On Purpose: Our New Values
At On Purpose, we want to transform leaders who transform the economy. There are lots of elements to our strategy which guide us along the way, but a key pillar of achieving this transformation is to transform ourselves. We want our internal culture to mirror the change we want to create in the world. With this in mind, we developed a new set of values in 2022. We hope that these values will guide and support our employees, On Purpose as an organisation, and our wider community and beyond.
The world is a difficult place – it feels like we face a mounting array of crises, from pandemics and climate change to the cost of living and mass migration. However, it is also a place of hope – there are many examples across history and the world of people coming together to fight for and achieve positive change. We believe that this can and will happen again, and we want to be a part of it. So, at On Purpose, we choose optimism.
We recognise that creating this better world will require us to draw on the knowledge and perspectives of our community and beyond. None of us have all (or even most) of the answers, and we must recognise our blind spots, biases, and limitations. We want to cultivate a hunger for greater knowledge and skill – each of us pursuing new insights and challenges so that we continue to grow, particularly listening to those who have different experiences and perspectives to us. So, at On Purpose, we learn together.
We can’t just be about learning for its own sake. We need to take responsibility for tackling the challenges facing the world that we live in, and proactively drive change that will make things better for everyone. We recognise that all parts of the economy are connected and interdependent, and we need systemic interventions that will enable all parts (as well as the whole) to function more healthily. So, at On Purpose, we step up.
The work we do is important, so it matters that we do it well, and create real impact and change. This means that we must use our head – thinking critically and creatively to solve the problems we face. We are proud to be strong problem solvers, but we are prouder to be a caring community. We value empathy, listening and emotional intelligence, ensuring that our solutions and initiatives do not just make logical sense but fit well with the people they involve. So, at On Purpose, we engage our head and our heart.
Leadership relies on trust – and movements break down when those involved fail to live in a way that matches what they say. We want to deliver results, but we want to always do so in a way that aligns with our values. If we want to talk about how purpose-led organisations ought to operate in a healthy economy, we need to do our utmost to become an example of such an organisation. We need to walk our talk and live up to our responsibilities. So, at On Purpose, we act with integrity.
We are on a journey of embedding these values into all aspects of our work. Part of this is telling the world what they are, so that you can encourage us, keep us accountable, and help spread the word! We hope that the many of you who are already part of our community will resonate with these values and join us as we choose optimism, learn together, step up, engage our head and our heart, and act with integrity.