Strategy - Social Impact - Resilience
Vaere SocialShaping socially sustainable cities for the future.
Integrity. Insight. Places built for the future.
I’m Liesl Codrington — a strategic advisor and founder of Vaere Social. For over two decades, I’ve worked at the intersection of planning, policy and people — helping governments and infrastructure leaders navigate complexity, ask better questions, and create places that work in real life, not just on paper.
Vaere Social is where that work comes together. It’s where I bring a systems view, a social lens, and a long memory — because communities aren’t just datasets, and good cities don’t emerge by accident.
We focus on embedding social foresight into the heart of city-making — planning for a future that’s not only climate-impacted, but deeply human.
Inclusive. Resilient. Grounded in lived experience.
That’s what future-ready means to us.
What we do
We support complex, city-shaping decisions — from major developments to urban policy — with strategy that holds people and place at its core.
Our work weaves together social foresight, inclusion, and the realities of a changing climate. Not as add-ons, but as foundations — because when these things are missing, places don’t hold.
We bring systems thinking, lived experience, and grounded insight to the table. So that what gets built isn’t just technically sound — it’s socially durable. And so that decisions made today still make sense tomorrow.
Who we work with
We work with governments, councils, infrastructure partners and policy teams — the people tasked with making big decisions in complex, high-stakes environments.
Sometimes we’re embedded in multidisciplinary teams. Other times, we’re brought in as a strategist, a sounding board, or a bridge between disciplines. However we’re engaged, the goal stays the same: to make sense of complexity, keep people and place at the centre, and shape outcomes that hold up — socially, environmentally, and over time.
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We assess social impact not as a checkbox, but as a core part of how decisions affect people’s lives — now and into the future.
Our work brings together rigorous analysis, real-world insight, and lived experience to support planning approvals, policy shifts, and investment decisions. We help ensure that what gets built, funded, or approved delivers genuine social value — not just on paper, but in practice.
Because every project leaves a legacy. Our job is to make sure it’s one that communities can live with — and live well within.
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Inclusion isn’t a feature — it’s a foundation. And equity isn’t achieved through intention alone.
We work to uncover who planning and policy systems have been designed for — and who’s been left out. By bringing lived experience, neurodivergent insight, and accessibility thinking into the heart of decision-making, we help shift the frame: from doing things for communities to building with them.
Because inclusive systems don’t just feel better — they work better. For everyone.
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We support governments and infrastructure partners to make decisions that hold — not just technically, but socially.
Our work brings people and place into the heart of strategy, shaping policies, precincts, and projects that reflect how life is actually lived. We draw on social foresight, systems thinking, and a deep understanding of how change shows up on the ground — in communities, in relationships, in the spaces between.
Because planning isn’t just about outcomes. It’s about the thinking that gets you there — and whether it leaves people better off, or left out.
Why choose Vaere Social?
Vaere Social is led by me, Liesl Codrington — and what I bring to every project is clear thinking, deep care, and the courage to act with authenticity.
1. I work with clarity and heart
I’ve spent two decades helping governments, communities, and infrastructure partners navigate hard decisions. I hold space for complexity — not by simplifying it, but by making it easier to move through. I bring emotional intelligence, sharp systems thinking, and grounded purpose to work that’s often high-stakes and politically sensitive.
2. I turn insight into action
I don’t just surface data — I help people see what it’s telling them, and what to do about it. My strength is in connecting the dots: between research and relevance, between risk and responsibility, between short-term pressures and long-term public good.
3. I lead with integrity and inclusion
I show up fully — with honesty, care, and conviction. I don’t separate who I am from how I work. That means lived experience, neurodivergent insight, and a deep commitment to equity are part of every project I take on. Inclusion isn’t something I bolt on — it’s how I lead, plan, and think.
Get in touch
I’m available for strategic advisory, short-term contracting, and collaborative roles focused on socially sustainable and climate-ready places.
If you’re working on policy, infrastructure, or city-making decisions — and want grounded insight on social value, inclusion, or long-term impact — let’s talk. I work best with teams who are ready to think deeply, plan honestly, and build places that work for real people.