of Policy Briefs, and in panel composition.
  • Geographical balance, including all regions (Europe and North America, Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa, and Asia and the Pacific).
  • Socioeconomic balance with adequate representation from both developing and developed countries.

How the T20 works: Task Forces around strategic topics

Topics are developed by Task Forces, which provide a platform to discuss matters of relevance and allow for free exchange of evidence-based views and opinions in order to develop strategic and policy recommendations for G20 leaders.

Types of Task Forces. The work of the T20 is organized around two sets of topics:

(1) “policy-driven topics” arising from the themes identified as priorities by each G20 Presidency, and

(2) “think-tank-driven topics” initiated by think tanks, independently of each Presidency’s current focus areas. These are core to the T20 process and their nature is highly linked to the G20 work streams.

* The organization of T20 experts around different Task Forces should not prevent collaboration among crosscutting topics.

Number of Task Forces. To maintain certain practicality, we recommend to have no more than ten (10) Task Forces.

Role of Task Force co–chairs. Task Forces are led by a group of co-chairs who are experts on the TF topic. The Chairs, in consultation with their members, determine the working arrangements of each Task Force: definition of the work agenda, arrangement of workshops, and outreach oversight to policy makers, external researchers and interested parties. The Chairs will work with the other G20 work streams to identify research questions and timeframes, and to ensure that the recommendations will be considered by the policy makers. We recommend that co-chairs actively participate in the organization of panels and sessions of the topics they lead in the T20 Summit.

Composition of Task Force co-chairs. It is very important that at least one of the Task Forces co-chairs is from the country that presides the G20/ T20 process that year, as she/he will have to be in touch with the authorities that lead the G20 process during the year. It is highly recommendable that, added to the gender, geographical and socioeconomic principle, co-chairs of each Task Force are selected considering:

  • Continuity. It is recommendable to maintain some of the co-chairs from previous years that have already been involved in the T20 process. This guarantees building-up on the work done, facilitates knowledge transmission of and strengthens the T20 community. The ideal form to follow this principle would be having co-chairs from the G20 Troika, but this seems difficult given the heterogeneous involvement and capacities of think tanks from G20 countries.
  • Avoid capture. To avoid the T20 becoming a closed club of think tanks, we encourage the rotation of co-chairs within Task Forces.

Task force members. The T20 process is an open process and there should be in principle no reason to restrict the participation of an expert from a think tank of a G20 country as member of a task force. Experts become Task Force members by invitation from co-chairs or by their own initiative by demonstrating willingness to participate in any given task force. Task Force members are expected to engage actively in the discussions and the preparation of drafts, drawing on their research experience. Given that diversity is one of T20 and G20´s strengths and plays a central role, experts should include stakeholders from the academia, public and private sector, international organizations as well as universities and civil society from both G20 and non-G20 countries.

T20 Documents

  • Policy Briefs. T20 Task Forces will produce Policy Briefs with policy recommendations. Policy Briefs aim to support G20 policy making, to inform the global public on policy options for the G20 to address global challenges and to facilitate policy advocacy. Policy Briefs should state the underlying policy challenge, and include profoundly argued, concrete and implementable policy recommendations. To strengthen the quality and policy relevance of the recommendations, Policy Briefs should be subject to a peer review process. The process should be fast enough to facilitate policy advocacy and to ensure that the recommendations are shared with policymakers in due time.
  • Communiqué. Chairs from the organizing country should prepare a final document, with the main policy recommendations that come out from T20 process each year. T20 chairs will define its structure and the policy recommendations that will be presented to G20 leaders. Policy Briefs are a key input to write the Communiqué but T20 chairs are free to present their vision and policy priorities in this final document.
  • Other publications. The T20 community can produce and disseminate their work through Op-eds, a blog, videos, podcasts and other multimedia channels or via Joint Statements with other G20 Engagement Groups to respond to ongoing global changes.

Policy Advocacy, Work Dynamics and T20 events

To strengthen the role of the T20 within the G20 process it is important to:

  • Seek contact with the relevant policy makers in G20 circles to promote the policy recommendations elaborated by T20;
  • Collaborate with other Engagement Groups (Business 20, Civil 20, Labor 20, Science 20, Women 20, Youth 20), G20 Working Groups and representatives, and other relevant groups;
  • Plan your work taking into account G20 Working Groups, Sherpa and Finance track meetings, as well as priorities;
  • Organize T20 Associated Events to discuss, elaborate and disseminate T20 policy recommendations in different countries. Unlike T20 official events (Inception Workshop and Summit), Associated Events are organized –both logistically and financially- by individuals, think tanks or organizations within the T20 community. The role of T20 chairs is to provide institutional and communicational support to the event via use of logos, dissemination through social networks, etc.
  • Develop a communication strategy to disseminate T20 Policy Recommendations to the media and the wider audience;

Governance Structure

T20 Chairs are those institutions that are mandated by the G20 Presidency to preside over the T20 process and conduct its daily affairs during the annual mandate. They coordinate the whole T20 process by leading its bodies of government, making decisions relating to the T20, defining topics and Task Forces, and representing the T20 in various events around the world.

T20 Advisory Board. A group of high-level international experts that serve consultative purposes regarding policy and content related issues, media strategy, and funding and public relations. The Board also provides advice on the final publication of the T20 Communiqué, as well as making sure the T20 process and its outputs become visible in the public discussion and in reaching G20 officials and other relevant stakeholders, such as the Eminent Persons Group.

T20 Steering Committee. A group of local experts that provides guidance on key issues such as policy, objectives and resource allocation. It also enhances regional and international links and helps improve the overall quality of T20 projects. We recommend that the T20 team meets with the Steering Committee every six weeks.

T20 Team. The T20 Chairs have collaboration from three internal teams:

  • Institutional Development team, responsible for the partnerships and alliances, external relations, the fundraising strategy and project management.
  • Policy and Research team, responsible for the content design and the general supervision of Task Forces.
  • Communications and Media team, responsible for the design and use of the T20 website, blog and social networks, the website as well as responsible for positioning the T20 in local and international media, plus the overall communication strategy.

Institutional Development

Each T20 Presidency is responsible for looking into potential partners, building alliances and looking into fundraising opportunities. We recommend you pay special attention to:

  • The private sector´s role. Given our experience, it is best that companies that support the T20 process do so as Sponsors via in kind donations in exchange for brand visibility during T20 official events (merchandising, digital and printed material, etc.) and the T20 website and networks (logos). This is to ensure independence, such as freedom in the setting up of sessions and/or inviting panelists for the different T20 official events and, especially, in making sure that both Policy Briefs are written and the T20 process is led by think tanks and university research centers.
  • Seek for Knowledge Partners whose contribution is focused on content development and experts for panels –among others.
  • It is essential to establish basic guidelines as to the role and input of partners and sponsors during each Presidency. For example, if international organizations want to contribute to the production of Policy Briefs, this might need to be done in collaboration with other think tanks to ensure the process remains a collaborative one.

 Communications & Media

Developing a communication strategy to disseminate the T20´s work to a wider audience is essential for the group´s success and intended impact. To this end:

  • We strongly encourage that T20 official social network accounts (Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn) be handed over to each Presidency to help maintain and grow in audience and outreach efforts. These accounts are a great way to disseminate official and associated events, communicate Policy Briefs, Joint Statements and other important documents, and support the work of Task Forces and other members of the T20 community.
  • The official T20 website –which will be created and managed by each Presidency –should include Policy Briefs, an event calendar and relevant news to help advance (and broadcast) the work of the T20. We recommend a Blog or Op-ed section where Task Force members can generate additional content (other than Policy Briefs) in a faster and less structured manner in order to respond to the ongoing changes in global politics, economics and other development matters.
  • Continue supporting the G20 Insights Platform, which was developed during the T20 German Presidency. The platform summarizes major concrete, implementable policy recommendations from the T20. It associates recommendations with existing commitments and agreements, as well as related literature, and contains major visions to guide the policy making process. This Platform serves as a digital registry of all previous Policy Briefs.

Click here to download The Think 20 (T20) process: Good Practices.