Policy and Strategy
Please choose a statement:
7. We have appropriate plans and strategies in place, which are aligned to the vision and mission.
8. Our plans and strategies are informed by knowledge of our market and external influences.
9. Plans are deployed, inform all key decisions and are communicated to staff and stakeholders.
10. We review and update our plans based on our results and feedback from stakeholders.
11. We have relevant policies in place, which are communicated, deployed and periodically reviewed.
We have appropriate plans and strategies in place, which are aligned to the vision and mission.
Suggested Evidence
- Examples of evidence and good practice may include:Ability to demonstrate that the outcomes of our activities are coherently linked to our mission, aims and objectives in accordance with our values
- A business plan/strategic plan or development plan which outlines how we intend to fulfil our vision and missionOur plans and policies support each other
- Staff are active in developing plans & strategies
Example
Rework had an initial ICT plan. They are now revising it, using Perform. New opportunities have taken the form of extra office units, consolidation of administration functions, access to the free wireless network and client solution for the network, enabling them to help volunteers learn new skills around computer cabling, shared network areas and network planning. This has also linked them in very strongly to other social enterprises in their locality.
| Tips for advisors: The discussion that occurs when giving clients the opportunity to pick and choose from many different solutions to a problem of how to organise things, can give you a greater insight in to their day- to -day work, and aid you in helping them find the right combination of solutions to minimise cost and maximise sustainability. Tips for funders: When clients are developing plans that are directly linked to expansion of a growing organisation, it is important to understand the holistic nature of equipping an office – integrating new systems into the organisation rather than buying just a few new computers. The whole way of organising administration often has to change rather than just expand existing systems. |
Our plans and strategies are informed by knowledge of our market and external influences.
Suggested Evidence
Examples of evidence and good practice may include:
- Market research and an ability to demonstrate that staff can talk about the marketplace with confidence
- Plans that acknowledge the wider policy framework and the plans of partners
- Plans are informed by stakeholders’ views
- Marketing strategy and pricing policy is informed by market research
- Internal and external analyses of our strengths and weaknesses, i.e. SWOT and PESTLE
- Needs and expectations of all stakeholders are understood
- A forward-looking funding strategy
- There is a system for gathering and monitoring the ‘market data’
- Understand local, regional & central…government policy / quango / markets etc
- Ability to demonstrate our position in the market
- Awareness of market opportunities
- Monitoring UK/European legislation and incentives on a wide range of issues
- Research of current trends to anticipate future opportunities and threats
Plans are deployed, inform all key decisions and are communicated to staff and stakeholders.
Suggested Evidence
- A business plan accessible to our staff and stakeholders
- Staff are familiar with the plan and know where to find it
- Plans that make a commitment to continuous performance improvement
- Plans that identify targets and key indicators for success
- Key staff understand relevant strategies and policies for our sector
- Our structure enables effective communication Rationale for communication methods used (i.e. meetings, informal virtual)
Example
Whilst going through C3Perform, the manager of Full Circle realised the need to communicate and make decisions for future business planning to pull together issues highlighted by C3Perform. The advisor influenced Full Circle to involve staff, funders and other stakeholders in their business planning process. The outcome was that the Full Circle business plan encompasses the needs of all stakeholders, thus increasing confidence and credibility of the organisation.
| Tips for advisors: Ensure that issues arising from C3Perform are also linked to any outstanding plans or future plans, so these can be be communicated and integrated. Tips for funders: Look for evidence of staff and other stakeholder involvement. Is the learning from staff and stakeholders deployed in their management processes? |
We review and update our plans based on our results and feedback from stakeholders.
Suggested Evidence
Examples of evidence and good practice may include:
- Periodic review of plans
- Policies that set out targets for improvement
- Policies are regularly reviewed and improved
- Stakeholders are consulted in the development of relevant plans and policies
- Stakeholder feedback and response to needs of stakeholders
- We complete agreed actions
- We have strategic meetings to consider plans
We have relevant policies in place, which are communicated, deployed and periodically reviewed.
Suggested Evidence
Examples of evidence and good practice may include:
- Appropriate policies are in place
- Our policies are communicated to our staff and stakeholders
- We periodically review and update our policies using feedback from all stakeholders
- PQASSO or similar has been completed
- We are aware of our policy gaps and have plans to address them
- Documented and timetabled reviews of policies
- Systems/process are designed to ensure implementation of policy and strategy
- The people responsible for delivery policy and strategy are committed to realising them