Case studies
600 strategy works with purposeful organisations: charities, the public sector and enlightened private sector organisations
Duchy of Cornwall
In 2021 and 2022, we supported the Duchy of Cornwall (the Prince of Wales' diversified rural estate) in developing and then launching their Net Zero Carbon Programme. Through collaborating with all parts of the estate we developed theories of change for all significant areas of greenhouse gas emission, resulting in a quantified pathway to Net Zero and a plan for delivering these reductions through 20+ pan-Duchy initiatives. We introduced programme management tools and governance into the Duchy to establish and launch a formal programme. We used Carbon Literacy as a key tool to engage all Duchy staff with the programme and their role in delivering it.
David has since been retained as the Duchy's Head of Sustainability part time.
"David’s Carbon Literacy training was designed to involve everyone across the Duchy in our goal of reaching net zero. There was a lot of information to take in, but with David’s knowledge of rural estates, plenty of time for discussion and David’s cleverly reasoned narrative it really helped us all understand the role we must play in addressing the climate crisis. I was very pleased we decided to invest the time and effort in building our carbon literacy" Alastair Martin, Secretary and Keeper of the Records, Duchy of Cornwall
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Further rural estate clients
Since 2021, we have advised private rural estates on climate and sustainability. Examples include:
We provide ongoing advice to the senior team at the Duchy of Lancaster (the King's diversified rural estate) across all aspects of sustainability from climate to nature, waste to social value.
In 2023 we provided Carbon Literacy training to staff at Englefield Estate to support staff engagement with climate action. "David gave our team the opportunity to discuss and reflect on the worrying implications of climate change, whilst really inspiring positive feelings and 'can do' attitudes towards reducing our greenhouse gas emissions" Dr Liz Mattison, Education and Environment Officer, Englefield Estate.
We have provided Carbon Literacy training to other estates, including the Rhug Estate in North Wales. "The training has been hugely beneficial to all that participated, and it was great to have all key members of staff working together. Thank you for carrying out a very well organised and interesting course, we have all learnt many things and I look forward to applying our learnings to future action planning" Mared Williams, Low Carbon Project Manager, Rhug Estate.
In 2022, we provided strategic challenge in a 'blue skies thinking' net zero project for a large family-owned estate with rural property in NW England, Wales and Scotland.
We acted as an adviser to a confidential client with property in southern England, London and Scotland in 2022 as they procured a specialist carbon footprinting company to measure their emissions and chart their path to net zero.
Treveth Holdings
In 2023, we worked with Cornish developer Treveth Holdings (wholly owned by Cornwall Council) on engaging their team with climate action through Carbon Literacy. Via a hybrid online and face-to-face programme, all staff took part in 600 strategy's accredited Carbon Literacy programme. We have been invited back for more Carbon Literacy for their new starters.
Grenadier Estates
In 2022 and 2023, 600 strategy reviewed the sustainability ambitions of Grenadier (an Exeter-based developer who aims to have the highest standards of sustainable development), in their St. Margaret's Residence's conversion of a Grade II and II* school to 40 apartments and townhouses. Their aim was to redevelop the historic site to the same energy performance achieved by new builds. We reviewed the project to identify how successful they were, and how they achieved it, as well as identifying lessons they learned and lessons other developers could adopt.
Royal Countryside Fund
In 2022 and 2023, we supported the Prince's Countryside Fund (as it was then known, a charity founded by King Charles III when Prince of Wales that supports small family farmers and community groups as the heart of countryside life) to define their sustainability ambitions as a charity.
600 strategy designed and facilitated two workshops with their whole team to explore stakeholder expectations on sustainability, compare this to their current programme and establish a set of principles to guide future decision-making.
Later in 2023, we were then invited back to facilitate organisational strategy discussions with their whole team and their Board of Trustees.
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Country Land and Business Association
During 2020, 600 strategy supported the CLA (a not for profit membership organisation for rural businesses) in developing and embedding a new enterprise-wide risk management policy and process. We developed a risk policy for the Board, delivered a risk masterclass for the Directors and ran online workshops with all teams across the CLA to produce Departmental and Strategic risk registers, leaving behind the knowledge and experience required to embed risk management into everyday working practices.
We were invited back in 2021 to develop a balanced scorecard performance framework for the Board and Senior Leadership Team. Part of the brief was to integrate CLA's ambition to demonstrate that they are a 'business for good' into their performance monitoring and management framework
"One of 600 strategy’s strengths is in taking the team along with them. They demystify important but too often jargon-ridden processes and concepts, presenting them so that people get the point of the exercise and can engage with them relatively simply. David invested valuable time in talking to a good cross-section of the team, so that solutions are tailored to our business needs." Sarah Hendry, CLA Director General
Defra
In 2020 David was contracted by Defra (the government department for environment, food and rural affairs) to lead development of a new biosecurity-related imports policy following the UK's departure from the EU. Coordinating the development of a quantitative risk analysis model, liaising with specialists across governments from all four UK nations to reach cross-government agreement at Ministerial level on the new policy.
In 2021, we were invited back to lead a project to reach agreement on the policies that would meet the government's ambitions on reducing agricultural greenhouse gas emissions. Through working closely with senior officials and Ministers, we achieved a net zero aligned set of policies to feed into government-wide strategy ahead of COP26.
Various aspiring B Corp clients
Since 2021, 600 strategy has worked with companies that are aspiring to achieve B Corp accreditation. Clients are confidential, but include a vegan cake manufacturer, a financial services firm and a funerals company.
Natural History Museum
From 2019 to 2020, David advised the Museum on how to structure their strategic decisions on their £170m+ new research and collections centre. We developed a decision-making methodology to identify the collections, facilities and staff who should move to the new centre, which the NHM has subsequently used as their programme has developed.