Practical Action

Who we are

We're an international organisation working with communities to take practical action against poverty and the environmental crises. Together, we're starting the big changes the world urgently needs.

•         Big change on food – to sustain people and planet

•         Big change on energy – clean and accessible for everyone

•         Big change on climate risk – so people are prepared and protected

We bring together a global community of problem-solvers, grassroots innovators and changemakers to develop real-world, locally-led solutions, designed to grow and last. Together we’re creating greener, fairer ways to make a living. And building resilience to the shocks climate change brings.

Because poverty and the climate crisis can only be tackled when they are tackled together.

And big change starts with practical action.

Our culture and values

Across the world, people’s hard-won progress against poverty is being pushed back by environmental crises. Water sources are drying up and crops are no longer growing. Livelihoods risk being wiped out. People are fighting to survive in our changing world. Too many are one drought, flood or heatwave away from losing everything. People living in poverty aren’t short on ideas or ambition. But they are up against unfair systems that make them face the fallout of problems they didn’t create.

We need change. Big change. Change that enables people to prepare and adapt, and to build resilience to the shocks coming now and in the future. Change that challenges and transforms the systems that trap communities in poverty and make them more vulnerable in this uncertain world. Big change starts with practical action.

For 60 years, we’ve worked alongside communities and local partners to turn local knowledge into practical solutions people can use and rely on. We test what works in real conditions, build the evidence from practice, then work with governments and decision makers to help proven approaches reach more people and last. We’ve always been an organisation of problem-solvers. People who get things done. Now we’re upping our ambitions, because the stakes are higher. We are tackling complex and connected challenges with joined-up solutions that turn practical action into big change.

Equality, diversity and inclusion policy

Practical Action is committed to promoting equity, encouraging diversity, and fostering an inclusive culture.

Our commitment extends to ensuring that all staff, clients, partners, suppliers, and all those who meet our work are treated fairly, with dignity and respect, to maintain their trust and confidence in us. We strive to ensure no discrimination occurs based on age, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), sex and gender (including transgender and intersex identities), marital status, political opinion, race/ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation, socio-economic background, spent convictions, trade union activity or membership, work patterns, or other irrelevant grounds.

We are also committed to developing an awareness of how discrimination can be compounded when different characteristics intersect (e.g., race and gender, or disability and age). Practical Action actively promotes equity, equality, good relations, and inclusion, aligned with the Equality Act 2010 and other relevant legislation.

Practical Action are committed to promoting equality of opportunity and avoiding discrimination on the grounds of political or religious views or any personal characteristic such as gender, race, religion, ethnicity, class, caste, tribe, sexual orientation.

We are committed to creating a work environment free of harassment and bullying, where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.