Can a Strategic Narrative save lives?

Probably not. But Bruhn NewTech can. Operating within the field of Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) defense, they provide software solutions to increase the number of people protected from airborne threats. In a market dominated by advanced terminologies and complex solutions, Bruhn NewTech revitalized their purpose and narrative to enhance understanding and increase engagement among key stakeholders, serving their course of becoming the subject matter expert within the field of CBRN.

Technology will become commodities – narratives will ensure distinctiveness

Companies operating with a clear and driving sense of purpose outperformed the S&P 500 by a factor of 10 between 1996 and 2011. The power of purpose can expand business opportunities and increase motivation among employees, if the purpose is well embedded in a strategic narrative that unites the understanding of the past, acknowledge the present, and compel a visionary future. Through questionnaires, interviews and workshops among employees a strategic narrative has been developed ensuring a coherent and distinctive positioning of Bruhn NewTech.

”We are software developers – but we are not in the business of making technological components or software for CBRN protection. We are in the business of saving human beings. Therefore, our purpose and the reason why we exist is to increase the number of people protected from airborne threats,” states Kristoffer Basse, Executive Chairman at Bruhn NewTech.

Increasing the visibility of the purpose and the embedment in the company, each project and solution is being calculated in terms of the contribution it makes to the number of people protected. Each life-saving solution implemented is therefore providing a clear contribution to the total number of people protected, which is the guiding star for Bruhn NewTech.

The purpose has been embedded and unfolded in a strategic narrative creating a shared understanding of the past, a reason for the work they are doing today, and a compelling vision for the future. All for the benefit of the human beings working in the company and the external relations.

Anchoring the narrative in stakeholder management

The purpose statement and the defined narrative has been anchored internally and externally across stakeholder groups. A large part of the involvement between Voluntās and Bruhn NewTech has circled around the external activation towards journalists, politicians, experts and institutions. Aligning product marketing, managing external relations, producing communications material and arranging events are all done from the foundation of the strategic narrative, ensuring a coherent identity throughout every touch point. In other words, the narrative has reinforced and aligned daily behavior with the larger purpose of Bruhn NewTech.

“We have a clear understanding of each of our external stakeholder groups. They are all met with the same story, but the engagement with each stakeholder group is intended to serve different needs. We want to be the go-to-source number one among journalists when a CBRN-expert is needed and become a trusted advisor among politicians to influence policies, but the strategic narrative is still the common foundation ensuring a coherent and distinctive positioning,” says Kristoffer Basse.

Disciplined storytelling increase business opportunities

It requires a disciplined effort anchoring and conceptualizing the narrative in the everyday life of the company. Leaders are very important in the embodiment and extension of the narrative, ensuring that it is continuously interpreted and translated into all corners of the organization.

“The strategic narrative has given us a common level of understanding of this 25-year-old company and a compelling direction and vision for the future to come, in a way that has made our products and services simpler to understand and easier to relate to,” says Kristoffer Basse.

Whether present in the media, in dialogue with politicians, cooperating with experts or institutions the disciplined storytelling potentially leads to increased business opportunities. With a purpose beyond profit and a clear narrative the customers gain a reason to believe and can better relate to Bruhn NewTech.

The cooperative relation between Voluntās and Bruhn NewTech is an ongoing journey to ensure the acceptance as the subject matter expert within the field of CBRN across stakeholder groups – all anchored in a purpose beyond profit. From conflict zones in the Middle East to sports venues and train-stations in the Western world, Bruhn NewTech will continuously work to increase the number of people protected from chemical terror and nuclear incidents. One human life at a time.