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Charter member Barry Wehi has provided some insight into this question when he used the Charter as the subject of his MBA Thesis. Barry interviewed numerous Charter members to try and quantify the “Value Proposition of the Charter”. That is, what value does the Charter provide and how is this value best recognised.
Barry’s report identified a comprehensive list of member values provided by the Charter, including functional values (events, resources), experiential values (engagement, collaboration, connection), symbolic values (branding, status, collectiveness) and cost values (value for money). Charter members believe in the work of the Charter, although they sometimes cannot articulate exactly what this is.
Barry gave 12 recommendations to ensure the sustainability of the Charter and delivery of its core business to provide leadership, advocacy, and support for its members. Many of these recommendations have been implemented in the last year (strategic plan, branding, digital marketing), while some require additional resourcing (site visits). Additionally, Barry recommended better communication of the Charter values and purpose, and a review of the pricing structure. At present, approximately 50% of our members (SME’s under 10 employees) pay no fees, and although this encourages membership, it also provides a dis-incentive to value the work of the Charter.
Final recommendations included expanding the Charter into aligned industries and increasing partnerships with corporate organisations. In the long term, increasing membership is critical to the survival and sustainability of the Charter. The best way to do this is to provide real value to our members, and then leverage this value to attract new members.
Paul Duggan General Manager
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