
We advise social development initiatives and support enterprises that deal with social risks.
Our motto: “Take the reins” (Ne pas subir) demonstrates our will to actively seek positive, on-the-ground solutions.
We support organisations to identify social and environmental risks. We help formulate solutions whilst improving the relationship between the populations and our clients. Our solutions provide a blend of traditional monitoring and evaluation know-how with cutting edge technology.

In our work we value a good understanding of the consequences of a social intervention, whether it be a development aid programme, a peace-building initiative, an industrial project, or a humanitarian action.
Thanks to our work on Social Impact we have enabled organisations to combine financing from the public and the private spheres through impact investment. We believe in the growing importance of sustainable finance.
Over the years we have built a strong network of professionals with whom we are lucky to work on a regular basis. We claim to have in this way gained access and insights into some of the world’s most intractable problems.
- Social & Environmental Impact Assessment
- Performance Evaluations and field work
- Digital Technology and societal engagement
- Integrating Social Analytics to Social Finance

NEWS

We are delighted to say that Emery has just published the “how to” book for social impact evaluation. It describes the challenges and useful complexity thinking bodies of knowledge that will enable people on the ground to deliver valid and accurate assessments.
For those wishing to buy the book in the UK please follow this link:
https://www.hive.co.uk/Product/Emery-Brusset/Second-Circle–The-science-and-art-of-social-impact-assessment/25170849, or alternatively https://www.waterstones.com/book/second-circle/emery-brusset/9781912666775
For all others please follow this link: https://mybook.to/secondcircle
Our recent projects include:

Review of Third-Party Monitoring Approaches Used in Somalia
An external review for the UK Department of International Development with the aim of gathering lessons to inform the third phase of the Somalia Monitoring Programme II.

Conflict Analysis Report
Conflict analysis for the Embassy of Denmark to prepare a revision to the country strategy, for conflict sensitivity.

Decentralised Cooperation Programme (DCP) II – Support to Non-State Actors
An evaluation to identify the results achieved and to share the learning on the development of similar programmes.

Investor Horizon
Inventory of Impact Investment Opportunities for DCA – Analysis of the Nature and Expectations of Investors, Outline of the Best Options for DCA.
Evaluation of Finnish Civil Society Organizations
Performed under contract with FCG Consulting, it is the synthesis of the evaluations of the development programmes and humanitarian operations of six Finnish Civil Society Organizations (CSOs). The evaluation provides evidence on the performance of the CSOs and the results achieved. It helps to inform a more strategic relationship between the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland and the CSOs, and to preserve or increase the results achieved through these funding modalities.
Evaluation of the United Nations Peace-Building Fund in Guinea
Performed under contract with Transtec, it presents a comprehensive analysis of the performance of projects funded under this mechanism in Guinea, dealing with security sector reform, dialogue and reconciliation, and employment creation.

Evaluation of the World Food Programme Protection Policy
Volume 1 and Volume 2
Performed under contract with Dara, the Humanitarian Protection Policy (the Protection Policy) was approved by the WFP Executive Board in February 2012, and updated in 2014. This evaluation was timely particularly given the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the roll-out of WFP’s Integrated Road Map (IRM) 2017-2021.

Evaluation of the Syria Initiative
The evaluation covers the implementation, over three years, of the Syria Initiative, implemented by Felm and Common Space Initiative, to create a bottom-up and multi-stakeholder process of support to peace-building in Syria.
Evaluation of Finland’s Crisis Management Initiative
Commissioned by the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, this evaluation covers all the activities of CMI over five years until 2017.
EU Joint Programming in Conflict Affected and Fragile States
The study aims to use the learning gained from the EU and EU Member States in implementing Joint Programming in fragile contexts. The objective is to improve the effectiveness and impact of EU and EU Member States’ joint external action in these particular settings.

Social Due Diligence on Behalf of International Finance Corporation and Kinross Gold in Mauritania
The study presents the findings of the Due Diligence on social aspects conducted from October to December 2018 based on the review of available documentation including environmental permits, impact assessments, and a 5 day site visit. It is focused approach on key potential risks.
Evaluation of the Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business
This evaluation covers the first five years of this think-tank and aims to assist the Board, the management of MCRB, and the two parent organisations to reflect on past performance and define future steps. The evaluation was carried out with Thomas Trier Hansen in mid-2018 by two international consultants.
Performance Evaluation of 8 Years of Peace Work by the UN in Nepal
Evaluation of the UN Peacebuilding Fund in Nepal, 2016.

Review of Caritas Denmark with a Thematic Focus on Partnerships
On behalf of the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a review of the efforts of Caritas Denmark and its network of partners in emergency relief and development.
Towards a Comprehensive Results-Based Reporting and Performance Assessment Framework: For UN Peacekeeping Operations
Initial study that considers the tools and processes that DPKO and DFS currently use to assess the performance of senior personnel, individual units and peacekeeping operations, and proposes a methodology for reorganizing these tools into a single overarching comprehensive planning, reporting and performance assessment framework.
Evaluation of Environment and Conflict, UNEP 2016
Analysis of the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainability of UNEP’s Environmental Cooperation for Peacebuilding programme, which provides expertise and methods to United Nations bodies, member states, academics, and civil society, to advance the opportunities for peace afforded by good stewardship of natural resources.