The Board’s Role in Strategy Development
Developing a strategy isn’t just about setting ambitious goals; it’s about how Boards and Executives work together to shape, resource, and oversee them.
Tag Archive for: organisational development
Achieving the ‘S’ in ESG: Why is it important?
With growing consumer demand for ethical business practices and increasing regulatory pressures, ESG principles are not just a compliance requirement – but a strategic approach to sustainability and social impact. In this blog, we outline the importance of a robust ESG strategy and how to achieve the Social (S) component.
What is ESG?
ESG stands for Environmental, Social, and Governance. These are called pillars in ESG frameworks and represent the 3 key areas that companies are expected to report in.
Environmental
This includes efforts to reduce carbon footprints, manage waste responsibly, and adopt renewable energy sources. Companies are assessed on their environmental sustainability practices, and those failing to meet expectations may face reputational and financial risks.
Social
This focuses on how companies manage relationships with employees, suppliers, customers, and communities. It includes labour practices, diversity and inclusion, community engagement, and broader impact on society.
Governance
This refers to the internal system of practices, controls, and procedures a company adopts to govern itself, make effective decisions, comply with legal standards, and meet the needs of external stakeholders. Good governance practices include transparent reporting, ethical leadership, and accountability.
The Importance of a robust ESG Strategy
Ireland has seen a significant shift in how businesses approach ESG reporting, largely influenced by European Union directives. The EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) has now been implemented in Irish law through the European Union (Corporate Sustainability Reporting) Regulations, 2024 which came into effect on 6th July.
Furthermore, Irish consumers are increasingly choosing to support organisations which align with their values. Companies that demonstrate a commitment to environmental, social and governance responsibility are more likely to attract and retain customers, particularly in a competitive market.
Additionally, investors are now factoring ESG criteria into their decision-making processes. Sustainable investing is becoming increasingly popular, and companies with strong ESG performance are more likely to secure funding. Therefore, focusing on a robust ESG Strategy is critical to the future development and overall success of your organisation.
Achieving the ‘S’ in your ESG Strategy
The Social (S) in ESG is a critical component – strong social impact can enhance reputation, attract investment, boost employee morale, and mitigate risks. Furthermore, the Social (S) element of your ESG Strategy is more likely to be effective when strategically developed. A robust Social Impact Strategy plays a critical role in supporting businesses to achieve their broader ESG objectives.
Many organisations require external support to develop the Social (S) component of their ESG Strategy. At 2into3, we partner with your organisation, working at Board and staff level – engaging employees and members of the community to ensure that your Social Impact Strategy is a living document, owned by your organisation. By the end of this process, you will have a defined Strategy that will enable your business to create meaningful change, build stronger relationships with stakeholders and contribute positively to your community.
Taking the first step
If you’d like to enhance the ‘S’ in your ESG Strategy, get in touch with our Director of Advisory Services, Sheena Horgan at sheena.horgan@2into3.com to explore how we can provide guidance and support. For more information on our ESG service, visit here.
4 Signs It’s Time For an Organisational Review
An organisational review enables you to be intentional and deliberate in how you set up your staff and organisation for success. However, making the decision to pursue a review and the changes it might entail can be a daunting proposition, especially when you are already under pressure.
If any of the 4 signs below sound familiar, it may be time for you to undertake an organisational review.
1. Your team is much bigger than it used to be
While efforts and energy are often focused on the day-today, significant growth or change within an organisation can often unfold organically over the space of a few months or years. It can also happen very suddenly in reaction to a new opportunity. Negative side effects can include lack of clarity around roles and responsibilities, unclear reporting lines, or too many direct reports to your CEO, or managers.
An organisational review allows you to reflect on this growth, identify challenges and bottlenecks, and take the necessary steps to move towards a stronger structure that is sustainable and scalable for future growth.
2. Things don’t work as smoothly as they used to
Another side effect of growth and change is that the way you use to collaborate and communicate with your colleagues, or manage your team, is no longer fit for purpose.
Organisational design is about more than just structure; it’s also about workflows and relationships. If the way you used to operate is no longer leading to the same results – or if it feels slower and more painful to do your work – it might be time to take a step back and consider if your structure and working relationships are aligned with your organisation’s strategy today.
3. Your team’s work is constantly behind schedule
Another way in which an organisational review can support you is by identifying where you are missing capacity and capability in the team. If your workloads have grown at a faster pace than your staff team, its only natural to then experience delays, frustration and stress.
Assuming that you have correctly identified your priorities in a strategic plan, an organisational review is the ideal opportunity to think about how you are going to deliver your work:
What capacity do you need in what areas?
What skillsets do you need?
How should each team be structured?
How will they work together and with others?
4. You are overspending on agency staff or consultants
Agency staff and consultants are a sticking plaster to the issues identified above. If you have more work than the people to deliver it – and don’t have the time to take a minute, assess and plan for the long-term – these expensive short-term solutions can feel like your best option. However, it’s not sustainable in the long-term.
An organisational review can be an investment that pays dividends in the medium and long-term both financially and for your team’s wellbeing and happiness at work.
External consultants can be valuable in an organisational review process by creating an objective and confidential environment in which everyone in your organisation feels comfortable to share their honest feedback about what is and isn’t working.
This will ensure that the final recommendations reflect the concerns and expectations of staff, and build buy-in for implementation of your new structure. We can also bring in our experience and learnings from comparable organisations.
Interested in finding out more?
Our team at 2into3 our experience in delivering effective organisational reviews that transform organisations for the better.
If you would like to find out more about our approach, visit our webpage here, or contact our Director of Advisory Services, Sheena Horgan at sheena.horgan@2into3.com.
3 Reasons Why a Theory of Change Could Increase Impact
Nonprofits and charities are at the forefront of catalysing positive change for individuals, communities and society. Whether that is through the provision of frontline services, lobbying and advocacy, or the contribution to policy and research. United by a shared purpose and vision, organisations have developed unique responses to addressing some of the most pressing challenges of our time. It is increasingly important to capture and measure the effectiveness and value of such responses, but how can organisations do this in practice?
A Theory of Change (TOC) is both a process and an output which logically and rationally captures how an organisation is achieving the change they want to see. It is a practical and living tool that can be applied to define goals and encourage recognition of achievements, to enable impact measurement and strategic thinking, and to successfully communicate impact. Here are 3 reasons your organisation should develop a Theory of Change.
1. Understanding and Recognising Goals
A Theory Of Change allows your organisation to come together and map how your work is having the intended positive impact and addressing an identified challenge; essentially breaking down what success looks like and the steps to get there. Both the process and the final output of a TOC lead to a renewed clarity and understanding amongst stakeholders, and can contribute to increased focus, engagement, and motivation. It encourages people to work collectively to reach goals, to take ownership of the impact they are having, and to recognise the important achievements they have made.
2. Impact Measurement and Strategic Thinking
A Theory Of Change is an extremely useful tool for impact measurement, giving you a foundation to collect relevant data and feedback, and to gather insights. Your organisation can then capture the progress being made against your TOC, test your assumptions, identify areas for improvement and adapt accordingly. This cycle of continuous learning, reviewing, and improving is conducive to strategic thinking; enabling you to make impact driven decisions, prioritise and allocate resources effectively, and develop long-term plans and projections that are informed by evidence. A TOC and subsequent impact measurement allows you to be more deliberate and proactive, and ultimately do more for the people benefiting from your organisation’s work.
3. Communication
A Theory Of Change is as a framework that succinctly clarifies the logic and evidence driving either your work as a whole, or a specific programme/project within your organisation, By linking together your motivation, your activities, the results, and the wider impact you are creating, you are effectively condensing the story and the strategy that guides your work and capturing the contribution of your organisation to the community or a sector. In a competitive funding environment and with increased emphasis on organisational transparency, a TOC demonstrates to partners, funders, and the wider public, that you have a logical and coherent plan to achieve your goals and have gathered evidence to back it up.
How to develop a TOC?
In order to build collective buy-in and be truly reflective of your organisation, a TOC requires meaningful input and collaboration from staff and other relevant stakeholders. It is most effective when developed iteratively through consultation, generating ownership from relevant stakeholders.
If you would like to hear more about how a Theory Of Change would benefit your organisation, or what our process for developing a TOC looks like, do not hesitate to contact our Director of Advisory Services, Sheena Horgan at sheena.horgan@2into3.com or visit our website.
Written by Alison McGearty, Analyst, 2into3.