Michael Lissack
Development Goals to measure progress. This accountability ensures ac- tions align with stated purpose. Accountability mechanisms take many forms. Outdoor retailer REI publishes annual stewardship reports detailing progress against environ- mental goals. Tech companies like Slack and Atlassian release diversity and inclusion data showing progress against stated commitments to eq- uity. Financial services firm BlackRock requires companies in its portfolio to disclose climate risks. These accountability practices create coherence by connecting stated intentions to measurable outcomes. The implementation of this first step has evolved beyond abstract mission statements to concrete practices: Purpose-driven decision frameworks help translate abstract val- ues into practical choices. When faced with difficult trade-offs, purpose provides the criteria for evaluation. Healthcare company CVS Health demonstrated this when they stopped selling tobacco products despite the $2 billion revenue loss, citing their purpose of “helping people on their path to better health.” This decision created coherence between stated purpose and business practices. Purpose activation programs help employees connect their indi- vidual work to the organization’s broader aims. Cloud software company Salesforce implemented its “1-1-1” model (dedicating 1% of product, eq- uity, and employee time to philanthropic causes) not just as a corporate social responsibility initiative but as a means for employees to experience the company’s values in practice. This activation creates coherence be- tween organizational and individual purpose. Purpose evolution processes recognize that identity and goals must adapt to changing circumstances while maintaining core values. Professional services firm Deloitte maintains coherence during change through its “Purpose Check-In” process, which asks teams to regularly revisit how their work connects to the firm’s purpose of “making an im- pact that matters.” This process allows purpose to evolve without losing its essential character.
290
Made with FlippingBook. PDF to flipbook with ease