TheImportanceofVision,MissionandValues

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.