Our work
Our work is about stimulating and energising a different way of thinking and behaving in business.
As well as working directly with a small number of large businesses, we seek to influence the overall conversation about the purpose of business, through dialogue with key influencers such as investors, academics, policymakers, NGOs, consultants to business and others and through our social media, forums, conferences, events and collaboration with other organisations with similar objectives.
Our strategy is to:
Inspire
Inspire and nurture the will, rationale and courage for change by creating space for continuous dialogue, critical reflection and sense-making of what it means to be a purpose-led business.
Activate
Create and be part of spaces to develop the skills and confidence to disrupt 'status quo' practices and create conditions for change to flourish
Amplify
Capture and share stories to build courage, share learning and facilitate / collaborate to catalyse change in early majority and strengthen the movement
Business
Our work with companies is centred on using our Five Principles of a Purpose-led Business, and the thinking behind them, to challenge and support leadership teams and other senior practitioners in understanding and exploring the potential of becoming a better business. The one to one work we do with these businesses informs the rest of our work.
We work mainly with large listed UK headquartered companies and we offer:
Leadership support
Dialogue and thinking
Social contract
Investors
We have been seeking to influence investors and have been collaborating with the Purposeful Company Taskforce to engage with both asset managers and asset owners.
A challenge faced by investors is how they can tell whether a company is genuinely pursuing a purpose beyond profit, through which it seeks to generate its returns to investors.
In 2018, we convened a group of leading investors from a range of asset management companies to consider this and together they came up with a short list of key questions which an investor can ask a Chair, CEO or other senior executives to glean insights into the extent to which a company is being genuinely and effectively purpose-led.
Coaches and Consultants
We have an informal network of coaches and consultants who have an affinity with Blueprint. The network is inclusive and open to any coaches or consultants who believe that the purpose of business should benefit society and respect the dignity of people.
There is no formal structure or membership fee. People are welcome to engage at any level they wish. We convene regular meetings to enable members of the network to share and discuss their experiences and to meet other like minded people.
The purpose of the network
- To help grow the Blueprint movement via coaches and consultants using Blueprint thinking in their work with their clients and to guide their own businesses.
- To create a community of learning and sharing.
Maintaining Blueprint's independence
Summary of recent sessions
- Meeting for coaches and consultants - November 2022
- Meeting for coaches and consultants - April 2022
- Meeting for coaches and consultants - November 2021
- Meeting for coaches and consultants - April 2021
- Workshop exploring purpose, measures and metrics - October 2020
- Reflections on Blueprint's work - March 2020
- Peer learning session - September 2019
Research and Academics
In conversation: Rebecca Henderson
Catch up on-demand here
Academic Conference
Research with the CMI
You can see the full report here: The what, the why and the how of purpose
Policymakers
Whilst we believe it is possible to be a successful purpose-led business within current laws and capital markets, policymakers have a role to play in helping to create an environment where purpose-led business can thrive.
In April 2018, we were invited to share a paper ahead of the meeting of the OECD Global Parliamentary Network, hosted by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Inclusive Growth.
It discussed why purpose-led businesses are key to building more inclusive and sustainable societies and what policy makers can do to help. The full text can be downloaded here.
Collaborations
- We try not to duplicate work that others are already doing, and where possible try to collaborate with organisations and individuals with whom we share common goals. For example:
- We were part of the steering group chaired by for the Sustainable Purpose British Standard on purpose driven organisations (PAS 808). The draft standard went out for public consultation and was launched in July 2022.
- We have contributed to the work of the Purposeful Company and The British Academy Future of the Corporation project.
- Blueprint formed part of the Advisory panel for the government backed Mission-led Business Review in the UK. Read the final review ‘On a Mission in the UK Economy’ and see Blueprint’s submission to the Call for Evidence.
- We were invited to be part of an external panel for a study by the government Inclusive Economy Unit into the take up of SDG’s by business in the UK.
- Working with the Health Foundation we produced a report on the link between health and work.
- We were invited to collaborate with ReGenerate.
- We are allies of the World Benchmarking Alliance
- We are part of UK21