Our Work — Living Values

Four interconnected dimensions

Our current work is organised across three thematic streams. These streams provide spaces through which we can explore how values shape important questions facing organisations and society.

01

Make Values Visible

Bring implicit and often unexamined values into conscious view so that they can be recognised, named and discussed.

02

Deepen Awareness

Explore how values, beliefs, assumptions and tensions shape behaviour, decisions, institutions and societal concerns.

03

Support Embodiment

Create opportunities for consciously affirmed values to find expression through everyday behaviour, decisions, relationships and leadership.

04

Embed Values Institutionally

Work towards values being reflected and reinforced through organisational culture, governance, systems, practices and accountability.

Ethical Governance

Ethical Governance considers the values that shape how organisations and institutions are led and governed. The work explores questions of judgement, accountability, leadership, culture, responsibility and the relationship between stated values and everyday organisational practice.

Areas of inquiry may include:

· How values influence leadership and decision-making
· The relationship between espoused and enacted values
· Ethical judgement under pressure
· Organisational culture and accountability
· Values within governance systems and practices

Solidarity & Ubuntu

Solidarity and Ubuntu explores the values that shape how we understand our relationship and responsibility towards others. Ubuntu has long provided an important African language for thinking about interdependence, dignity, humanity and belonging.

Our interest is in Ubuntu as a living and evolving concept. What does Ubuntu mean today? Why does it matter? How do we live it? Through research, dialogue and public engagement, this stream explores how Ubuntu and solidarity can help us engage contemporary questions about belonging, responsibility, community and institutional life.

Environmental Sustainability

Environmental Sustainability explores the values underpinning how individuals, organisations and societies understand their responsibilities towards the natural environment and future generations.

The stream considers how values influence environmental choices, behaviour, leadership and systems. It creates opportunities to explore how values such as responsibility, stewardship, care and intergenerational awareness can become more visible and consciously practised.

How we work across the streams

Within each stream, individual initiatives may work across visibility, awareness, embodiment and institutional embedding depending on the nature of the issue and the stage of the work.

Research Inquiry & Evidence

Advocacy Dialogue & Engagement