These values are not new to Cats Protection – they are already deep rooted within our charity. By formalising them and articulating them, we can ensure we reinforce them across everything we do, and that we all live them.
Our organisation exists because of cats, they are at the centre of all that we do. Putting cats first means we understand and apply good cat welfare and consider the wider implications of our actions and decisions. We put cats first by ensuring the wellbeing, safeguarding and safety of our people, working in partnership with others, by adapting what we do and by listening to our customers.
We are one team with a shared purpose and ambition. True collaboration, consultation and meaningful inclusion often takes time, effort and can even mean compromise. Sometimes working on our own or in separate teams or departments feels easier, is quicker and is less complicated but it doesn’t present us with the best opportunities or approach to improving cat welfare. Working as one doesn’t mean agreeing on everything, taking everyone’s opinion on board or not making decisions. It is about finding common ground and putting people first to deliver impact for cats.
We are not all naturally brave. Courage doesn’t mean taking risks every day or being bold for the sake of it. It means standing up for what we believe in, speaking out when things are wrong or feel wrong, and stepping out of our comfort zone when we need to. Being courageous can mean making a decision that doesn’t please everyone. It can be about stopping doing an activity as well as developing something new. It can also mean challenging poor behaviours and recognising the people who are doing the right thing. We can all be courageous.
Being knowledgeable doesn’t mean we have to know everything and sometimes we simply don’t know what we don’t know. Being knowledgeable means recognising this and turning to others for answers when we need them. It means being curious and keen to learn, keeping our knowledge up to date and contributing to conversations without forcing our opinions. It’s about expressing what we know while also appreciating the views and perspectives of others.
We demonstrate compassion through our cat welfare activity and through our interactions with others. Being compassionate is about understanding that emotions and behaviours affect our activity and success. By responding to others in a considerate and kind way, we do the right thing for cats, individuals and the organisation, and by helping people understand the reasons why we do things, we can make difficult decisions and communicate with compassion and understanding.
