"Just as building a house requires a solid foundation, so does building a strategy."
Stimuleringsfonds Volkshuisvesting Nederlandse gemeenten (SVn), the organization that helps keep the Netherlands liveable through sustainable financing solutions, was well aware of this. After years of building, it was time to make new plans for the years ahead. Together with Stay Future Proof, SVn refreshed its strategy with a view towards 2030. One central question guided the process: how can we ensure that SVn is ready for a next phase full of growth and societal impact? Or, to use a fitting metaphor, how do we strengthen the foundation and continue building a future proof home?
Our approach
To arrive at the refreshed strategy, it was important to follow a structured approach. For SVn, this approach consisted of three phases: analyze, decide and translate into action.
In the analysis phase, we gathered all the necessary information to make sound strategic decisions. Together with Stay Future Proof, the strategy team also mapped SVn’s current business model. After all, to become future proof, it is important to first gain a clear understanding of where the organization stands today, what its strengths are and where the bottlenecks lie. During interactive working sessions, the 80/20 rule applied: only the insights that truly mattered were addressed. This created focus and energy. From this foundation, it became clear which themes required a strategic decision.
Next, it was time for decision making. During a two-day session, SVn’s future took center stage. Because the analysis phase had already created a great deal of clarity, the team was now able to go into real depth. The conversations were well substantiated and went beyond opinions alone, as there was already a strong foundation of insights on topics such as finance, IT and the current propositions.
This was not simply a two-day session filled with meetings. Using the Business Model Canvas, the team worked interactively and in a structured way on SVn’s future business model. The strength of the two-day session lay in its balance: there was room for creative ideas, as well as for making clear decisions that provide direction for the future. Arjen Gielen, board member at SVn, explains that this is where Stay Future Proof’s unique strength lies: “It is a creative and action-oriented approach, which makes it a unique alternative compared with other consulting firms.”
After the decision making, it was time for the third phase: translating the strategy into action. After all, a strategy only becomes successful when it is embraced by the entire organization and when everyone actively starts working with it. During a day for the whole organization, the revised strategy was presented, and all SVn employees explored it together by generating ideas around the various strategic themes.
Results
The strategy refresh delivered more for SVn than a set of strategic choices. It created a new direction that provides concrete guidance and can be applied in practice immediately. The dot on the horizon for 2030 was clearly articulated, along with clear steps the team will take in the coming years to achieve it. As a result, the strategy did not remain something abstract but became a true compass for everyday decisions.
Equally important was the effect on the people themselves. Because the conversations were well substantiated and everyone was able to contribute their knowledge, a sense of ownership emerged. SVn employees recognized themselves in the choices and felt that their contribution genuinely mattered. This helped to make the strategy belong to everyone. Arjen also values the pace of the process: “The process created a certain momentum in making strategic choices. It also helped to safeguard an integrated scope. Today and in moving forward, it still helps us.”
The strategy refresh has given SVn a strengthened foundation to build on. The direction is clear, the next building blocks are in place, and the team knows what is needed to turn the plans into reality. This enables SVn to continue building the future with focus and confidence in the years ahead, and to create even more impact together in the built environment in the Netherlands.
We would be happy to discuss how we can also make your organization future proof. Curious?
