We were founded as an independent consulting, training and research organisation focused on market systems development. Our aim is to transform the systems that help poor and disadvantaged people to get the goods, services, jobs, and incomes that they need to improve their lives. This is the essence of sustainable development impact and it unites everything we do.
We don’t neatly fit into established categories of firms in development. We’re a kind of think-teach-and-do-tank. We’re not a project management firm; all of the work we do is technical, as are our staff, we don’t sub-contract people to do our work, and, most importantly we have a view of the world which shapes everything we do.
Our Approach
We believe that development intervention should be transformative. We focus on improving socio-economic systems that can enable disadvantaged people to get and retain what they need – goods, services, opportunities, resources – to improve their lives, without the need for perpetual development assistance.
Our History
The Springfield Centre was established in 1995 in Durham in the UK. We are a leader in the market systems approach to development in low and middle-income economies – also referred to as making markets work for the poor. This is central to our work and reflects the importance that we attach to systemic change in development. We have a recognised international reputation for high-quality independent analysis, advice and training.
Our Home
We’re not in London. We’re here in the beautiful north east of England, with its coast, castles, hills and lakes. We like it here. It affords us the intellectual and physical space to innovate and to cope with demanding job when we travel. The lively city of Newcastle is on our doorstep, and York, Leeds and Edinburgh are nearby. It takes less than three hours to get to London. From Newcastle airport we can be in Amsterdam or Paris in less than two hours and Dubai in seven.