Services

nef consulting values the things that matter for the long term sustainability of your activities and investments. We help organisations integrate social, economic and environmental measurement into their organisational culture. We can also support you to use impact measurement evidence as part of communications and management activities

nef consulting are trusted to produce results through rigorous data analysis, to apply innovative valuation approaches, and to deliver impact measurement systems which support strategic decision-making. Most of our projects start by building a theory of change with the people who deliver, and benefit from organisational activities.

We often combine our expertise in stakeholder engagement, social research techniques, and economic modelling, to help organisations prove the value, and improve the effectiveness, of what they do.

+ Case Study: John Lewis Partnership

John Lewis Partnership commissioned nef consulting to help understand the social and economic impacts of opening a new shop. We designed a research plan across four cities, which included analysis of retail market data, mapping local money flows using spending surveys, facilitating focus group consultations with local businesses, and systematic measurement of the well-being of shop-floor Partners. The findings were launched at a Parliamentary Reception in March 2011. The executive summary is available on the John Lewis Partnership website.

+ Case Study: CARE International

CARE International commissioned nef consulting to analyse the costs and benefits associated with investing in climate change adaptation in the region of Garissa, Kenya as part of the Adaptation Learning Programme. Given current challenges in climate change mitigation and uncertainty, adaptation to climate change is critical to ensure resilient livelihoods throughout the twenty-first century and particularly so in developing countries.

After conducting empirical research, including questionnaire application and stakeholder engagement, we developed a model in line with the methodological approach proposed by the Stern review on climate change which combined climatic, economic, ecological and social parameters in the form of capital. We used this model to derive quantitative estimates of the total costs of climate change for two communities in Garissa, Kenya, up to 2030 and the benefits of undertaking adaptation analyzed in terms of avoided losses.

Despite large uncertainties relative to future impacts of climate change, especially when downscaling to a local level, our analysis included numerous scenarios and was thus robust to sensitivity analysis: overall positive cost-benefit ratios pointed to an unequivocal economic justification for investing in climate change adaptation in the region of Garissa, Kenya. Impact analyses based upon the principles of social cost-benefit analysis can be used to derive efficient and effective adaptation strategies not only on a regional scale, but equally when applied on a local level. Publications for this work will be available in late 2012.