OCC Updates Organizational Ends – Board President Timm speaks on process of revision.
The Oneota Community Food Cooperative (OCC) Board of Directors recently completed a revision of the Co-op’s Organizational Ends. This process involved numerous discussions throughout the past year, as well as a member survey and input from General Manager Nate Furler.
We’ve reached out to OCC Board President Scott Timm to discuss what, exactly, Organizational Ends are, how they serve the Co-op, and how the current updates came about.
Please define the term Organizational Ends.
Timm: Organizational Ends are akin to vision statements, but they don’t describe activities, programs or services. Instead, they are the intended results of organizational effort. Put another way – they are the North Star we must keep in front of us – helping us remember where we want to go. It is a board duty, as representatives of the membership, to define the ends for the organization.
How do they differ, yet tie in, with the mission statement and/or Co-op principles?
Timm: While the mission of the Co-op describes the aims and values of our organization, the ends describe our specific destination – progress we hope to attain in three to five years. The mission of the OCC has not changed – but how we go about fulfilling that mission must be re-evaluated in order to ensure we are staying on track.
Please tell us more about how the ends serve the Co-op – and how they are implemented.
Timm: Organizational Ends are the board’s delegation tool to the General Manager (GM) and their Leadership Team. They describe the results to be accomplished. It is up to the GM to interpret those ends and bring them to fruition. The GM and their Leadership Team take the ends and form a strategic plan each year focused on specific actions, programs or strategies to accomplish them. The board receives updates and reports describing how progress is being made in the monthly GM report. A formal report is then issued annually.
When was the last time the Organizational Ends were updated? Why?
Timm: I was not on the board the last time the ends were revised, so I am not sure, but we believe they were updated around 2015. I believe this is only the second revision. When looking at the ends this past year, we utilized feedback from a member survey that was administered last fall. We then met multiple times, working toward consensus on verbiage and goals. We made the language more active and succinct. We included feedback from the GM on what he thought was important to include as adjustments that would give a good opportunity for clear metrics.
Could you please articulate why the current revisions have taken place?
Timm: It is recommended that the board review and revise the ends every two to three years, and we felt that – given the rapid changes in the market and our community, and our desire to do some strategic planning for the board – it would be an ideal time to examine the Organizational Ends statement. Now that we have finished our work on the ends, we are entering a process of strategic planning. We will look at how we can best focus our efforts as a board in the next three to five years – to be focused and productive in our service as representatives of the OCC membership. This will provide a road map for new board members and future boards as they lead the organization.
Explain the process by which the wording is evaluated, constructed and the board communication/discussion regarding the process.
Timm: We used a virtual, consensus-based process to come to agreement on the ends. Some of it was an organic process – we hashed out verbally what we liked and did not like about the prior ends – and some of it was more formal. Following discussion, those who had skills as wordsmiths took time to come up with suggestions for verbiage and those suggestions were posted for all to see. Then each board member had ample time to review those suggestions and add suggestions of their own on a virtual collaboration tool called Miro. We met several times to discuss and reach consensus on the wording of each end and voted unanimously on the adoption of the new ends. While it took time, we are all satisfied with the result and look forward to using the new Organizational Ends as the underpinning of our work in the future.
Below reads the updated Organizational Ends:
Because the Oneota Community Co-op exists as an institution grounded in the cooperative principles, there will be the following:
- Our organization provides organic, local, and sustainably produced products to the greatest extent possible.
- We support building thriving local food systems and encourage the expansion of locally grown food sources.
- Our organization supports achieving a healthy lifestyle, and guides the community in understanding how healthy, responsibly sourced food and products benefits themselves and the planet.
- Our organization promotes and exemplifies cooperative principles of business.
- Our business model, financial practices, and physical facility are rooted in principles of sustainability.
- Our employees feel valued, fairly compensated, and engaged in meaningful work.
- Our members are diverse and engaged, working together and sharing time, energy, and resources to build a resilient and thriving local community.
The prior Organizational Ends, dated 2015:
Because the Oneota Community Co-op exists as an institution grounded in the cooperative principles, there will be the following:
- A retail source for food and other products that, to the greatest extent possible, are organic, sustainably produced, locally grown and/or processed and affordable. A business that encourages the expansion of sustainably grown local food sources.
- A community that is educated about food and other products which are healthy for people and the environment.
- A business that promotes the development of cooperation and cooperative enterprise.
- A business that promotes environmental and financial sustainability.
- Employment in a workplace that provides the personal satisfaction of collaborative work directed toward common goals and provides extraordinary customer service.
- A diverse, local community whose fabric is strengthened through caring and sharing gifts of time, energy and resources.
Your Co-op board meets the fourth Tuesday of each month and have been doing so virtually for the past many months. Member/owners of Oneota Co-op are always welcome to attend board meetings. For more information, contact Scott Timm at oneotatimm@gmail.com.