International strategy and policy
Helping organisations create and respond to change
About us
We have over 20 years’ experience developing strategies for the private, public and voluntary sector in the fields of international development, human rights, foreign policy, sustainability and corporate social responsibility.
Services and expertise
Strategic planning
We design and deliver strategic planning processes, using tried and tested tools for analysing context and trends, agreeing options and ensuring effective internal and external stakeholder engagement.
Advocacy and campaigns
We help organisations shape as well as respond to change by advising them on politics and policy and who and how to influence. We help craft and communicate messages for greatest effect.
Corporate responsibility
We advise companies, and those who want to influence them, understand how they can have a positive social and environmental impact, and how to measure that impact.
Evidence and analysis
We help our clients produce sound strategies and evidence-based policy arguments by assembling and analysing the data. We draft policy and thought leadership outputs for their campaigns.
International networks
We have excellent networks in a wide range of governments and across international organisations. We understand how those institutions work and how to influence them.
Issue knowledge
We offer expertise across a huge range of issues from climate change, plastics pollution, peace and security and women’s rights, to agriculture, global health and lots in between.
Some of our clients
Trio’s clients have included the UK Government, Business Fights Poverty, Save the Children UK, Comic Relief, GSK, Malaria No More UK, Amnesty International UK, CARE International UK, the Commission for Africa, the Global Fund for Women and Womankind Worldwide.
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation: financing for climate adaptation in agriculture
Working with climate change think tank, E3G, Trio designed and delivered a campaign that mobilised additional public financing from donors to support innovation to help farmers in low- and middle-income countries adapt to climate change. We provided structure and content for the campaign that targeted the US, Canada, the UK, European Commission, Germany and others.
UK Government: strategic and business planning in Nigeria
Trio designed and led the process to develop the first joint strategy and business plan that covered the work of all twelve UK Government departments working in Nigeria. We provided technical advice and analytical support; facilitated multiple cross-departmental consultations; and developed the final ground-breaking strategy and business plan.
Womankind: corporate reporting on gender equality
Trio provided research and advice to leading international women’s rights organisation, Womankind Worldwide, on how corporate reporting on gender equality and women’s rights could be improved. We conducted consultations; identified promising initiatives; and made recommendations on Womankind’s role and partnership options.
WaterAid: accelerating the Resilient Water Accelerator
The Resilient Water Accelerator is a coalition aimed at increasing investment to build the climate resilience of vulnerable people living in water stressed areas. Trio supported WaterAid in developing a strategy to overcome obstacles to progress in getting the Accelerator off the ground, using our contacts to gather intelligence and strategic experience to advise on responses.
Save the Children UK: political analysis and strategic planning
Working with the School of International Futures, Trio designed and facilitated a series of workshops for Save the Children UK exploring the future of international development, humanitarian aid and public engagement for Save the Children UK. The tools and discussions were used to inform their future strategies. Separately, Trio also provided Save the Children UK with political analysis to inform their campaign to influence Brazil, India, South Africa and Chinas’ positions on the SDGs.
Business Fights Poverty: measuring impact of supply chains
Bringing together a number of major multinationals in the food and drink sector (Diageo, Coca-Cola, AB InBev) and international NGOs, we developed a project with Business Fights Poverty to look at how to measure agricultural supply chains’ impact across a range of issues - such as income, gender equality, and environmental practices. The result was a report on how these companies could measure their impact against the Sustainable Development Goals.
Meet the Team
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Claire Hickson
FOUNDER/DIRECTOR
Claire Hickson has over 20 years’ experience leading and advising on strategy, policy and advocacy. Before setting up Trio Policy, she worked for the UK’s Department for International Development as a governance and conflict adviser in London and Nigeria. She led the Commission for Africa’s work on peace and security and was subsequently seconded to the British Embassy in Washington DC to lead preparations for the G8 Summit. She then left government to head up policy and advocacy for Saferworld, advocating for an international arms trade treaty and greater investment in global conflict prevention. In 2011, she set up Trio Policy as an independent consultancy and has since led projects that include writing an updated Commission for Africa report, advocating for greater investment in African smallholder agriculture, leading the development of the UK Government’s strategy in Nigeria, setting up the Global Fund for Women in the UK, developing a new strategy for the STOPAIDS HIV coalition, advising a biodegradable plastics start up on creating a treaty on plastics pollution and advising numerous others on organisational and campaign strategy. Aside from her international work, she has also worked on UK and EU policy on renewable energy, housing, education, welfare and child poverty. She lives in Southwark with her daughter. See Claire's LinkedIn profile here
Claire is supported by a policy and research team. Trio employs associates on a project-by-project basis. Please contact us if you would like to join our team.