Purpose Driven Organisations

not just including Social & Environmental words in Strategy Documents

Purpose. Amazing as it may seem - there is very little written about what this means.

In recent years we have seen serious threats to our human existence develop. This is not being melodramatic. There are many markers for crisis points. Some might argue that it is down to governments / regulation to protect our societies. Others don't believe this is enough and lament that we also cannot rely on private individuals to act for the greater good.

It is responsible therefore, for our organisations to take on Social and Environmental issues. But how do we balance economic forces with the need to do the right thing - and are we taking on enough?

Many treat Social and Environmental matters as Opportunities, Threats or Imperatives to influence Strategy development, or are forced to include "text" about the public good they are doing to score better in contract competitions already. But these matters have to compete with other candidate uses of organisation leadership time, funds and resources - which is hard when our natural tendency is to rely on profit / ROI type measures to evaluate choices against.

Time to think a different way?

Some people may have seen PAS 808. It is a BSI document which outlines "how becoming a Purpose-Driven Organization (PDO), will help solve these grand challenges and meet the increasing demands of society." It offers a great case to become purpose driven, and explains what this means.

Putting it very simply - the idea is to lift up the key Social and Environmental matters from being strategy or delivery drivers to being central to organisation purpose.

However - it must be obvious that - even if an organisation gets that it needs to be 'purpose' driven - and can agree its 'purposes' - to be 'driven' it must connect from purpose to business activity AND be able to demonstrate achievement of purpose.

PAS808 offers us many statements starting with "should" - the next step for people - not covered in PAS808 is HOW exactly is:

A. the 'driving' to be achieved in my organisation?

B. the balance of purposes to be accomplished through my organisation?

C. progress / re-steer to be achieved through management layers and competing priorities here?

Do you have these 3 things, and are they in shape:

1. Clear strategy information model (SIM). Beyond the technicolour inspiration of strategic documents is there clear cascade of meaning and scope through our points of accountability? Is it under careful management?

2. Clear strategy operating model (SOM). Once the SIM is under supervision - is there a clear approach to listening for triggers, considering course correct, and enabling the re-setting of 'fair' accountability for balanced strategic commitments?

3. Governance Operating Model. Assuming we accept that our strategy must be dynamic - are we able to make choices across business as usual, value creation and change - at all levels of our organisation - and stay within tolerance to achieve our purpose?

This is not about command and control or GRC gone mad - it is about starting to take Purpose Driven more seriously through the organisation.

Calls to action:

Read PAS 808 - be inspired to transform your organisation to be purpose driven! More here...
Read Business Integrated Governance as a means to assemble the organisation & strategy, governance, accountability, information & data, support, assurance and leadership components needed. More here...
Find out more about how to go about it? First Steps...
Connect with the Event Series being offered between DeepTeam, the BIG CIC and the Good Governance Academy

This Event Series will consist of:

Events hosted by the Good Governance Academy:

1. Purpose driven organisations and corporate strategy - A corporate level perspective. Defining a purpose driven organisation; alignment between ‘purpose driven’ and organisational purpose, objectives and goals; responsibility; etc. - 22 May (12-13pm SA, 11-12pm UK)

2. Drivers of purpose in business - A business level perspective discussion of drivers. Identify drivers; challenges; business processes; integration; different models of integration, etc. - 9 July (12-13pm SA, 11-12pm UK)

3. Accountability and measurement - A non-compliance perspective. Touch on stakeholders; double materiality; qualitative indicators; reporting; impact; etc. - TBC

(Links to these events will appear here in due course)

We will also be developing a supporting series of blogs and offering short opinion share videos on a number of related topics:

Implications for being a Purpose Driven Organisation - Vision to Strategy and Integrated Governance
Building the perception of a need - 'burning platform' or 'sunny uplands'? - Tactical or Strategic Approach?
Capability - what do I have to make and operate to Drive Purpose?
Vision and Roadmap - how to build Rome - or is it Viareggio, Potenza or Cerea?

We will also be looking to offer are more extensive on-line event where we can present contemporary thinking, collect a selection of experts and people with examples of how they have approached the underlying challenges.

Target audience: