ImpactLab
1. Business / Trading Name: ImpactLab (registered as Impact Lab Limited). Often referred to simply as ImpactLab in publications and on its website.
2. Company Number: 7233576 (New Zealand Companies Office registration number for Impact Lab Limited).
3. New Zealand Business Number (NZBN): 9429047243835 (the unique NZBN assigned to Impact Lab Limited upon incorporation).
4. Entity Type: New Zealand Limited Company. Impact Lab Limited is registered as a privately held limited liability company in NZ.
5. Business Classification: M696205 – Business consultant service. This classification indicates ImpactLab operates as a business consulting service (focused on data analytics and social impact measurement).
6. Industry Category: Professional Services (Social Impact Analytics). ImpactLab falls under professional, scientific and technical services, specializing in social investment and impact analysis for the charitable and public sectors.
7. Year Founded: 2019. ImpactLab was co-founded in early 2019 by Sir Bill English and partners after he left politics. The company was incorporated on 1 February 2019.
8. Addresses:
• Registered Office / Physical Address: Floor/Level 8, 187 Featherston Street, Wellington 6011, New Zealand. This Wellington CBD address is listed as ImpactLab’s official location (often c/o Maria English in filings).
• Other Offices: ImpactLab’s operations are primarily Wellington-based, though the CEO has a presence in Auckland (as seen in contract documents). The main contact address remains the Wellington office.
9. Website URL:
https://impactlab.co.nz
– The official website provides information on ImpactLab’s services (“GoodMeasure” analytics), case studies, and team.
10. LinkedIn URL: https://www.linkedin.com/company/impact-lab-ltd/?originalSubdomain=nz – Company LinkedIn page (used for updates and recruitment). (ImpactLab’s LinkedIn showcases company news and job postings; e.g. listing ~10+ employees.)
11. Company Hub NZ URL: https://www.companyhub.nz/companyDetails.cfm?nzbn=9429047243835 – CompanyHub profile for Impact Lab Limited, which compiles Companies Office data (registration info, addresses, status).
12. NZ Companies Office URL: https://app.companiesoffice.govt.nz/companies/app/ui/pages/companies/7233576?backurl=H4sIAAAAAAAAAEXLuwrCQBCF4bfZNjEXNMUgNlqYQjAvMOyOuuBenJkoeXsjRuz%2B88EpMl5JCptCxujnEkK2t%2B0DuqbqymZdNfWmbg1F9ToNUyaBXd8v%2B6yooxw4jfnLPtrEec8pwNJDAoPOMYn83wscaXoldmBEkRVKc%2FfBK6xaI5cZ3ef5xGjJnTDSHZRHMiE5gp%2B%2FAd8YK5i%2FAAAA
13. Social Media URLs:
• Facebook: facebook.com/ImpactLabLimited – Official Facebook page (features news, events, and highlights of ImpactLab’s work).
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/impactlab – (See item 10 above.)
14. Ultimate Holding Company: None. ImpactLab is an independent company. There is no ultimate holding company – it is privately held by its founders/investors.
15. Key Shareholders: ImpactLab’s ownership is spread among its co-founders and initial investors:
• Maria English (5.31%)
• 7933336 – English Investment Trustee Limited (44.69%)
• Frances Wyborn (50.00%)
(No single corporate entity owns ImpactLab; its shares are held by the founding individuals and possibly family trusts associated with them.)
16. Leadership:
• Sir Bill English – Chair of the Board & Founder. Former NZ Prime Minister, he provides strategic direction and governance oversight.
• Maria English – Chief Executive Officer. Bill English’s daughter, she took over as CEO (her “first CEO role”) to lead day-to-day operations and growth.
• Emily Mason – Founder and Director. A policy analyst by background, she was the founding CEO in 2019 and continues to serve as a director and subject matter expert.
• Fran Wyborn – Founder and Board Member/Advisor. A philanthropist investor, she is involved at the board/advisory level (leveraging her philanthropic sector insights).
Additional governance: ImpactLab’s board is chaired by Bill English; other founders (Mason, Wyborn) and possibly other stakeholders serve in governance roles. The leadership team sets the vision and maintains relationships with government and funders.
17. Staff: ImpactLab is a small but highly skilled team, consisting of data scientists, analysts, and sector experts. The company’s public team roster (circa 2021–2023) lists about a dozen key staff members. Roles range from product development to research and client engagement. Some notable staff: Product & Analytics Lead, Project Leads, Research Analysts, and an Engagement Executive. Many team members have multidisciplinary backgrounds in economics, social policy, and analytics.
• 17a. Staff with previous government roles: Several ImpactLab personnel have experience in government, reflecting a “revolving door” of policy expertise:
• Sir Bill English – former Prime Minister and Finance Minister of New Zealand, who pioneered the “social investment” approach in government.
• Emily Mason – formerly a policy analyst in the government’s Social Investment Agency during the last National government. She directly worked under Bill English on social investment initiatives.
• Kylie Reiri – previously a data scientist/manager in public sector projects (Social Investment Agency) before co-founding ImpactLab.
• (Other staff): The team also includes individuals with public policy and government research backgrounds, though most other listed staff (e.g., analysts and project leads) came from academia or the social sector rather than holding senior government posts.
18. Past Employees: A few early contributors to ImpactLab have since moved on:
• Kylie Reiri – Co-founder and ex-Chief Technical Officer, who left ImpactLab (she later joined PwC as a data analytics partner, indicating a career move back to the private consulting sector).
• Dr. Todd Nicholson – Co-founder and ex-Chief Analytics Officer; after helping establish ImpactLab’s analytical frameworks, he returned to running his own consultancy (Nicholson Consulting) and other projects.
• Other departures: Given the small size, few departures are public. The core founding group has largely stayed involved, with role shifts (e.g., Maria English stepping into CEO role). Reiri and Nicholson are the notable early team members no longer on staff.
19. Clients: ImpactLab’s clients are primarily charitable organizations, non-profits, and social service providers, as well as philanthropic funders and some government agencies. Since 2019, ImpactLab has evaluated programs for over 150 charities by mid-2022, growing to nearly 300 programme assessments by late 2024. Clients include community organizations across New Zealand seeking to quantify their social impact, for example:
• Mental health and well-being charities – Gumboot Friday/I Am Hope (youth mental health) commissioned an ImpactLab social value report ; Gandhi Nivas (family harm prevention) and others in well-being sectors have had “GoodMeasure” reports.
• Education and youth development programs – e.g., Springboard Trust (educational mentoring), MoneyTime (financial literacy for children), among others, to demonstrate long-term outcomes of their interventions.
• Health and disability services – e.g., Sweet Louise (cancer support charity) and health nonprofits have used ImpactLab to estimate social ROI of their support programs.
• Financial inclusion and social enterprises – e.g., Ngā Tāngata Microfinance (zero-interest loans program) received an ImpactLab impact analysis ; social enterprises like ethical fashion label Nisa have also been highlighted for their social value creation.
• Government agencies – On occasion, ministries contract ImpactLab for social impact evaluations of public initiatives (for instance, the Ministry for the Environment engaged ImpactLab to assess the Jobs for Nature programme’s social impact). Some local government and Crown entities have also sought ImpactLab’s analysis for community investment programs.
• 19a. Industries/Sectors Represented: The above clients span multiple sectors: mental health, education, justice and rehabilitation, housing support, health care, child and family services, financial empowerment, and more. ImpactLab’s methodology is applied to social sector programs broadly, so industries include charitable and non-profit sector services, government-funded social services, philanthropic grant-making, and community development projects. Essentially any sector where social outcomes can be measured (health, housing, employment, education, crime prevention, etc.) is represented in ImpactLab’s portfolio. This cross-sector reach reflects ImpactLab’s aim to standardize social return metrics across different social investments.
20. Publicly Disclosed Engagements: ImpactLab’s work is sometimes cited publicly in government or industry documents, providing a window into its engagements:
• Government Contracts: In 2024, the Ministry for the Environment publicly released a contract with ImpactLab for a “Social Impact Assessment” of the Jobs for Nature program. This contract (via Official Information Act release) details ImpactLab’s services for evaluating a large public program’s social outcomes. Similarly, media reports indicate ImpactLab’s analysis was used by the Ministry of Health in justifying funding for mental health services (see Gumboot Friday case below).
• Parliamentary/Ministerial References: ImpactLab’s social impact figures have been explicitly referenced by government ministers in funding announcements. For example, in May 2024 Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey cited an ImpactLab-calculated ROI figure to help justify a NZ$24 million grant to the Gumboot Friday initiative. This suggests ImpactLab’s work was effectively used in policy decisions (and became part of the public record of that decision). There is no formal lobbying register entry for ImpactLab, but such references reveal its behind-the-scenes engagements with officials.
• Charity Sector Reports: Many ImpactLab “GoodMeasure” reports are published in partnership with client charities and made publicly available (often on the charities’ websites). These reports (e.g., for Springboard Trust, Ngā Tāngata Microfinance, Sweet Louise, etc.) disclose ImpactLab’s involvement and methodologies in evaluating those programs.
• Events and Media: ImpactLab’s leadership frequently appear in social sector conferences, webinars, and media interviews (e.g., ImpactLab CEO on TVNZ’s Q+A program in 2024, discussing their work). Such appearances are typically disclosed engagements aimed at influencing practice in the social sector, rather than direct lobbying.
21. Affiliations: ImpactLab maintains connections with various industry and community networks:
• The genesis of ImpactLab is affiliated with the former Social Investment Agency (a government unit) – both Emily Mason and Kylie Reiri came from that agency, and ImpactLab’s approach aligns with that agency’s ethos. While not a formal affiliation, it is an intellectual/professional linkage that persists through personnel and methodology.
• Academic/Expert Networks: ImpactLab claims its methodology draws on best practices and has been “independently reviewed by experts” for robustness. Though not explicitly named, this suggests affiliations with academic or expert validators (possibly economists or social scientists who peer-reviewed their model).
• Think Tanks/Policy Groups: Sir Bill English is personally involved with policy think tanks (e.g., he is a director at the Centre for Independent Studies in Australia and the NZ Initiative’s Democracy Project) – while these are not ImpactLab affiliations per se, his involvement provides ImpactLab indirect connections to those policy networks.
Overall, ImpactLab is well-integrated in the social innovation ecosystem of NZ, connected to government reformers, philanthropic circles, and data-for-good communities.
22. Sponsorships / Collaborations: ImpactLab itself is not known for high-profile sponsorships (being a small firm), but it collaborates with others in its projects:
• It partnered with charitable trusts and foundations when producing reports (the charity provides data and context, ImpactLab provides analysis). For example, its work with I Am Hope was a collaboration that helped that charity secure government funding.
• ImpactLab has also collaborated with corporate philanthropy advisors (e.g., Bloomsbury Associates) in events promoting effective philanthropy. This suggests informal sponsorship or support of sector knowledge-sharing events.
• There is no record of ImpactLab sponsoring major public events or conferences itself; rather, it contributes expertise (speakers like Maria English) to conferences on social investment and impact measurement. In that sense, its “sponsorship” is through thought leadership and training sessions for the social sector.
(No notable corporate sponsorships involving ImpactLab have been documented in the past five years.)
23. Events (Organised by ImpactLab): ImpactLab has primarily been a participant in events rather than an organizer of large public events. Notable activities:
• ImpactLab Webinars/Workshops: The company has hosted private workshops for clients and funders on understanding Social Return on Investment (often as part of their service delivery, helping organizations interpret their GoodMeasure reports). These are typically closed sessions for stakeholders, rather than public conferences.
• Sector Conferences: ImpactLab’s leaders have featured in panels at events like Philanthropy NZ summits and social enterprise conferences, though these events are organized by sector bodies. For instance, Maria English (CEO) appeared on media (TVNZ’s Q+A, podcasts like Purposely) to discuss impact measurement, functioning as a de facto event speaker.
• Launch Events: In its early days (2019), ImpactLab held a launch presentation for the philanthropic community to introduce the GoodMeasure tool. This included demonstrations of the dashboard to invited funders (mentioned in media coverage of its founding).
In summary, ImpactLab has not held large public events in its name, but it actively participates in sector events and may convene small-scale gatherings or briefings related to its projects.
24. Political Donations: None disclosed under ImpactLab. There are no recorded political donations made by Impact Lab Limited as an entity, nor by its known principals in relation to the company’s activities (2019–2024). The company’s influence has been wielded through policy advice rather than political contributions. However, contextually, figures around ImpactLab’s work have had political finance ties: for example, the chair of the I Am Hope charity (which used ImpactLab’s analysis) donated $27,000 to the National Party over two elections. That raised perceptions that ImpactLab’s positive report on the charity’s program (and subsequent funding) sat adjacent to political patronage. It’s important to note this donation was by the charity’s chair, not by ImpactLab. Bill English himself is a former politician but since leaving office, he has not been publicly noted for any significant political donations; instead, his influence has come via advisory roles.
25. Controversies: ImpactLab has attracted scrutiny and controversy as its profile in government decision-making has grown:
• Conflict of Interest in Funding Decisions: In 2024, the Government’s direct grant to Gumboot Friday (based on ImpactLab’s ROI report) drew criticism. Observers noted that ImpactLab is chaired by Bill English (a senior figure in the ruling party’s orbit), creating a perception of favoritism or “cronyism.” An opinion piece highlighted that “three Government ministers have repeatedly cited” ImpactLab’s $5.70 ROI figure for Gumboot Friday – a report “commissioned by the charity itself, by ImpactLab, a company co-founded and chaired by former National leader Bill English.”. Questions were raised as to whether this constituted an undue influence or a conflict of interest, given English’s political connections. (The Prime Minister denied any conflict, but the optics were widely debated.)
• Pressure on Charities to Use ImpactLab: The opposition (Labour Party at the time) claimed that non-profits felt pressured to obtain ImpactLab reports to secure government funding. Media reports echoed “concerns over perceptions [ImpactLab reports] are becoming an increasingly important part of securing government funding”. This controversy suggests ImpactLab’s role was almost seen as an unofficial gatekeeper for funding – a claim both the Government and ImpactLab refuted (no formal requirement existed, they said).
• Methodology Critiques: Some experts questioned the reliability and transparency of ImpactLab’s proprietary Social Return on Investment calculations. In October 2024, a prominent political analyst referenced “questions about the independence and methodology of ImpactLab” in a column. (That statement was later retracted with an apology, under potential legal pressure, indicating the sensitivity around this issue.) The need for retraction itself became a minor controversy, hinting at ImpactLab’s assertiveness in protecting its reputation. Nonetheless, the initial concern reflects a debate in the sector: can a private company’s ROI metrics be taken at face value for public funding decisions? ImpactLab has maintained that its process is robust and evidence-based, but the lack of external transparency (due to commercial sensitivities) continues to prompt skepticism in some quarters.
• Regulatory/Procurement Bypass: The Auditor-General’s investigation into the Gumboot Friday funding found the Health Ministry bypassed usual procurement rules (using a special “opt-out” to fund the charity directly). While this critique was aimed at officials and ministers, ImpactLab was indirectly involved because its report underpinned the decision. This situation highlighted how ImpactLab’s work, if accepted without independent review, could contribute to governance risks.
Overall, the controversies revolve around transparency and impartiality – i.e., whether ImpactLab’s close ties to political figures and its paid consultancy model might compromise the objectivity of advice that government relies on.
26. Other Information of Note:
• “GoodMeasure” Tool: ImpactLab’s core product is its GoodMeasure platform, which translates data into an intuitive “social value” metric. GoodMeasure produces an annual Social Return on Investment (SROI) figure for a given program (e.g., “$5.70 of social value per $1 invested” as in the Gumboot example). This tool has been a differentiator for ImpactLab, enabling consistent comparisons across different social programs. It is notable that this methodology was inspired by and builds upon government data systems (such as the Integrated Data Infrastructure that Bill English championed in government).
• Leadership Transitions: ImpactLab saw a leadership change when co-founder Emily Mason handed the CEO role to Maria English (Bill English’s daughter). Maria, in her early 30s and formerly a consultant, represents a new generation taking ImpactLab forward. Her appointment kept the leadership “in the family,” which has been remarked upon in the media since both the Chair and CEO are from the English family. Maria’s performance and credibility have been under the spotlight given this dynamic, and by most accounts she has been the public face of the company’s growth (appearing in interviews and fronting ImpactLab’s responses to controversies).
• Expansion and Reach: Over five years, ImpactLab has scaled its reach significantly (300+ projects, covering large portions of the non-profit sector). While small in headcount, it punches above its weight in influence. The firm has also engaged in some Australian projects via Bill English’s networks (e.g., presentations to the Paul Ramsay Foundation in Australia, though its main operations remain NZ-focused).
• Independent Review: ImpactLab has stated that its methodology was independently vetted by experts to ensure it meets global best practices. Though details are scant, this likely refers to informal peer reviews by academics or consultancy peers. It indicates ImpactLab’s awareness of skepticism and its effort to bolster credibility.
• Manawanui Connection: The English family also owns Manawanui, a disability support platform. While separate from ImpactLab, this indicates a broader family interest in social sector enterprises. There is no reported business overlap, but it underscores Sir Bill English’s post-politics focus on social outcomes via private ventures.
• Awards/Recognition: ImpactLab is relatively new and is not known to have won major business awards yet; however, its model has been highlighted as innovative in social finance circles. It effectively brought the “social investment” concept (pioneered in NZ’s public sector) into the private consultancy realm, which is itself a notable shift in New Zealand’s approach to social policy and philanthropy.
Spot anything in this entry that is wrong? Please either leave a comment at the end or email, in confidence: bryce@democracyproject.nz