The CEDR Foundation undertakes foundation projects and activities, looking at innovation and research in the area of conflict, as part of its not-for-profit work. Foundation actvities complement CEDR’s Services arm and seek to bring about public benefit by impacting four main areas: civil justice reform and ADR Initiatives; excellence and innovation in effective conflict management; effective dialogue in organisational leadership and governance; and society and conflict management.

Welcome to CEDR's foundation activities
by Dr Karl Mackie CBE, CEDR Chief Executive

CEDR has always been an organisation dedicated to creating a positive impact for public benefit. Our launch two decades ago was directed at reforming the legal system, to ensure clients were made aware of, and had access to, effective means of settling cases out of court and cutting the cost of conflict – a task that I am pleased to say we have had much success with. Whilst we maintain a keen interest in the improvement and development of ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution), our attention has naturally turned much wider. In terms of the scope of our activity, we are now looking in addition to ADR at the roles that collaboration, negotiation and the management of conflict can play to improve the arenas of business and public life. Geographically as well we now look beyond the UK and Europe, to see where else CEDR might be of benefit.

Recently we have been developing a raft of projects that address key areas of shared interest between CEDR and the public. One of these areas, access to civil justice, is addressed through projects such as the Inquiry into Inquiries project which looks at increasing the credibility and effectiveness of Public Inquiries through collaboration. Another area of interest is building effective dialogue in organisational leadership to try and counter the failings in business and public sector that often stem from poor communication and CEDR has addressed this in our Corporate Governance project with the International Finance Corporation. We have also been engaging more closely with our ADR community by looking at excellence and innovation in conflict resolution; the Innovation Lab and the International ADR Trainers Network projects both seek to progress understanding and learning about ADR practice and training around the world.

In order to emerge stronger and collectively better equipped for the future from these austere times, we believe that the key lies in working together rather than trying to protect our own through isolationism. The overarching theme for the current projects is “collaborative leadership”, focusing on the role of organisations in developing much needed social capital when it comes to relationships and business. Over the next year CEDR will be promoting this theme through our projects and activities.

We would like to thank all the members of the CEDR board including our new chair, Lady Elizabeth Vallance, along with Patrick Sherrington, Jane Whittles, Colin Browne and Mike Grabiner, and look forward to their support and guidance as we work together to deliver these ground-breaking projects.

We are looking forward to another year of showing the impact that our activities are having on, not just our community or the business community, but the world at large.

Changing the world in a positive and not-for-profit way can be a challenge, but it’s the driving force behind CEDR’s existence and indeed forms the foundation upon which we operate.