The Behavioural Insights Team (BIT) will open its first office in Canada later this year, expanding its already successful portfolio of social impact projects.
BIT uses practical findings from behavioural science to explore issues, develop solutions to address challenges, and rigorously test what works. It also helps organizations focused on social impact to develop their own behavioural insights capacity.
BIT has run more than 780 projects to address a wide range of social issues, including over 400 randomized control trials in dozens of countries. Originally set up in the British government as the world’s first nudge unit, BIT is now a world-leading social purpose consulting company that operates globally from offices in London, Manchester, New York, Singapore, Sydney, Wellington, and soon, Toronto.
BIT’s previous projects have identified low-cost ways to boost student pass rates during exams, get people back into work faster, reduce gender and racial inequalities in hiring processes, and reduce waiting times for hospital appointments.
BIT has already completed several high-impact projects with Canadian partners. It has worked with the MS Society and Rideau Hall Foundation to increase charitable giving, the Ontario Securities Commission to encourage retirement planning, and the Region of Peel to boost residential recycling, among others. The Toronto office will lead ongoing collaborations with the McConnell Foundation’s WellAhead initiative and the Government of British Columbia’s Behavioural Insights Group.
BIT has already begun recruitment for Toronto-based staff. The office will be led by Sasha Tregebov.
Heather Devine, Head, BC Behavioural Insights Group (BC BIG), said:
“BIT’s international success was an inspiration for us in setting up our own Behavioural Insights Group (BC BIG) here in the Government of British Columbia. Sasha and his team have been providing invaluable support for our team as we grow, and we’re excited to have BIT open a Canadian office and become even more embedded in the BI fabric in Canada.”
Stephen Huddart, President and CEO, The J. W. McConnell Family Foundation said:
“BIT is a global leader when it comes to testing what works in addressing social and environmental issues. McConnell is delighted BIT is bringing its expertise to Canada with a view to helping and supporting the community, government and philanthropic sectors to improve their programs and services through behavioural science, insight and experimentation. We are excited to have them open a Canadian office and begin to participate actively in Canada’s social innovation ecosystem.”
Sasha Tregebov, Director of BIT Canada, said:
“Over the last few years my colleagues and I have worked on a range of successful social impact projects with Canadian partners. There remains huge untapped potential for behavioural science and evaluation within all levels of Canadian government and the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors.”
“I could not be more thrilled to open our doors in Canada for the first time. I hope to bring BIT’s global experience and expertise to bear on priorities from public health to environmental sustainability.”
