“I have been a researcher focussed on social issues and charities since the 90s. There is such a commonality of inequality that is getting worse – of access to support, opportunity and health outcomes. I am a passionate believer in the power of organisations collaborating for good, and in using my data geekiness and research skills to support organisations to understand how to facilitate greater sustained change.”
Charlotte Turner is an evaluator and researcher with over 30 years of experience, renowned for her expertise in social value. As the Founder and Director of Bean Research, she has made significant strides in the field, serving as a pivotal voice and advisor on social impact. For the past decade, she has also been the social impact and value lead at Cranfield School of Management, where she passionately teaches social value as part of the MSc Sustainability programme and is a Level 3 Advanced Accredited Practitioner of Social Value International.
In 2012, Charlotte established Bean Research after holding key Director roles at Business in the Community and Ipsos. At Ipsos MORI, she conducted evaluations for both international and local charities and corporations, pioneering methodologies that illuminate the real impact of interventions through a lens of attribution, transparency, and stakeholder perspectives. Notably, she co-founded the CSR research unit in 1995 at Ipsos MORI, a time when corporate engagement with social issues was gaining momentum. Charlotte’s tenure as Research Director at Business in the Community saw her collaborate with over 650 businesses and charities, measuring and evaluating the profound effects of their partnerships on communities and organisations.
Having evaluated more than 50 charities and 24 funders, Charlotte possesses a deep understanding of the challenges faced by these organisations. Her rigorous research techniques are the backbone of her work, but what truly sets her apart is her commitment to a collaborative approach. Rather than presenting a predetermined evaluation framework, she and her team excel at listening, challenging conventional ideas, and proposing tailored evaluation strategies that meet the unique needs of each project.
Whether developing structured evaluations, creating innovative approaches, embedding evaluation processes, or conducting qualitative, quantitative, or literature-based research, Charlotte and her team bring ideas to life through insightful reports and interactive dashboards.
They stay at the forefront of the latest techniques and assessment tools, ensuring that their research remains relevant and impactful in an ever-evolving landscape.
Charlotte speaking at the Catch-22 third sector conference at a session on Social Value:
Charlotte leading a panel at Anthropy23:
Get in touch with Charlotte
