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Beth Deazeley Vision Oct 2009
Beth Deazeley Vision Oct 2009
byBethDeazeley
TheQuestion:
Whatarevision,missionandvalues?Whyaretheyimportant?
TheAnswer:
Vision,missionandvaluesarekeyelementsofanorganizationsstrategicplanning.Theymustbe
approvedbytheboardofdirectorsandshouldbecommunicatedtostaff,volunteers,membersand
otherstakeholders.
Vision
Thevisionsetsoutwhattheorganizationwantstoaccomplish,andshouldinspiremembers,staffand
supporters.Visionstatementsmaydescribe:
howthingswouldbedifferentasaresultoftheorganizationsactivities
eg.CanadianCancerSociety:CreatingaworldwherenoCanadianfearscancer
howtheorganizationwantstobeseenbyothers
eg.CanadianInstituteofCharteredAccountants:WeareCanadasmostvalued,internationally
recognizedprofessionofleadersinseniormanagement,advisory,financial,taxandassuranceroles
Goodvisionsareaspirational.Somearehardtoreachidealswhileothersaremoremodestordescribe
objectivesthatareachievableinthenearfuture.Ineithercase,thevisionhelpsestablishtheunique
contributionthattheorganizationmakestosociety.
Fromapracticalperspectiveavisioncanbeaquick,memorablewaytodescribetheorganizations
reasonforbeing.Thiscanbevaluableintimesofcrisiswhenithelpstorememberwhatisreally
important.Thevisionandmissionareoftenpublishedintheorganizationsannualreports,brochures
andfundraisingmaterials.
Mission
Themissiontypicallydescribeswhattheorganizationdoestoachieveitsvision.Becausethevisionis
oftenexpressedasadreamorideal,themissionhelpsclarifythepracticalaspectsofwhatthe
organizationwillactuallydo.Mostmissionsemphasizeaction,usingsuchwordsas:support,involve,
assist,contribute,provide,promote,etc.
eg.UnitedWayofTorontomission: Tomeeturgenthumanneedsandimprovesocialconditions
bymobilizingthecommunitysvolunteerandfinancialresourcesinacommoncauseofcaring
Theorganizationsmissionmustbecompatiblewithitslegalpurposesandmustmeettherequirements
fornotforprofitand(ifapplicable)charitablestatus.Agoodmissionstatementisconciseandprecise.
Itshouldidentifytheorganizationskeystakeholdersandsetouthowtheorganizationwillservethem.
eg.CNIB(CanadianNationalInstitutefortheBlind)mission:Toenhanceindependencefor
peoplewithvisionlossandtobetheleaderinpromotingvisionhealth
Values
Sharedvaluesinfluenceeverythinganorganizationdoes,aswellasitsrelationshipswithstakeholders
anditsreputation.Valuesmaybeexpressedasbeliefs,guidelinesorrules,andmaybesetoutinacode
ofconduct.
Eg.CanadianRedCrossValues:
Integrityandaccountability
Ethicalpractices
Quality
Caringandcompassion
Clientfocused
Responsiveness
Astatementofvaluescanprovideguidancewhentoughdecisionsmustbemade,forexamplein
allocatingscarceresources,orwhenpresentedwithadonationfromagroupwhichmaybe
incompatiblewiththeorganizationsmission.
Thevalues,missionandvisionarekeyelementsofanotforprofitorganizationsstrategicplanning
process,andwillguidethedevelopmentanddeliveryofprogramservicesandactivities.
FurtherinformationonstrategicplanningfornotforprofitorganizationscanbefoundintheCICA
publication20QuestionsDirectorsofNotforProfitOrganizationsShouldAskaboutStrategyand
Planning,authoredbyHughLindsay.Muchofthisdiscussionisbasedonthatpublication.
Thecontentaboveisprovidedforgeneralinformationonlyanddoesnotconstitutelegaladvice.Theviews
expressedarethoseoftheauthoranddonotnecessarilyreflectthoseoftheCanadianInstituteofChartered
Accountants.