For many private sector actors, especially micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), it remains challenging to understand how the impacts of climate change may influence their business profitability and continuity over time, and how they can manage climate risks. This working paper explores how governments and development co-operation providers can further engage with the private sector to address these challenges and strengthen its resilience to the negative impacts of climate change. The paper focuses on different roles of the private sector in strengthening climate resilience. It then examines how governments and development co-operation can foster such roles through enhancing domestic institutions and networks, policy frameworks, climate and weather data and information, and financing mechanisms. The proposed actions draw from the experiences of three case studies: Guatemala, the Philippines and Senegal.