Defining Values

Introduction

Values are the fundamental beliefs and guiding principles of a person or an organisation. They support the vision and mission, shape the organisational culture and reflect what an organisation stands for.

Why

The toolkit Defining Values is useful when your organisation:

• needs to develop its identity and the values it stands for.
• has expanded and needs to strengthen the organisational culture through values.
• needs ways to clearly articulate its philosophy, methods, and goals to stakeholders and team members.

What you can expect

In six steps we guide you to form your organisational values. Here you’ll find a step-by-step guide, tools, examples and other resources for defining your values.

What you get

Know how:

• an overview of how to define your values step-by-step

Examples:

• a values list of an organisation working with children from low-income communities in the field of education
• a values list of an organisation where human rights are important
• a values list of an organisation working on social change
• a practical document of an organisation which puts values in practice

Tool:

• a worksheet for employees to start thinking about their own and organisational values