CORPORATE PURPOSE


We have unpicked our values now so that we can use them when making these decisions


who are geographically distributed. But we had to co-create these values from the ground up, starting with the front line workers, so those who were waiting for the answers needed to be patient.’ Nelson is a ‘big fan of trusting


instincts’ and went into the process ‘with a good idea of what people thought and why’, but was also open to his view changing as time went on. An interesting theme emerged – the


concept of ‘artificial harmony’ – of which he was aware, but was ‘captured [and


articulated] by the culture analysis’. ‘We needed to be better at disagreeing in


constructive ways, because disagreement leads to innovation. We had to show that it was fine to challenge, to try new things and not to have a fear of failure. It is very difficult in a risk averse business. How do you drive a culture of innovation and sustainability when public health is at its core?’ he explains. ‘This theme was perhaps more amplified than I had thought it would be. One of the strengths and also challenges to emerge was the familial nature of our business. That is all great, but not if that leads to deference of a hierarchy – we need to innovate and be fleet of foot.’ Three values emerged from these discussions.


Together we build trust, together we do the right thing, together we are always exploring. Nelson concedes that two of the three might have been expected but that ‘what was really powerful was ‘always exploring’. We have just done a lot of work on brand values, through which we landed on the explorer-caregiver


archetype as a really succinct definition of who we want to be. Having our colleagues play that back to us almost immediately, telling us that they feel we are ‘always exploring’ – always looking for new ways to do things – gives me great confidence the business has really embraced this.’ He adds: ‘We’ve since got our colleagues back


together and asked them to expand these values so they each incorporate some behaviours, to help spell out what we all think they mean. ‘The result, having added in these behaviours, is we


now have a relatable way to talk about our values, and hold ourselves to account against them. ‘For instance, we’re encouraged to ask if we’ve


challenged the status quo. It makes people think: is there a better way? ‘This is about empowering the workforce to give


everybody a framework that they can use day in, day out – to make a decision at a point when that decision needs to be made. There are processes to be followed,


THE WATER INDUSTRY’S PUBLIC INTEREST COMMITMENT


Water UK, the industry trade body, last year unveiled five key goals that Britain’s water companies will seek to achieve by 2030 as the first step in a commitment to enshrine purpose across their organisations. The initiative recognises the unique role that water companies play in running a vital public service for the public good.


As Water UK puts it: ‘In serving customers within a framework of independent regulation and government policy, companies are party to an implicit contract with society, through which they earn the privilege to serve in return for delivering wider benefits to society and the environment... Our ambition for the sector is to represent the best in responsible business practice.’


While each of its 25 member companies has autonomy in how to achieve the goals, reflecting the priorities of local communities, by 2030 they have all committed to:


• Triple the rate of sector-wide leakage reduction


• Make bills affordable as a minimum for households with water and sewerage bills more than five per cent of disposable income, and develop a strategy to end water poverty


• Achieve net zero carbon emissions for the sector


• Prevent the equivalent of four billion plastic bottles ending up as waste


• Be the first sector to achieve 100 per cent commitment to the Social Mobility Pledge


28 CorpComms | February/March 2020


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