Last month, TRANSFORM – an impact accelerator led by the FCDO, Unilever and EY – hosted a side event at the FCDO’s Global Partnership conference. This brought together Unilever’s Global Sustainability Senior Manager – Lisa Hawkes, EY’s Global Corporate Responsibility Markets Leader – Jessie Coates, and Research and Analysis Directorate’s David Woolnough, Deputy Director Research, Tech and Innovation. The audience also heard directly from impact entrepreneurs Elizabeth Mwangi of Gwiji, and Bintang Ekananda of Alner.

Illustrating one of the FCDO’s modern development shifts, the session explored TRANSFORM’s shift from global to local decision-making, and the trust and flexibility needed to do this successfully. Discussions focused on how others can design impact initiatives around local knowledge and experience, and the benefits of working with enterprises as equal partners. The event also marked the official launch of TRANSFORM’s playbook, a practical guide to building effective public-private partnerships, drawing on more than a decade of experience.

Adopting a ‘chat-show’ format with rotating mini fireside chats between the organisations and entrepreneurs, each speaker was given a chance to lead the conversation. Three key takeaways stood out and continue to resonate beyond the event:

Shifting decision-making to local leaders delivers better outcomes
Putting decision-making in the hands of people closest to the context leads to stronger, more relevant results. Their understanding of local markets, constraints and opportunities helps ensure choices are based on what will work in practice, rather than what looks best from a central perspective.

Drawing on in-country networks and knowledge also helps ensure selected enterprises are genuinely rooted in their communities. We found that 88% of enterprises selected through our local panels had at least one local founder compared with 53% of those selected by a global panel.

In TRANSFORM’s East Africa Challenge, for example, local teams from the British High Commission in Nairobi worked with colleagues from Unilever and EY working in the East Africa region to set priorities, engage local networks and select enterprises. This was more than token involvement: local panels made the final decisions.

Equal partnerships are key to driving stronger, more sustainable impact
By combining public and private sector strengths and backing locally rooted solutions, TRANSFORM’s approach shows the value of working with impact enterprises as equal partners. Together, we have reached over 20 million lives, from supporting job creation to improving access to clean water and sanitation.

The EY team provided tailored coaching, technical expertise and skills-based training, helping enterprises strengthen their models and prepare for scale. Each enterprise also had a dedicated Project Lead from Unilever, acting as a consistent partner and internal champion while facilitating industry connections. Recognising entrepreneurs as market experts, alongside regular, open conversations, meant projects could adapt and evolve as needed.

Shifting decisions isn’t about stepping back but designing control differently
Shifting decisions closer to those who understand local contexts best isn’t about stepping back but about designing control differently. This means being clear about what sits centrally versus locally, putting the right safeguards in place, and building partnerships that balance accountability with flexibility. When done intentionally, organisations can maintain rigour while enabling more relevant, responsive decision-making on the ground.

Explore the TRANSFORM playbook for more detailed lessons and insights.