Advertise on podcast: Do One Better with Alberto Lidji in Philanthropy, Sustainability and Social Entrepreneurship

In this episode of the Do One Better Podcast, Alberto Lidji speaks with Emily Teitsworth, Executive Director of the Honnold Foundation, about a powerful and often overlooked approach to climate philanthropy. Founded by professional climber Alex Honnold, the Honnold Foundation focuses on expanding access to solar energy in underserved communities around the world. But its impact goes far beyond clean energy. The organization identifies and supports grassroots leaders who are frequently invisible to larger funders, helping them develop, grow, and ultimately access greater resources. Emily shares how the foundation operates as both a funder and an intermediary, providing not only grants but also hands-on capacity building. This includes support with strategy, financial management, communications, and storytelling. By strengthening organizational foundations, these small, locally led groups become better positioned to scale and engage with larger institutional funders. A central theme of the conversation is trust-based philanthropy. Rather than imposing rigid frameworks, the Honnold Foundation meets partners where they are, offering flexible funding and long-term support. This approach allows unexpected and transformative outcomes to emerge. From solar-powered internet access in remote Brazilian communities to solar boat fleets in the Ecuadorian Amazon, the ripple effects extend far beyond energy access. Emily also discusses the importance of patience in philanthropy, especially when working with grassroots organizations navigating complex regulatory and operational environments. She highlights the foundation’s role in bridging the gap between early-stage innovation and large-scale funding, helping surface high-potential projects that might otherwise go unnoticed. The episode explores the broader funding landscape, where billions flow into large-scale energy infrastructure while relatively little reaches community-led initiatives. The Honnold Foundation accounts for a meaningful share of global community solar funding, underscoring both the scale of need and the opportunity for more funders to engage. Ultimately, this conversation challenges traditional notions of scale and impact. It makes a compelling case for investing in small, locally rooted solutions as a pathway to meaningful, lasting change. Key topics include: Expanding solar energy access as both a climate and development solution Identifying and supporting overlooked grassroots organizations Trust-based philanthropy and unrestricted funding Capacity building as a pathway to scale Bridging grassroots innovation with institutional capital The concept of emergent impact in climate work Visit our Knowledge Hub at Lidji.org for information on 350+ case studies and interviews with remarkable leaders in philanthropy, sustainability and social entrepreneurship. 

In this episode of the Do One Better Podcast, host Alberto Lidji speaks with Irene Pritzker, Chair and Co-Founder of the IDP Foundation and author of The School in the Market. The conversation explores how innovative financing models can expand access to quality education in underserved communities, with a focus on Ghana and Kenya. Pritzker shares the origin story behind the foundation’s work, which began with a visit to Ghana and a revealing encounter with informal, low-cost private schools serving families who lacked viable public education options. These schools, often founded by local entrepreneurs, operate in challenging conditions yet meet a critical need. Despite strong demand from parents, they were largely excluded from traditional financial systems due to perceived risk, lack of collateral, and limited formal business training. What followed was the creation of a new model: combining microfinance with targeted training in financial literacy and school management. By partnering with local financial institutions, the IDP Foundation developed a system of small, structured loans paired with capacity-building support. The results were striking. Schools improved their infrastructure incrementally, repayment rates reached approximately 98 percent, and student outcomes began to improve. The model has since scaled significantly, reaching hundreds of thousands of students and expanding beyond Ghana into Kenya. Importantly, it has also shifted perceptions within the financial sector. Institutions that once dismissed these schools as too risky are now beginning to recognize them as viable clients and a meaningful opportunity for both impact and return. The conversation highlights the importance of collaboration between the public and private sectors. Rather than viewing low-cost private schools as competitors to government systems, Pritzker argues they should be seen as complementary, particularly in regions where public provision falls short. Governments, she notes, are increasingly engaging with the model, intrigued by both the data and the potential for improved learning outcomes. Finally, Pritzker shares insights from her broader philanthropic philosophy. She underscores the value of staying nimble, keeping governance structures lean, and focusing on interventions that can unlock larger systems change. Above all, she encourages funders and practitioners to identify overlooked opportunities where relatively small, strategic investments can catalyze significant and lasting impact. This episode offers a compelling look at how finance, entrepreneurship, and education can intersect to create scalable solutions for one of the world’s most pressing challenges. Visit our Knowledge Hub at Lidji.org for information on 350+ case studies and interviews with remarkable leaders in philanthropy, sustainability and social entrepreneurship. 

Partnership is often spoken about as an ideal. Much more rarely is it treated as a discipline. In this episode Alberto Lidji speaks with Darian Stibbe, Executive Director of The Partnering Initiative, about what it takes to build collaborations that are not only well intentioned, but genuinely effective. At a time when the world’s most pressing challenges demand coordinated action across sectors, Darian makes the case that collaboration is no longer optional. Governments, businesses, philanthropies, civil society organisations and communities each bring different forms of value, but bringing those contributions together in a meaningful way requires far more than goodwill. This conversation explores the deeper architecture of effective partnership: trust, incentives, governance, mindset, shared accountability and the ability to work productively through ambiguity. Darian argues that partnering should be understood as a professional capability, one that can be developed, strengthened and embedded within institutions. The discussion also examines why so many partnerships struggle in practice. Often, the problem is not a lack of commitment, but a lack of structure, clarity and organisational readiness. From relationship-building and co-creation to institutional culture and leadership, this episode offers a thoughtful exploration of what makes collaboration succeed or fail. A rich and practical conversation for those working across philanthropy, sustainability, international development, business and systems change. Visit our Knowledge Hub at Lidji.org for information on 350+ case studies and interviews with remarkable leaders in philanthropy, sustainability and social entrepreneurship. 

What does it take to develop resilient nonprofit leaders, and why does that matter so much today? In this episode of the Do One Better Podcast, Alberto Lidji speaks with Madge Thomas, President of the American Express Foundation, about how the Foundation is investing in people, communities, and institutions to drive meaningful, long-term social impact. With a legacy spanning more than 50 years, the Foundation has remained rooted in a simple but powerful idea: strong local communities are the foundation for broader societal progress. From disaster response and recovery to small business support and nonprofit leadership development, its work reflects a deep commitment to helping communities thrive, especially in moments of need. At the centre of this conversation is the American Express Leadership Academy, a flagship initiative designed to equip emerging and mid-to-senior-level nonprofit leaders with the tools, confidence, and networks they need to lead effectively in a rapidly changing and often resource-constrained environment. Madge shares how the Academy has evolved to reflect the realities nonprofit leaders face today, including growing financial pressures, increasing complexity, and the need for resilience, adaptability, and stronger connection across the sector. This is a thoughtful conversation about leadership, philanthropy, capacity building, and the importance of investing in the people closest to the work. Visit our Knowledge Hub at Lidji.org for information on 350+ case studies and interviews with remarkable leaders in philanthropy, sustainability and social entrepreneurship. 

Dementia has long been viewed as an inevitable part of ageing. That perception is now being challenged at its core. This conversation with Hilary Evans-Newton CBE, Chief Executive of Alzheimer’s Research UK, explores a pivotal shift in how we understand, diagnose and ultimately treat the diseases that cause dementia. At the centre of this transformation is Alzheimer’s Research UK, the leading dementia research funder in Europe. The organisation exists to find a cure by advancing three critical areas: understanding the biology of disease, improving diagnosis, and developing effective treatments. By investing over £60 million annually and acting as a catalyst for collaboration, it brings together scientists, clinicians and partners to accelerate progress from laboratory discovery to real-world impact. A major theme is the move away from vague, late-stage diagnoses towards precise identification of underlying diseases such as Alzheimer’s, which accounts for the majority of dementia cases. This shift mirrors the evolution seen in cancer care. Where once there was stigma, limited understanding and few treatment options, there is now a pathway towards early detection, targeted therapies and improved survival. Dementia research is approaching a similar turning point. Recent breakthroughs are beginning to validate this progress. The first disease-modifying treatments for early Alzheimer’s have emerged, marking a significant milestone after years of unsuccessful trials. While access remains limited, these developments are reshaping global investment and signalling that effective intervention is possible. Equally transformative is the promise of early diagnosis. Advances in blood-based biomarkers could enable detection decades before symptoms appear. This opens the door to earlier intervention, when treatments are most likely to be effective, and reframes dementia as a condition that can be managed proactively rather than reacted to late. The conversation also highlights the importance of participation in research. Clinical trials remain vastly under-subscribed in dementia compared to other disease areas, slowing the pace of discovery. Increasing participation is essential to turning scientific promise into practical treatments. Alongside scientific progress, there is a growing understanding of how individuals can reduce their risk. Many of the most impactful actions are familiar: maintaining cardiovascular health, staying physically active, eating well and avoiding smoking. Additional factors such as treating hearing loss, staying socially connected and keeping the brain engaged also play a meaningful role. Brain health is increasingly recognised as part of whole-body health. Looking ahead, personalised medicine is set to redefine treatment. Rather than a single solution, future therapies are likely to combine approaches tailored to an individual’s biology, genetics and stage of disease. Emerging fields such as gene therapy offer particular promise for certain inherited forms of dementia. Artificial intelligence is accelerating this progress further. From analysing complex datasets to identifying early digital signals of cognitive change through everyday device use, AI is helping researchers detect patterns and develop interventions at unprecedented speed. Despite the scale of the challenge, the outlook is increasingly hopeful. The science is advancing, the roadmap is clearer, and momentum is building. What was once seen as an unavoidable decline is now understood as a set of diseases that can be studied, treated and, ultimately, prevented. Key takeaways: Dementia is not an inevitable part of ageing but a set of diseases that can be understood and targeted Early diagnosis, including future blood tests, will be critical to effective treatment New therapies are emerging, signalling real scientific progress Lifestyle choices can meaningfully reduce risk and support brain health Collaboration, funding and research participation are essential to accelerating a cure This episode offers a grounded yet optimistic view of a field on the cusp of transformation, and a clearer understanding of how research today is shaping a future where dementia can be detected earlier, treated more effectively and, ultimately, defeated. Visit our Knowledge Hub at Lidji.org for information on 350+ case studies and interviews with remarkable leaders in philanthropy, sustainability and social entrepreneurship. 

What if a university degree did not require stepping away from work, taking on significant debt, or leaving one’s community? What if the workplace itself became the campus? Joe Ross, President of Reach University, joins us to share his insight. This episode explores a different model of higher education that seeks to turn jobs into degrees rather than degrees into jobs. The approach centres on apprenticeship degrees, where learners earn an accredited university qualification while working full time. Half of the learning takes place on the job, while the other half occurs through structured academic instruction designed specifically for working adults. The result is a pathway that combines higher education, workforce development, and economic mobility. At the heart of the model is a simple framework described as the “A, B, C” of apprenticeship degrees. A stands for affordability. Programmes are intentionally designed so that learners do not accumulate student debt. Participants contribute a modest amount, but the cost is kept low enough that it does not become a barrier. B stands for being based in the workplace. Learners begin with a paid job and remain employed throughout their studies. The workplace becomes the learning environment, with colleagues functioning as classmates and mentors. C stands for credit for learning at work. On the job experience, mentorship, observation, and practical tasks form part of the academic journey and translate directly into university credit. Despite the strong workplace component, the degrees themselves remain academic. Students earn traditional qualifications such as a Bachelor of Arts or Associate of Arts. The curriculum integrates liberal arts thinking with practical experience, encouraging critical reasoning, creativity, and intellectual curiosity within the context of real work. This approach challenges the idea that vocational learning and higher education must exist separately. Instead, it combines both. Early adoption has focused on fields facing severe workforce shortages. In education, for example, many schools struggle to recruit qualified teachers. At the same time, schools employ large numbers of support staff who know their communities well but lack the degrees required to advance. By transforming their current roles into a pathway to a degree, classroom aides, library staff, or after school programme workers can train to become fully qualified teachers without leaving their jobs or communities. The same logic is now emerging in healthcare. Patient care assistants can progress step by step into roles such as certified nursing assistants, registered nurses, and beyond. The model enables employers to build talent from within while offering employees a clear route to professional careers. The outcomes are promising. Many graduates move directly into the roles they trained for, with a large share seeing their salaries double or even triple. Completion rates also exceed typical national averages for learners from similar economic backgrounds. Beyond individual success stories, the ambition is broader. If workplaces become learning environments and degrees can be earned through employment, every community could effectively host its own pathway to higher education. Finally, the discussion touches on the future of education in an age shaped by artificial intelligence. Rather than making higher education obsolete, the argument here is that AI increases the importance of human capabilities such as critical thinking, creativity, and judgement. Those qualities, long associated with the liberal arts, remain essential. If the challenge of the future is learning how humans and intelligent machines work together, then education that develops adaptable, thoughtful, and creative people may matter more than ever. This episode offers a glimpse of a higher education model that seeks to expand opportunity, strengthen local workforces, and make the pursuit of a degree possible for people who might otherwise never have the chance. Visit our Knowledge Hub at Lidji.org for information on 350+ case studies and interviews with remarkable leaders in philanthropy, sustainability and social entrepreneurship.   

What does it take to deliver high quality medical care in the middle of war, displacement and disaster? We gain a behind the scenes understanding from Chris Lockyear, Secretary General of Doctors Without Borders / Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). This conversation offers a rare look inside one of the world’s most recognised humanitarian medical organisations and the complex system that allows it to operate in some of the most dangerous and hard to reach places on earth. With around 70,000 staff working across more than 70 countries, the organisation provides emergency medical care to millions of people affected by armed conflict, disease outbreaks and natural disasters. In the past year alone, teams carried out more than 16 million outpatient consultations, alongside trauma surgery, treatment for malaria, tuberculosis and HIV, vaccination campaigns, and mental health support. Yet behind every clinic or hospital lies an intricate global operation that combines medicine, logistics, diplomacy and risk management. In this episode, MSF's Secretary General explains how humanitarian medicine works in practice. Teams must negotiate access with both state and non state actors, often in highly polarised conflict environments. Medical professionals work alongside logisticians, analysts and coordinators who ensure that drugs, equipment and staff can reach remote locations safely and reliably. The scale of the logistics alone is extraordinary. Medicines and vaccines must travel through complex supply chains while maintaining strict quality standards and often requiring temperature controlled storage. Equipment for surgery, sterilisation and treatment must arrive on time in places where infrastructure is limited or damaged. In many cases, care is delivered through mobile clinics operating from the back of a vehicle. Security is an ever present concern. Staff operate in environments where shelling, crossfire or kidnapping are real risks. Rather than promising safety, the organisation focuses on understanding risk, training staff and ensuring informed consent about the conditions in which they work. In 2025, eleven colleagues lost their lives while carrying out humanitarian work. The conversation also explores how knowledge gained in these extreme settings travels across the global health system. Experience with epidemic response, infection control and contact tracing developed in Ebola outbreaks later helped support hospitals and health ministries in Europe and the United States during the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic. A defining feature of the organisation is its financial independence. Around 98 percent of funding comes from private donors, with more than 7.3 million donors contributing. This allows operations to be guided primarily by medical need rather than political priorities. Beyond funding, these contributions represent something deeper: a global expression of solidarity between people who will likely never meet but are connected through a shared commitment to helping others in crisis. For listeners interested in humanitarian medicine, global health, logistics, crisis response or international cooperation, this discussion offers an inside perspective on what it really takes to bring medical care to the front lines of human suffering. Visit our Knowledge Hub at Lidji.org for information on 350+ case studies and interviews with remarkable leaders in philanthropy, sustainability and social entrepreneurship. 

This episode explores how sustained scientific ambition, backed by flexible philanthropy, has helped transform HIV from a fatal diagnosis into a manageable condition and why the search for a cure remains both urgent and achievable. At the centre of the conversation is the work of amfAR and its distinctive role in advancing research that changes lives far beyond a single disease area. Founded in the mid-1980s, at a time when HIV and AIDS were poorly understood and highly stigmatised, the organisation emerged from the determination of clinicians, researchers and advocates who refused to wait for slow-moving systems to respond. From the outset, the mission was clear: fund innovative research quickly, support bold ideas early, and accelerate scientific discovery where it was needed most. Since its first grants in 1985, the organisation has invested nearly one billion dollars in research and supported more than 3,900 researchers across the world. Rather than simply awarding grants, its approach has been to invest in people and ideas, often at the earliest and riskiest stages. Many of those early investments have gone on to underpin treatments now used globally, including antiretroviral therapies that allow people living with HIV to lead long, healthy lives. The episode places this progress in today’s global context. More than 40 million people worldwide are living with HIV, with around 1.3 million new infections each year. While treatment has transformed outcomes in many countries, access remains deeply unequal. Women and girls account for over half of those living with HIV globally, and people in low-income and marginalised communities, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, continue to face life-threatening barriers to care. Against this backdrop, the case for a cure remains compelling. Lifelong treatment depends on stable health systems, consistent access and freedom from stigma, conditions that are far from guaranteed. A cure would remove these structural vulnerabilities. Importantly, the science now points to possibility. Around ten individuals have been effectively cured of HIV, providing researchers with vital clues and a credible roadmap. Current cure-focused research is tackling some of the most complex questions in virology. This includes understanding latent viral reservoirs, where HIV hides in the body, and finding ways to reactivate and eliminate the virus. Researchers are also studying elite controllers, people whose immune systems suppress HIV without medication, to uncover mechanisms that could inform new treatments. Alongside this, insights from cancer, ageing, autoimmune disease and other viral infections are increasingly shaping HIV research, highlighting the interconnected nature of scientific discovery. A key theme running through the conversation is what defines a viable cure. It must be scalable, affordable and easy to administer, not a solution that only works in specialist settings. This emphasis on real-world applicability shapes funding decisions and research priorities. The funding model itself is central to this work. Research is supported entirely through private philanthropy, from individual donors and family foundations to global fundraising events. Independence allows decisions to be driven by science rather than politics, while short funding timelines enable researchers to move quickly. Rigorous peer review ensures standards remain as high as those of major public institutions, without the inertia that can stifle innovation. Beyond HIV, the episode highlights how this model has influenced advances in other fields. Research originally funded to understand HIV has contributed to breakthroughs in cancer immunotherapy and vaccine development, including technologies later used in mRNA vaccines. Today, the organisation is expanding its focus to areas such as cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, immunotherapy and artificial intelligence, particularly where these intersect with the needs of an ageing HIV-positive population. Woven throughout the discussion is the human impact of research. Funding science does more than produce data and treatments; it provides hope. Knowing that researchers are actively working towards a cure can fundamentally change how people live with a diagnosis. Investment in early-stage research becomes an investment in dignity, longevity and possibility. The episode closes with a clear message. Scientific discovery is not confined to governments or large institutions. Individuals and philanthropists can play a decisive role in advancing research that affects every household. Supporting bold ideas early is one of the most powerful ways to accelerate global health progress and, ultimately, to help make AIDS history. Visit our Knowledge Hub at Lidji.org for information on 350+ case studies and interviews with remarkable leaders in philanthropy, sustainability and social entrepreneurship. 

In this episode, Nathan Atkinson, Co-Founder of Rethink Food in the UK, shares a deeply grounded perspective on hunger, education and systemic change, shaped by a decade spent leading schools in some of England’s most disadvantaged communities. Nathan traces the origins of Rethink Food back to a defining moment as a headteacher, when a school kitchen breakdown revealed the hidden scale of child hunger and its direct impact on behaviour, wellbeing and learning. That experience led him to a simple but powerful commitment: to remove hunger as a barrier to education. The conversation explores how Rethink Food has evolved from grassroots action into a nationally recognised organisation working across three pillars of impact: access to healthy food, skills and stewardship, and systems change. At the centre of this work is the National School Pantry Network, a flagship programme supporting schools to become trusted, community anchored hubs where families can access healthy food without stigma, alongside wider support services. Nathan explains why food is both the entry point and the connector. Sharing food builds trust, which then enables schools to link families to help with debt, housing, digital access, employment and education. The aim is not only to respond to crisis, but to break the cycle of food insecurity altogether. A significant part of the discussion focuses on nutrition, dignity and choice. Nathan challenges simplistic narratives about poverty and food, highlighting structural barriers such as transport, infrastructure and access to healthy options.  Listeners will gain insight into how the organisation operates day to day, from surplus food logistics and volunteer mobilisation to digital education programmes and cross sector partnerships with corporates, planners and policymakers. Nathan reflects on the importance of collaboration over confrontation, and why working with unlikely allies can unlock long term change. Visit our Knowledge Hub at Lidji.org for information on 350+ case studies and interviews with remarkable leaders in philanthropy, sustainability and social entrepreneurship. 

Larry Cooley joins us to explore how to achieve sustainable impact at meaningful scale. As co-founder of the Scaling Community of Practice, Larry has spent more than two decades examining why promising innovations so often fail to reach the scale required to address global problems. Drawing on 50 years of experience, from his early work as a Peace Corps volunteer to senior roles advising governments, foundations and multilateral institutions, he offers a candid assessment of what is and is not working. At the centre of the conversation is a shift in thinking. Larry distinguishes between transactional scaling, which focuses on expanding projects, and transformational scaling, which seeks to embed change within the systems that deliver services at scale. Projects matter, he argues, but only insofar as they serve as vehicles for systemic change. Without attention to the institutions, incentives and delivery mechanisms that sustain impact over time, even the most effective pilot will struggle to move beyond proof of concept. A key theme is the sobering reality that most successful pilots do not scale. Estimates suggest that between 70 and 95 per cent fail to achieve broad, sustained uptake. This is rarely due to weak ideas. Rather, the barriers lie in the pathway from innovation to institutionalisation. The assumption that another actor will step in to take a proven model to scale has often proved misplaced. Larry describes the work of the Scaling Community of Practice, now a global network of 5,000 members across more than 120 countries, convening practitioners, funders and policymakers to share lessons and develop practical guidance. The community has recently completed 28 case studies examining how different types of funders approach the question of scale. These studies highlight eight core elements required for transformational scale and examine how internal policies, incentives and funding models either enable or hinder progress.  Visit our Knowledge Hub at Lidji.org for information on 350+ case studies and interviews with remarkable leaders in philanthropy, sustainability and social entrepreneurship. 

A deep dive into how philanthropy in Asia is evolving, and how the next generation of leaders is being prepared to make it more effective, collaborative and impactful. In this conversation with Brian Sen, Secretary General of the Institute of Philanthropy in Hong Kong, the discussion explores why the Institute was created, what it means to be a “thinking, funding and doing” tank, and how it is working to strengthen the wider philanthropic ecosystem across Asia. A central focus of the conversation is the LEAP Fellowship, Leadership Excellence in Asian Philanthropy, a new programme designed to equip emerging senior leaders with the skills, networks and mindset needed to tackle complex social and environmental challenges. Brian explains how the fellowship blends world class academic input from partners such as J-PAL at MIT, the London School of Economics and the University of Hong Kong, with practical, challenge based learning and mentorship from senior philanthropic leaders. Listeners gain insight into who the fellowship is aimed at, how it is structured, and why investing in talent development is critical for the future of philanthropy. The discussion also touches on the Hong Kong Jockey Club and its Charities Trust, its rigorous approach to impact measurement, and the collaborative ethos that underpins the Institute’s work. The episode closes with a personal reflection from Brian on his own journey into the sector, and a clear call to action for funders and organisations to prioritise building stronger talent pipelines for the field. Visit our Knowledge Hub at Lidji.org for information on 350+ case studies and interviews with remarkable leaders in philanthropy, sustainability and social entrepreneurship. 

What if the biggest barrier to education is not poverty, infrastructure, or even access but low expectations of what children can achieve? In this conversation, Caitlin Baron shares how the Luminos Fund is proving that children who have never been to school can master foundational literacy and numeracy at extraordinary speed when the right conditions are in place. We hear how Luminos works with 10 and 11 year olds across Africa who are often first generation readers and who frequently enter classrooms without ever having encountered the printed word. Many are taught in languages they do not speak at home. Despite these challenges, Luminos students complete three years of learning in just ten months and go on to remain in school at twice the national average. Caitlin explains the science behind accelerated learning and why rigorous sequencing, phonics based instruction, and mastery driven progression are essential for children starting from the very beginning. She also describes how global research must be paired with deep linguistic and cultural expertise at the local level to avoid the pitfalls that have limited education reform in the past. Listeners are taken inside a Luminos classroom where joyful learning is the guiding principle. With no electricity, no internet, and minimal infrastructure, teachers use handmade materials, role play, song, movement, and tactile learning to engage the head, the hand, and the heart. From forming letters in clay to running classroom marketplaces for mental math, learning is active, practical, and deeply rooted in children’s lived experience. The discussion also explores how Luminos equips teachers, many without formal training, with highly detailed instructional guides developed through classroom observation and continuous evaluation. These materials are co-created with African led organizations and ministries of education, rigorously tested in local languages, and released as open source public goods so they can strengthen entire education systems. Caitlin reflects on the role of collaborative philanthropy, the importance of long term partnerships with governments, and why evidence alone is not enough without trust, patience, and local leadership. She also shares her own journey from growing up in Brooklyn to working across Africa, driven by a lifelong commitment to expanding access to opportunity through education. A compelling exploration of literacy, learning science, and the belief that joyful classrooms can transform lives. Visit our Knowledge Hub at Lidji.org for information on 350+ case studies and interviews with remarkable leaders in philanthropy, sustainability and social entrepreneurship. 

Nick Temple returns to discuss how Social Investment Business has evolved from a specialist social lender into a major player in grant delivery, programme management, and impact-driven finance across the UK. At the heart of the conversation is what it takes to turn strategy into action. Nick reflects on the realities of running large-scale, complex programmes, the importance of pace in a turbulent landscape, and how data can be used not just to improve delivery but to shape wider sector thinking. What you’ll hear in this episode A refresher on Social Investment Business today: a charity and social investor providing loans to charities and social enterprises, alongside managing large grants and business support programmes. The Youth Investment Fund at scale: delivery of a £300m capital grants programme to build and renovate more than 270 youth centres in some of the UK’s most deprived communities, supporting tens of thousands of young people. Why community buildings are a hidden energy challenge: how poor energy efficiency in community assets drives up costs and squeezes frontline budgets, especially in disadvantaged areas. Energy resilience in practice: support for measures such as solar, insulation, lighting upgrades and other practical interventions that reduce bills while delivering carbon benefits. How AI is already changing delivery: early use cases such as processing grant monitoring receipts, strengthening risk assessments and due diligence, and exploring what “relationship management” could look like in an AI-enabled future. What “strategic opportunism” really means: balancing clear strategic priorities with the ability to respond quickly to tenders, partnerships and emerging needs in a fast-changing environment. What the organisation wants next: a forward-looking focus on the green transition, community assets, and public service transformation, alongside an ambition to reach £1bn in grants and loans deployed by 2030. Who they want to hear from: ambitious, capable charities and social enterprises with a track record and appetite to deliver, plus more action-oriented impact investors, including endowments and family offices. Nick’s career path: from an English degree and early charity work to social enterprise leadership, and why diligence, kindness, and delivering quality work matter more than a perfect plan. Key themes Community assets as a lever for impact Buildings are not just infrastructure, they are platforms for services, connection and opportunity. Improving the resilience and running costs of those assets can unlock more mission delivery. Efficiency and scale From AI-enabled back-office processes to large capital programmes, Nick argues that execution quality and speed are becoming non-negotiable for organisations trying to meet urgent social and environmental needs. Action over noise A recurring message is to focus on what can be changed through practical delivery, strong teams, and clear decision-making, even when the wider landscape feels uncertain. Visit our Knowledge Hub at Lidji.org for information on 350+ case studies and interviews with remarkable leaders in philanthropy, sustainability and social entrepreneurship. 

Peggy Dulany is a philanthropist, member of the Rockefeller family and the Founder and Chair of Synergos, a global nonprofit dedicated to advancing social change through collaboration and systems leadership. In this episode of the Do One Better Podcast, Peggy joins host Alberto Lidji for a thoughtful conversation on what it takes to address complex social challenges in an increasingly interconnected world. Drawing on decades of experience working alongside social innovators, community leaders, governments and philanthropic institutions, Peggy shares insights into the importance of trust, long-term thinking, and inclusive leadership. The discussion explores the founding and evolution of Synergos, the organization’s emphasis on bridging divides across sectors and geographies, and why meaningful progress often depends less on technical solutions and more on relationships, humility, and shared purpose. This conversation offers valuable perspective for anyone interested in philanthropy, nonprofit leadership, systems change, and the human dimensions of social impact. Visit our Knowledge Hub at Lidji.org for information on 350+ case studies and interviews with remarkable leaders in philanthropy, sustainability and social entrepreneurship. 

Benjamin Perks, UNICEF’s Head of Advocacy for Child Development and Protection, joins Alberto Lidji on the Do One Better Podcast to make the case that the single most powerful investment a society can make is in the relationship between children and their caregivers. Drawing on more than three decades of neuroscience, public health, and social science, Perks explains why secure caregiver child attachment is not only the foundation of healthy childhoods but also one of the strongest predictors of lifelong wellbeing, economic productivity, and social stability. When those relationships break down, the costs ripple outward into education systems, health services, labor markets, and criminal justice systems. When they are strengthened, the benefits compound across generations. At the center of the conversation is the Global Caregiver Forum, an inaugural intergovernmental gathering convened by UNICEF and the World Health Organization with the Government of Spain. Ministers from roughly 25 countries, alongside leading scientists and practitioners, are coming together to accelerate the global scale up of evidence based parenting and caregiver support programs. Perks describes why these programs represent a breakthrough in public policy. A 2022 WHO led systematic review of more than 435 randomized controlled trials shows that evidence based parenting programs consistently increase nurturing care, reduce violence and maltreatment, improve children’s developmental outcomes, and significantly improve parental mental health. In other words, they deliver on child protection, early learning, and adult wellbeing at the same time. The discussion moves from science to systems. Today, only about one quarter of countries report having widely available parenting programs, even though the interventions are relatively low cost and highly scalable. Perks explains how UNICEF and partners are working to build the global architecture needed to change that, including common frameworks, measurement tools, and coverage indicators similar to those used for vaccines and other public health interventions. A critical theme is the return on investment. While the largest gains of early childhood support appear over decades, Perks points to growing evidence that parenting programs also generate benefits within political and budget cycles. These include reductions in low birth weight, fewer child placements in institutional care, better parental mental health, and lower productivity losses, all of which translate into tangible fiscal savings for governments. Listeners also hear what modern caregiver support actually looks like. All families have access to support, with additional intensity for those facing higher risks due to poverty, trauma, or mental health challenges. Delivery channels range from home visiting and health systems to community hubs and digital tools, all adapted to local culture and context. Beyond the forum, Perks reflects on a broader shift underway in global child policy. Too often, governments are presented with long lists of disconnected reforms. He argues that real progress requires focusing on a small number of interventions that are scientifically proven, politically feasible, and capable of driving multiple outcomes at once. Parenting programs and universal access to quality early childhood education sit at the top of that list. The conversation also touches on the newly established International Day of Play, a United Nations observance led by UNICEF and UNESCO. Perks explains why play is not a luxury but a biological and social necessity that underpins learning, creativity, resilience, and human connection across the life course. The episode closes with a powerful reminder. In a world marked by polarization and instability, the science of child development offers something rare: a practical, evidence based pathway to improve human wellbeing at scale. By investing in caregiving, attachment, and play, societies have an unprecedented opportunity to prevent trauma, and give every child the chance to grow up safe, loved, and nurtured. Visit our Knowledge Hub at Lidji.org for information on 350+ case studies and interviews with remarkable leaders in philanthropy, sustainability and social entrepreneurship.