Shaping the future: Our strategy for research and innovation in humanitarian response.
A global organisation that finds solutions to complex humanitarian problems through research and innovation.
We work in partnership with a global community of humanitarian actors, researchers and innovators to improve the quality of humanitarian action and deliver better outcomes for people affected by crises.
We are a leading actor in humanitarian research and innovation. We bring people together to tackle some of the most complex problems and strengthen the humanitarian system. And we support and champion robust research and proven innovations to improve humanitarian response.
We want to see the positive impact of our research and innovation in acute phases of emergencies and in complex and protracted conflict settings where it’s most needed, including work with IDP, refugee and host community populations.
We live by a clear set of values. They’re seen in our work within the humanitarian system and in how we operate and hold ourselves accountable as individuals and as an organisation and employer.
We are committed to being a truly inclusive and empathetic organisation that supports, encourages and recognises its people. We seek out and value diverse knowledge, experience and perspectives, listening to understand before we act. We believe people and communities affected by crises should be deeply involved in research and innovation processes, driving the changes they want to see.
We collaborate to bring about positive change. We build meaningful partnerships, investing in and nurturing our networks and creating space for open and honest dialogue. We understand the part we play in improving humanitarian response and we invite people to join our efforts, supporting others to lead where they are better placed to do so.
We’re a responsible and principled organisation to our core. We champion ethical approaches in humanitarian research and innovation, calling out practices that fall short and partnering only with organisations that share our commitment. We make decisions based on the best available evidence. We listen to and act on feedback, and we take accountability for our actions.
We’re always looking to develop ourselves and our work; it makes us better at what we do and more effective in what we achieve. We are evidence-led in our decisions and actions. We take on board different views and ideas that will help shape the future of humanitarian response. This appetite for learning and for discussion, reflection and recognition of achievement is engrained in our culture and our practices.
We’re ambitious in our vision for the future of humanitarian action. Positive, energetic, undaunted, we’re committed to long-term investment in research and innovation that will deliver transformative change for people affected by crises. We generate momentum, motivating others to work with us and to support the positive differences we make.
We bring people together from humanitarian, research and innovation backgrounds to deliver change in the humanitarian system. We unite around a shared goal: finding solutions to complex humanitarian challenges.
This community is made up of:
Together we: develop new approaches to big humanitarian challenges.
Together we: support strategic and coordinated investment approaches.
Together we: share learning, address collective problems, improve research and innovation practices, and build effective collaborative approaches to the most urgent humanitarian challenges.
Together we: understand priorities and needs and build partnerships for research and innovation programmes, focusing on the adoption and scaling of evidence and innovative solutions.
As a member of the international humanitarian community, we recognise the legacy of our sector and that, as an influential, UK-based organisation, we hold a position of power and privilege that others do not. We hold ourselves accountable to be part of the change that must come and to live up to our responsibilities to those affected by crises.
So, we’re making three long-term commitments:
These commitments formalise the things we believe in and the direction we’re taking. They’ll continue to shape our development as people and as an organisation. And they’ll help us take even greater strides towards building a better humanitarian community.
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