SPDC (Social Policy and Development Centre)

What SPDC (Social Policy and Development Centre) does

SPDC (Social Policy and Development Centre) is an independent, non-profit policy research think tank founded in 1995 and headquartered in Karachi, Pakistan. The organization conducts evidence-based research, policy advisory, and advocacy on social and economic development issues — including poverty, inequality, fiscal federalism, tobacco taxation, social protection, gender, education, governance, and violent extremism. SPDC's primary outputs are analytical publications (annual reviews, research reports, policy briefs, journal articles, books, conference papers) and advisory services distributed freely to policymakers, civil society, and the public.

The organization's core technical asset is the Integrated Social Policy and Macroeconomic Model (ISPM), a macro-economic modelling tool that SPDC developed to model interactions between macroeconomic indicators, public finance data, and the social sector. A tailored version of the ISPM was used by Pakistan's Planning Commission for the Ten-Year Perspective Plan and the macroeconomic framework of the Ninth Five-Year Plan. SPDC also pioneered gender-responsive budgeting training in Pakistan and has developed district-level Indices of Multiple Deprivations.

SPDC's business model is grant-funded: it receives project-based funding from more than 15 international development organizations and donors, including Bloomberg Philanthropies (via Johns Hopkins University and University of Illinois Chicago), GIZ Pakistan, USAID, IDRC, the World Bank, the European Union, UNDP, JICA, UNICEF, the Asian Development Bank, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, the Aga Khan Foundation, and others. SPDC's primary customer segments are federal and provincial governments in Pakistan (who consume research for NFC Award formulation, PFC formulas, and social policy design), policymakers and government commissions, civil society organizations, and international development organizations commissioning evaluations and technical assistance. The organization has been nominated to more than 30 federal and provincial government commissions, committees, and task forces, and its technical inputs have shaped the NFC Award 1996, the 7th NFC Award 2009, and the Government of Sindh's PFC Award 2002.

Name

SPDC (Social Policy and Development Centre)

Legal name

Social Policy and Development Centre (SPDC)

Website

https://spdc.org.pk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

SPDC is an independent, non-profit policy research think tank in Karachi, Pakistan, conducting evidence-based research on poverty, inequality, fiscal federalism, tobacco taxation, and social development, and providing advisory services to federal and provincial governments and international development organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Policy Research Services

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Think Tanks, Policy Research & Public Policy Institutes (BPAGAFAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Education Policy Research Institutes & Think Tanks (EDADADAA), Public–Private Partnerships (PPPs) for Global Health (HLAJAOAD)

Keywords

• Policy research services
• Social development analysis
• Fiscal federalism research
• Tobacco taxation research
• Macroeconomic modeling

Headquarters

HQ city

Karachi

HQ country

Pakistan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Research Grants and Project Funding: SPDC receives funding and grants from international organizations, development agencies, and government bodies to conduct specific research projects, evaluations, and capacity-building initiatives. Examples include funding from Johns Hopkins University (Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative), GIZ Pakistan, SOS Children's Villages, DAI Pakistan, the National University of Galway, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, IDRC, USAID, UNDP, World Bank, European Union, Japan International Cooperation Agency, and others.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SPDC is an independent, non-profit policy research think tank that conducts original research on social and economic development issues in Pakistan. It produces Annual Reviews, Research Reports, Policy Briefs, Journal Articles, Working Papers, and Books, and provides technical assistance, project monitoring and evaluation, and gender-responsive budgeting training to government agencies, civil society, and international development organizations.

Product overview

SPDC (Social Policy and Development Centre) is a policy research organization that functions as a think tank rather than a product-based company. Its primary offerings consist of research publications and advisory services including Annual Reviews, Research Reports, Policy Briefs, Journal Articles, and Working Papers. The organization conducts specialized research in key areas including tobacco taxation economics, poverty and social development analysis, fiscal federalism, and gender responsive budgeting. SPDC also provides capacity building training and project monitoring and evaluation services to government agencies and development organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Annual Review Publications Thematic annual reviews of social development in Pakistan covering poverty, inequality, and pro-poor growth, disseminated to governments, civil society, and the public.
• Research Reports In-depth analytical reports on social policy issues including tobacco taxation, fiscal federalism, poverty, and economic development, targeted at policymakers and development organizations.
• Research and Policy Briefs Concise policy briefs summarizing research findings and recommendations for policymakers on key social and economic issues, including tobacco taxation, poverty, and fiscal federalism.
• Journal Articles Scholarly articles published in academic journals on social policy, economics, and development topics, intended for academic and policy audiences.
• Working Papers Preliminary research papers presenting methodological frameworks and empirical findings for peer review and policy discussion.
• Tobacco Taxation Research Program Comprehensive research program examining macroeconomic impacts of tobacco taxation, consumption patterns, illicit trade, and public health implications in Pakistan, funded by Johns Hopkins University and the Bloomberg Initiative.
• Project Monitoring and Evaluation Services Third-party monitoring and evaluation services for development projects and government programs, including World Bank and ADB-commissioned evaluations.
• Gender Responsive Budgeting Training Specialized training workshops for government officials and civil society on gender-responsive budgeting methodologies, pioneered by SPDC in Pakistan.

Quantifiable outcome

• Cigarette consumption declined by 19.2% following tax hike, as evidenced by SPDC's nationwide survey of over 5,000 smokers
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 May 2025SPDC collaborated with SDPI to organize a seminar aligned with WHO's 2025 World No Tobacco Day theme 'Unmasking the Appeal: Exposing Industry Tactics on Tobacco Products,' focusing on tobacco industry interference in taxation policies.
• Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), BangladeshmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 December 2024In collaboration with Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, CPD organized a Regional Consultation on Innovative Ideas and Knowledge Sharing in Kathmandu, Nepal. SPDC Managing Director Muhammad Asif Iqbal participated as a panellist, discussing climate change adaptation, universal health care, and employment through technology.
• Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (SPARC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 May 2024SPDC and SPARC jointly organized a seminar on 'Optimizing Tobacco Taxation in Pakistan' at Marriott Hotel, Islamabad on 28 May 2024. The seminar presented SPDC survey findings on cigarette consumption behaviour.
• University of Illinois Chicago (UIC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 November 2023SPDC is funded by the UIC Institute for Health Research and Policy to conduct economic research on tobacco taxation in Pakistan. SPDC co-hosted the Tobacconomics Regional Think Tank Partners Meeting in Istanbul, Türkiye in November 2023 with UIC under the project 'Accelerating Progress on Tobacco Taxes in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.' UIC is a partner of the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use.
• Tobacconomics (Economics for Health) Partner Think Tanks NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 November 2023SPDC is part of a network of economic and fiscal policy-focused think tanks from Asia, Eastern Mediterranean, and Europe supported by UIC/Johns Hopkins University under the Bloomberg Initiative. Partners share research and collaborate on tobacco control, tax research, and policy dissemination across 25 countries and 6 international organizations.
• Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health (Economics for Health / Tobacconomics)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSPDC is funded by the Economics for Health team (formerly Tobacconomics) at Johns Hopkins University to conduct economic research on tobacco taxation in Pakistan. JHU is a partner of the Bloomberg Philanthropies' Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use. SPDC co-hosted the Tobacconomics Global Research Conference on Tobacco Taxation in Istanbul, Türkiye in October 2024 alongside JHU Bloomberg School of Public Health.
• Applied Economics Research Centre (AERC), University of KarachicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAERC and SPDC jointly organized seminars on Pakistan's economy and federal budgets, including a seminar on the State of Pakistan's Economy and Federal Budget 2023-24, and a panel discussion on 'Policy Choices During the Economic Crisis and Beyond.'

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• International Growth Centre (IGC): DFID/FCDO-funded global research centre supporting inclusive growth in developing countries, with active Pakistan programming. IGC funds and partners with local think tanks including potentially SPDC on policy research and government advisory work in Pakistan.

Direct peers

• Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI): Pakistan-based independent policy research think tank founded in 1992, focusing on sustainable development, governance, and public policy. SPDC and SDPI have collaborated on tobacco control seminars, and SDPI competes for similar donor funding and government advisory mandates in Pakistan.
• Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE): Pakistan's premier academic policy research institute focused on development economics. PIDE and SPDC both publish policy research on poverty, inequality, and fiscal federalism, and compete for talent, donor grants, and government commissions in Pakistan.

Broad incumbents

• Institute of Development Studies (IDS): UK-based leading global development research and teaching organization. IDS shares SPDC's focus on poverty, social policy, and gender-responsive development research, and both serve as technical partners for bilateral donors, though IDS operates at substantially larger scale and global reach.
• Brookings Institution: US-based premier policy research organization with global development programs. While SPDC's focus on Pakistan-specific policy research is far narrower, Brookings represents the gold-standard think tank model that SPDC aspires to in terms of policy influence and government engagement depth.
• Center for Global Development (CGD): US-based think tank producing research on global development, fiscal policy, and international economics. CGD and SPDC both produce evidence-based policy research informing international donor strategies and developing-country governments, though CGD operates globally and at much larger scale.
• Overseas Development Institute (ODI): UK-based global development think tank producing research on poverty, inequality, and economic policy. ODI shares SPDC's social development research focus and donor funding model, but operates with significantly larger staff and a global portfolio of country programs.

Regional players

• Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS): Sri Lanka's leading economic policy think tank established in 1991. IPS shares SPDC's model as a regional independent policy research institution serving a single country, with comparable donor funding sources and government engagement approach.
• Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD): Bangladesh's leading independent policy think tank, established in 1993. CPD and SPDC share a similar mission and revenue model (international donor funded), and have collaborated on regional consultations with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; both compete for South Asian policy research mandates.
• Observer Research Foundation (ORF): India-based think tank conducting policy research on economic development, governance, and social policy. ORF is comparable to SPDC in function (independent policy research with government advisory role) but operates at much larger scale and serves as a regional reference point for South Asian policy debates.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/spdcpak

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about SPDC (Social Policy and Development Centre)