Development Dynamics is committed to conducting its operations with the highest standards of integrity, transparency, accountability, and ethical business practice. As a firm dedicated to sustainable development, capacity strengthening, research, and advisory services, we recognise the importance of maintaining public trust and ensuring that our activities are conducted independently and responsibly.

Position on Lobbying

Development Dynamics recognises that its work in systems change, research, advisory services, policy dialogue and multi-stakeholder engagement may, directly or indirectly, contribute to changes in public policy, government programmes, regulations, financing mechanisms or institutional practice. DD distinguishes between independent lobbying undertaken by DD as an institution and policy engagement undertaken as part of a client mandate, partnership, research initiative, collective action or systems-change engagement.

DD does not maintain a dedicated lobbying function, employ lobbyists or make financial contributions for lobbying purposes. DD does not independently undertake political campaigning or seek to influence public policy for partisan political purposes. However, where an authorised client engagement, partnership or DD-led initiative requires engagement with government or other public institutions, DD may provide evidence, research, technical advice, recommendations, convening, public submissions, stakeholder engagement or other forms of policy engagement that may contribute to or seek policy changes, public financing, regulation, administrative practice or institutional arrangements.

Such engagement shall be undertaken transparently, ethically and within the scope of the relevant mandate, contract, partnership or approved DD initiative. DD shall not represent itself as politically partisan, provide improper inducements to public officials, or use its policy engagement activities to provide political support to parties or candidates.

Client-Mandated Policy Engagement 

DD may, in the course of providing consulting, research, advisory or systems-change services, support a client or partner in engaging with government, regulators, public institutions or other policy actors. Where such engagement forms part of an approved client mandate, DD’s role shall be determined by the relevant contract, Terms of Reference, work plan or partnership agreement.

Depending on the engagement, DD’s activities may include:

• Research and evidence generation;
• Policy analysis;
• Technical recommendations;
• Policy submissions;
• Participation in public consultations;
• Engagement with government ministries, departments and agencies;
• Convening policy stakeholders;
• Presenting research findings;
• Supporting dialogue between stakeholders and government;
• Providing technical input into policy, planning, budgeting or financing processes; and
• Supporting collective action intended to improve public systems or outcomes.

Where these activities are intended to contribute to a change in policy, financing, regulation, administrative practice or institutional arrangements, DD shall describe the engagement accurately rather than characterising it solely as research or information-sharing. DD shall distinguish its own institutional position from that of a client, partner, coalition or other stakeholder and shall not represent a client’s advocacy position as an independent DD position unless DD has separately authorised and adopted that position.

The existence of a client mandate does not remove DD’s responsibility to comply with this statement, applicable law, contractual obligations, ethical standards and relevant internal policies.

Systems Change and Policy Influence

DD recognises that sustained systems change may require changes in policies, regulations, public financing, administrative practices, institutional arrangements, market conditions, incentives or other structural conditions.

Consequently, DD’s systems-change work may contribute to policy influence directly or indirectly.

Policy influence may occur through:

• Evidence — generating and communicating research and analysis;
• Advice — providing technical or strategic recommendations;
• Convening — bringing together public, private, community and other stakeholders;
• Engagement — participating in consultations, technical working groups, policy dialogues and institutional processes;
• Demonstration — developing or supporting approaches that may inform future policy or institutional practice;
• Collective action — working with partners and networks to contribute to shared policy objectives; and
• Public communication — communicating evidence, perspectives and recommendations on matters relevant to DD’s purpose.

DD shall distinguish between:

• Direct influence — where DD itself makes or communicates a recommendation or position to a relevant decision-maker;
• Indirect influence — where DD contributes evidence, analysis, convening or other inputs that form part of a wider policy process; and
• Collective influence — where policy change results from the combined efforts of multiple actors.

DD shall not claim that a policy or institutional change was caused by DD unless the available evidence supports such a claim. Where change results from collective action, DD shall communicate its contribution rather than claiming sole attribution.

Policy Dialogue and Stakeholder Engagement

While Development Dynamics may participate in policy discussions, public consultations, research dissemination, knowledge-sharing forums, and multi-stakeholder dialogues related to sustainable development and social impact, such participation is undertaken solely for educational, technical, and informational purposes. Our engagement is intended to contribute evidence-based insights, share expertise, and support informed decision-making rather than to influence policy outcomes for firm, commercial, or political gain

Partnerships and Third-Party Advocacy 

Where DD participates in a partnership, consortium, coalition or client-led initiative involving public-policy engagement, DD shall clearly define its role and level of responsibility.

Before entering or materially expanding such an engagement, DD should establish, where relevant:

• The purpose of the policy engagement;
• The parties involved;
• DD’s specific role;
• Whether DD is speaking in its own institutional capacity or on behalf of another party;
• The authority to represent DD publicly;
• The intended policy or institutional outcome;
• Relevant legal, reputational and ethical risks;
• Data and evidence responsibilities;
• Attribution arrangements; and
• Monitoring and reporting expectations.

DD shall not automatically assume responsibility for the policy positions, lobbying activities or advocacy activities of a client, partner or coalition merely because DD participates in the same project.

Where DD’s name, logo, personnel or institutional position is used in external policy engagement, the use shall be consistent with the agreed mandate and DD’s authorised position.

Political Neutrality and Non-partisanship

DD maintains political neutrality and non-partisanship in its institutional activities:

1. DD does not provide financial contributions, donations, endorsements or other forms of institutional support to political parties, political candidates or political campaigns.
2. DD may, however, engage with elected officials, public servants, government ministries, departments, agencies, regulators and other public institutions where such engagement is relevant to its research, advisory, systems-change, public-policy or stakeholder work.
3. Engagement with a public official or government institution shall not, by itself, constitute political endorsement.
4. DD shall base its public-policy engagement on its purpose, evidence, professional expertise, stakeholder interests and the objectives of the relevant engagement rather than partisan political affiliation.
5. Individual employees, consultants and associates retain their lawful personal political rights and views. Such personal views shall not be represented as the institutional position of DD unless expressly authorised.

Governance and Oversight

Responsibility for implementing this statement rests with the CEO and relevant leadership functions of Development Dynamics. The CEO is responsible for ensuring that DD’s public-policy and lobbying-related activities are undertaken within approved institutional, contractual, legal and ethical boundaries. The Advisory Board provides strategic oversight of DD’s approach to public-policy engagement, political neutrality and material risks associated with policy influence, where such oversight falls within its mandate.

Relevant leadership or designated functional leads shall be responsible for:

• Identifying policy-engagement activities;
• Confirming the mandate and authority for the engagement;
• Assessing material legal, reputational, ethical and stakeholder risks;
• Ensuring appropriate documentation;
• Maintaining records of significant policy engagements;
• Ensuring accurate attribution of DD’s role;
• Monitoring significant outcomes where appropriate; and
• Escalating material concerns to leadership.

Where a policy-engagement activity represents a significant change from DD’s approved institutional position, creates material reputational or legal risk, involves significant public commitments, or extends beyond the scope of an approved client or partnership mandate, it shall be escalated for leadership consideration before proceeding.

Public Disclosure

In the interest of transparency and accountability to our clients, partners, donors, beneficiaries, employees, and other stakeholders, Development Dynamics publicly discloses this statement through its website. Should our approach to lobbying or public policy engagement change in the future, we will update this statement accordingly and provide clear disclosure of any relevant activities.

Review Cycle

This statement will be reviewed at least annually and whenever there is a material change to DD’s:

• Business or operating model;
• Systems-change approach;
• Public-policy engagement;
• Client or partnership arrangements;
• Political neutrality commitments;
• Legal or regulatory environment;
• Governance arrangements; or
• Risk profile.

The review shall consider whether the statement accurately reflects DD’s actual activities and whether the organisation has sufficient capacity, controls, evidence and governance arrangements to manage its public-policy engagements responsibly.

Where material changes occur, DD shall update the public statement and communicate the change to relevant stakeholders where appropriate.