President's Message

As the rate of change in our society has increased over the past 15-20 years, our planning processes at Goodwill have changed considerably. Strategic planning, which used to be a discrete event we would do every 3-5 years, has morphed into a continuous strategic thinking process. Instead of having a thick, detailed, rarely-consulted strategic plan on our shelves, we now have a much thinner, but frequently used document we label “Strategic Directions.” We formally update that document every couple of years – more frequently, if circumstances warrant. Its contents include our corporate mission statement, values, basic principles, aspirations, and general directions. Except for occasional “wordsmithing”, those typically do not change much from year to year. Sometimes, though, what we learn from small-scale experiments and/or innovations prompts substantive changes in our directions or priorities. Such changes can also result from significant changes in our external environment.

In 2010 Goodwill’s Board of Directors approved an updated Strategic Directions document. Some of the key elements in that document are:

Corporate Mission Statement

Goodwill Industries is a social enterprise that offers opportunities, provides services, and leverages its resources with those of others to improve the education, skills, employability, and economic self-sufficiency of adults and the future employability of young people.

General Directions and Preferences

• We strive to offer services that result in long term impact vs. short term help.
• We prefer to develop long term vs. short term relationships with those we assist.
• We seek to incorporate holistic, whole family approaches with those we assist.
• We emphasize the enhancement of education levels and attainment of credentials that improve an individuals’ employability and earnings potential.
• We emphasize prevention of problems and development of potential vs. remediation, rehabilitation, and repair.

How Can Goodwill Add the Greatest Value for Individuals and Communities?

• Help young people and adults who have struggled or failed in other educational settings complete high school and attain a post-secondary degree or other recognized credential.
• Employ people whose work options are limited by disability, criminal history, low education level, or other significant barrier to employment.
• Help unemployed people become employed.
• Leverage Goodwill’s resources with those of others to help develop and implement practical, effective approaches to reduce major social problems.

Consistent with the above, we have developed a number of strategies and actions designed to:

• Grow our businesses so we can provide more employment and development opportunities for people with limited work options.
• Expand and improve the educational options we offer young people and adults
• Add to our in-house talent pool to further improve our effectiveness, organizational strength, and long term impact in the lives of people and the communities in which we operate.

This report features some of the new developments and metrics that are aligned with our strategic directions. You’ll also find stories of some of the individuals who are benefiting from or supporting our services. The online version of this report (www.goodwillindy.org/community) will be updated periodically.

We are deeply grateful to all who support our work.

Jim McClelland
President & CEO
CEO Blog