Our approach is multi-disciplinary, with co-creation at its heart. We believe research has the greatest impact when the questions it tackles are those that we shape with our partners. We combine the perspectives of academia, policy makers, practitioners and communities to find answers and generate imaginative responses to key social, environment and economic challenges. We build genuine pathways to policy, societal and environmental impact. Our researchers are expert economists, sociologists, geographers, political scientists, planners, data scientists – all united by a concern to undertake the highest quality social and economic research with a commitment to social and environmental justice within disadvantaged communities and the places and economies in which they live and work.

Collaboration underpins everything we do. Our national and international academic and policy networks support the partnerships which connect our research to societal good, capitalising our strengths in place-based policy and practice. Our philosophy of team working and open collaboration means we work responsively and at speed, able to scale up our research and engagement activities to deliver impact and influence.

Find out about our research expertise.

Our partners

We work with a wide range of research partners.

We also have our own social impact community interest company, Sonnet Advisory & Impact. Sonnet helps our funders and clients turn research insight into actionable change, leading to social impact. Read more about Sonnet.