31 October 2019

WSP and The Helen Clark Foundation are delighted to announce a partnership that will see them share expertise and resources to deliver an evidence-based perspective on social issues.

Launched in March 2019, The Helen Clark Foundation is an independent public policy think tank that publishes research and recommendations on policy issues that New Zealanders care deeply about.

The Foundation’s work has ignited public debate on issues such as online harm, drug law reform and environmentalism. Its Patron, the Right Honourable Helen Clark, believes in the importance of independent and expert advice for decision-making.

“Non-partisan research and contributions to public policy have a growing role to play. We are living in an era of heightened partisanship and vested interests which actively obstruct efforts to pursue evidence-based policy. The Foundation facilitates policy challenges in a rational and reasoned way, drawing on international experience of what works”, Helen Clark said.

Ian Blair, WSP Managing Director, says partnering with the Foundation is an important way WSP can continue to deliver positive outcomes for New Zealand.

“Our DNA is embedded in the foundations of New Zealand’s built and natural environment. While we’re justifiably proud of the contribution we’ve made to our history over 149 years, it’s how we create what matters for future generations that’s important now,” says Blair.

Under the partnership, WSP will sponsor a fulltime researcher with the Foundation to produce evidence-based reports and insights to stimulate public debate and policy action. WSP will also leverage its local and global experts across its extensive international network.

The topics of the two reports that will be delivered in 2020 will be announced early in the year and will reflect WSP’s focus on preparing the built and natural environments of New Zealand for the future.

About:

• The Helen Clark Foundation is an independent, non-partisan, public policy think tank based in New Zealand. Building on the lifetime of public service by its patron Helen Clark, the Foundation aims to contribute to policy debates on how to achieve a more inclusive, sustainable, and peaceful society. https://helenclark.foundation/.

• WSP is one of the world’s leading professional services firms. Its global network of 49,000 experts spans across 550 offices in 44 countries. They plan and design human-centred solutions that harness the power of new technology so that they can create a better tomorrow. In New Zealand, WSP’s rich history dates back to colonial times as the Public Works Department, evolving into Opus and now WSP. https://www.wsp.com/en-NZ/who-we-are/our-story.

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