Putting communities at the heart of innovation.
We support innovative, technology-driven organisations, projects and individuals around the world to build critical understanding of the communities they engage with.
We offer communication training and consultancy to help you work better, more effectively and more empathically with your communities, considering their needs, cultures and contexts before, during and after every process.
We work closely with those running projects in the UK and in Low- and Middle-Income Countries, offering in-person and eLearning solutions tailored to you and your communities’ needs.
Putting communities at the heart of innovation.
Genuine dialogue between innovators and communities.
By creating real dialogue, we help scientific advances serve the people they’re designed to help.
The foundation of great communication is listening.
Our name reflects a simple but powerful principle: listen 80% of the time, talk just 20%. When you lead with listening, you create space for others to feel seen, heard and understood.
This builds deeper trust, encourages openness and strengthens relationships, whether you’re leading a team, working with clients or engaging your community. We don’t just teach people to speak effectively; we show them how to truly hear what matters. Because when people feel heard, everything else follows.
Dr Emma Heywood
Dr Emma Heywood is the founder of The 80:20 Pathway and an internationally recognised expert in communication, community engagement and innovation adoption. Drawing on over 15 years of research and partnership work across Africa, Europe and the Middle East, she has worked with researchers, innovators, funders and communities to understand why some projects achieve lasting impact while others struggle to gain trust, uptake and sustainability.
Through The 80:20 Pathway, Emma helps organisations embed meaningful end-user engagement into the design, delivery and evaluation of innovation projects. Her work combines practical tools, evidence-based frameworks and real-world experience to help teams reduce risk, strengthen adoption and create solutions that people understand, want and use.
Training and consultancy, tailored to your communities.
Communication training
Practical, listening-first training for teams who engage communities directly.
Consultancy
Shaping how projects are designed, communicated and tested with the people they serve.
In-person & eLearning
Flexible delivery in the UK and Low- and Middle-Income Countries.
Evidence & insight
Gathering proof of adoption, value and lived experience to strengthen funding cases.
Increase community engagement whilst improving quality of life.
If this feels relevant to your organisation, we’d be happy to discuss it with you.