Welcome to SDC UK

Social Development Consulting UK

Social Development Consulting UK (SDC UK) is an international consulting agency, registered in England and Wales as a private limited company (12132308). Since 2004, it has served the global Not for Profit and International Development sectors by providing a range of organisational development and social development services to national and international CBOs and NGOs and their funding partners. Recent clients include the National Lottery Community Fund, Global Giving, Saferworld, the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), Amnesty International, Caritas, HEKS/EPER and ICVA. Please see our Portfolio for more details.

Together, its Directors have served as CEOs, Country Directors, Finance Managers and Child Protection Advisors. Each has over 25 years of international development experience and they have worked together, in Bangladesh and in the UK, for 15 years.

SDC UK's organisational development services are designed to a, improve the performance of the organisation, b, to improve the ability of the organisation to adapt to its environment, and c, to improve inter-personal and inter-group behaviour to ensure the benefits of shared values and collaborative team work.To this end, we provide technical support in strategic planning, financial development - including systems and tools adaptation and development - and income generation. SDC also offers training and support on all aspects of project cycle management, and it provides monitoring and evaluation in the field. We provide training and systems strengthening in safeguarding - having led successful safeguarding evaluations in Tanzania and Uganda - and provide expertise in safeguarding investigations.

Our social development services are equally comprehensive. Our work addresses issues such as children's rights and protection, gender discrimination, social exclusion, powerlessness, vulnerability and poverty. We also offer important safeguarding services, including safeguarding reviews and investigations. This has been a particular feature of work in 2019 onwards. Please see 'Our Services' for more detail.

Using the expertise of Associate Consultants, SDC UK is able to call on a broad base of specialist skills tailored to the particular needs of the client. Contact us to see how we can be of assistance to you.

How can we help you? By developing financial systems and training your finance team. By carrying out financial reviews. By working with you to develop your strategic plan. By providing temporary specialist or stabilizing cover to Country Offices in need of urgent external input. Through partner due diligence assessment and review. By writing project proposals. Through programme planning and development and all aspects of Project Cycle Management. Through programme monitoring and evaluation. By reviewing the quality and outcomes of your gender and development approach. By strengthening your safeguarding policies, carrying out safeguarding reviews and safeguarding investigations. And by helping your team capitalize on experience and lesson learn.

For more details of how we can help your organisation please visit 'Our Services' section.

SDC UK Policy base

Anti-bribery Policy
Anti-Fraud Policy
Data Protection and Privacy Policy (GDPR)
Equality and Diversity Policy
Environmental Safeguarding Policy
Prevention of Financial Crime, Including Terrorism policy
Safeguarding Policy, including a Code of Conduct,
Whistleblowing Policy
Our policies are available on request.

Our Values

SDC believes in the importance of creating inclusive, cohesive and accountable institutions that are clear about their mandate and able to deliver quality services professionally, effectively and efficiently and which deliver essential services to those in need. We see social change and social justice as fundamental to the task of national development, an essential partner to economic growth.

SDC UK Mission

We see social change and social justice as fundamental to the task of national development, an essential partner to economic growth. Our work addresses issues such as children's rights, protection, gender discrimination, social exclusion, powerlessness, vulnerability and poverty, and unaccountable institutions.

Geoff Cordell and Istiaque Ahmed.

Supporting your Country Office


With CEO experience in the UK and Bangladesh, and Country Director experience in Bangladesh, India, Israel/ Palestine, Sri Lanka, South Sudan and Uganda, SDC UK can provide senior professional short to medium term cover at times of organisational stress. Speak to us about how we can help with organisational leadership, management and change, policy development, strategic planning, human resource management, programme development and financial management.


Safeguarding Services

 

A one day training course for your Trustees, examining Trustee Safeguarding Duties, which include a proactive duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of beneficiaries and ensure beneficiaries and others the charity comes into contact with do not come to harm.

 

Safeguarding reviews.

A review of your safeguarding policies and practices and those of your downstream partners.

 

Safeguarding investigations.

An independent investigation into a safeguarding incident or disclosure.

 

Managing NGO Financial Risk


Manage International NGO Risk Effectively with an External Field Office Audit. International NGOs working overseas in the development and humanitarian response sectors face a unique set of challenges and risks from both an accounting and operational standpoint. An external field office audit can be used to help identify and understand these risks in order to make informed decisions for your organization. A financial audit is conducted to provide an opinion whether financial statements (the information being verified) are stated in accordance with specified criteria. According to your requirements, we can use international accounting standards as the criteria, although we can also conduct audits of financial statements prepared using the accrual / cash or another basis of accounting appropriate for your organisation. In providing an opinion whether financial statements are fairly stated in accordance with accounting standards, SDC is able to gather evidence to determine whether the statements contain material errors or other misstatements. Should you wish to take advantage of SDC's investigate auditing skills, contact Istiaque Ahmed on istiaque@sdcuk.com