Our Values
We believe it is important to articulate and communicate, both internally to our team and externally to our clients, the values that underpin our work and the way we approach it.
Our Value Framework
- Leadership & Authority
- Honesty & Integrity
- Excellence & Effectiveness
- Creativity & Passion
All of our work is underpinned by a set of core values and principles which guide the way we work and do business.
Values
We are focused on the interests of our clients and the constituencies they serve. This means:
- Working to achieve and exceed expectations on all our projects
- Being competitive, transparent in our fee structure, and offering value for money
- Having a flexible price structure that allows us to work in sectors where money is often tight
- Assembling the best team possible for each of our contracts – looking to fill any gaps in experience with highly skilled associates or partner companies with which we work on a regular basis
- Tendering for work where know we have the requisite skills and experience to deliver effectively, on budget, and to timescales
- Developing a close-knit team that know each others skills and can rely on each other to deliver under all circumstances
- Building a healthy and enjoyable working environment in our London and Cornwall offices that encourages creativity and commitment to our work
- Continuously improving our skills, experience, and understanding of the areas we work.
- Challenging and encouraging our associates in their continual professional development
- Performing to the highest level possible and monitoring that through ongoing feedback from our clients
- Seeking and recruiting highly experienced associates, and associate companies, that can add value to our work
- Where possibly avoiding the use of jargon and using plain English in reports, contracts and tenders
- Keeping all reports to the minimum possible to convey the necessary information or summarising lengthy technical reports with a separate summary document
- Keeping information secure and having contingency plans for ICT disruption
- Maintaining our Data Protection registration and adhering to legislation on data processing, security and sharing
- Understanding diversity within the organisations and communities that we work with
- Challenging discriminatory behaviour if it appears
- Using local supply chains where possible to keep the money circulating in the local economy
- Maintaining relationships beyond the end of time-limited projects
- Always identifying and agreeing desired outputs and outcomes with clients
- Being flexible to respond to major changes in a contract’s circumstance
- Working with clients to find solutions if things don’t go according to plan
- Agreeing reporting and monitoring arrangements before starting work
- Working to achievable timescales and objectives
- Maintaining professional memberships which mean that we remain abreast of best practice guidelines (e.g., Market Research Society, UK Evaluation Society, PRINCE2).
- Being prepared to be honest and challenging testing assumptions, saying that a projedt isn’t feasible, suggesting alternative solution to achieving aims
- Being rigorous in examining finances and budgets and spotting problems
- Producing comprehensive contracts and workplans
- Combining the advantages of a personalised small team with the resources and approach of a long term company