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Culture change at Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority

Coniferous forest by the water
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About

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (Reef Authority) is the entrusted regulator for the care and development of the Great Barrier Reef. They initiated a culture change programme to improve engagement with the communities along the Reef’s coastline.

The Reef Authority wanted better share knowledge and build trust and understanding. They hoped stronger community engagement would develop relationships and increase voluntary compliance with policies and improve business results through better management decisions and enhanced stewardship of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

An essential task was creating a framework defining what working in partnership with the community meant for their organisation. This framework needed to describe the desired behaviours and attitudes (internal and external), tools and processes. To be adopted as a successful change initiative across the organisation, the framework content had to come from both the staff and directors of the Reef Authority.

Impact Australia worked with the Reef Authority on a three-stage solution to:

  • Illuminate - assess the current culture towards community engagement through an all-staff survey.
  • Develop - facilitate a senior management workshop to work through the issues raised and develop future strategies.
  • Implement - communicate a strategy for a culture change towards best practice community engagement and support the directors as they empowered their staff to undertake this in their jobs on a daily basis.

The Reef Authority chose to work with Impact Australia because of their expertise in driving culture change combined with a practical based solution. Their approach was seen by all who took part as an unbiased yet formal process to bring the ideas, problems and barriers facing the organisation to light. Impact’s involvement effectively depersonalised the process and enabled a greater focus on the issues rather than the people.

Impact’s staff survey was a comprehensive and multidimensional report. The resulting senior manager workshop unified that team. In turn, this led the directors to define the behaviours, attitudes, tools and processes that will best improve community engagement and communicate how this will be incorporated into everyday business. The Reef Authority benefited from a shared vision highlighting what community engagement means for their business.

Testimonials
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Karen Gregson
UK Learning and Development Lead
BAE Systems
"The programme leverages a variety of experiences for graduates including teamwork opportunities derived from Impact’s adventurous outdoor activity, workplace activities which provide real experience of business challenges, insights into other business areas, opportunities for reflection, and practical theory that they can learn from and then apply. This is an innovative programme which increases workplace capability and provides a strong return on investment”.
Nikki Cartwright
Programme participant
Diageo
"The day was very, very inspiring. We were able to make a real difference to our community partner: SMart, by delivering some really tangible benefits - including sourcing and mentoring admin support, developing a business plan to attract the right calibre of trustees and helping them to source office and gallery/storage space... It was a day of truly appreciating and celebrating life.”
Ben Harris
Programme Participant
Cape
"Before the programme I was probably what you’d call a classic micro-manager. I now delegate work to my direct reports and am enjoying watching them develop their own styles and strengths supported with my coaching. I am proud of the development I’m seeing in the people around me now that I’m letting them expand their capabilities and helping them achieve their full potential."