DRAFT WESSA Strategic Review Narrative Report June 2022

STRATEGIC REVIEW OVERVIEW

Following the adoption of the Strategy Review Report by the WESSA board, several engagements took place with working groups consisting of experts in their particular fields to guide the process in shaping the “WESSA we want and need” and the framework for a subsequent operational plan. During the strategic planning process, the Strategic Working Group all agreed how critical it was that WESSA prioritise a diversity and inclusion approach. A critical success factor of diversity is to view transformation beyond compliance. We acknowledged that there was a disproportionate influence on the SRWG, and therefore recommended that the members of the working groups included co-opted representatives that are able to contribute and provide guidance. This emphasised the SWG’s role in governing inclusion and improving diversity, a major responsibility of WESSA and the role this organisation plays in society. The following working groups were constituted over a 6 week period to prepare action plans for the detailed strategic plan: • Thematic work areas • Finance, Governance and HR • Resource mobilisation and fundraising Following the in-depth and inclusive strategic review process undertaken by the Thematic Working Group, including a mandate from the Board, WESSA’s thematic areas of work will focus on these three key environmental issues: Climate Crisis, Biodiversity and Habitat Loss, and Pollution. In line with WESSA’s seven pathways to success, our focus will be on projects and programmes aimed at achieving systemic impact, directly linked to outcomes in our newly developed and proposed Theory of Change. The Theory of Change focusses on WESSA’s mission to educate, advocate and act for environmental justice through policy, legislation and media engagement, sustainability education, strategic partnerships, compliance monitoring and conservation programmes to drive climate action, protect and restore biodiversity, and reduce pollution. Our purpose will be to serve the natural environment by enabling supporters, policy makers and implementers, corporates, and civil society to be able and committed environmental stewards. Our Theory of Change thus involves an Advocacy Strategy which builds knowledge, awareness, and results in actionable outcomes i.e. Educate – Advocate – Act – Change.

We identified, among others, the following important actions for WESSA’s: • Developing a ‘filter’ to apply an objective set of criteria to deal with the myriad of environmental and conservation issues confronting the organisation so that WESSA can remain focussed on those issues relevant to the new strategy. • Addressing and scrutinising the complex issues of projects and work that WESSA is currently involved in that may no longer be relevant to the new strategy is necessary. • Improving and developing our understanding of what ‘climate change/crisis/emergency’ means for South/Southern Africa (in terms of impact, severity, adaption, mitigation etc) and developing intentional appropriate education material to deliver through our education workstream in addition to clarifying our main tasks involving advocacy and the WESSA voice. • Developing a WESSA designed module on the Climate Emergency directed at corporates. [Requires investment and marketing plan. The development of the training material would speak to all our thematic areas.] • Adopting a positive and ‘growth mindset’ in our terminology for outward-facing communication i.e. climate action, clean water as opposed to fear-based language such as climate crisis and habitat destruction. • Developing partnerships to support the sustainability journeys of companies and their supply chains. • Designing a WESSA toolkit for citizens and members so that anyone can find a way in which to get involved to support change and ACT i.e., join a membership group, use an ecological ‘calculator’, write opinion pieces, join as an Interested and Affected Party in a local environmental issue, learn how to scrutinise an Environmental Impact Assessment etc. • Making the call to action more accessible and relatable by using storytelling and case studies in our communications and marketing. • Adopting an internal code of conduct in which we outline our commitment to sound principles, excellent governance, mutual respect, equal opportunities, etc. as a basis for our behaviour as an organisation (brand and culture, internal and external). • Re-focus WESSA Training to become an empowerment tool for South African citizens to become more active. • Determining measures of success for each thematic area of work.

WESSA’s strategic planning process was an extensive, organisation-wide effort that meaningfully engaged all of our stakeholders and thoughtfully synthesised their feedback. The multi-phase process spanned 12 months, from June 2021 to June 2022. This dynamic process was grounded in our organisational values which include collaboration, trust, transparency, diversity, equity and inclusion, with a focus on the long term sustainability and impact of WESSA. ExCo in situ meetings held in Cape Town, Howick and Mtunzini. During a time of tremendous disruption, more than 100 stakeholders participated, including staff, partners, funders, members, out-of-school youth, in-school youth, teachers and Board members. This was done with the professional support of Professor Christo Fabricius, who capably navigated us through the process. This process lead us to understand our strengths, things we needed to refocus on and in general what we have to leverage on for future success. The diagram below displays the seven critical factors WESSA considers key to our success. These will make up our guiding light as we navigate this new five-year journey of WESSA. This process was unprecedented in that due to the challenges of COVID-19, the entire engagement was conducted virtually, bar certain

A critical success factor of diversity is to view transformation beyond compliance.

01

Governence systems & processes

Clarity of purpose

02

07

7 CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS

Monitoring and adaptive management

Human Resources

03

06

Financial Sustainability

Support base, alliances and partnerships

04

Identity, brand and culture

05

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