Process of internalizing the Corporate Purpose – Part I

It is my intension to demonstrate through this example how I believe a Company could drive its Corporate Purpose by walking the talk of its underpinning culture.?Allow me to use the example of Haycarb Plc, where I am in the process of driving our newly formulated Corporate Purpose at our 50th Anniversary.

After much dialog, Haycarb Plc established its Corporate Purpose as “Driving Value; Changing Lives” and identified the 3Es - Envision, Empower and Enrich as the Corporate values that its employees should harness in achieving its purpose. In this article, I would like to define what its first corporate value “Envision” means to us and how we plan to ‘Envision’.

First, let’s ask, what does Envision mean ? Envision is the ability to ‘visualize’; Visualize what is expected in the future; The future ‘desirable’ outcomes to the organization.

What are desirable outcomes for us in the case ?

·??????Products : Products that meet the future needs of our customers; products with consistent quality; with a supply chain that is reliable; with service levels that delight our customers; and of course, prices that are competitive with the market. We need to the see what products are meeting the future needs of our customers. Are these new products or added features or can they be both. Then we analyze by the key product category, product applications to determine them for projects and execution; it is a joint sales/marketing, R&D/Technical and Manufacturing team exercise.?

·??????Markets : Are there markets where we need more attention and better focus. Should we more resource certain markets; are we over concentrating on certain markets. We need to brainstorm and prioritize.

·??????Supply chain (including Manufacturing): Do we need more capacity ? Do we need generic or value-added special processes augmented? How is our demand planning match with supply planning; are we not competitive enough of to bring the desired customers from our competition ? How is our raw material security ? What additional resources i.e., people and capital do we need to visualize and plan

·??????Interval systems: Do we have good control systems; Financial , governance, IT to meet the desired disciplines, accuracy, and speed for the future ; Are we adequately resourced and well-governed? How are our HR systems ? Do we have enough attention on the human capital ? What do our employees envision for themselves? Specifically, how are their growth , learning and upgrading in their careers planned and facilitated ??

·??????Sustainability: How do we plan our ESG road map ? Are we future ready on our role to support climate change issues ? How would we like our carbon footprint to look like ? Can we be carbon neutral and when will we envision that milestone ?

·??????Culture: Is Envisioning in the DNA of our employees ? How do we inculcate it ? how will we make the corporate leaders’ mindset to ?‘walk the talk’ to envision the future to achieve the strategic objectives of the company

This list and thought-provoking questions go on until we find out the answers. The expectation is to ensure that everyone in the organization Envision and execute the key strategic areas of the business that achieves, the corporate purpose. It starts from the top and trickles down. It is critical that leaders set the stage; and walk hand in hand with the rest of the teams in the execution phase. The leaders must ensure that there is a clear message, and the key values cannot be compromised; The ones who compromise are corrected immediately or failing in which they are not kept as a part of the organization.

It is not an easy task; it is a difficult journey; bur I firmly believe when there is a strong will and the program is meticulously planned & executed in a collaborative framework it becomes the habit of the organization that will shape up the culture, making it, a way of life. The flywheel effect of this unique culture once formulated and nurtured, will be very powerful which is sure to create a resilient organization that continuously drive value to its stakeholders.

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