What Centre for Policy Development does

The Centre for Policy Development (CPD) is an independent, not-for-profit Australian policy institute founded on 23 May 2007 and headquartered in Sydney, with additional offices in Melbourne and Jakarta. Its core offering is not a technology product but a stream of policy research and engagement outputs: rigorous cross-disciplinary reports and papers, formal submissions to government consultations, roundtables and forums, and flagship convenings such as the CPD Policy Exchange and the John Menadue Oration. These outputs are organised around thematic programs including Directors' Duties and Climate Risk, A Wellbeing Government in Australia, Just Transition in Australia and Indonesia, Forced Migration in Southeast Asia, Social Services Reform, Cities and Settlement Initiative, Alternatives to Child Detention, and the Effective Government Program. CPD does not sell products or services; rather, it influences government policy-making through its branded Create-Connect-Convince method, which combines research, convening of senior decision makers, and direct advocacy.

CPD's beneficiaries span four persona segments: government and public-sector policymakers (the primary segment), business and corporate leaders (particularly on climate and ESG), academia and civil society (as research partners), and refugees and displaced communities (as the subject of policy programs). The organisation generates revenue through philanthropic donations, sustainer contributions, and institutional grants. It is a registered charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) and an Approved Research Institute, and it reports compliance with the Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles. Named recent outputs include 'Warp Speed: Accelerating renewable energy infrastructure deployment' (June 2026), 'An energy export transition that repairs the budget' (April 2026), the Submission on Australia's 2026-27 Humanitarian Program (April 2026), and the Submission on the Climate Change Authority's Evidence Platform (December 2025).

Name

Centre for Policy Development

Legal name

Centre for Policy Development Limited

Website

https://cpd.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Centre for Policy Development (CPD) is an independent, not-for-profit Australian policy institute founded in 2007, producing research reports, government submissions, roundtables and public forums across climate, wellbeing, social services and forced migration policy for Australian and Indo-Pacific decision makers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Policy Research & Advisory

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720)

akta.pro primary industry

Governance, Public Financial Management & Service Delivery Reform (BPADAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Democratic Governance & Public Administration Reform (BPADAGAJ), Public Sector & Policy Consulting (BPAHACAN), Policy, Regulatory & Public Affairs Research (BPAHALAF), Think Tanks, Policy Research & Public Policy Institutes (BPAGAFAO)

Keywords

• Public policy research
• Policy advisory services
• Government consultation submissions
• Policy reform consulting
• Think tank research

Headquarters

HQ city

Melbourne

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic donations and supporter contributions: As a registered charity with the ACNC and an Approved Research Institute, CPD relies on contributions from supporters ('Become a sustainer' call to action; 'Our independent, rigorous work relies on your support'). CPD adheres to strict fundraising rules and raises no political ties.
2. Grants and institutional funding: As a non-partisan think tank with a research institute designation, CPD receives grant and project-based funding to support its policy programs on wellbeing government, just transition, forced migration, social services reform, directors' duties and climate risk, and other focus areas.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Centre for Policy Development produces independent, cross-disciplinary, evidence-based policy research and advocates for systemic reform on Australia's hardest policy challenges. Its outputs are organised around three core channels — Reports and Papers, Submissions to government consultations, and Roundtables and Forums — supported by thematic programs and a flagship public event series (CPD Policy Exchange). The work is delivered for government, business, academia, NGO and civil society audiences in Australia and Southeast Asia.

Product overview

The Centre for Policy Development (CPD) is an independent, not-for-profit Australian policy institute (not a software company), and its "products" are research and engagement outputs rather than a technology platform. The portfolio is structured as a core research-and-advocacy offering — Reports and Papers, Submissions, and Roundtables and Forums — supported by a set of thematic programs and initiatives that act as long-term focus areas. These programs include the CPD Policy Exchange flagship event series, Purpose of Government Pulse, Cities and Settlement Initiative, Alternatives to Child Detention Peer Learning Platform, Effective Government Program, Directors Duties and Climate Risk, and the regional focus areas of Forced Migration in Southeast Asia, A Wellbeing Government in Australia, Just Transition in Australia and Indonesia, and Social Services Reform. CPD also runs signature public events such as the John Menadue Oration. Together, these offerings form CPD's distinctive Create-Connect-Convince method of influencing government policy-making across Australia and Southeast Asia.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Reports and Papers

Quantifiable outcome

• Influenced legislation requiring companies to disclose their climate footprint.
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ClimateWorks AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOn behalf of the Climate & Recovery Initiative, the Centre for Policy Development and ClimateWorks Australia co-hosted the 'Public Forum: Climate, Capital Markets and Global Governance' (4 November 2021), indicating a co-development / joint initiative relationship in climate and capital markets policy.
• Bali Process (Regional Ministerial Conference on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as an 'Issue' filter on CPD's work page, indicating CPD engages with the Bali Process on forced migration and people smuggling policy in the Asia-Pacific region. The Asia Dialogue on Forced Migration (with the Twelfth edition shown in imagery) is a related CPD-led convening.
• Embassy of Denmark (in Bangladesh)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-organised (with The Business Standard and the Centre for Policy Dialogue in Dhaka) a roundtable titled 'Advancing Energy Sovereignty for Bangladesh' covering Bangladesh's renewable energy and energy security challenges. This illustrates CPD's network of convening partners across the region.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Lowy Institute: An independent Australian international policy think tank. Comparable to CPD as a Sydney-based, independent policy institute with regional focus, but with a stronger international relations and Indo-Pacific orientation.
• ClimateWorks Australia: An Australian climate-policy organisation producing evidence-based research and convening stakeholders on decarbonisation. Comparable to CPD as an existing partner with overlapping focus on climate, capital markets, and energy transition policy (co-hosted the November 2021 Public Forum).
• Centre for Independent Studies: An Australian centre-right public policy think tank. Comparable to CPD as an independent Australian policy institute producing research and convening events, though operating from a contrasting ideological perspective on economic and social policy.
• Per Capita: An Australian progressive think tank producing research on economic, social, and cultural policy. Comparable to CPD in progressive orientation, focus on social services reform and wellbeing, and reliance on philanthropic funding.
• McKell Institute: An Australian progressive think tank focused on social and economic policy research. Comparable to CPD in mission, scale, and policy focus areas including social services reform and wellbeing outcomes.
• Australia Institute: Australia's leading progressive think tank focused on economic and environmental policy research. Closely comparable to CPD in scale, mission, and audience, with overlapping focus on climate, energy transition, and social policy.
• Grattan Institute: An independent Australian public-policy think tank producing evidence-based research on economic, social, and environmental policy. Directly comparable to CPD as a similarly sized, non-partisan Australian policy institute targeting government decision makers with rigorous research and convening.

Regional players

• Institute for Public Policy Research: A leading UK progressive think tank producing cross-disciplinary policy research and convening stakeholders. Comparable to CPD in mission, cross-disciplinary method, and policy focus on wellbeing, social services, and climate, but operating primarily in the United Kingdom.

Broad incumbents

• International Institute for Sustainable Development: A global policy and research organisation focused on sustainable development policy. Comparable to CPD's just transition, climate disclosure, and sustainable economy work but with a much broader international footprint and policy portfolio.
• Asia Society Policy Institute: A US-headquartered policy institute addressing Indo-Pacific and Asia-related policy issues. Comparable to CPD's Indo-Pacific focus areas (Forced Migration in Southeast Asia, Australia-Indonesia Just Transition) but operating at much larger scale across the broader region.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/centrepolicydev
• Facebookfacebook.com/centrepolicydev
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/centre-for-policy-development

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Centre for Policy Development