The Demonstrating Value Lenses
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Use the Demonstrating Value Lenses to make sure you are gathering the right information to support the decisions you make, and your need to show your value to others in a way that connects with them. As a new social enterprise, you can use it to identify what information you'll gather and how you'll use it. As an established enterprise, you can use it to critically review what you're collecting and to identify how you can maximize your use of it. The Lenses are based on the key principle that the information you gather in the social enterprise has to be
- Directly relevant to the decisions you make.
- Compelling for others to learn about your value.
To work out what information is most useful, always keep the following simple question in mind: "What do you want to know and show? Then use the two lenses shown below to help focus your answers.
Lense 1: What information is important?
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An Organizational Sustainability Perspective - What information can help you understand whether you are developing and maintaining resources to meet your purpose in the long run? |
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A Mission Performance Perspective - What information can tell you about the ability of the social enterprise to successfully contribute towards the social, cultural and environmental objectives set out in its mission? |
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A Business Performance Perspective - What information can tell you about the business and financial success of the social enterprise? |
Lense 2: How will information be used?
It is likely that the same information is wanted by different people, and can be used for different purposes. What are these needs, and how can you respond as efficiently as possible? Take the time to assess what information meets the following needs.
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An Operational Perspective - What information do you need to support day-to-day decisions by management and staff? For instance, what can help you stay on top of sales, costs, product quality, and delivery of your mission? |
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A Strategic Perspective - What information do you need to support strategic decisions that are often made by a governance body such as a board? These decisions will typically involve a longer time horizon, and set out key objectives and directions of the enterprise. |
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An Accountability Perspective - What information do you need to foster and maintain support of the enterprise? This includes support by investors, community members, employees and beneficiaries of your mission. . |
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