The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 12 letter word AMELIORATION
I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
A
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Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "improvement" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case improvement = amelioration.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does AMELIORATION mean?
AMELIORATION noun- The act of making better.
- An improvement.
- The process by which a term gains a more positive connotation over time.