Our strategy

1. Scale up to meet humanitarian need

Globally, the need for emergency shelter is growing every day. Over 100 million people have been forced from their homes by disaster and conflict.

Long running conflicts continue to force families to flee with less than 6% returning to their homes each year. Whilst new wars challenge us to do more at speed and scale.

We are witnessing unpredictable severe weather in more parts of the world. Millions are living with an increasingly destructive climate which is set to worsen as the planet warms. Flooding will increase as heavier rain falls in places that cannot cope with it. Deadly droughts will force thousands from their home in search of food and water.

The need for emergency shelter is constant and increasing. ShelterBox will not only commit to doing more but also to working with partners who are closer to crises and will continue to deliver after the emergency is over.

We will:

• Work with likeminded new and existing partners to reach more people with emergency shelter through quality, timely responses
• Inspire and engage local support for our work and increase the number of committed donors, funding institutions and organisations.
• Ensure of processes, partnerships and pre-positioned materials enable us to deliver more timely and effective responses to rapid-onset disasters like extreme weather events and earthquakes

2. Innovate to improve the quality of our shelter assitance

ShelterBox exists to improve people’s lives. We are committed to doing the very best we can for those affected by disaster or conflict so we can make the biggest difference.

We must keep focused on innovative improvements as we scale up, finding new ways to support people whose homes have been damaged or lost to conflicts and disaster.

We must listen to the people we support and to our local partners. We will work with academic institutions and other organisations to research and understand, improve and find new ways of working, sharing knowledge.

Global issues like the climate crisis require us to think smarter. We must find solutions that enable people to withstand future climate shocks. We must also minimise our own environmental impact. Our support must be inclusive and reach the people who need it most.

We will:

• Look for new ways to achieve our mission using evidence to inform what we do differently and share our learning with others
• Minimise our impact, working towards becoming a carbon neutral organisation
• Develop integrated information management processes and reporting to be a data led organisation.

3. Address power imbalances in the global system

People living in poverty are least able to cope with the destructive impact of disaster and humanitarian crisis.

Events like hurricanes, floods and conflict make situations significantly worse, so it’s even harder to break the cycle of poverty. When homes and livelihoods are lost, people may be forced into negative coping mechanisms that put them at risk of harm or exploitation.

Within the aid system, people holding power are often from high income countries. This can make it hard for those affected by crisis to have a say in the design and delivery of the support they need.

When disasters strike; neighbours, friends and family, and local organisations are always first to help before international agencies arrive. We must build that existing capacity and ensure aid is locally led. This will give power to those best placed to help and ensuring their voices and experiences are heard.

We will:

• Ensure local and national responders are better prepared and able to deliver more effective responses in future as a result of partnering with us.
• Create a diverse and representative workforce globally, that listens and advocates for those we work with to create a compassionate and inclusive global culture.
• Be led by the needs of communities and be held accountable by them, champion ethical storytelling, and raise awareness of the issues faced by people after disaster.