| WHAT WE DO |
We work with organisations in sustainable development to advance meaningful change through clarity of purpose.
Our 150 clients have included NGOs, UN, corporates, foundations, think tanks, donors, and multi-stakeholder initiatives. Want to see WHAT DEFINES US? Scroll down to see how we co-create with our clients through three areas of work.
meaningful ENGAGEMENT
monitor + measure
partnerships THAT MATTER
| making sense + strategy |
We spend as much time sense-making as strategy-setting: facts and common sense are part-and-parcel of visions and dreams. Our ideal strategy is an inclusive and authentic process that draws its meaning and utility from bringing together the right stakeholders, in the right conversations. Tools don't make the strategist- but we do bring the right tools for the job. A snapshot of some of our favourite clients and projects:
scale an operationally grounded catalyst
We worked with the ICI Board, Secretariat and stakeholders from the shaping to the adoption of Strategy 2015- 2020. Having beaten their 2020 targets by 2017, now working with them on a structured mid-term review of their progress. Also suppported ICI in its multi-stakeholder events, showcasing the organization's contributions, enabling a space for constructive dialogue and in exploring, ‘Emerging priorities for the tackling child labour in cocoa: where do we want to be in 2018?’
re-pioneer the fight against child labour
Supported JTI in their social programs portfolio in line with their sustainability approach Unpacked the impacts of their social and environmental investments and fed into strategic thinking on how to scale up it efforts with streamlined intervention models. Specific focus on their work in eliminating CL in their vertically-integrated tobacco growing efforts through the ARISE program Contribution included field research and stakeholder engagement, and provision of strategic and programmatic advice in the re-development of a program strategy that explicitly embraces the Ruggie Principles and the commitment to ‘know and show’ their respect for human and child rights.
imagine a different corporate engagement journey
Developed a think piece situating the WV five-year global campaign to end violence against children against the sustainability commitments and reporting of corporate actors. Through research and stakeholder engagement, specifically explored how the campaign would need to strategically adapt to attract deeper corporate engagement, drawing lessons from the work of other actors operating in the child rights space and laying out indications the resourcing, capacities, challenges and opportunities for WV.
real conversations
foster ideation
visionary strategy
| meaningful stakeholder engagement |
Engagement is an opportunity for a new conversation- and not the time to re-send the SurveyMonkey from last year. With our network of Certified Professional Facilitators (CPF), we co-design fair and open engagement processes and act as genuine stewards of stakeholder ideas and conversations. We have done a LOT of this work- here are a few samples:
standard for the aid sector
Chief Process Architect of the global consultation, development, piloting and finalisation of the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS). Design, facilitation and leadership of a transparent consultation and validation process to refine and adapt a coherent standards architecture promoting greater clarity and harmonisation of standards across the humanitarian sector. Ensured a participative commenting process with appropriate governance, executive, technical and stakeholder levels of validation and testing. Through facilitated events and systems, ensured the global contribution of almost 1000 relevant stakeholders including host governments, donor institutions, international, national and local humanitarian actors, aid recipients and the general public.
alignment post-paris Agreement
Lead designer and facilitator for an all staff retreat of the Sustainable Development Mechanisms (SDM) Programme of the UNFCCC Held just after the Paris Agreement, we provided a process to co-develop a shared vision of the future, collectively focus on the changes that the programme is facing and exploring how to foster greater collaboration. Iterative process connected a team of 100 staff through three distinct workshops with senior management team, middle managers and then all staff.
'fit for purpose'
Facilitation and accompaniment of the Secretary General, the SMT and all staff in defining future parameters for the future of the Ramsar Secretariat using the Business Model Canvas in order to surface alignment in how form will follow function and in defining a shared Value Proposition. Follow-on retreats focused on reviewing progress against intended results, co-development of a revised framework for Secretariat annual/triennial plans and in reinforcing the Value Proposition. A further CEO-level meeting of the Secretariat and the Convention's International Organisation Partners (IOPs) critically reviewed their collaboration and co-developed shared initiatives that will reinforce their strategic partnership moving forward.
find alignment
illustrate results
overcome obstacles
| measure + report impacts |
Impacts- development, economic, environmental and social- are more than just an annual report. We work to empower decision-makers with practicable insights, in maximising their current and future return on investment and in identifying opportunities for innovation and growth.
structuring institutional partnerships
This was a strategic evaluation of the SDC/Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs annual contribution of 80m CHF to the ICRC headquarters, assessing how the contribution is used and the extent to which the objectives of the contribution were achieved. Included assessment of structural, process and management dimensions being transformed by the funding partner, in light of significant growth of operations. Challenged a long-standing relationship and the lack of clarity on how the organizations support or strengthen one another through this non-earmarked funding partnership.
measuring social impact in disaster aid
This was a behemoth of an evaluation: we used Social Return on Investment (SROI) methodology to measure the impact of the Rental Support Cash Programme. We assessed the socio-economic impact of six humanitarian agencies that provided rental subsidies to more than 14’000 families that were still living in camps. It worked! Not a single family returned, all had found or maintained their accommodation- and the programme provided $1.80 in social return for every $1 spent. The evidence was able to illustrate how to increase their impact/ROI for successive phases of the programme- and how landlords were actively using their earnings to develop more rental space.
champion csr impact
We worked on behalf of the Government of Malaysia’s strategic investment fund, Khazanah Nasional. Provided Social Return on Investment (SROI) training and coaching to Government Linked Companies (GLCs) and civil society organizations involved in the 10-year GLC Transformation Program and their specific CSR/CR commitments outlined in the Silver Book. Participants showcased their CR contribution using SROI for Open Day 2015 celebrating the 10-year Transformation GLC Programme.
150
Projects
40
Countries
50+
Sectors
1000’s
Stakeholders