In all that we do we strive for good outcomes that have high social value. We seek to respect the following principles in all our work:

Being true professionals committed to ongoing learning and development

While the application of appropriate “technical” skills may be a necessary condition to solve a problem, they are not, on their own, sufficient to achieve a good outcome. Of equal importance are professionalism and the qualities of the persons involved.  

We are true professionals (see our values ) and stand by a set of commitments to our clients (see our client charter).  We are also committed to ongoing learning and development as individuals and as a collective.

Communicating through dialogue

We live in a complex world. We understand that reality is viewed through many different lenses or perspectives. We believe that where these perspectives are made explicit, acknowledged and valued, there is an increased likelihood of successful outcomes being achieved. The quality of our work, and the outcomes we seek, therefore rests on good communication. For this reason we pay significant attention in all we do to the quality of dialogue between participants. We understand dialogue to mean an exploration towards shared understanding, connection and possibility.

Working with complex systems through partnerships and networks

We understand that all of our work is undertaken within a complex system of interactions and interconnections. We believe that good outcomes are more likely to be achieved where these interconnections are recognised through a systems perspective.

For this reason, PDG is a highly connected organisation which brings significant value to projects through the extensive professional networks formed by the firm over many years. We work closely with partners at many different levels and in many different ways. The key characteristic of these partnerships is trust.

Applying the appropriate skills

The firm is comprised of a set of skilled professionals with a diverse set of training, expertise and experience. We aim to bring the best combination of these skills to bear on each project and initiative that we are engaged in.

Evidence-based consulting

PDG takes pride in basing our strategic advice on well researched and empirically grounded arguments and analysis. We have significant expertise in the development of tools and approaches to support this analysis – including sophisticated public finance models. PDG has led the way in South Africa in developing financial models for public infrastructure investment planning. These models provide the ability to evaluate the financial sustainability of public investments but also address affordability and social welfare requirements. PDG has been highly innovative in including financial viability, capital investment planning, affordability, debt management, and tariff policy into integrated public infrastructure models.

While financial and economic analysis is an important element of the firmÂ’s work we also bring other approaches to bear on projects. These range from formal tools and methods, such as multi-criteria decision making, to well structured facilitation and structured planning processes.