Impact Stories
IDEAS WITHOUT BORDERS: A scalable model for global impact
TRANSFORM is a unique model that unites the strengths of the public and private sectors in support of new market-based…
For over a decade, TRANSFORM changed lives by tackling global challenges through innovative enterprise
About TRANSFORM
Established in 2015, TRANSFORM was a joint initiative led by Unilever, the UK Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) through the Global Research and Technology Department (GRTD), and EY. Together, we set out to help impact entrepreneurs test and scale commercially self-sustaining, market-driven solutions to some of the world’s most pressing social and environmental challenges.
TRANSFORM brought public and private sector organisations together, combining resources, expertise and networks to support locally led innovation. Through this approach, we worked alongside impact enterprises and researchers to create value for communities, entrepreneurs and partners alike.
Over the course of the initiative, we supported over 160 impact enterprise and research projects across 19 countries in Asia and Africa, reaching more than 21 million people.
The initiative came to an end in 2026 having delivered its vision, and its legacy continues. We’ve captured our insights and learnings in an open-access playbook. We hope the TRANSFORM model lives on through others who adapt it, apply it and take its impact further.
Water, Sanitation & Hygiene
Future of Work
Raise Living Standards
Protect & Regenerate Nature
Waste-Free World
Digital health
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enterprise & research projects supported
£
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m
provided in grant funding and business support
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m+
people reached
Project resources
Whether you're a donor, enterprise, business, investor or simply want to learn more, explore our collection of insights, tools, case studies and learning resources.
Academic Research Studies
How to Lift up Communities by Empowering Women
Empowering women and girls so they can realise their potential doesn’t just benefit them, but also their wider societies. At…
Resources
Beyond livelihoods: how can we create working environments in the global south in which women thrive?
Women are key to economic development in the Global South. They are effective, knowledgeable and influential members of society who…
Resources
Six golden rules to create sales networks that reach the last mile
1) Build links with existing networks of sales agents Often, it will be quicker and cheaper to access an existing…
Enterprise projects
TRANSFORM's impact enterprises are tackling some of the world's most pressing development challenges in an inclusive, sustainable and innovative way.
Green Bean
Green Bean Manufacturing designs and creates agro-processing machinery and equipment for animal feed, coffee and spices in Ethiopia . Despite…
Zambia Sanitation – Research
The Zambia Sanitation project was a collaboration between the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, the Centre for Infectious…
Kuza
Africa grows enough food to feed its people, yet one in five still goes hungry. Each year, nearly a third of the continent’s harvest…
Southern Water and Sanitation Company (SWSC)
There is a lack of adequate toilet infrastructure, emptying services and waste treatment services, alongside a lack of affordability or…
Sesa Recycling by GRIPE
Ghana generates around 840,000 tons of plastic waste per year, of which only 9.5% is collected for recycling. Alongside widespread…
AppCyclers
AppCyclers is modernising plastic waste management through its Northern Ghana Plastic Waste Reboot Initiative. Ghana generates 1.1 million tonnes of…
&frnds
&frnds is a B2B e-commerce platform with embedded finance options for last mile value chains in emerging markets. Micro-retailers in…
University of Colorado
Worldwide, around 2.4 billion people still cook using solid fuels and kerosene in open fires and inefficient stoves. The resulting…