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And if there are topics or guests you'd like us to explore, ",{"text":368,"type":34,"marks":369},"we'd love to hear from you.",[370],{"type":216,"attrs":371},{"href":372,"uuid":373,"anchor":30,"custom":374,"target":220,"linktype":375},"\u002Fcontact","521f5b91-48db-4b3f-984f-f5e32381ef73",{},"story","Listen to Digital for Good","Grade Launches Digital for Good: A Podcast on Digital Strategy, Leadership & Impact",{"_uid":379,"title":380,"plugin":93,"og_image":381,"og_title":377,"description":382,"twitter_image":381,"twitter_title":383,"og_description":384,"twitter_description":385},"53f15ef3-e2fd-49a2-83ba-efa13c287002","Grade Launches Digital for Good, A Podcast on Digital Strategy, Leadership & Impact","https:\u002F\u002Fa.storyblok.com\u002Ff\u002F179979\u002F1200x630\u002F3460ad9b1a\u002Fdigital_for_good_opengraph_1200x630.png","Grade has launched Digital for Good, a new podcast exploring digital strategy, leadership, AI, customer experience and organisational transformation. Listen to episodes featuring Ian Shimizu and Simon Morgan.","Grade launches Digital for Good","Discover Digital for Good, Grade's new podcast featuring conversations with leaders in digital strategy, technology and purpose-led organisations. The first episodes with Ian Shimizu and Simon Morgan are available now.","We've launched Digital for Good – a new podcast exploring digital strategy, leadership and organisational change. Listen to conversations with Ian Shimizu and Simon Morgan, with more episodes coming soon.","ContentTypeBlogPost",[388,112,389,390,391,392,110,393,394,104],"Ventures","Growth","Tech for Good","New Business","Company News","Digital Products For Good","Digital Transformation",{"type":25,"content":396},[397],{"type":28,"attrs":398},{"textAlign":30},{"id":400,"alt":401,"name":19,"focus":19,"title":377,"source":402,"filename":403,"copyright":404,"fieldtype":44,"meta_data":405,"is_external_url":40},200386685668474,"soundwaves in pink on plum background","www.grade.net.au","https:\u002F\u002Fa.storyblok.com\u002Ff\u002F179979\u002F1920x1080\u002F7c091ef1b5\u002Fblog-digital-for-good-podcast-launch.png","Grade",{"alt":401,"title":377,"source":402,"copyright":404},"Some of the best conversations we have at Grade happen long before a project begins...",[408],"linkedin","digital-for-good-podcast-launch","blog\u002Fdigital-for-good-podcast-launch","2026-07-20",-270,[104,414,415,416,105,393,107,108,417,110,112,418,419,390],"Australian Digital Studio","B Corp"," Best Practice","Impact"," Product Strategy","Strategy ","91415576-e22a-4f73-9a66-b02a61963da0","2026-07-20T05:41:00.000Z",[],{"name":424,"created_at":425,"published_at":426,"updated_at":427,"id":428,"uuid":52,"content":429,"slug":778,"full_slug":779,"sort_by_date":30,"position":780,"tag_list":781,"is_startpage":40,"parent_id":113,"meta_data":30,"group_id":782,"first_published_at":783,"release_id":30,"lang":116,"path":30,"alternates":784,"default_full_slug":30,"translated_slugs":30},"The challenge isn't technology. It's organisational capability.","2026-06-11T06:18:49.431Z","2026-06-11T06:51:11.085Z","2026-06-11T06:53:33.104Z",186241554173443,{"_uid":153,"body":430,"title":424,"metatags":755,"component":386,"topicTags":763,"contentText":765,"headerImage":769,"introduction":776,"shareNetworks":777},[431,739],{"_uid":432,"lead":19,"text":433,"columns":738,"headline":19,"alignment":37,"component":38,"isPageTitle":40,"showDivider":39,"useWideText":40,"useLargerTitle":40},"64c2bad3-445f-4fad-86e2-6bdabb8e5e71",{"type":25,"content":434},[435,440,445,450,473,478,484,489,494,499,504,509,514,519,524,529,534,539,544,549,554,559,564,569,574,579,584,589,594,599,604,609,614,619,624,629,634,639,644,649,654,659,664,669,674,713,718,723,728,733],{"type":28,"attrs":436,"content":437},{"textAlign":30},[438],{"text":439,"type":34},"Whether it's a not-for-profit organisation responding to rising demand, a membership body looking to improve engagement, or an energy business navigating increasing regulatory complexity, the same challenge often emerges: technology investments alone don't create meaningful transformation.",{"type":28,"attrs":441,"content":442},{"textAlign":30},[443],{"text":444,"type":34},"The organisations achieving the strongest outcomes are not necessarily investing in more platforms, more tools or more systems. Instead, they are focusing on organisational capability, ensuring their strategy, systems, data and customer experiences work together to support long-term goals.",{"type":28,"attrs":446,"content":447},{"textAlign":30},[448],{"text":449,"type":34},"Recent developments across both the community and energy sectors highlight why this shift in thinking matters.",{"type":28,"attrs":451,"content":452},{"textAlign":30},[453,455,462,464,471],{"text":454,"type":34},"Community sector leaders are calling for a ",{"text":456,"type":34,"marks":457},"$300 million transformation fund focused on cybersecurity, workforce capability and digital infrastructure.",[458],{"type":216,"attrs":459},{"href":460,"uuid":30,"anchor":30,"custom":461,"target":220,"linktype":221},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.communitydirectors.com.au\u002Farticles\u002Fwhat-not-for-profit-leaders-need-to-know-in-2026",{},{"text":463,"type":34}," At the same time, the Federal Government has committed ",{"text":465,"type":34,"marks":466},"$97.2 million to establish a new Consumer Energy Resources National Technical Regulator,",[467],{"type":216,"attrs":468},{"href":469,"uuid":30,"anchor":30,"custom":470,"target":220,"linktype":221},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.solarquotes.com.au\u002Fblog\u002Ffederal-budget-2026-home-electrification\u002F",{},{"text":472,"type":34}," reflecting the increasing complexity of Australia's energy transition.",{"type":28,"attrs":474,"content":475},{"textAlign":30},[476],{"text":477,"type":34},"While these developments relate to different sectors, they point to the same underlying reality. As organisations face growing complexity, stronger digital capability is becoming essential to delivering services, managing risk, meeting stakeholder expectations and adapting to change.",{"type":306,"attrs":479,"content":481},{"level":480,"textAlign":30},2,[482],{"text":483,"type":34},"Why digital transformation projects often fall short",{"type":28,"attrs":485,"content":486},{"textAlign":30},[487],{"text":488,"type":34},"Many organisations have spent years investing in digital transformation initiatives.",{"type":28,"attrs":490,"content":491},{"textAlign":30},[492],{"text":493,"type":34},"They've launched new websites, implemented CRM platforms, migrated systems, automated workflows and adopted new collaboration tools. These projects often deliver value, but they don't always solve the broader challenges leaders are trying to address.",{"type":28,"attrs":495,"content":496},{"textAlign":30},[497],{"text":498,"type":34},"It's common to see organisations with modern technology stacks still struggling with fragmented customer experiences, disconnected data, duplicated effort and limited visibility across the business.",{"type":28,"attrs":500,"content":501},{"textAlign":30},[502],{"text":503,"type":34},"This happens because digital transformation is rarely a technology problem alone.",{"type":28,"attrs":505,"content":506},{"textAlign":30},[507],{"text":508,"type":34},"Technology can enable change, but sustainable transformation depends on how effectively an organisation aligns its systems, processes, people and strategy.",{"type":28,"attrs":510,"content":511},{"textAlign":30},[512],{"text":513,"type":34},"Without that alignment, even the best technology can struggle to deliver meaningful outcomes.",{"type":306,"attrs":515,"content":516},{"level":480,"textAlign":30},[517],{"text":518,"type":34},"Complexity is becoming the defining challenge",{"type":28,"attrs":520,"content":521},{"textAlign":30},[522],{"text":523,"type":34},"One of the most significant shifts we see across industries is the growing level of organisational complexity.",{"type":28,"attrs":525,"content":526},{"textAlign":30},[527],{"text":528,"type":34},"Leaders are being asked to manage increasing stakeholder expectations, changing regulatory environments, workforce pressures and growing volumes of information. Customers and communities expect seamless experiences. Boards expect better visibility and reporting. Teams need tools that help them work more effectively rather than adding another layer of administration.",{"type":28,"attrs":530,"content":531},{"textAlign":30},[532],{"text":533,"type":34},"In many organisations, these pressures expose gaps that have developed over time.",{"type":28,"attrs":535,"content":536},{"textAlign":30},[537],{"text":538,"type":34},"Systems have been implemented to solve specific problems. Processes have evolved around organisational structures. Data lives in multiple locations. Customer journeys cross different teams and platforms.",{"type":28,"attrs":540,"content":541},{"textAlign":30},[542],{"text":543,"type":34},"Individually, none of these issues may seem significant. Together, they create friction that slows decision-making, impacts customer experience and makes it harder for organisations to adapt.",{"type":28,"attrs":545,"content":546},{"textAlign":30},[547],{"text":548,"type":34},"This is why organisational capability has become such an important strategic consideration.",{"type":28,"attrs":550,"content":551},{"textAlign":30},[552],{"text":553,"type":34},"The challenge is no longer simply adopting technology. The challenge is creating an organisation that can use technology effectively to respond to changing circumstances.",{"type":306,"attrs":555,"content":556},{"level":480,"textAlign":30},[557],{"text":558,"type":34},"What this means for the not-for-profit sector",{"type":28,"attrs":560,"content":561},{"textAlign":30},[562],{"text":563,"type":34},"The community sector provides a strong example of this challenge in practice.",{"type":28,"attrs":565,"content":566},{"textAlign":30},[567],{"text":568,"type":34},"Demand for services continues to grow while funding pressures remain. At the same time, organisations are expected to strengthen cybersecurity, improve reporting, demonstrate impact and provide better experiences for clients, donors, members and stakeholders.",{"type":28,"attrs":570,"content":571},{"textAlign":30},[572],{"text":573,"type":34},"Many not-for-profits are managing these expectations with systems that have evolved incrementally over many years. Technology decisions have often been shaped by funding availability, program requirements and immediate operational needs rather than long-term digital strategy.",{"type":28,"attrs":575,"content":576},{"textAlign":30},[577],{"text":578,"type":34},"The proposed transformation fund reflects growing recognition that digital capability is no longer a discretionary investment.",{"type":28,"attrs":580,"content":581},{"textAlign":30},[582],{"text":583,"type":34},"Strong digital foundations help organisations understand their communities, reduce administrative burden, improve service delivery and make better decisions. More importantly, they create the organisational capability needed to respond to future challenges.",{"type":28,"attrs":585,"content":586},{"textAlign":30},[587],{"text":588,"type":34},"For not-for-profits, digital transformation is increasingly becoming a question of sustainability, resilience and impact.",{"type":306,"attrs":590,"content":591},{"level":480,"textAlign":30},[592],{"text":593,"type":34},"What this means for the energy sector",{"type":28,"attrs":595,"content":596},{"textAlign":30},[597],{"text":598,"type":34},"The energy sector is facing a different set of challenges, but many of the underlying themes are remarkably similar.",{"type":28,"attrs":600,"content":601},{"textAlign":30},[602],{"text":603,"type":34},"Australia's transition towards rooftop solar, batteries, electric vehicles and distributed energy resources is creating a far more connected and dynamic ecosystem. As consumers become more active participants in the energy system, organisations must manage increasing complexity across customer experience, operations, compliance and data.",{"type":28,"attrs":605,"content":606},{"textAlign":30},[607],{"text":608,"type":34},"The establishment of a new national regulator reflects the need for greater coordination and oversight as the sector matures.",{"type":28,"attrs":610,"content":611},{"textAlign":30},[612],{"text":613,"type":34},"Success in this environment will depend on more than technical expertise. Organisations need the ability to connect information, systems and customer experiences in ways that support better decision-making and build trust.",{"type":28,"attrs":615,"content":616},{"textAlign":30},[617],{"text":618,"type":34},"As with the not-for-profit sector, digital capability is becoming a critical organisational competency rather than a standalone technology function.",{"type":306,"attrs":620,"content":621},{"level":480,"textAlign":30},[622],{"text":623,"type":34},"Building organisational capability for long-term success",{"type":28,"attrs":625,"content":626},{"textAlign":30},[627],{"text":628,"type":34},"The organisations navigating change most effectively tend to share a common characteristic.",{"type":28,"attrs":630,"content":631},{"textAlign":30},[632],{"text":633,"type":34},"They treat digital capability as a business capability.",{"type":28,"attrs":635,"content":636},{"textAlign":30},[637],{"text":638,"type":34},"Rather than viewing digital transformation as a series of disconnected projects, they focus on creating alignment between strategy, customer experience, data, systems and operations.",{"type":28,"attrs":640,"content":641},{"textAlign":30},[642],{"text":643,"type":34},"They understand that technology is only one part of the equation.",{"type":28,"attrs":645,"content":646},{"textAlign":30},[647],{"text":648,"type":34},"Strong organisational capability also depends on governance, clear processes, workforce capability, effective decision-making and a deep understanding of customer and stakeholder needs.",{"type":28,"attrs":650,"content":651},{"textAlign":30},[652],{"text":653,"type":34},"This approach creates organisations that are more adaptable, more resilient and better positioned to respond to future opportunities and challenges.",{"type":306,"attrs":655,"content":656},{"level":480,"textAlign":30},[657],{"text":658,"type":34},"Looking beyond digital transformation",{"type":28,"attrs":660,"content":661},{"textAlign":30},[662],{"text":663,"type":34},"The most important conversations organisations will have over the next few years are unlikely to be about software platforms or emerging technologies.",{"type":28,"attrs":665,"content":666},{"textAlign":30},[667],{"text":668,"type":34},"They will be about how organisations build the capability to adapt in an increasingly complex environment.",{"type":28,"attrs":670,"content":671},{"textAlign":30},[672],{"text":673,"type":34},"Questions such as:",{"type":675,"content":676},"bullet_list",[677,685,692,699,706],{"type":678,"content":679},"list_item",[680],{"type":28,"attrs":681,"content":682},{"textAlign":30},[683],{"text":684,"type":34},"Are our systems helping us achieve our strategic goals?",{"type":678,"content":686},[687],{"type":28,"attrs":688,"content":689},{"textAlign":30},[690],{"text":691,"type":34},"Do we have confidence in the data informing our decisions?",{"type":678,"content":693},[694],{"type":28,"attrs":695,"content":696},{"textAlign":30},[697],{"text":698,"type":34},"Are we creating seamless experiences for customers, members, clients and stakeholders?",{"type":678,"content":700},[701],{"type":28,"attrs":702,"content":703},{"textAlign":30},[704],{"text":705,"type":34},"Can our organisation respond quickly when circumstances change?",{"type":678,"content":707},[708],{"type":28,"attrs":709,"content":710},{"textAlign":30},[711],{"text":712,"type":34},"Are our technology investments delivering meaningful business outcomes?",{"type":28,"attrs":714,"content":715},{"textAlign":30},[716],{"text":717,"type":34},"These are ultimately questions about organisational capability.",{"type":28,"attrs":719,"content":720},{"textAlign":30},[721],{"text":722,"type":34},"The organisations that answer them well will be better equipped to navigate complexity, strengthen customer experience and deliver sustainable growth.",{"type":306,"attrs":724,"content":725},{"level":480,"textAlign":30},[726],{"text":727,"type":34},"How Grade helps organisations build digital capability",{"type":28,"attrs":729,"content":730},{"textAlign":30},[731],{"text":732,"type":34},"At Grade, we help organisations connect strategy, experience, technology and data to create meaningful outcomes.",{"type":28,"attrs":734,"content":735},{"textAlign":30},[736],{"text":737,"type":34},"Whether we're supporting a not-for-profit organisation to improve service delivery, helping a membership body strengthen engagement, or working with an energy business to simplify complex customer journeys, our focus is always the same: building the organisational capability required to thrive in a changing environment.","1",{"_uid":315,"lead":740,"text":741,"headline":754,"alignment":37,"component":38,"isPageTitle":40,"showDivider":40,"useWideText":40,"useLargerTitle":40},"If your organisation is investing in digital transformation but struggling to connect strategy, systems and experience, we'd love to start a conversation about what's possible.",{"type":25,"content":742},[743],{"type":306,"attrs":744,"content":745},{"level":308,"textAlign":30},[746],{"text":747,"type":34,"marks":748},"Request a free Executive Insight Session.",[749,753],{"type":216,"attrs":750},{"href":372,"uuid":373,"anchor":751,"custom":752,"target":220,"linktype":375},"executive-insight-session",{},{"type":184},"Need some help?",{"_uid":756,"title":757,"plugin":93,"og_image":758,"og_title":757,"description":759,"twitter_image":758,"twitter_title":760,"og_description":761,"twitter_description":762},"da9d4805-bc7e-40be-bb6d-f5f5c85603b8","The Challenge Isn't Technology. It's Organisational Capability","https:\u002F\u002Fa.storyblok.com\u002Ff\u002F179979\u002F1200x630\u002F3664d7d270\u002Fthe-challenge-isn-t-technology-it-s-organisational-capability.png","Discover why digital transformation is no longer just a technology issue. Learn how organisational capability, customer experience and digital strategy are helping Australian organisations navigate complexity and drive growth.","Why Digital Capability Is No Longer Just a Technology Issue","Digital transformation isn't failing because organisations lack technology. Discover why organisational capability, connected experiences and digital strategy are becoming critical to growth, resilience and long-term success.","As complexity grows across the not-for-profit and energy sectors, the organisations that thrive will be those that connect strategy, systems, data and experience, not just technology.",[389,390,107,764,394],"Product Strategy",{"type":25,"content":766},[767],{"type":28,"attrs":768},{"textAlign":30},{"id":770,"alt":771,"name":19,"focus":19,"title":757,"source":772,"filename":773,"copyright":774,"fieldtype":44,"meta_data":775,"is_external_url":40},186246839347061,"Close-up of tangled tree roots against a rough textured soil background, with a few green leaves in the foreground.","Unsplash","https:\u002F\u002Fa.storyblok.com\u002Ff\u002F179979\u002F1920x1080\u002F81621f2d87\u002Ftree-roots.png","Quỳnh Lê Mạnh",{"alt":771,"title":757,"source":772,"copyright":774},"Digital transformation remains a priority for organisations across Australia, but many leaders are discovering that technology itself is rarely the biggest obstacle to change.",[408],"the-challenge-isn-t-technology-it-s-organisational-capability-","blog\u002Fthe-challenge-isn-t-technology-it-s-organisational-capability-",-250,[],"39f68d7d-1372-41ad-b184-26afe27ccda8","2026-06-11T06:22:40.325Z",[],{"name":786,"created_at":787,"published_at":788,"updated_at":789,"id":790,"uuid":53,"content":791,"slug":948,"full_slug":949,"sort_by_date":30,"position":950,"tag_list":951,"is_startpage":40,"parent_id":113,"meta_data":30,"group_id":952,"first_published_at":953,"release_id":30,"lang":116,"path":30,"alternates":954,"default_full_slug":30,"translated_slugs":30},"Grade Partners with 3T to Support Transparent Climate Investment","2026-04-21T05:48:01.368Z","2026-04-22T02:59:55.911Z","2026-04-22T02:59:55.926Z",168185370101005,{"_uid":153,"body":792,"title":19,"metatags":929,"component":386,"topicTags":936,"contentText":938,"headerImage":942,"introduction":19,"shareNetworks":947},[793],{"_uid":156,"lead":794,"text":795,"headline":19,"alignment":37,"component":38,"isPageTitle":39,"showDivider":40,"useWideText":40,"useLargerTitle":40},"Grade is pleased to announce a new partnership with 3T, a global startup headquartered in Singapore developing and managing carbon offset projects across Africa.",{"type":25,"content":796},[797,819,827,835,843,851,863,871,882,893,903],{"type":28,"attrs":798,"content":799},{"textAlign":30},[800,807,814],{"text":801,"type":34,"marks":802},"Founded by Ian Shimizu, who leads the company as CEO along with Jo Choi, CFO and COO, and Solo Yamoah, CDO, ",[803],{"type":804,"attrs":805},"textStyle",{"color":806},"#000000",{"text":282,"type":34,"marks":808},[809,812],{"type":216,"attrs":810},{"href":286,"uuid":30,"anchor":30,"custom":811,"target":220,"linktype":221},{},{"type":804,"attrs":813},{"color":806},{"text":815,"type":34,"marks":816}," works directly on the ground to create and manage nature-based carbon projects, including large-scale tree planting initiatives. Unlike many organisations in the carbon market that aggregate credits from multiple providers, 3T develops, operates and sells offsets from its own projects.",[817],{"type":804,"attrs":818},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":820,"content":821},{"textAlign":30},[822],{"text":823,"type":34,"marks":824},"This integrated model allows the company to offer greater transparency and credibility to organisations looking to invest in climate-positive initiatives.",[825],{"type":804,"attrs":826},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":828,"content":829},{"textAlign":30},[830],{"text":831,"type":34,"marks":832},"3T already works with several major corporate partners in Japan, including Tokyo Gas and Kansai Electric and is now preparing to scale its operations and investor engagement.",[833],{"type":804,"attrs":834},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":836,"content":837},{"textAlign":30},[838],{"text":839,"type":34,"marks":840},"Grade will initially support 3T with brand and design work, helping shape how the organisation communicates its projects, impact and investment opportunities. This work will lay the foundation for the potential development of a digital platform designed to provide clear, transparent reporting to project investors.",[841],{"type":804,"attrs":842},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":844,"content":845},{"textAlign":30},[846],{"text":847,"type":34,"marks":848},"On the partnership, Grade’s CEO and Founder Matt Bachle shared;",[849],{"type":804,"attrs":850},{"color":806},{"type":852,"content":853},"blockquote",[854],{"type":28,"attrs":855,"content":856},{"textAlign":30},[857],{"text":858,"type":34,"marks":859},"The work 3T does makes a tangible positive impact to the environment, and the communities in which it works. Communicating that impact clearly, and in an engaging manner, will help the organisation reach a wider audience, which in turn create opportunities to grow their projects materially. We’re incredibly excited to partner with the team.",[860,862],{"type":804,"attrs":861},{"color":806},{"type":332},{"type":28,"attrs":864,"content":865},{"textAlign":30},[866],{"text":867,"type":34,"marks":868},"Echoing that sentiment, 3T's Ian Shimizu added;",[869],{"type":804,"attrs":870},{"color":806},{"type":852,"content":872},[873],{"type":28,"attrs":874,"content":875},{"textAlign":30},[876],{"text":877,"type":34,"marks":878},"Our local team members do incredible work every day, bringing communities together and shaping our projects. That work deserves a voice and a spotlight, and Grade is the ideal partner to deliver our message in a consistent and compelling way. The collaboration will begin with brand and design work, with the digital platform development phase to follow.",[879,881],{"type":804,"attrs":880},{"color":806},{"type":332},{"type":28,"attrs":883,"content":884},{"textAlign":30},[885,887],{"text":886,"type":34},"Learn more about 3T at ",{"text":888,"type":34,"marks":889},"3t.eco",[890],{"type":216,"attrs":891},{"href":286,"uuid":30,"anchor":30,"custom":892,"target":220,"linktype":221},{},{"type":306,"attrs":894,"content":896},{"level":895,"textAlign":30},4,[897],{"text":898,"type":34,"marks":899},"For more information on the partnership, please contact:",[900,902],{"type":804,"attrs":901},{"color":806},{"type":184},{"type":28,"attrs":904,"content":905},{"textAlign":30},[906,912,913,918,919],{"text":907,"type":34,"marks":908},"Abbey Batchelor",[909,911],{"type":804,"attrs":910},{"color":806},{"type":184},{"type":327},{"text":914,"type":34,"marks":915},"Strategy Director",[916],{"type":804,"attrs":917},{"color":806},{"type":327},{"text":920,"type":34,"marks":921},"abbey@grade.net.au",[922,926,928],{"type":216,"attrs":923},{"href":924,"uuid":30,"anchor":30,"custom":30,"target":220,"linktype":925},"mailto:abbey@grade.net.au","email",{"type":804,"attrs":927},{"color":806},{"type":184},{"_uid":930,"title":931,"plugin":93,"og_image":932,"og_title":931,"description":933,"twitter_image":19,"twitter_title":931,"og_description":934,"twitter_description":935},"e9edb559-be3b-47df-ba4f-ddceb712d19f","Grade partners with 3T to support transparent climate investment","https:\u002F\u002Fa.storyblok.com\u002Ff\u002F179979\u002F1200x630\u002Fb41aea6199\u002Fgrade-announces-new-partnership-with-3t.png","Grade has partnered with 3T, a global carbon project developer, to support brand and design work and lay the foundation for transparent investor reporting.","Grade is partnering with 3T to support brand and design work and lay the foundation for a digital platform focused on transparent climate project reporting.","Grade has partnered with 3T to support brand and design work and help lay the foundation for transparent reporting on nature-based carbon projects.",[112,937,390,415,764,394],"Sustainability",{"type":25,"content":939},[940],{"type":28,"attrs":941},{"textAlign":30},{"id":943,"alt":931,"name":19,"focus":19,"title":931,"source":944,"filename":945,"copyright":282,"fieldtype":44,"meta_data":946,"is_external_url":40},168192867789502,"3T website","https:\u002F\u002Fa.storyblok.com\u002Ff\u002F179979\u002F1920x1080\u002F6953e9c969\u002F3t-announcement-header.png",{"alt":931,"title":931,"source":944,"copyright":282},[408],"grade-partners-with-3t-to-support-transparent-climate-investment","blog\u002Fgrade-partners-with-3t-to-support-transparent-climate-investment",-240,[],"0b3aba27-585b-475e-9bdd-197648d2189e","2026-04-21T06:27:00.000Z",[],{"name":956,"created_at":957,"published_at":958,"updated_at":959,"id":960,"uuid":54,"content":961,"slug":1087,"full_slug":1088,"sort_by_date":1089,"position":1090,"tag_list":1091,"is_startpage":40,"parent_id":113,"meta_data":30,"group_id":1093,"first_published_at":1094,"release_id":30,"lang":116,"path":30,"alternates":1095,"default_full_slug":30,"translated_slugs":30},"What Becoming a B Corp Means to Grade","2026-02-26T03:42:34.535Z","2026-03-31T04:20:30.533Z","2026-03-31T04:20:30.548Z",149044242600874,{"_uid":962,"title":19,"metatags":963,"component":386,"topicTags":971,"contentText":972,"headerImage":1078,"introduction":1084,"shareNetworks":1085},"847833eb-be31-438d-8bf8-1bf2f7f14aa5",{"_uid":964,"title":965,"plugin":93,"og_image":966,"og_title":967,"description":968,"twitter_image":966,"twitter_title":967,"og_description":969,"twitter_description":970},"32d44ffe-67b9-4862-9f3f-25ee47ce63f1","Grade is now B Corp Certified | Grade","https:\u002F\u002Fa.storyblok.com\u002Ff\u002F179979\u002F1200x630\u002F57192e46f4\u002Fgradebcorpog.png","Grade is now B Corp Certified","Grade is proud to become a Certified B Corporation, joining a global movement of businesses balancing purpose and profit. Learn why we made this choice and what it means for our clients, partners, and planet.","We’re thrilled to announce that Grade is now a Certified B Corporation™. Discover how this certification reinforces our commitment to social, environmental, and ethical impact, and why it matters for our clients, partners, and community.","We’re now a Certified B Corp™ — joining a global network of businesses committed to balancing profit with purpose. Read more about why we became certified and what this means moving forward.",[392,112,389,937,390,393,108,415],{"type":25,"content":973},[974,989,997,999,1011,1020,1028,1036,1044,1046,1054,1062,1070],{"type":28,"attrs":975,"content":976},{"textAlign":30},[977,982,984],{"text":978,"type":34,"marks":979},"Becoming a Certified B Corporation",[980],{"type":804,"attrs":981},{"color":806},{"text":983,"type":34},"™",{"text":985,"type":34,"marks":986}," has been a long journey, one that has challenged and inspired us in equal measure. For any business, committing to the rigorous B Corp process was a big step, but it was one we felt was essential to make. This milestone is not just a badge; it’s a reflection of who we are, how we work, and the values that have driven Grade since day one.",[987],{"type":804,"attrs":988},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":990,"content":991},{"textAlign":30},[992],{"text":993,"type":34,"marks":994},"When I founded Grade in 2012, it was with a simple mission: to do digital better. Working from a fold-out table in a cupboard, I was driven by a desire to create quality over quantity, while also crafting a life that allowed me to be present with my young family. There were no grand ambitions in those early days - just a belief that meaningful work, done well, could make a difference.",[995],{"type":804,"attrs":996},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":998},{"textAlign":30},{"type":28,"attrs":1000,"content":1001},{"textAlign":30},[1002],{"type":1003,"attrs":1004},"image",{"id":1005,"alt":1006,"src":1007,"title":1008,"source":1009,"copyright":1009,"meta_data":1010},149082295250610,"Grade Founder Matt Planting Trees","https:\u002F\u002Fa.storyblok.com\u002Ff\u002F179979\u002F1920x1080\u002Fdaf2824cc9\u002Fgrade-founder-matt-planting-tree.png","Grade Founder Matt Planting Trees at Home In Bangalow","Grade Creative Pty Ltd",{"alt":1006,"title":1008,"source":1009,"copyright":1009},{"type":28,"attrs":1012,"content":1013},{"textAlign":30},[1014],{"text":1015,"type":34,"marks":1016},"Grade Founder Matt Planting Trees at his home In Northern NSW",[1017,1019],{"type":804,"attrs":1018},{"color":806},{"type":332},{"type":28,"attrs":1021,"content":1022},{"textAlign":30},[1023],{"text":1024,"type":34,"marks":1025},"Fast forward to today, and that belief still guides us. We’ve grown into a team of incredible makers, building digital products that foster positive impact. Whether it's for big brands, not-for-profit organisations, government, corporates or founders, we apply our expertise with an irreverent spirit, crafting products that are as purposeful as they are functional. But growth has also brought responsibility, and with it, a need to reflect deeply on how we can use our success to contribute to a better world.",[1026],{"type":804,"attrs":1027},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":1029,"content":1030},{"textAlign":30},[1031],{"text":1032,"type":34,"marks":1033},"The B Corp certification process was daunting at times, a years-long journey requiring us to deeply examine every aspect of our business. It tested our resolve, stretched our thinking, and, ultimately, made us stronger. I want to acknowledge the extraordinary efforts of the Grade team in making this happen, particularly Justine Marino, who led the charge with tireless commitment, and Kristy Dare, whose expert counsel was instrumental throughout the process. To every single person at Grade: thank you. Your dedication and belief in what we’re building together made this possible.",[1034],{"type":804,"attrs":1035},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":1037,"content":1038},{"textAlign":30},[1039],{"text":1040,"type":34,"marks":1041},"For us, becoming a B Corp is about accountability. It’s a way of showing our clients, partners, and ourselves that we’re serious about the commitments we make. Whether it’s crafting user friendly products, building sustainable practices, or prioritising ethical partnerships, this certification holds us to the highest standards and ensures we remain aligned with our purpose.",[1042],{"type":804,"attrs":1043},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":1045},{"textAlign":30},{"type":28,"attrs":1047,"content":1048},{"textAlign":30},[1049],{"text":1050,"type":34,"marks":1051},"But it’s also about impact. At Grade, we’ve always believed in doing work that matters, work that enriches not only our clients but the communities and environments they serve. Becoming a B Corp reinforces that belief, giving us a transparent framework to measure our progress and drive meaningful change together.",[1052],{"type":804,"attrs":1053},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":1055,"content":1056},{"textAlign":30},[1057],{"text":1058,"type":34,"marks":1059},"This achievement is just the beginning. We’re proud to join a global community of businesses proving that you can balance purpose with profit. And we’re excited to continue this journey with all of you - our clients, partners, and friends - who share our vision for a better way of doing business.",[1060],{"type":804,"attrs":1061},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":1063,"content":1064},{"textAlign":30},[1065],{"text":1066,"type":34,"marks":1067},"Here’s to the next chapter of doing digital better, together.",[1068],{"type":804,"attrs":1069},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":1071,"content":1072},{"textAlign":30},[1073],{"text":1074,"type":34,"marks":1075},"– Matt Bachle Founder, Grade",[1076],{"type":804,"attrs":1077},{"color":806},{"id":1079,"alt":1080,"name":19,"focus":19,"title":1081,"source":1009,"filename":1082,"copyright":1009,"fieldtype":44,"meta_data":1083,"is_external_url":40},149082692386483,"A koala clings to a tree trunk in a dense, leafy forest setting, surrounded by green foliage and branches.","Koala in tree in Bangalow","https:\u002F\u002Fa.storyblok.com\u002Ff\u002F179979\u002F1920x1080\u002Fe9913cb1b4\u002Fkoala-in-tree-bangalow.png",{"alt":1080,"title":1081,"source":1009,"copyright":1009},"A Personal Reflection from Our Founder",[408,1086,925],"twitter","what-becoming-a-b-corp-means-to-grade","blog\u002Fwhat-becoming-a-b-corp-means-to-grade","2025-10-09",-170,[415,1092,393,108,109,417,112,390],"Climate Tech","aea2c00e-5082-4903-ac12-be5358d9c98a","2025-10-09T00:00:00.000Z",[],{"name":1097,"created_at":1098,"published_at":1099,"updated_at":1100,"id":1101,"uuid":55,"content":1102,"slug":1605,"full_slug":1606,"sort_by_date":1607,"position":1608,"tag_list":1609,"is_startpage":40,"parent_id":113,"meta_data":30,"group_id":1610,"first_published_at":1611,"release_id":30,"lang":116,"path":30,"alternates":1612,"default_full_slug":30,"translated_slugs":30},"Grade Partner Spotlight. Building a Lasting Relationship with ACON.","2024-10-10T00:07:27.328Z","2026-03-31T04:20:32.793Z","2026-03-31T04:20:32.816Z",560917592,{"_uid":962,"title":1103,"metatags":1104,"component":386,"topicTags":1111,"contentText":1112,"headerImage":1597,"introduction":1603,"shareNetworks":1604},"Grade Partner Spotlight: Building a Lasting Relationship with ACON",{"_uid":964,"title":1103,"plugin":93,"og_image":1105,"og_title":1103,"description":1106,"twitter_image":1107,"twitter_title":1108,"og_description":1109,"twitter_description":1110},"https:\u002F\u002Fa.storyblok.com\u002Ff\u002F179979\u002F1200x630\u002Fafc837af02\u002Facon-homepagegraphic.png","Learn how Grade’s strategic partnership with ACON has evolved over a decade, resulting in impactful digital health solutions like Ending HIV. Explore our approach to building long-term relationships that drive positive change in community health.","https:\u002F\u002Fa.storyblok.com\u002Ff\u002F179979\u002F1200x630\u002Fe2a7bac1b8\u002Fopengraphimage_acon.png","Building Lasting Partnerships: Grade and ACON","Discover how Grade's decade-long partnership with ACON, a leading Australian health and HIV\u002FAIDS community organisation, has led to transformative digital solutions like Ending HIV. Learn about our shared journey, successful projects, and the significant impact on HIV prevention and community health.","Grade's long-term partnership with ACON has transformed digital health initiatives like Ending HIV. Read how our collaboration has driven impactful change in HIV prevention. #DigitalProductsForGood #HIVAwareness #ACON #EndingHIV",[392,112,389,390,108],{"type":25,"content":1113},[1114,1123,1132,1139,1169,1176,1177,1187,1194,1218,1226,1227,1236,1249,1262,1275,1284,1291,1411,1412,1422,1431,1438,1451,1460,1467,1514,1523,1530,1563,1571,1596],{"type":28,"content":1115},[1116,1118],{"text":1117,"type":34},"Our partnership with ACON has been a cornerstone of Grade’s journey since 2014. ",{"text":1119,"type":34,"marks":1120},"In this article we explore how Grade became ACON’s “go-to digital agency” and highlights the successful projects we’ve delivered together.",[1121],{"type":804,"attrs":1122},{"color":806},{"type":306,"attrs":1124,"content":1125},{"level":308},[1126],{"text":1127,"type":34,"marks":1128},"The Genesis of A Long Term Partnership",[1129,1130],{"type":184},{"type":804,"attrs":1131},{"color":806},{"type":28,"content":1133},[1134],{"text":1135,"type":34,"marks":1136},"Grade’s partnership with ACON began with a pivotal project: the ‘Ending HIV’ initiative. This was not only our first project with ACON but also the foundations for a relationship that has flourished over the years.",[1137],{"type":804,"attrs":1138},{"color":806},{"type":28,"content":1140},[1141,1146,1152,1157,1164],{"text":1142,"type":34,"marks":1143},"Launched in 2013, ACON's ",[1144],{"type":804,"attrs":1145},{"color":806},{"text":1147,"type":34,"marks":1148},"Ending HIV",[1149,1150],{"type":332},{"type":804,"attrs":1151},{"color":806},{"text":1153,"type":34,"marks":1154}," campaign has played a pivotal role in significantly reducing HIV transmissions in New South Wales. At its inception, only 48% of people believed that ending HIV transmission within their lifetime was possible. Thanks to a multi-faceted approach combining education, awareness, and the introduction of new prevention technologies like PrEP, that belief has now risen to nearly 89%. Crucially, the campaign strategically linked all public-facing materials—including outdoor, cinema, and radio ads—back to its website,",[1155],{"type":804,"attrs":1156},{"color":806},{"text":1158,"type":34,"marks":1159}," endinghiv.org.au",[1160,1162],{"type":216,"attrs":1161},{"href":1158,"uuid":30,"anchor":30,"target":220,"linktype":221},{"type":804,"attrs":1163},{"color":806},{"text":1165,"type":34,"marks":1166},". ",[1167],{"type":804,"attrs":1168},{"color":806},{"type":28,"content":1170},[1171],{"text":1172,"type":34,"marks":1173},"Reimagined by Grade in 2015,  the website today serves as the central hub for further education, offering tools, resources, and multiple opportunities for deeper community engagement, including workshops and forums. A key feature of the site is the innovative PrEP selector tool Grade developed to help individuals ascertain their ideal dosing frequency based on individual lifestyle factors,  along with the enhancement of risk calculators providing the community with accurate yet easy to navigate tools to manage their own levels of risk.",[1174],{"type":804,"attrs":1175},{"color":806},{"type":28},{"type":28,"content":1178},[1179],{"type":1003,"attrs":1180},{"id":1181,"alt":1182,"src":1183,"title":1182,"source":1184,"copyright":1185,"meta_data":1186},17663386,"Grade's Innovative PrEP tool developed for ACON's Ending HIV website","https:\u002F\u002Fa.storyblok.com\u002Ff\u002F179979\u002F2034x1726\u002Fb0ff60e149\u002Facon_prep-tool.png","https:\u002F\u002Fendinghiv.org.au\u002F","ACON",{"alt":1182,"title":1182,"source":1184,"copyright":1185},{"type":28,"content":1188},[1189],{"text":1190,"type":34,"marks":1191},"Through the remarkable decline of HIV notifications in NSW the important role of the Ending HIV website is apparent in promoting behaviour change and fostering a deeper understanding of prevention and treatment options among the community.",[1192],{"type":804,"attrs":1193},{"color":806},{"type":28,"content":1195},[1196,1201,1207,1212],{"text":1197,"type":34,"marks":1198},"As Matthew Vaughan, ",[1199],{"type":804,"attrs":1200},{"color":806},{"text":1202,"type":34,"marks":1203},"Director HIV and Sexual Health Division ",[1204],{"type":804,"attrs":1205},{"color":1206},"#212121",{"text":1208,"type":34,"marks":1209},"at ACON, notes - \"",[1210],{"type":804,"attrs":1211},{"color":806},{"text":1213,"type":34,"marks":1214},"Ending HIV isn't the only platform in the market, but we're certainly the largest, and there's a bit of a zeitgeist that we've been able to influence - certainly within Sydney and New South Wales, and more recently across broader Australia. It's the awareness of the campaigns that drives people back to the website, where they can read more, participate in workshops, join community forums, and continue their education. ",[1215,1216],{"type":332},{"type":804,"attrs":1217},{"color":806},{"type":28,"content":1219},[1220],{"text":1221,"type":34,"marks":1222},"The success of ‘Ending HIV’ showcased not only Grade’s  ability to deliver high-quality, impactful digital solutions but importantly set the stage for ongoing collaboration.\"",[1223,1224],{"type":332},{"type":804,"attrs":1225},{"color":806},{"type":28},{"type":28,"content":1228},[1229],{"type":1003,"attrs":1230},{"id":1231,"alt":1232,"src":1233,"title":1234,"source":1184,"copyright":19,"meta_data":1235},17617936,"Graph Showing Decline in HIV Notifications in NSW","https:\u002F\u002Fa.storyblok.com\u002Ff\u002F179979\u002F1159x649\u002F8fd80a8829\u002Fhiv-notifications-nsw.png","Declining HIV Notifications NSW","[object Object]",{"type":28,"content":1237},[1238,1243],{"text":1239,"type":34,"marks":1240},"Matthew also noted how the partnership developed over this initial project \"",[1241],{"type":804,"attrs":1242},{"color":806},{"text":1244,"type":34,"marks":1245},"The ‘Ending HIV’ project was a turning point. Grade’s technical expertise and innovative approach were evident from the start. Their ability to blend user experience with impactful design made a significant difference in how we engaged with our audience. They truly understood our mission and brought it to life through their work.",[1246,1247],{"type":332},{"type":804,"attrs":1248},{"color":806},{"type":28,"content":1250},[1251,1256],{"text":1252,"type":34,"marks":1253},"Reflecting on the importance of shared values, he added, ",[1254],{"type":804,"attrs":1255},{"color":806},{"text":1257,"type":34,"marks":1258},"\"Over the years, Grade has become more than just a service provider; they are a trusted partner. Their dedication to our mission and their ability to deliver exceptional results have cemented their role as our go-to agency for all things digital.\"",[1259,1260],{"type":332},{"type":804,"attrs":1261},{"color":806},{"type":28,"content":1263},[1264,1269],{"text":1265,"type":34,"marks":1266},"Matt Bachle, Grade’s Founder and CEO, shared his thoughts on the partnership success; ",[1267],{"type":804,"attrs":1268},{"color":806},{"text":1270,"type":34,"marks":1271},"\"Our partnership with ACON has been a model of how shared values and goals can drive significant outcomes. By aligning with ACON’s mission and leveraging our expertise, we’ve been able to create solutions that truly make a difference.\"",[1272,1273],{"type":332},{"type":804,"attrs":1274},{"color":806},{"type":306,"attrs":1276,"content":1277},{"level":308},[1278],{"text":1279,"type":34,"marks":1280},"Growth Through Trust and a Shared Passion for Positive Impact",[1281,1282],{"type":184},{"type":804,"attrs":1283},{"color":806},{"type":28,"content":1285},[1286],{"text":1287,"type":34,"marks":1288},"Building on a foundation of aligned outcomes and shared values, Grade has developed eight major digital solutions for ACON, with more in progress, including: ",[1289],{"type":804,"attrs":1290},{"color":806},{"type":675,"content":1292},[1293,1309,1326,1343,1360,1377,1394],{"type":678,"content":1294},[1295],{"type":28,"content":1296},[1297,1302],{"text":1298,"type":34,"marks":1299},"Ending HIV: A comprehensive platform aimed at eradicating HIV transmission in Australia. Including medical level risk calculators. ",[1300],{"type":804,"attrs":1301},{"color":806},{"text":1303,"type":34,"marks":1304},"Visit Ending HIV",[1305,1307],{"type":216,"attrs":1306},{"href":1184,"uuid":30,"anchor":30,"target":220,"linktype":221},{"type":804,"attrs":1308},{"color":806},{"type":678,"content":1310},[1311],{"type":28,"content":1312},[1313,1318],{"text":1314,"type":34,"marks":1315},"Emen8: Launched in May 2017, Australia’s largest online sexual health and wellbeing initiative for men who have sex with men. ",[1316],{"type":804,"attrs":1317},{"color":806},{"text":1319,"type":34,"marks":1320},"Visit Emen8",[1321,1324],{"type":216,"attrs":1322},{"href":1323,"uuid":30,"anchor":30,"target":220,"linktype":221},"https:\u002F\u002Femen8.com.au\u002F",{"type":804,"attrs":1325},{"color":806},{"type":678,"content":1327},[1328],{"type":28,"content":1329},[1330,1335],{"text":1331,"type":34,"marks":1332},"Pivot Point: A site focused on providing support and resources for people living with HIV. ",[1333],{"type":804,"attrs":1334},{"color":806},{"text":1336,"type":34,"marks":1337},"Visit Pivot Point",[1338,1341],{"type":216,"attrs":1339},{"href":1340,"uuid":30,"anchor":30,"target":220,"linktype":221},"https:\u002F\u002Fpivotpoint.org.au\u002F",{"type":804,"attrs":1342},{"color":806},{"type":678,"content":1344},[1345],{"type":28,"content":1346},[1347,1352],{"text":1348,"type":34,"marks":1349},"Say It Out Loud: A platform dedicated to promoting open discussions about sexual health. ",[1350],{"type":804,"attrs":1351},{"color":806},{"text":1353,"type":34,"marks":1354},"Visit Say It Out Loud",[1355,1358],{"type":216,"attrs":1356},{"href":1357,"uuid":30,"anchor":30,"target":220,"linktype":221},"https:\u002F\u002Fsayitoutloud.org.au\u002F",{"type":804,"attrs":1359},{"color":806},{"type":678,"content":1361},[1362],{"type":28,"content":1363},[1364,1369],{"text":1365,"type":34,"marks":1366},"Own It: A platform designed to empower Australians with the knowledge and resources to take control of their sexual health and wellbeing through cervical cancer self screening ",[1367],{"type":804,"attrs":1368},{"color":806},{"text":1370,"type":34,"marks":1371},"Own It.",[1372,1375],{"type":216,"attrs":1373},{"href":1374,"uuid":30,"anchor":30,"target":220,"linktype":221},"https:\u002F\u002Fownit.org.au\u002F",{"type":804,"attrs":1376},{"color":806},{"type":678,"content":1378},[1379],{"type":28,"content":1380},[1381,1386],{"text":1382,"type":34,"marks":1383},"Pride Inclusion Programs: A site supporting LGBTQ+ inclusion initiatives. ",[1384],{"type":804,"attrs":1385},{"color":806},{"text":1387,"type":34,"marks":1388},"Visit Pride Inclusion Programs",[1389,1392],{"type":216,"attrs":1390},{"href":1391,"uuid":30,"anchor":30,"target":220,"linktype":221},"https:\u002F\u002Fprideinclusionprograms.com.au\u002F",{"type":804,"attrs":1393},{"color":806},{"type":678,"content":1395},[1396],{"type":28,"content":1397},[1398,1403],{"text":1399,"type":34,"marks":1400},"Kaleido Centre: ACON’s first of a kind platform providing integrated Clinical Services for the LGBTQIA+ community. Visit ",[1401],{"type":804,"attrs":1402},{"color":806},{"text":1404,"type":34,"marks":1405},"Kaleido Health Centre",[1406,1409],{"type":216,"attrs":1407},{"href":1408,"uuid":30,"anchor":30,"target":220,"linktype":221},"https:\u002F\u002Fkaleidohealth.org.au\u002F",{"type":804,"attrs":1410},{"color":806},{"type":28},{"type":28,"content":1413},[1414],{"type":1003,"attrs":1415},{"id":1416,"alt":1417,"src":1418,"title":1419,"source":1420,"copyright":19,"meta_data":1421},17617978,"Block of coloured squares with graphics of community and ACON services","https:\u002F\u002Fa.storyblok.com\u002Ff\u002F179979\u002F2220x1242\u002F66caebee59\u002Facon-homepagegraphic.png","ACON Services Graphic","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.acon.org.au\u002F",{"alt":1417,"title":1419,"source":1420,"copyright":19},{"type":306,"attrs":1423,"content":1424},{"level":308},[1425],{"text":1426,"type":34,"marks":1427},"The Exponential Value of Partnership",[1428,1429],{"type":184},{"type":804,"attrs":1430},{"color":806},{"type":28,"content":1432},[1433],{"text":1434,"type":34,"marks":1435},"The depth of knowledge gained from our long-term relationship with ACON has been invaluable. By working closely together, we’ve been able to understand their needs better, anticipate future requirements, and identify opportunities that support their success. This partnership exemplifies how shared values and goals lead to impactful and successful outcomes.",[1436],{"type":804,"attrs":1437},{"color":806},{"type":28,"content":1439},[1440,1445],{"text":1441,"type":34,"marks":1442},"Abbey Batchelor, Grade’s Strategy Director, shares: ",[1443],{"type":804,"attrs":1444},{"color":806},{"text":1446,"type":34,"marks":1447},"\"Effective partnerships are built on mutual value and shared goals. By understanding each other’s strengths and aligning our efforts, we can achieve remarkable outcomes together. My top tips for successful partnerships are to communicate openly, set clear expectations, and continually seek to add value to each other’s efforts.\"",[1448,1449],{"type":332},{"type":804,"attrs":1450},{"color":806},{"type":306,"attrs":1452,"content":1453},{"level":308},[1454],{"text":1455,"type":34,"marks":1456},"Making Partnerships Work",[1457,1458],{"type":184},{"type":804,"attrs":1459},{"color":806},{"type":28,"content":1461},[1462],{"text":1463,"type":34,"marks":1464},"Based on our experience and insights, here are our key steps for making partnerships thrive:",[1465],{"type":804,"attrs":1466},{"color":806},{"type":675,"content":1468},[1469,1478,1487,1496,1505],{"type":678,"content":1470},[1471],{"type":28,"content":1472},[1473],{"text":1474,"type":34,"marks":1475},"Choosing the Right Partners: Ensure alignment in not only business objectives but also shared values.",[1476],{"type":804,"attrs":1477},{"color":806},{"type":678,"content":1479},[1480],{"type":28,"content":1481},[1482],{"text":1483,"type":34,"marks":1484},"Cultivating Trust and Collaboration: Build trust through consistent communication, shared victories, and collaborative efforts.",[1485],{"type":804,"attrs":1486},{"color":806},{"type":678,"content":1488},[1489],{"type":28,"content":1490},[1491],{"text":1492,"type":34,"marks":1493},"Knowing What to Avoid: Clearly communicate expectations and objectives from the outset to prevent misunderstandings.",[1494],{"type":804,"attrs":1495},{"color":806},{"type":678,"content":1497},[1498],{"type":28,"content":1499},[1500],{"text":1501,"type":34,"marks":1502},"Showcasing Partnership Successes: Remember to reflect on and highlight joint achievements to set a precedent for future collaborations.",[1503],{"type":804,"attrs":1504},{"color":806},{"type":678,"content":1506},[1507],{"type":28,"content":1508},[1509],{"text":1510,"type":34,"marks":1511},"Transparency and Alignment: Be straightforward about what you bring to the table and your goals to align effectively.",[1512],{"type":804,"attrs":1513},{"color":806},{"type":306,"attrs":1515,"content":1516},{"level":308},[1517],{"text":1518,"type":34,"marks":1519},"Looking Ahead",[1520,1521],{"type":184},{"type":804,"attrs":1522},{"color":806},{"type":28,"content":1524},[1525],{"text":1526,"type":34,"marks":1527},"As we continue to collaborate with ACON, we look forward to further enhancing their digital presence and continued collaboration supporting important community initiatives.",[1528],{"type":804,"attrs":1529},{"color":806},{"type":28,"content":1531},[1532,1537,1546,1551,1558],{"text":1533,"type":34,"marks":1534},"If you’re interested in learning more about how Grade can help your organisation achieve its digital goals through a successful partnership, ",[1535],{"type":804,"attrs":1536},{"color":806},{"text":1538,"type":34,"marks":1539},"view our case studies",[1540,1544],{"type":216,"attrs":1541},{"href":1542,"uuid":1543,"anchor":30,"target":220,"linktype":375},"\u002Fwork\u002F","1f2932ed-77d7-4c3e-a63e-a84a7b643dc5",{"type":804,"attrs":1545},{"color":806},{"text":1547,"type":34,"marks":1548}," or ",[1549],{"type":804,"attrs":1550},{"color":806},{"text":1552,"type":34,"marks":1553},"reach out to us directly",[1554,1556],{"type":216,"attrs":1555},{"href":372,"uuid":373,"anchor":30,"target":220,"linktype":375},{"type":804,"attrs":1557},{"color":806},{"text":1559,"type":34,"marks":1560},". We’d love to explore how we too can partner with you to create meaningful impact.",[1561],{"type":804,"attrs":1562},{"color":806},{"type":306,"attrs":1564,"content":1565},{"level":895},[1566],{"text":1567,"type":34,"marks":1568},"About ACON",[1569],{"type":804,"attrs":1570},{"color":806},{"type":28,"content":1572},[1573,1578,1584,1589],{"text":1574,"type":34,"marks":1575},"ACON is a prominent Australian health and HIV\u002FAIDS community organisation dedicated to improving health and wellbeing for those living with HIV and those affected by sexual health issues. They focus on ending HIV transmission and supporting underrepresented communities through various health initiatives and campaigns. For more information visit ",[1576],{"type":804,"attrs":1577},{"color":806},{"text":1185,"type":34,"marks":1579},[1580,1582],{"type":216,"attrs":1581},{"href":1420,"uuid":30,"anchor":30,"target":220,"linktype":221},{"type":804,"attrs":1583},{"color":806},{"text":1585,"type":34,"marks":1586}," and ",[1587],{"type":804,"attrs":1588},{"color":806},{"text":1590,"type":34,"marks":1591},"Ending HIV.",[1592,1594],{"type":216,"attrs":1593},{"href":1184,"uuid":30,"anchor":30,"target":220,"linktype":221},{"type":804,"attrs":1595},{"color":806},{"type":28},{"id":1598,"alt":1599,"name":19,"focus":19,"title":1600,"source":1185,"filename":1601,"copyright":1185,"fieldtype":44,"meta_data":1602,"is_external_url":40},17713482,"ACON letters held in air by crowd at parade at night","ACON case study header image","https:\u002F\u002Fa.storyblok.com\u002Ff\u002F179979\u002F1920x1080\u002Fcbe4cab5c7\u002Facon-partnership-header.png",{"alt":1599,"title":1600,"source":1185,"copyright":1185},"We're big believers that forging solid, long-lasting partnerships is key to achieving impactful results. Case in point: our decade-long partnership with ACON, a leading Australian health and HIV\u002FAIDS community organisation.",[408,1086,925],"grade-partner-spotlight-building-a-lasting-relationship-with-acon-","blog\u002Fgrade-partner-spotlight-building-a-lasting-relationship-with-acon-","2024-10-17",60,[108,109,112,390],"2db356e4-8d0a-48c8-8249-3dd5b889ebf4","2024-10-17T13:53:00.000Z",[],{"name":1614,"created_at":1615,"published_at":1616,"updated_at":1617,"id":1618,"uuid":56,"content":1619,"slug":2206,"full_slug":2207,"sort_by_date":30,"position":2208,"tag_list":2209,"is_startpage":40,"parent_id":113,"meta_data":30,"group_id":2210,"first_published_at":2211,"release_id":30,"lang":116,"path":30,"alternates":2212,"default_full_slug":30,"translated_slugs":30},"Omnichannel Experiences in ESG","2025-11-18T22:32:22.862Z","2025-11-18T22:45:08.544Z","2025-11-18T22:45:08.566Z",113932463588365,{"_uid":1620,"title":19,"metatags":1621,"component":386,"topicTags":1626,"contentText":1627,"headerImage":2200,"introduction":2204,"shareNetworks":2205},"6303a06a-9908-4b64-8bb6-678b28c61c9d",{"_uid":1622,"title":1614,"plugin":93,"og_image":1623,"og_title":1614,"description":1624,"twitter_image":1623,"twitter_title":1614,"og_description":1625,"twitter_description":1625},"e46f1b3b-d8ed-4e17-8da8-afc04f70028e","https:\u002F\u002Fa.storyblok.com\u002Ff\u002F179979\u002F3999x2667\u002F6da3307909\u002Fmarkus-winkler-hqc-xknu5do-unsplash.jpg","The similarities between ESG and product thinking","Thoughts from our team on the similarities between ESG and product thinking",[],{"type":25,"content":1628},[1629,1637,1645,1654,1662,1714,1722,1730,1739,1747,1766,1774,1826,1836,1850,1869,1871,1880,1888,1896,1897,1906,1914,1923,1931,1941,1950,1958,1966,1974,1983,1991,1999,2000,2009,2017,2025,2087,2095,2104,2112,2164,2172,2173,2181],{"type":28,"attrs":1630,"content":1631},{"textAlign":30},[1632],{"text":1633,"type":34,"marks":1634},"When most people hear “omnichannel,” they picture retail: a seamless experience across web, mobile, in-store, and customer service. But the more we dive into the world of ESG with our clients at Grade, the more obvious it becomes that sustainability behaves exactly the same way. It’s not a department. It’s not a program. It’s an ecosystem.",[1635],{"type":804,"attrs":1636},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":1638,"content":1639},{"textAlign":30},[1640],{"text":1641,"type":34,"marks":1642},"And, just like in digital product thinking, an ecosystem only performs when each channel, touchpoint, and team is connected with intent.",[1643],{"type":804,"attrs":1644},{"color":806},{"type":306,"attrs":1646,"content":1647},{"level":480,"textAlign":30},[1648],{"text":1649,"type":34,"marks":1650},"ESG isn’t a channel - it’s the whole network",[1651,1653],{"type":804,"attrs":1652},{"color":806},{"type":184},{"type":28,"attrs":1655,"content":1656},{"textAlign":30},[1657],{"text":1658,"type":34,"marks":1659},"The challenge (and opportunity) with ESG is that it touches every part of a business:",[1660],{"type":804,"attrs":1661},{"color":806},{"type":675,"content":1663},[1664,1674,1684,1694,1704],{"type":678,"content":1665},[1666],{"type":28,"attrs":1667,"content":1668},{"textAlign":30},[1669],{"text":1670,"type":34,"marks":1671},"Commercial and financial decision-making",[1672],{"type":804,"attrs":1673},{"color":806},{"type":678,"content":1675},[1676],{"type":28,"attrs":1677,"content":1678},{"textAlign":30},[1679],{"text":1680,"type":34,"marks":1681},"Technology and data systems",[1682],{"type":804,"attrs":1683},{"color":806},{"type":678,"content":1685},[1686],{"type":28,"attrs":1687,"content":1688},{"textAlign":30},[1689],{"text":1690,"type":34,"marks":1691},"Supply chain operations",[1692],{"type":804,"attrs":1693},{"color":806},{"type":678,"content":1695},[1696],{"type":28,"attrs":1697,"content":1698},{"textAlign":30},[1699],{"text":1700,"type":34,"marks":1701},"Community engagement and stakeholder trust",[1702],{"type":804,"attrs":1703},{"color":806},{"type":678,"content":1705},[1706],{"type":28,"attrs":1707,"content":1708},{"textAlign":30},[1709],{"text":1710,"type":34,"marks":1711},"Employee experience and culture",[1712],{"type":804,"attrs":1713},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":1715,"content":1716},{"textAlign":30},[1717],{"text":1718,"type":34,"marks":1719},"When you look at it this way, ESG starts to resemble the architecture diagrams we sketch when planning a complex web platform. Multiple inputs. Multiple outputs. Interdependencies everywhere. And real consequences when something isn’t integrated properly.",[1720],{"type":804,"attrs":1721},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":1723,"content":1724},{"textAlign":30},[1725],{"text":1726,"type":34,"marks":1727},"A sustainability initiative that lives only in annual reporting is no more effective than a customer journey that works on desktop but falls apart on mobile.",[1728],{"type":804,"attrs":1729},{"color":806},{"type":306,"attrs":1731,"content":1732},{"level":480,"textAlign":30},[1733],{"text":1734,"type":34,"marks":1735},"ESG is really about positive impact (not extraction)",[1736,1738],{"type":804,"attrs":1737},{"color":806},{"type":184},{"type":28,"attrs":1740,"content":1741},{"textAlign":30},[1742],{"text":1743,"type":34,"marks":1744},"Somewhere along the way, ‘ESG’ became a buzzword-something only big corporations, banks, or listed companies cared about. Understandably that’s given it a sometimes negative image. But strip away the jargon and it’s actually far simpler and far more universal.",[1745],{"type":804,"attrs":1746},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":1748,"content":1749},{"textAlign":30},[1750,1755,1761],{"text":1751,"type":34,"marks":1752},"ESG is just the operating system for any business that wants to create ",[1753],{"type":804,"attrs":1754},{"color":806},{"text":1756,"type":34,"marks":1757},"positive",[1758,1760],{"type":804,"attrs":1759},{"color":806},{"type":332},{"text":1762,"type":34,"marks":1763}," impact rather than extractive impact.",[1764],{"type":804,"attrs":1765},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":1767,"content":1768},{"textAlign":30},[1769],{"text":1770,"type":34,"marks":1771},"That includes:",[1772],{"type":804,"attrs":1773},{"color":806},{"type":675,"content":1775},[1776,1786,1796,1806,1816],{"type":678,"content":1777},[1778],{"type":28,"attrs":1779,"content":1780},{"textAlign":30},[1781],{"text":1782,"type":34,"marks":1783},"Businesses that care about the communities they operate in",[1784],{"type":804,"attrs":1785},{"color":806},{"type":678,"content":1787},[1788],{"type":28,"attrs":1789,"content":1790},{"textAlign":30},[1791],{"text":1792,"type":34,"marks":1793},"Teams who want to build products that improve people’s lives",[1794],{"type":804,"attrs":1795},{"color":806},{"type":678,"content":1797},[1798],{"type":28,"attrs":1799,"content":1800},{"textAlign":30},[1801],{"text":1802,"type":34,"marks":1803},"Organisations who understand their responsibility to the environment",[1804],{"type":804,"attrs":1805},{"color":806},{"type":678,"content":1807},[1808],{"type":28,"attrs":1809,"content":1810},{"textAlign":30},[1811],{"text":1812,"type":34,"marks":1813},"Companies who see long-term value as more important than short-term wins",[1814],{"type":804,"attrs":1815},{"color":806},{"type":678,"content":1817},[1818],{"type":28,"attrs":1819,"content":1820},{"textAlign":30},[1821],{"text":1822,"type":34,"marks":1823},"Leaders who want growth that benefits more than just shareholders",[1824],{"type":804,"attrs":1825},{"color":806},{"type":852,"content":1827},[1828],{"type":28,"attrs":1829,"content":1830},{"textAlign":30},[1831],{"text":1832,"type":34,"marks":1833},"If you’re building something regenerative, responsible, inclusive, future-fit - you’re already operating in the ESG space, whether you use the acronym or not.",[1834],{"type":804,"attrs":1835},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":1837,"content":1838},{"textAlign":30},[1839,1844],{"text":1840,"type":34,"marks":1841},"The labels matter far less than the intent: ",[1842],{"type":804,"attrs":1843},{"color":806},{"text":1845,"type":34,"marks":1846},"leave things better than you found them.",[1847,1849],{"type":804,"attrs":1848},{"color":806},{"type":184},{"type":28,"attrs":1851,"content":1852},{"textAlign":30},[1853,1858,1864],{"text":1854,"type":34,"marks":1855},"This mindset shift is important because it opens the door. ESG is no longer a compliance exercise for big institutions - it becomes a strategic lens for ",[1856],{"type":804,"attrs":1857},{"color":806},{"text":1859,"type":34,"marks":1860},"any",[1861,1863],{"type":804,"attrs":1862},{"color":806},{"type":332},{"text":1865,"type":34,"marks":1866}," business trying to do good and do well. We’re walking this work ourselves, through our BCorp certification - a process that meant we had to prove how our business operates in an interconnected way.",[1867],{"type":804,"attrs":1868},{"color":806},{"type":1870},"horizontal_rule",{"type":306,"attrs":1872,"content":1873},{"level":480,"textAlign":30},[1874],{"text":1875,"type":34,"marks":1876},"The omnichannel mindset: integration over isolation",[1877,1879],{"type":804,"attrs":1878},{"color":806},{"type":184},{"type":28,"attrs":1881,"content":1882},{"textAlign":30},[1883],{"text":1884,"type":34,"marks":1885},"Great omnichannel experiences don’t treat each channel as a standalone. Your mobile app knows what you browsed on your laptop. The staff member in-store knows where your click-and-collect order is. Everything is connected.",[1886],{"type":804,"attrs":1887},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":1889,"content":1890},{"textAlign":30},[1891],{"text":1892,"type":34,"marks":1893},"ESG needs the same treatment; organisations thrive when ESG becomes an integrated network rather than a string of disconnected initiatives.",[1894],{"type":804,"attrs":1895},{"color":806},{"type":1870},{"type":306,"attrs":1898,"content":1899},{"level":480,"textAlign":30},[1900],{"text":1901,"type":34,"marks":1902},"Commercial, community, and tech: your three channels",[1903,1905],{"type":804,"attrs":1904},{"color":806},{"type":184},{"type":28,"attrs":1907,"content":1908},{"textAlign":30},[1909],{"text":1910,"type":34,"marks":1911},"You can think of the ESG ecosystem as having three core “channels” that must be aligned-exactly the way you’d coordinate product, marketing, and engineering when shipping a new digital experience.",[1912],{"type":804,"attrs":1913},{"color":806},{"type":306,"attrs":1915,"content":1916},{"level":308,"textAlign":30},[1917],{"text":1918,"type":34,"marks":1919},"1. Commercial: ESG as a business engine",[1920,1922],{"type":804,"attrs":1921},{"color":806},{"type":184},{"type":28,"attrs":1924,"content":1925},{"textAlign":30},[1926],{"text":1927,"type":34,"marks":1928},"Sustainability drives value when it aligns with strategy, risk management, and growth. That means giving commercial teams the tools, insights, and frameworks to make ESG part of how they price, plan, innovate, and invest.",[1929],{"type":804,"attrs":1930},{"color":806},{"type":852,"content":1932},[1933],{"type":28,"attrs":1934,"content":1935},{"textAlign":30},[1936],{"text":1937,"type":34,"marks":1938},"Like building a product with a strong go-to-market, it works best when it’s commercial from day one.",[1939],{"type":804,"attrs":1940},{"color":806},{"type":306,"attrs":1942,"content":1943},{"level":308,"textAlign":30},[1944],{"text":1945,"type":34,"marks":1946},"2. Community: where trust is built (and broken)",[1947,1949],{"type":804,"attrs":1948},{"color":806},{"type":184},{"type":28,"attrs":1951,"content":1952},{"textAlign":30},[1953],{"text":1954,"type":34,"marks":1955},"Your community-customers, partners, local groups, even your internal team-is the equivalent of your user base. They’re the ones who experience the outcomes, feel the gaps, and ultimately hold you accountable.",[1956],{"type":804,"attrs":1957},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":1959,"content":1960},{"textAlign":30},[1961],{"text":1962,"type":34,"marks":1963},"In the same way a product fails without user empathy, ESG fails without community empathy.",[1964],{"type":804,"attrs":1965},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":1967,"content":1968},{"textAlign":30},[1969],{"text":1970,"type":34,"marks":1971},"This is where engagement, transparency, and genuine participation matter. Systems thinking alone won’t get you there; you need to understand the lived reality of the people in and around your organisation. Our work with AVJennings demonstrates this so well - the internal team was empowered, customers were engaged, and ultimately AVJennings housing communities benefitted.",[1972],{"type":804,"attrs":1973},{"color":806},{"type":306,"attrs":1975,"content":1976},{"level":308,"textAlign":30},[1977],{"text":1978,"type":34,"marks":1979},"3. Technology: the connective tissue",[1980,1982],{"type":804,"attrs":1981},{"color":806},{"type":184},{"type":28,"attrs":1984,"content":1985},{"textAlign":30},[1986],{"text":1987,"type":34,"marks":1988},"No omnichannel experience works without a solid technical foundation-data that flows, systems that talk to each other, and a digital layer that makes everything visible.",[1989],{"type":804,"attrs":1990},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":1992,"content":1993},{"textAlign":30},[1994],{"text":1995,"type":34,"marks":1996},"ESG is so similar: Measurement, reporting, emissions modelling, supply chain traceability, diversity dashboards, engagement tools - all of it depends on technology that integrates across the organisation. The more interconnected your systems are, the more interconnected your ESG impact becomes.",[1997],{"type":804,"attrs":1998},{"color":806},{"type":1870},{"type":306,"attrs":2001,"content":2002},{"level":480,"textAlign":30},[2003],{"text":2004,"type":34,"marks":2005},"Why digital product teams are uniquely positioned to help",[2006,2008],{"type":804,"attrs":2007},{"color":806},{"type":184},{"type":28,"attrs":2010,"content":2011},{"textAlign":30},[2012],{"text":2013,"type":34,"marks":2014},"For us at Grade, this omnichannel view is second nature. It’s how we design platforms, build products, and support organisations through complex transformations.",[2015],{"type":804,"attrs":2016},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":2018,"content":2019},{"textAlign":30},[2020],{"text":2021,"type":34,"marks":2022},"And it’s why our impact work borrows heavily from how we’ve built digital ecosystems for years:",[2023],{"type":804,"attrs":2024},{"color":806},{"type":675,"content":2026},[2027,2037,2047,2057,2067,2077],{"type":678,"content":2028},[2029],{"type":28,"attrs":2030,"content":2031},{"textAlign":30},[2032],{"text":2033,"type":34,"marks":2034},"Clear architecture",[2035],{"type":804,"attrs":2036},{"color":806},{"type":678,"content":2038},[2039],{"type":28,"attrs":2040,"content":2041},{"textAlign":30},[2042],{"text":2043,"type":34,"marks":2044},"Strong user experience",[2045],{"type":804,"attrs":2046},{"color":806},{"type":678,"content":2048},[2049],{"type":28,"attrs":2050,"content":2051},{"textAlign":30},[2052],{"text":2053,"type":34,"marks":2054},"Tight integration between teams",[2055],{"type":804,"attrs":2056},{"color":806},{"type":678,"content":2058},[2059],{"type":28,"attrs":2060,"content":2061},{"textAlign":30},[2062],{"text":2063,"type":34,"marks":2064},"Clarity around outcomes",[2065],{"type":804,"attrs":2066},{"color":806},{"type":678,"content":2068},[2069],{"type":28,"attrs":2070,"content":2071},{"textAlign":30},[2072],{"text":2073,"type":34,"marks":2074},"A balance of speed, rigour, and technical debt",[2075],{"type":804,"attrs":2076},{"color":806},{"type":678,"content":2078},[2079],{"type":28,"attrs":2080,"content":2081},{"textAlign":30},[2082],{"text":2083,"type":34,"marks":2084},"A mindset that product and marketing are two sides of the same coin",[2085],{"type":804,"attrs":2086},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":2088,"content":2089},{"textAlign":30},[2090],{"text":2091,"type":34,"marks":2092},"ESG isn’t a report-it’s an experience.It’s omnichannel, and it benefits enormously from the same thinking, discipline, and creativity that drive great digital products.",[2093],{"type":804,"attrs":2094},{"color":806},{"type":306,"attrs":2096,"content":2097},{"level":480,"textAlign":30},[2098],{"text":2099,"type":34,"marks":2100},"Bringing it all together",[2101,2103],{"type":804,"attrs":2102},{"color":806},{"type":184},{"type":28,"attrs":2105,"content":2106},{"textAlign":30},[2107],{"text":2108,"type":34,"marks":2109},"When businesses adopt an omnichannel mindset for ESG, they:",[2110],{"type":804,"attrs":2111},{"color":806},{"type":675,"content":2113},[2114,2124,2134,2144,2154],{"type":678,"content":2115},[2116],{"type":28,"attrs":2117,"content":2118},{"textAlign":30},[2119],{"text":2120,"type":34,"marks":2121},"Design with intention rather than compliance",[2122],{"type":804,"attrs":2123},{"color":806},{"type":678,"content":2125},[2126],{"type":28,"attrs":2127,"content":2128},{"textAlign":30},[2129],{"text":2130,"type":34,"marks":2131},"Connect the dots between commercial outcomes and impact outcomes",[2132],{"type":804,"attrs":2133},{"color":806},{"type":678,"content":2135},[2136],{"type":28,"attrs":2137,"content":2138},{"textAlign":30},[2139],{"text":2140,"type":34,"marks":2141},"Build trust with their communities through transparency and clarity",[2142],{"type":804,"attrs":2143},{"color":806},{"type":678,"content":2145},[2146],{"type":28,"attrs":2147,"content":2148},{"textAlign":30},[2149],{"text":2150,"type":34,"marks":2151},"Use technology not just to measure impact, but to accelerate it",[2152],{"type":804,"attrs":2153},{"color":806},{"type":678,"content":2155},[2156],{"type":28,"attrs":2157,"content":2158},{"textAlign":30},[2159],{"text":2160,"type":34,"marks":2161},"Create sustainability strategies that are actually lived, not just published",[2162],{"type":804,"attrs":2163},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":2165,"content":2166},{"textAlign":30},[2167],{"text":2168,"type":34,"marks":2169},"Ultimately, they become more resilient, more future-fit, and far more capable of delivering the kind of long-term value that matters.",[2170],{"type":804,"attrs":2171},{"color":806},{"type":1870},{"type":306,"attrs":2174,"content":2175},{"level":308,"textAlign":30},[2176],{"text":2177,"type":34,"marks":2178},"We’d love to chat with you and learn about your challenges in this space, and see how we can help.",[2179],{"type":804,"attrs":2180},{"color":806},{"type":306,"attrs":2182,"content":2183},{"level":308,"textAlign":30},[2184,2189],{"text":2185,"type":34,"marks":2186},"Reach out at ",[2187],{"type":804,"attrs":2188},{"color":806},{"text":2190,"type":34,"marks":2191},"info@grade.net.au",[2192,2195,2198],{"type":216,"attrs":2193},{"href":2194,"uuid":30,"anchor":30,"target":30,"linktype":221},"mailto:info@grade.net.au",{"type":804,"attrs":2196},{"color":2197},"#1155CC",{"type":2199},"underline",{"id":2201,"alt":2202,"name":19,"focus":19,"title":19,"source":19,"filename":1623,"copyright":19,"fieldtype":44,"meta_data":2203,"is_external_url":40},113934092151370,"image of a busy city street with trees",{"alt":2202,"title":19,"source":19,"copyright":19},"Why the future of sustainability feels a lot like interconnected product design.",[408],"omnichannel-experiences-in-esg","blog\u002Fomnichannel-experiences-in-esg",-230,[415],"ab07bcc1-139d-429f-9b36-d0bdc098663f","2025-11-18T22:40:06.574Z",[],{"name":2214,"created_at":2215,"published_at":2216,"updated_at":2217,"id":2218,"uuid":57,"content":2219,"slug":2484,"full_slug":2485,"sort_by_date":2486,"position":2487,"tag_list":2488,"is_startpage":40,"parent_id":113,"meta_data":30,"group_id":2489,"first_published_at":2490,"release_id":30,"lang":116,"path":30,"alternates":2491,"default_full_slug":30,"translated_slugs":30},"Behind the Build: Bowls Australia Elite Team Monitoring App","2025-03-25T05:22:55.026Z","2026-03-31T04:20:34.789Z","2026-03-31T04:20:34.857Z",644621664,{"_uid":962,"title":19,"metatags":2220,"component":386,"topicTags":2227,"contentText":2228,"headerImage":2476,"introduction":2482,"shareNetworks":2483},{"_uid":964,"title":2221,"plugin":93,"og_image":19,"og_title":2222,"description":2223,"twitter_image":19,"twitter_title":2224,"og_description":2225,"twitter_description":2226},"Behind the Build: Bowls Australia Elite Team Performance App – Real-Time Analytics for Enhanced Player Insights","Behind the Build: Bowls Australia Elite Team Performance App ","Explore how Grade worked with Bowls Australia to create an intuitive performance app that offers real-time data tracking, historical statistics, and future enhancements for elite team analysis.","Behind the Build: Bowls Australia’s Elite Team Performance App – Delivering Real-Time Insights for Better Player Performance. #BowlsAustralia #TechForGood #AppDevelopment ","Grade helped Bowls Australia design and develop a monitoring app to track and analyse elite team performance, providing real-time statistics, historical analysis, and future adaptability.","Discover how Grade helped Bowls Australia develop a cutting-edge bowls monitoring app to enhance elite team performance with real-time stats and future-proof architecture. #TechInnovation",[391,392,389],{"type":25,"content":2229},[2230,2258,2266,2274,2316,2324,2332,2366,2387,2406,2439,2447,2468],{"type":28,"attrs":2231,"content":2232},{"textAlign":30},[2233,2238,2246,2251,2252,2253],{"text":2234,"type":34,"marks":2235},"Increasingly, data-driven insights are becoming an essential tool for enhancing player performance and team strategy. For ",[2236],{"type":804,"attrs":2237},{"color":806},{"text":2239,"type":34,"marks":2240},"Bowls Australia",[2241,2244],{"type":216,"attrs":2242},{"href":2243,"uuid":30,"anchor":30,"target":220,"linktype":221},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bowls.com.au\u002F",{"type":804,"attrs":2245},{"color":806},{"text":2247,"type":34,"marks":2248},", the need for a robust system to track and analyse elite team performances was clear. ",[2249],{"type":804,"attrs":2250},{"color":806},{"type":327},{"type":327},{"text":2254,"type":34,"marks":2255},"Working closely with Bowls Australia, Grade developed an innovative bowls monitoring app that offers real-time performance tracking, as well as in-depth historical data for comprehensive player analysis. ",[2256],{"type":804,"attrs":2257},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":2259,"content":2260},{"textAlign":30},[2261],{"text":2262,"type":34,"marks":2263},"This project, however, was not just about creating a functional tool, but one that could evolve and adapt to future needs as the sport progresses. Here’s a look behind the build of the Bowls Australia Elite Team Monitoring App and the technical decisions that shaped its development.",[2264],{"type":804,"attrs":2265},{"color":806},{"type":306,"attrs":2267,"content":2268},{"level":308,"textAlign":30},[2269],{"text":2270,"type":34,"marks":2271},"Bowls Australia's High Level Requirements",[2272],{"type":804,"attrs":2273},{"color":806},{"type":675,"content":2275},[2276,2286,2296,2306],{"type":678,"content":2277},[2278],{"type":28,"attrs":2279,"content":2280},{"textAlign":30},[2281],{"text":2282,"type":34,"marks":2283},"Provide a simple and intuitive user experience to stat live bowls matches using an iPad",[2284],{"type":804,"attrs":2285},{"color":806},{"type":678,"content":2287},[2288],{"type":28,"attrs":2289,"content":2290},{"textAlign":30},[2291],{"text":2292,"type":34,"marks":2293},"Track the effectiveness of each players bowl during a match",[2294],{"type":804,"attrs":2295},{"color":806},{"type":678,"content":2297},[2298],{"type":28,"attrs":2299,"content":2300},{"textAlign":30},[2301],{"text":2302,"type":34,"marks":2303},"Provide real-time statistics for in progress matches for players and teams",[2304],{"type":804,"attrs":2305},{"color":806},{"type":678,"content":2307},[2308],{"type":28,"attrs":2309,"content":2310},{"textAlign":30},[2311],{"text":2312,"type":34,"marks":2313},"Provide historical statistics for analysis, review and player comparison",[2314],{"type":804,"attrs":2315},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":2317,"content":2318},{"textAlign":30},[2319],{"text":2320,"type":34,"marks":2321},"Initial discussions with Bowls Australia revealed the opportunity to enhance how stats were recorded, what data was captured, and how it was displayed for analysis. The team had previously relied on paper-based stat sheets and Excel, highlighting the need for a more streamlined, digital solution. Through collaboration, we identified the potential to transform their process with an app that could improve efficiency and accuracy in tracking and analysing the data.",[2322],{"type":804,"attrs":2323},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":2325,"content":2326},{"textAlign":30},[2327],{"text":2328,"type":34,"marks":2329},"Given these requirements, Grade understood the architecture would need to allow for an iterative approach where inputs and outputs would change as the application was put through user testing. It was also known up front that this initial phase of work would set the foundation for future funding and improvement so it was important to make sure it would be able to incorporate future ideas such as offline access and more in-depth reporting without requiring major architectural changes.",[2330],{"type":804,"attrs":2331},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":2333,"content":2334},{"textAlign":30},[2335,2340,2348,2353,2361],{"text":2336,"type":34,"marks":2337},"With this in mind, Grade developed a decoupled application with a ",[2338],{"type":804,"attrs":2339},{"color":806},{"text":2341,"type":34,"marks":2342},"Vue",[2343,2346],{"type":216,"attrs":2344},{"href":2345,"uuid":30,"anchor":30,"target":220,"linktype":221},"https:\u002F\u002Fvuejs.org\u002F",{"type":804,"attrs":2347},{"color":806},{"text":2349,"type":34,"marks":2350}," Frontend for statting matches and a ",[2351],{"type":804,"attrs":2352},{"color":806},{"text":2354,"type":34,"marks":2355},"Laravel ",[2356,2359],{"type":216,"attrs":2357},{"href":2358,"uuid":30,"anchor":30,"target":220,"linktype":221},"https:\u002F\u002Flaravel.com\u002F",{"type":804,"attrs":2360},{"color":806},{"text":2362,"type":34,"marks":2363},"Backend for administration and reporting in a mono-repo setup.",[2364],{"type":804,"attrs":2365},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":2367,"content":2368},{"textAlign":30},[2369,2374,2382],{"text":2370,"type":34,"marks":2371},"Grade chose to use ",[2372],{"type":804,"attrs":2373},{"color":806},{"text":2375,"type":34,"marks":2376},"Postgres",[2377,2380],{"type":216,"attrs":2378},{"href":2379,"uuid":30,"anchor":30,"target":220,"linktype":221},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.postgresql.org\u002F",{"type":804,"attrs":2381},{"color":806},{"text":2383,"type":34,"marks":2384}," as the database for the Backend application as a relational database made the most sense for storing and referencing the raw bowls match data which had to keep track of matches, teams, players, positions, ends and bowls.",[2385],{"type":804,"attrs":2386},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":2388,"content":2389},{"textAlign":30},[2390,2395,2401],{"text":2391,"type":34,"marks":2392},"The API used to communicate between the ",[2393],{"type":804,"attrs":2394},{"color":806},{"text":2341,"type":34,"marks":2396},[2397,2399],{"type":216,"attrs":2398},{"href":2345,"uuid":30,"anchor":30,"target":220,"linktype":221},{"type":804,"attrs":2400},{"color":806},{"text":2402,"type":34,"marks":2403}," Frontend and the Laravel Backend was developed using Laravel JSON:API. By developing a specification-compliant API it was possible to auto-generate API documentation as a swagger document and ultimately auto-generate a TypeScript API Client for use in the Vue Frontend. The mono-repo setup ensured the Frontend and Backend were always up to date with each other, referencing the same data structures as it was developed and iterated on.",[2404],{"type":804,"attrs":2405},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":2407,"content":2408},{"textAlign":30},[2409,2414,2422,2426,2434],{"text":2410,"type":34,"marks":2411},"As users would need to login to the Frontend application to stat matches and access the Backend application for administrative tasks and historical reporting, Authentication could be shared between the two by implementing auth in the Laravel Backend with ",[2412],{"type":804,"attrs":2413},{"color":806},{"text":2415,"type":34,"marks":2416},"Laravel Fortify",[2417,2420],{"type":216,"attrs":2418},{"href":2419,"uuid":30,"anchor":30,"target":220,"linktype":221},"https:\u002F\u002Flaravel.com\u002Fdocs\u002F12.x\u002Ffortify",{"type":804,"attrs":2421},{"color":806},{"text":1585,"type":34,"marks":2423},[2424],{"type":804,"attrs":2425},{"color":806},{"text":2427,"type":34,"marks":2428},"Laravel Sanctum",[2429,2432],{"type":216,"attrs":2430},{"href":2431,"uuid":30,"anchor":30,"target":220,"linktype":221},"https:\u002F\u002Flaravel.com\u002Fdocs\u002F12.x\u002Fsanctum",{"type":804,"attrs":2433},{"color":806},{"text":2435,"type":34,"marks":2436}," leveraging session-based authentication and CSRF protection. By placing the applications on the same domain (different subdomains) they were able to share cookies and have no CORS complications.",[2437],{"type":804,"attrs":2438},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":2440,"content":2441},{"textAlign":30},[2442],{"text":2443,"type":34,"marks":2444},"The performance metrics used for real-time and historical analytics needed to combine match, player, end, previous bowl and current bowl data. To calculate and provide these metrics efficiently, Grade normalised the data into a single performance table for each bowl as it was saved via the API and then leveraged Postgres Views to combine and calculate the performance of each player and team for every match. By offloading the calculations to the database the Frontend was only concerned with displaying the data and then when the metric calculations and outputs were iterated upon, only the views needed to be updated. As the raw data is stored separately and the combined data is normalised in a single table, if the metrics ever change in the future they can be recalculated for all previous data by updating the Postgres Views.",[2445],{"type":804,"attrs":2446},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":2448,"content":2449},{"textAlign":30},[2450,2455,2463],{"text":2451,"type":34,"marks":2452},"To allow the Bowls Australia team to view historical data and perform administrative tasks, Grade used ",[2453],{"type":804,"attrs":2454},{"color":806},{"text":2456,"type":34,"marks":2457},"Filament",[2458,2461],{"type":216,"attrs":2459},{"href":2460,"uuid":30,"anchor":30,"target":220,"linktype":221},"https:\u002F\u002Ffilamentphp.com\u002F",{"type":804,"attrs":2462},{"color":806},{"text":2464,"type":34,"marks":2465}," to quickly create an admin interface which allowed users to search and review data for matches, review metrics for players and compare players head to head. The filters were taken into consideration when the Postgres Views were created which ensured fast data retrieval and display, and as the raw data is always accessible in the database the team will be able to update these or do more in depth analysis as required.",[2466],{"type":804,"attrs":2467},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":2469,"content":2470},{"textAlign":30},[2471],{"text":2472,"type":34,"marks":2473},"Today, the new Bowls Australia Elite Team Monitoring App combines intuitive user experience with powerful backend architecture to deliver actionable insights on player performance. Grade’s approach ensured the app would not only meet the initial requirements but also be adaptable for future enhancements, such as offline access and advanced reporting. Through a carefully considered tech stack, including Vue, Laravel, and Postgres, Grade successfully built a solution that empowers Bowls Australia with real-time analytics and historical comparisons to drive performance improvements. By focusing on scalability and user-friendliness, this app is positioned to evolve alongside the needs of Bowls Australia and the sport itself.",[2474],{"type":804,"attrs":2475},{"color":806},{"id":2477,"alt":2478,"name":19,"focus":19,"title":2479,"source":772,"filename":2480,"copyright":772,"fieldtype":44,"meta_data":2481,"is_external_url":40},21556973,"Well loved bowling balls on grass pitch","Behind the Bowls: Bowls Australia Elite Team Monitoring App","https:\u002F\u002Fa.storyblok.com\u002Ff\u002F179979\u002F1920x1080\u002Fb75649e96d\u002Fbehind_the_bowls_grade.png",{"alt":2478,"title":2479,"source":772,"copyright":772},"When Bowls Australia sought a smarter way to track their elite team’s performance, they turned to Grade to create a cutting-edge monitoring solution. Here’s how we delivered. \n",[408,1086,925],"behind-the-build-bowls-australia-elite-team-monitoring-app","blog\u002Fbehind-the-build-bowls-australia-elite-team-monitoring-app","2025-10-28",80,[108,112,390],"ed56c768-f0b4-4343-aaed-1714f12ee4c7","2025-10-28T06:51:00.000Z",[],{"name":2493,"created_at":2494,"published_at":2495,"updated_at":2496,"id":2497,"uuid":58,"content":2498,"slug":2814,"full_slug":2815,"sort_by_date":2816,"position":2817,"tag_list":2818,"is_startpage":40,"parent_id":113,"meta_data":30,"group_id":2823,"first_published_at":2824,"release_id":30,"lang":116,"path":30,"alternates":2825,"default_full_slug":30,"translated_slugs":30},"How Building In-House Products Helped Us Build More Empathy with Our Clients","2025-11-12T10:25:13.842Z","2026-03-31T04:20:31.381Z","2026-03-31T04:20:31.407Z",111630392722396,{"_uid":962,"title":19,"metatags":2499,"component":386,"topicTags":2503,"contentText":2504,"headerImage":2808,"introduction":2812,"shareNetworks":2813},{"_uid":964,"title":2493,"plugin":93,"og_image":2500,"og_title":2493,"description":2501,"twitter_image":2500,"twitter_title":2493,"og_description":2502,"twitter_description":2502},"https:\u002F\u002Fa.storyblok.com\u002Ff\u002F179979\u002F5472x3648\u002Fa8fd21e3e2\u002Fdesign-meeting.jpg","At Grade, we’ve created our own products a few times over the years, and this has fundamentally changed how we understand our clients - not just what they need, but what it feels like to be in their shoes.","Grade shares its experience when building its own in-house products.",[388,112],{"type":25,"content":2505},[2506,2515,2523,2531,2539,2547,2577,2579,2580,2582,2591,2610,2618,2637,2645,2647,2648,2650,2659,2667,2675,2705,2713,2715,2716,2718,2727,2735,2743,2751,2759,2761,2762,2764,2773,2781,2800],{"type":306,"attrs":2507,"content":2508},{"level":308,"textAlign":30},[2509],{"text":2510,"type":34,"marks":2511},"1. From service provider to founder\u002Fclient mindset",[2512,2514],{"type":804,"attrs":2513},{"color":806},{"type":184},{"type":28,"attrs":2516,"content":2517},{"textAlign":30},[2518],{"text":2519,"type":34,"marks":2520},"When it’s your own product, you live every decision: the trade-offs, the uncertainty, the late-night “should we pivot?” moments. You feel the risk in your gut. That experience builds empathy; because when clients worry about budget, scope, or timelines — we’ve been there too. We know all our clients have an investor, audience, boss, Board to answer to - and sometimes that can be scary.",[2521],{"type":804,"attrs":2522},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":2524,"content":2525},{"textAlign":30},[2526],{"text":2527,"type":34,"marks":2528},"And, to be honest, when it’s your own product, you also get to ignore your own advice. You cut corners, skip documentation, and prioritise momentum over process… just to ship something! And that’s exactly the point. It’s a humbling reminder of how hard it is to keep rigour and intent alive across every stage of a build. Personally, I’ve behaved terribly when we’re working on our own thing, as I’m sure the team would attest to! Changed scope without testing things properly, made assumptions, ignored resource bookings…!!",[2529],{"type":804,"attrs":2530},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":2532,"content":2533},{"textAlign":30},[2534],{"text":2535,"type":34,"marks":2536},"It forces a sharper awareness of time and output. When you’re both the client and the maker, you see every hour as a spend, not just of money, but of opportunity. Every feature, refinement, or rework is a decision about where value lives. You start to weigh the cost of doing against the cost of delay, and you begin to see how precious focused effort really is.",[2537],{"type":804,"attrs":2538},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":2540,"content":2541},{"textAlign":30},[2542],{"text":2543,"type":34,"marks":2544},"Conversely - you realise that sometimes, you just need time to consider. So when we, as a supplier, are chasing feedback\u002Freviews, sometimes the cogs need more time to turn when collating comments from everyone. ",[2545],{"type":804,"attrs":2546},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":2548,"content":2549},{"textAlign":30},[2550,2555,2561,2566,2572],{"text":2551,"type":34,"marks":2552},"This experience also cemented something else for us: that ",[2553],{"type":804,"attrs":2554},{"color":806},{"text":2556,"type":34,"marks":2557},"product and marketing are inseparable",[2558,2560],{"type":804,"attrs":2559},{"color":806},{"type":184},{"text":2562,"type":34,"marks":2563},". You can build something exceptional, but it means nothing if it doesn’t reach the right people in the right way. The story, timing, and pathways to adoption are as much part of the product as the code itself. That realisation shaped one of our core offerings at Grade: ",[2564],{"type":804,"attrs":2565},{"color":806},{"text":2567,"type":34,"marks":2568},"strategic product marketing",[2569,2571],{"type":804,"attrs":2570},{"color":806},{"type":184},{"text":2573,"type":34,"marks":2574},". Because building something great is only half the job, the rest is making sure people understand it, trust it, and choose it.",[2575],{"type":804,"attrs":2576},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":2578},{"textAlign":30},{"type":1870},{"type":28,"attrs":2581},{"textAlign":30},{"type":306,"attrs":2583,"content":2584},{"level":308,"textAlign":30},[2585],{"text":2586,"type":34,"marks":2587},"2. We stopped designing for approval and started designing for outcomes",[2588,2590],{"type":804,"attrs":2589},{"color":806},{"type":184},{"type":28,"attrs":2592,"content":2593},{"textAlign":30},[2594,2599,2605],{"text":2595,"type":34,"marks":2596},"When you build for clients, it’s easy to fall into the rhythm of presentation cycles: showing progress, seeking alignment, iterating through feedback. When you build for yourself, that layer disappears. You’re not trying to impress anyone; you’re trying to make something ",[2597],{"type":804,"attrs":2598},{"color":806},{"text":2600,"type":34,"marks":2601},"work",[2602,2604],{"type":804,"attrs":2603},{"color":806},{"type":332},{"text":2606,"type":34,"marks":2607},".",[2608],{"type":804,"attrs":2609},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":2611,"content":2612},{"textAlign":30},[2613],{"text":2614,"type":34,"marks":2615},"That changes everything. You start designing for outcomes, not applause. You make decisions faster, validate ideas with smaller bets, and let real-world behaviour (not opinions!) guide the next iteration.",[2616],{"type":804,"attrs":2617},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":2619,"content":2620},{"textAlign":30},[2621,2626,2632],{"text":2622,"type":34,"marks":2623},"It’s a mindset we’ve carried into our client work. With corporate clients especially, this helps us push toward ",[2624],{"type":804,"attrs":2625},{"color":806},{"text":2627,"type":34,"marks":2628},"evidence over assumption",[2629,2631],{"type":804,"attrs":2630},{"color":806},{"type":184},{"text":2633,"type":34,"marks":2634},". We use the same lean testing, validation and iteration patterns we use on our own products to help large organisations move faster. It’s helped us teach teams to act more nimbly within enterprise structures: to test, learn, and evolve rather than plan endlessly and ship too late.",[2635],{"type":804,"attrs":2636},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":2638,"content":2639},{"textAlign":30},[2640],{"text":2641,"type":34,"marks":2642},"By building in-house, we’ve lived the friction of getting things live, the anxiety of feedback, and the thrill of quick wins. So when we help our corporate partners shift gears, we’re not speaking theory, we’re sharing mexperience.",[2643],{"type":804,"attrs":2644},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":2646},{"textAlign":30},{"type":1870},{"type":28,"attrs":2649},{"textAlign":30},{"type":306,"attrs":2651,"content":2652},{"level":308,"textAlign":30},[2653],{"text":2654,"type":34,"marks":2655},"3. Feeling the friction first-hand",[2656,2658],{"type":804,"attrs":2657},{"color":806},{"type":184},{"type":28,"attrs":2660,"content":2661},{"textAlign":30},[2662],{"text":2663,"type":34,"marks":2664},"Nothing teaches empathy faster than living your own UX debt.",[2665],{"type":804,"attrs":2666},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":2668,"content":2669},{"textAlign":30},[2670],{"text":2671,"type":34,"marks":2672},"When you use your own product every day, you can’t escape your own design flaws. You notice the clicks that shouldn’t be there, the confusing moments, the missing states. It’s confronting, and it builds empathy for clients navigating their own imperfect systems.",[2673],{"type":804,"attrs":2674},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":2676,"content":2677},{"textAlign":30},[2678,2683,2689,2694,2700],{"text":2679,"type":34,"marks":2680},"From a ",[2681],{"type":804,"attrs":2682},{"color":806},{"text":2684,"type":34,"marks":2685},"technical perspective",[2686,2688],{"type":804,"attrs":2687},{"color":806},{"type":184},{"text":2690,"type":34,"marks":2691},", this has been huge for us. Building in-house has helped us get narrower on ",[2692],{"type":804,"attrs":2693},{"color":806},{"text":2695,"type":34,"marks":2696},"when to ship fast and when to ship slow",[2697,2699],{"type":804,"attrs":2698},{"color":806},{"type":184},{"text":2701,"type":34,"marks":2702}," and how to balance technical debt. We’ve learned that sometimes velocity is the right move: get the thing live, learn, and fix later. Other times, you need to slow down and harden foundations before the cracks spread.",[2703],{"type":804,"attrs":2704},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":2706,"content":2707},{"textAlign":30},[2708],{"text":2709,"type":34,"marks":2710},"That awareness has reshaped our engineering culture. We’re more deliberate about documenting why we made a shortcut, not just where. We plan for iteration instead of pretending we’ll get it perfect. And that makes us better technical partners for our clients; more pragmatic, more transparent, and more strategic about long-term architecture.",[2711],{"type":804,"attrs":2712},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":2714},{"textAlign":30},{"type":1870},{"type":28,"attrs":2717},{"textAlign":30},{"type":306,"attrs":2719,"content":2720},{"level":308,"textAlign":30},[2721],{"text":2722,"type":34,"marks":2723},"4. Building empathy through shared experience",[2724,2726],{"type":804,"attrs":2725},{"color":806},{"type":184},{"type":28,"attrs":2728,"content":2729},{"textAlign":30},[2730],{"text":2731,"type":34,"marks":2732},"There’s something powerful about being able to tell a client, “we’ve been there.” We’ve shipped products that stumbled, refactored code that aged badly, struggled with onboarding and adoption. We’ve debated features that excited us but confused users. We’ve delayed launches to fix bugs that no one else could see but we knew mattered.",[2733],{"type":804,"attrs":2734},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":2736,"content":2737},{"textAlign":30},[2738],{"text":2739,"type":34,"marks":2740},"We’ve created a business that tried to flip the real estate market on its head (a lesson in starting small), a ‘Canva Lite’ (a lesson in keeping scope tight), a simple content translation tool (if only we’d seen the Ai wave coming) - all of them have made us better product partners than we were before.",[2741],{"type":804,"attrs":2742},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":2744,"content":2745},{"textAlign":30},[2746],{"text":2747,"type":34,"marks":2748},"That lived experience changes the relationship. It moves conversations from vendor\u002Fclient to co-founder\u002Fpartner. It helps us connect with product owners and internal stakeholders who are balancing competing priorities, political realities, and the weight of decision-making.",[2749],{"type":804,"attrs":2750},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":2752,"content":2753},{"textAlign":30},[2754],{"text":2755,"type":34,"marks":2756},"It’s empathy grounded in reality and it helps us show up with more patience, more precision, and better questions.",[2757],{"type":804,"attrs":2758},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":2760},{"textAlign":30},{"type":1870},{"type":28,"attrs":2763},{"textAlign":30},{"type":306,"attrs":2765,"content":2766},{"level":308,"textAlign":30},[2767],{"text":2768,"type":34,"marks":2769},"5. Closing the loop: walking the same path",[2770,2772],{"type":804,"attrs":2771},{"color":806},{"type":184},{"type":28,"attrs":2774,"content":2775},{"textAlign":30},[2776],{"text":2777,"type":34,"marks":2778},"Empathy isn’t a buzzword, it’s earned experience. By building our own products, we’ve lived the thrill of a launch and the fatigue of iteration.",[2779],{"type":804,"attrs":2780},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":2782,"content":2783},{"textAlign":30},[2784,2789,2795],{"text":2785,"type":34,"marks":2786},"We get that the dynamic of client (holding the ",[2787],{"type":804,"attrs":2788},{"color":806},{"type":2790,"attrs":2791},"emoji",{"name":2792,"emoji":2793,"fallbackImage":2794},"moneybag","💰","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.jsdelivr.net\u002Fnpm\u002Femoji-datasource-apple\u002Fimg\u002Fapple\u002F64\u002F1f4b0.png",{"text":2796,"type":34,"marks":2797},") and supplier is a powerful thing, and look, we’re a commercial entity so we have to make money (in a sensible and honest way) but this has made us far more aware of what it can be like on the other side of the table.",[2798],{"type":804,"attrs":2799},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":2801,"content":2802},{"textAlign":30},[2803],{"text":2804,"type":34,"marks":2805},"It’s made us better designers, better technologists, and better advisors. It’s helped us guide clients through uncertainty with more confidence and more respect for their constraints. And it’s reinforced a truth that sits at the core of how we work at Grade: that great digital products don’t just come from great ideas, they come from great empathy.",[2806],{"type":804,"attrs":2807},{"color":806},{"id":2809,"alt":2810,"name":19,"focus":19,"title":19,"source":19,"filename":2500,"copyright":19,"fieldtype":44,"meta_data":2811,"is_external_url":40},111631309017665,"a design team at a meeting table",{"alt":2810,"title":19,"source":19,"copyright":19},"Building products for clients is one thing, but building them for yourself is another. The stakes feel different, the constraints are real, and the feedback loop hits closer to home.\n\nAt Grade, we’ve created our own products a few times over the years, and this has fundamentally changed how we understand our clients - not just what they need, but what it feels like to be in their shoes.",[408],"build-more-empathy-with-our-clients","blog\u002Fbuild-more-empathy-with-our-clients","2025-05-15",-140,[416,2819,105,2820,2821,418,2822],"CRM","Grade GPS","Hubspot","UX","4074ae6e-192e-4433-a245-f922b036cd0d","2025-11-12T10:31:47.985Z",[],{"name":2827,"created_at":2828,"published_at":2829,"updated_at":2830,"id":2831,"uuid":59,"content":2832,"slug":3102,"full_slug":3103,"sort_by_date":3104,"position":3105,"tag_list":3106,"is_startpage":40,"parent_id":113,"meta_data":30,"group_id":3107,"first_published_at":3108,"release_id":30,"lang":116,"path":30,"alternates":3109,"default_full_slug":30,"translated_slugs":30},"Why Grade Became a B Corp: Building Digital for Good","2026-03-05T01:35:29.628Z","2026-03-31T04:20:30.805Z","2026-03-31T04:20:30.826Z",151490271796084,{"_uid":962,"body":2833,"title":3087,"metatags":3088,"component":386,"topicTags":3093,"contentText":3094,"headerImage":3098,"introduction":3100,"shareNetworks":3101},[2834,2849,2854],{"_uid":2835,"lead":2836,"text":2837,"headline":19,"alignment":37,"component":38,"isPageTitle":40,"showDivider":40,"useWideText":40,"useLargerTitle":40},"e2a979ca-caf5-436f-af77-a8ed429833b8","At Grade, our tagline is simple: Digital for Good. But what does that actually mean in practice?",{"type":25,"content":2838},[2839,2844],{"type":28,"attrs":2840,"content":2841},{"textAlign":30},[2842],{"text":2843,"type":34},"Becoming a certified B Corp™ was an important step in answering that question. The certification reflects a commitment to operating responsibly, creating long-term value, and ensuring that the digital products we build contribute positively to the world.",{"type":28,"attrs":2845,"content":2846},{"textAlign":30},[2847],{"text":2848,"type":34},"To mark our first B Corp Month as a certified B Corp™, we sat down with Grade founder Matt Bachle to talk about why the business chose to pursue certification and what the process has meant for the team and the way we work.",{"_uid":2850,"video":2851,"component":254,"embedCode":2853},"5e70c888-843d-4f28-af5e-8ac9affa7c1c",{"id":30,"alt":30,"name":19,"focus":30,"title":30,"source":30,"filename":19,"copyright":30,"fieldtype":44,"meta_data":2852},{},"\u003Ciframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002F3768_7_cEIw?si=bjFsiIZ1ETAOqDzV\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen>\u003C\u002Fiframe>",{"_uid":2855,"lead":19,"text":2856,"headline":19,"alignment":37,"component":38,"isPageTitle":40,"showDivider":39,"useWideText":40,"useLargerTitle":40},"856e32f1-25a8-415b-8e4d-df1c833c1b71",{"type":25,"content":2857},[2858,2863,2868,2873,2886,2891,2896,2901,2906,2919,2924,2929,2934,2939,2944,2957,2962,2967,2972,2977,2982,2987,2992,2997,3002,3007,3011,3025,3030,3034,3039,3044,3049,3054,3059,3064,3077],{"type":306,"attrs":2859,"content":2860},{"level":480,"textAlign":30},[2861],{"text":2862,"type":34},"What Does It Mean to Be a B Corp?",{"type":28,"attrs":2864,"content":2865},{"textAlign":30},[2866],{"text":2867,"type":34},"B Corp certification recognises businesses that meet high standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency.",{"type":28,"attrs":2869,"content":2870},{"textAlign":30},[2871],{"text":2872,"type":34},"For Matt, the certification was about validating something that had always been part of Grade’s philosophy.",{"type":28,"attrs":2874,"content":2875},{"textAlign":30},[2876,2880,2882],{"text":2877,"type":34,"marks":2878},"“For many years we talked about operating in an ethical and responsible way,” ",[2879],{"type":332},{"text":2881,"type":34},"Matt explains.",{"text":2883,"type":34,"marks":2884}," “But that was just our word. Becoming a B Corp allowed us to validate that through a rigorous set of standards.”",[2885],{"type":332},{"type":28,"attrs":2887,"content":2888},{"textAlign":30},[2889],{"text":2890,"type":34},"The process assesses how a business operates across a wide range of areas including governance, team culture, environmental impact, and community engagement.",{"type":306,"attrs":2892,"content":2893},{"level":480,"textAlign":30},[2894],{"text":2895,"type":34},"Why Grade Chose to Become a B Corp",{"type":28,"attrs":2897,"content":2898},{"textAlign":30},[2899],{"text":2900,"type":34},"Grade was founded in 2012 with a simple idea: that a digital business could operate differently.",{"type":28,"attrs":2902,"content":2903},{"textAlign":30},[2904],{"text":2905,"type":34},"Rather than focusing solely on commercial growth, the ambition was to build an organisation that contributes positively to the world.",{"type":28,"attrs":2907,"content":2908},{"textAlign":30},[2909,2913,2915],{"text":2910,"type":34,"marks":2911},"“When I started Grade, the goal wasn’t purely commercial,” ",[2912],{"type":332},{"text":2914,"type":34},"Matt says.",{"text":2916,"type":34,"marks":2917}," “It was about building an organisation that adds something to the world rather than extracting from it.”",[2918],{"type":332},{"type":28,"attrs":2920,"content":2921},{"textAlign":30},[2922],{"text":2923,"type":34},"Becoming a B Corp created a formal framework that helps the business hold itself accountable to that intention.",{"type":28,"attrs":2925,"content":2926},{"textAlign":30},[2927],{"text":2928,"type":34},"The certification process challenged the team to examine everything from internal decision-making to how the company collaborates with clients and partners.",{"type":306,"attrs":2930,"content":2931},{"level":480,"textAlign":30},[2932],{"text":2933,"type":34},"How B Corp Shapes the Way Grade Works",{"type":28,"attrs":2935,"content":2936},{"textAlign":30},[2937],{"text":2938,"type":34},"One of the most valuable outcomes of the B Corp journey has been the way it influences everyday decisions.",{"type":28,"attrs":2940,"content":2941},{"textAlign":30},[2942],{"text":2943,"type":34},"The framework acts as a lens through which the team evaluates the work it takes on and the impact that work can have.",{"type":28,"attrs":2945,"content":2946},{"textAlign":30},[2947,2951,2953],{"text":2948,"type":34,"marks":2949},"“It gives us a framework to sense-check what we’re doing,” ",[2950],{"type":332},{"text":2952,"type":34},"Matt explains. “",{"text":2954,"type":34,"marks":2955},"That includes how we operate as a team, the clients we work with, and the work we put into the world.”",[2956],{"type":332},{"type":28,"attrs":2958,"content":2959},{"textAlign":30},[2960],{"text":2961,"type":34},"Importantly, positive impact can take many forms. While some projects focus on environmental challenges, others create meaningful change through health, community services, or public information platforms.",{"type":28,"attrs":2963,"content":2964},{"textAlign":30},[2965],{"text":2966,"type":34},"What matters is that the work contributes to outcomes that serve people, communities, and systems.",{"type":306,"attrs":2968,"content":2969},{"level":480,"textAlign":30},[2970],{"text":2971,"type":34},"Strengthening Team Culture and Transparency",{"type":28,"attrs":2973,"content":2974},{"textAlign":30},[2975],{"text":2976,"type":34},"Another unexpected benefit of the B Corp process was the impact it had on team culture.",{"type":28,"attrs":2978,"content":2979},{"textAlign":30},[2980],{"text":2981,"type":34},"The certification required a deeper level of transparency around how the business operates, which led to more open communication and stronger engagement across the organisation.",{"type":28,"attrs":2983,"content":2984},{"textAlign":30},[2985],{"text":2986,"type":34},"“We realised we needed to share more information with the team about how the business works and how decisions are made,” Matt says. “That openness has created a level of engagement we hadn’t seen before.”",{"type":28,"attrs":2988,"content":2989},{"textAlign":30},[2990],{"text":2991,"type":34},"By involving the wider team more closely in decisions and direction, the organisation has developed a stronger shared sense of purpose.",{"type":306,"attrs":2993,"content":2994},{"level":480,"textAlign":30},[2995],{"text":2996,"type":34},"What “Digital for Good” Means in Practice",{"type":28,"attrs":2998,"content":2999},{"textAlign":30},[3000],{"text":3001,"type":34},"For Grade, Digital for Good is not just a tagline.",{"type":28,"attrs":3003,"content":3004},{"textAlign":30},[3005],{"text":3006,"type":34},"It reflects both the outcomes of the digital products we build and the way we build them.",{"type":28,"attrs":3008,"content":3009},{"textAlign":30},[3010],{"text":1770,"type":34},{"type":28,"attrs":3012,"content":3013},{"textAlign":30},[3014,3016,3017,3019,3020,3022,3023],{"text":3015,"type":34},"• Designing digital platforms that improve access to information and services",{"type":327},{"text":3018,"type":34},"• Supporting organisations creating positive environmental and social impact",{"type":327},{"text":3021,"type":34},"• Building products that are sustainable, resilient, and useful over time",{"type":327},{"text":3024,"type":34},"• Working collaboratively with teams and partners to create better outcomes",{"type":28,"attrs":3026,"content":3027},{"textAlign":30},[3028],{"text":3029,"type":34},"The aim is to create digital systems that contribute to healthier communities, stronger organisations, and more sustainable futures.",{"type":306,"attrs":3031,"content":3032},{"level":480,"textAlign":30},[3033],{"text":1518,"type":34},{"type":28,"attrs":3035,"content":3036},{"textAlign":30},[3037],{"text":3038,"type":34},"As Grade continues to grow, the B Corp framework will remain central to how the business evolves.",{"type":28,"attrs":3040,"content":3041},{"textAlign":30},[3042],{"text":3043,"type":34},"The team is already working with organisations creating environmental impact internationally, supporting public health initiatives, and exploring the ethical use of emerging technologies such as AI.",{"type":28,"attrs":3045,"content":3046},{"textAlign":30},[3047],{"text":3048,"type":34},"For Matt, the B Corp certification is not an end point but a guide for what comes next.",{"type":28,"attrs":3050,"content":3051},{"textAlign":30},[3052],{"text":3053,"type":34},"“The process added a level of rigour to everything we do,” he says. “It challenged us to mature as a business and to make sure we’re operating in a way that is ethical, fair, and positive for the world.”",{"type":28,"attrs":3055,"content":3056},{"textAlign":30},[3057],{"text":3058,"type":34},"That’s what Digital for Good means to us.",{"type":306,"attrs":3060,"content":3061},{"level":480,"textAlign":30},[3062],{"text":3063,"type":34},"Watch the Full Conversation",{"type":28,"attrs":3065,"content":3066},{"textAlign":30},[3067,3069,3075],{"text":3068,"type":34},"You can watch the full interview with Matt Bachle ",{"text":3070,"type":34,"marks":3071},"here,",[3072],{"type":216,"attrs":3073},{"href":3074,"uuid":30,"anchor":30,"custom":30,"target":220,"linktype":221},"https:\u002F\u002Fyoutu.be\u002F3768_7_cEIw?si=XKLi2dC_ZkOTakI9",{"text":3076,"type":34}," where we discuss the B Corp journey, the lessons learned along the way, and how Grade approaches building digital products that create lasting impact.",{"type":28,"attrs":3078,"content":3079},{"textAlign":30},[3080,3082],{"text":3081,"type":34},"If your organisation is exploring a new digital platform, product, or transformation initiative, ",{"text":3083,"type":34,"marks":3084},"we’d love to talk.",[3085],{"type":216,"attrs":3086},{"href":372,"uuid":373,"anchor":30,"custom":30,"target":220,"linktype":375},"Why Grade Became a B Corp",{"_uid":964,"title":3089,"plugin":93,"og_image":966,"og_title":3087,"description":3090,"twitter_image":966,"twitter_title":3087,"og_description":3091,"twitter_description":3092},"Why Grade Became a B Corp | Digital for Good","Grade founder Matt Bachle shares why Grade became a certified B Corp and how the framework is shaping the way we build digital products for long-term impact.","In this interview, Grade founder Matt Bachle explains why the business became a certified B Corp and how the framework is shaping the way we approach strategy, decisions, and digital products.","Grade founder Matt Bachle shares why the business became a certified B Corp and what the process revealed about building digital products for long-term impact.",[392,112,389,937,390,393,108,415],{"type":25,"content":3095},[3096],{"type":28,"attrs":3097},{"textAlign":30},{"id":1079,"alt":1080,"name":19,"focus":19,"title":1081,"source":1009,"filename":1082,"copyright":1009,"fieldtype":44,"meta_data":3099,"is_external_url":40},{"alt":1080,"title":1081,"source":1009,"copyright":1009},"To mark our first B Corp Month as a certified B Corp™, we sat down with Grade founder Matt Bachle to talk about why the business pursued certification and how it’s shaping the way we build digital products for long term impact.",[408,1086,925],"why-grade-became-a-b-corp-building-digital-for-good","blog\u002Fwhy-grade-became-a-b-corp-building-digital-for-good","2026-03-05",-160,[415,1092,393,108,109,417,112,390],"fc7b4980-8715-45b6-912f-3a2184ab2ca7","2026-03-05T02:53:57.650Z",[],{"name":967,"created_at":3111,"published_at":3112,"updated_at":3113,"id":3114,"uuid":60,"content":3115,"slug":3353,"full_slug":3354,"sort_by_date":3355,"position":3356,"tag_list":3357,"is_startpage":40,"parent_id":113,"meta_data":30,"group_id":3360,"first_published_at":3361,"release_id":30,"lang":116,"path":30,"alternates":3362,"default_full_slug":30,"translated_slugs":30},"2025-10-07T06:12:33.662Z","2026-03-31T04:20:30.276Z","2026-03-31T04:20:30.294Z",98828098230387,{"_uid":962,"title":19,"metatags":3116,"component":386,"topicTags":3117,"contentText":3118,"headerImage":3346,"introduction":3351,"shareNetworks":3352},{"_uid":964,"title":965,"plugin":93,"og_image":966,"og_title":967,"description":968,"twitter_image":966,"twitter_title":967,"og_description":969,"twitter_description":970},[392,112,389,937,390,108],{"type":25,"content":3119},[3120,3132,3140,3149,3165,3174,3182,3190,3199,3207,3257,3265,3274,3282,3290,3297,3304,3311,3318,3325,3332,3339],{"type":28,"attrs":3121,"content":3122},{"textAlign":30},[3123,3129],{"text":3124,"type":34,"marks":3125},"Why Grade is a Certified B Corporation",[3126,3128],{"type":804,"attrs":3127},{"color":806},{"type":184},{"text":983,"type":34,"marks":3130},[3131],{"type":184},{"type":28,"attrs":3133,"content":3134},{"textAlign":30},[3135],{"text":3136,"type":34,"marks":3137},"Grade is proud to be a Certified B Corporation, part of a global community of businesses committed to balancing profit with purpose. This certification reflects our commitment to meeting rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency.",[3138],{"type":804,"attrs":3139},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":3141,"content":3142},{"textAlign":30},[3143],{"text":3144,"type":34,"marks":3145},"What It Means to Be a B Corp",[3146,3148],{"type":804,"attrs":3147},{"color":806},{"type":184},{"type":28,"attrs":3150,"content":3151},{"textAlign":30},[3152,3157,3160],{"text":3153,"type":34,"marks":3154},"B Corp Certification, awarded by the non-profit organisation B Lab",[3155],{"type":804,"attrs":3156},{"color":806},{"text":983,"type":34,"marks":3158},[3159],{"type":184},{"text":3161,"type":34,"marks":3162},", evaluates companies based on their impact on all stakeholders, including workers, customers, communities, and the environment. It’s a recognition of businesses that operate with integrity and purpose, ensuring positive outcomes for both people and the planet.",[3163],{"type":804,"attrs":3164},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":3166,"content":3167},{"textAlign":30},[3168],{"text":3169,"type":34,"marks":3170},"Why We Chose to Become a B Corp",[3171,3173],{"type":804,"attrs":3172},{"color":806},{"type":184},{"type":28,"attrs":3175,"content":3176},{"textAlign":30},[3177],{"text":3178,"type":34,"marks":3179},"At Grade, our mission has always been to create human-centred digital products that drive positive change. Becoming a B Corp aligns with our values and provides a transparent framework for holding ourselves accountable. It’s a way of ensuring that every decision we make and every project we deliver contributes to a sustainable, equitable future.",[3180],{"type":804,"attrs":3181},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":3183,"content":3184},{"textAlign":30},[3185],{"text":3186,"type":34,"marks":3187},"We prioritise partnerships that align with our Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles and collaborate with organisations that share our commitment to creating meaningful impact. B Corp Certification reinforces this dedication, offering our clients and partners the assurance that we’re not just talking about impact -we’re delivering it.",[3188],{"type":804,"attrs":3189},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":3191,"content":3192},{"textAlign":30},[3193],{"text":3194,"type":34,"marks":3195},"What It Means for Our Clients and Partners",[3196,3198],{"type":804,"attrs":3197},{"color":806},{"type":184},{"type":28,"attrs":3200,"content":3201},{"textAlign":30},[3202],{"text":3203,"type":34,"marks":3204},"For our clients and partners, working with a Certified B Corporation means collaborating with a team that:",[3205],{"type":804,"attrs":3206},{"color":806},{"type":675,"content":3208},[3209,3225,3241],{"type":678,"content":3210},[3211],{"type":28,"attrs":3212,"content":3213},{"textAlign":30},[3214,3220],{"text":3215,"type":34,"marks":3216},"Demonstrates Proven Impact",[3217,3219],{"type":804,"attrs":3218},{"color":806},{"type":184},{"text":3221,"type":34,"marks":3222},": Our work is evaluated to ensure it delivers measurable benefits for people and the planet.",[3223],{"type":804,"attrs":3224},{"color":806},{"type":678,"content":3226},[3227],{"type":28,"attrs":3228,"content":3229},{"textAlign":30},[3230,3236],{"text":3231,"type":34,"marks":3232},"Operates Transparently",[3233,3235],{"type":804,"attrs":3234},{"color":806},{"type":184},{"text":3237,"type":34,"marks":3238},": We openly share our performance and impact, fostering trust and accountability.",[3239],{"type":804,"attrs":3240},{"color":806},{"type":678,"content":3242},[3243],{"type":28,"attrs":3244,"content":3245},{"textAlign":30},[3246,3252],{"text":3247,"type":34,"marks":3248},"Commits to Ethical Practices",[3249,3251],{"type":804,"attrs":3250},{"color":806},{"type":184},{"text":3253,"type":34,"marks":3254},": We are legally bound to consider the impact of our decisions on all stakeholders, ensuring responsible governance.",[3255],{"type":804,"attrs":3256},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":3258,"content":3259},{"textAlign":30},[3260],{"text":3261,"type":34,"marks":3262},"This certification enhances our ability to deliver innovative digital solutions that are not only effective but also rooted in ethical and sustainable practices.",[3263],{"type":804,"attrs":3264},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":3266,"content":3267},{"textAlign":30},[3268],{"text":3269,"type":34,"marks":3270},"Continuing the Journey",[3271,3273],{"type":804,"attrs":3272},{"color":806},{"type":184},{"type":28,"attrs":3275,"content":3276},{"textAlign":30},[3277],{"text":3278,"type":34,"marks":3279},"Becoming a B Corp is not the end of the road - it’s the beginning of a continuous journey. As we grow and evolve, we remain committed to reassessing and improving our practices to ensure we consistently deliver on our promise of positive impact.",[3280],{"type":804,"attrs":3281},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":3283,"content":3284},{"textAlign":30},[3285],{"text":3286,"type":34,"marks":3287},"This certification serves as a reminder of what we stand for and the difference we strive to make in every project, partnership, and decision. At Grade, we’re proud to use business as a force for good. that has challenged and inspired us in equal measure. For any business, committing to the rigorous B Corp process was a big step, but it was one we felt was essential to make. This milestone is not just a badge; it’s a reflection of who we are, how we work, and the values that have driven Grade since day one.",[3288],{"type":804,"attrs":3289},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":3291,"content":3292},{"textAlign":30},[3293],{"text":993,"type":34,"marks":3294},[3295],{"type":804,"attrs":3296},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":3298,"content":3299},{"textAlign":30},[3300],{"text":1024,"type":34,"marks":3301},[3302],{"type":804,"attrs":3303},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":3305,"content":3306},{"textAlign":30},[3307],{"text":1032,"type":34,"marks":3308},[3309],{"type":804,"attrs":3310},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":3312,"content":3313},{"textAlign":30},[3314],{"text":1040,"type":34,"marks":3315},[3316],{"type":804,"attrs":3317},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":3319,"content":3320},{"textAlign":30},[3321],{"text":1050,"type":34,"marks":3322},[3323],{"type":804,"attrs":3324},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":3326,"content":3327},{"textAlign":30},[3328],{"text":1058,"type":34,"marks":3329},[3330],{"type":804,"attrs":3331},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":3333,"content":3334},{"textAlign":30},[3335],{"text":1066,"type":34,"marks":3336},[3337],{"type":804,"attrs":3338},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":3340,"content":3341},{"textAlign":30},[3342],{"text":1074,"type":34,"marks":3343},[3344],{"type":804,"attrs":3345},{"color":806},{"id":3347,"alt":3348,"name":19,"focus":19,"title":3348,"source":19,"filename":3349,"copyright":19,"fieldtype":44,"meta_data":3350,"is_external_url":40},98836763686895,"Grade Is Now Proudly B Corp Certified","https:\u002F\u002Fa.storyblok.com\u002Ff\u002F179979\u002F1920x1080\u002F9b5d1f1e1a\u002Fgrade-is-now-proudly-b-corp-certified.png",{"alt":3348,"title":3348,"source":19,"copyright":19},"Why we chose to become a B Corp™",[408,1086,925],"grade-is-now-b-corp-certified","blog\u002Fgrade-is-now-b-corp-certified","2025-10-07",-180,[3358,415,416,1092,3359,105,108,109,112,390],"Accessibility","Design","b09e0f90-cd84-4f68-92c9-8c441d75193b","2025-10-07T06:49:00.000Z",[],{"name":3364,"created_at":3365,"published_at":3366,"updated_at":3367,"id":3368,"uuid":61,"content":3369,"slug":3566,"full_slug":3567,"sort_by_date":2816,"position":2817,"tag_list":3568,"is_startpage":40,"parent_id":113,"meta_data":30,"group_id":3569,"first_published_at":3570,"release_id":30,"lang":116,"path":30,"alternates":3571,"default_full_slug":30,"translated_slugs":30},"What to Consider When Choosing a CRM (and Why Tech-Led Strategy Matters)","2025-05-15T00:59:30.502Z","2026-03-31T04:20:31.534Z","2026-03-31T04:20:31.599Z",670906295,{"_uid":962,"title":19,"metatags":3370,"component":386,"topicTags":3377,"contentText":3378,"headerImage":3557,"introduction":3564,"shareNetworks":3565},{"_uid":964,"title":3371,"plugin":93,"og_image":3372,"og_title":3373,"description":3374,"twitter_image":3372,"twitter_title":3373,"og_description":3375,"twitter_description":3376},"What to Consider When Choosing a CRM in 2025 ","https:\u002F\u002Fa.storyblok.com\u002Ff\u002F179979\u002F1200x630\u002F98cb56b342\u002Fabstract-birds-tree-og.png","What to Consider When Choosing a CRM in 2025","Choosing a CRM? Start with strategy. Here’s what to consider before you commit—features, fit, integrations and more. Built from 13 years of experience.","With over 13 years helping teams select and implement digital systems, Grade shares the key questions to ask before picking a CRM—and why strategy matters.","Grade's team outlines what to prioritise before picking your next CRM—strategy, usability, and long-term fit.",[],{"type":25,"content":3379},[3380,3384,3390,3394,3398,3418,3422,3428,3432,3444,3450,3454,3480,3484,3490,3494,3504,3510,3514,3534,3538,3544,3548],{"type":28,"content":3381},[3382],{"text":3383,"type":34},"A good CRM doesn’t just track contacts—it should help your organisation build stronger relationships, streamline internal workflows, and unlock smarter growth. But with hundreds of options available, selecting the right CRM can quickly become overwhelming. Here are some helpful things to consider when navigating your CRM options.",{"type":28,"content":3385},[3386],{"text":3387,"type":34,"marks":3388},"1. Start With Real Needs, Not Features",[3389],{"type":184},{"type":28,"content":3391},[3392],{"text":3393,"type":34},"It’s easy to get distracted by CRM comparison tables packed with functionality—but features don’t matter if they don’t solve your actual problems.",{"type":28,"content":3395},[3396],{"text":3397,"type":34},"Before you dive into demos, get clear on:",{"type":675,"content":3399},[3400,3406,3412],{"type":678,"content":3401},[3402],{"type":28,"content":3403},[3404],{"text":3405,"type":34},"What processes you want to improve (e.g. lead tracking, stakeholder engagement, membership renewals)",{"type":678,"content":3407},[3408],{"type":28,"content":3409},[3410],{"text":3411,"type":34},"What integrations you need (CMS, email, payment gateways)",{"type":678,"content":3413},[3414],{"type":28,"content":3415},[3416],{"text":3417,"type":34},"Who your core users are and how tech-savvy they are",{"type":28,"content":3419},[3420],{"text":3421,"type":34},"If you skip this, you risk picking a powerful tool no one ends up using.",{"type":28,"content":3423},[3424],{"text":3425,"type":34,"marks":3426},"2. Match Your Team’s Maturity",[3427],{"type":184},{"type":28,"content":3429},[3430],{"text":3431,"type":34},"Some CRMs are great for high-volume sales pipelines. Others are built for long lead cycles, internal service tracking, or campaign attribution. What matters is matching your team’s digital maturity and resourcing.",{"type":28,"content":3433},[3434,3436,3442],{"text":3435,"type":34},"We often recommend tools like ",{"text":3437,"type":34,"marks":3438},"HubSpot",[3439],{"type":216,"attrs":3440},{"href":3441,"uuid":30,"anchor":30,"target":220,"linktype":221},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.hubspot.com\u002F",{"text":3443,"type":34}," because of their flexibility—it’s scalable from basic to advanced setups, and integrates well with content and marketing platforms. ",{"type":28,"content":3445},[3446],{"text":3447,"type":34,"marks":3448},"3. Consider Your Broader Tech Stack",[3449],{"type":184},{"type":28,"content":3451},[3452],{"text":3453,"type":34},"CRMs don’t exist in isolation. Think about how your CRM will integrate with:",{"type":675,"content":3455},[3456,3462,3468,3474],{"type":678,"content":3457},[3458],{"type":28,"content":3459},[3460],{"text":3461,"type":34},"Your website or CMS",{"type":678,"content":3463},[3464],{"type":28,"content":3465},[3466],{"text":3467,"type":34},"Email marketing or automation tools",{"type":678,"content":3469},[3470],{"type":28,"content":3471},[3472],{"text":3473,"type":34},"Customer support systems",{"type":678,"content":3475},[3476],{"type":28,"content":3477},[3478],{"text":3479,"type":34},"Reporting dashboards or BI tools",{"type":28,"content":3481},[3482],{"text":3483,"type":34},"If your systems are fragmented, the CRM can act as a glue—but only if you plan it that way.",{"type":28,"content":3485},[3486],{"text":3487,"type":34,"marks":3488},"4. Don’t Skip the Human-Centered Bit",[3489],{"type":184},{"type":28,"content":3491},[3492],{"text":3493,"type":34},"Even the best tool will fail if people don’t use it.",{"type":28,"content":3495},[3496,3502],{"text":2820,"type":34,"marks":3497},[3498],{"type":216,"attrs":3499},{"href":3500,"uuid":3501,"anchor":30,"target":220,"linktype":375},"\u002Fstrategic-product","1933c271-f809-4eb4-8809-16627606ca95",{"text":3503,"type":34},", our guided product strategy process, often starts with stakeholder interviews and systems mapping. We uncover how teams actually work, what’s getting in their way, and where a CRM can make the biggest impact—before jumping into configuration or migration.",{"type":28,"content":3505},[3506],{"text":3507,"type":34,"marks":3508},"5. Think Long-Term",[3509],{"type":184},{"type":28,"content":3511},[3512],{"text":3513,"type":34},"The right CRM should evolve with you. Look for a platform that can:",{"type":675,"content":3515},[3516,3522,3528],{"type":678,"content":3517},[3518],{"type":28,"content":3519},[3520],{"text":3521,"type":34},"Be customised as your needs shift",{"type":678,"content":3523},[3524],{"type":28,"content":3525},[3526],{"text":3527,"type":34},"Support multi-team collaboration",{"type":678,"content":3529},[3530],{"type":28,"content":3531},[3532],{"text":3533,"type":34},"Provide visibility across functions (without turning into spreadsheet chaos)",{"type":28,"content":3535},[3536],{"text":3537,"type":34},"And make sure you’ve got the right support in place—internal or external—to train teams and maintain data quality.",{"type":28,"content":3539},[3540],{"text":3541,"type":34,"marks":3542},"Need some help choosing?",[3543],{"type":184},{"type":28,"content":3545},[3546],{"text":3547,"type":34},"If your team is considering a CRM project and you're not sure where to start, we’d love to help. Our approach blends technical expertise with human insight to make sure your platform is built around your people—not the other way around.",{"type":28,"content":3549},[3550,3552],{"text":3551,"type":34},"Get in touch to book a free 30min CRM strategy call, say ",{"text":3553,"type":34,"marks":3554},"hello@grade.net.au",[3555],{"type":216,"attrs":3556},{"href":3553,"uuid":30,"anchor":30,"target":220,"linktype":925},{"id":3558,"alt":3559,"name":19,"focus":19,"title":3560,"source":772,"filename":3561,"copyright":3562,"fieldtype":44,"meta_data":3563,"is_external_url":40},22248784,"A group of birds perched across bare branches, symbolising structured connection and communication","Abstract metaphor for CRM – structure, relationship, and alignment","https:\u002F\u002Fa.storyblok.com\u002Ff\u002F179979\u002F1920x1080\u002F73ce74c1ea\u002Fcrm-connection-abstract-birds-tree-jpg.png","Yoel Winkler",{"alt":3559,"title":3560,"source":772,"copyright":3562},"At Grade, we’ve worked with government, non-profits, and scaling startups to support strategic digital infrastructure decisions. If you're looking to choose (or re-evaluate) a CRM, here's what we recommend considering—and why the right strategy upfront can save time and cost later.",[],"what-to-consider-when-choosing-a-crm-and-why-tech-led-strategy-matters-","blog\u002Fwhat-to-consider-when-choosing-a-crm-and-why-tech-led-strategy-matters-",[416,2819,105,2820,2821,418,2822],"1639b4c8-6b07-4208-9df1-2bdf48fd66ca","2025-05-15T11:04:00.000Z",[],{"name":3573,"created_at":3574,"published_at":3575,"updated_at":3576,"id":3577,"uuid":62,"content":3578,"slug":3772,"full_slug":3773,"sort_by_date":3774,"position":3775,"tag_list":3776,"is_startpage":40,"parent_id":113,"meta_data":30,"group_id":3777,"first_published_at":3778,"release_id":30,"lang":116,"path":30,"alternates":3779,"default_full_slug":30,"translated_slugs":30},"Introducing our new offering","2025-04-02T01:48:04.899Z","2026-03-31T04:20:30.034Z","2026-03-31T04:20:30.099Z",649086343,{"_uid":962,"title":19,"metatags":3579,"component":386,"topicTags":3583,"contentText":3584,"headerImage":3766,"introduction":3770,"shareNetworks":3771},{"_uid":964,"title":3580,"plugin":93,"og_image":3581,"og_title":3580,"description":3582,"twitter_image":3581,"twitter_title":3580,"og_description":3582,"twitter_description":3582},"Introducing our new offering | Grade","https:\u002F\u002Fa.storyblok.com\u002Ff\u002F179979\u002F4242x2828\u002F2959ff9fd8\u002Fmike-enerio-h58bnmnedtc-unsplash.jpg","Introducing and explaining our new service offering",[392,112,389,937,390,1092],{"type":25,"content":3585},[3586,3594,3602,3610,3618,3626,3646,3659,3744],{"type":28,"attrs":3587,"content":3588},{"textAlign":30},[3589],{"text":3590,"type":34,"marks":3591},"In the early days, we were happy being ‘doers’—designing and building great things, usually based on a clear brief from our clients. We executed well, but the direction was mostly set before we came in.",[3592],{"type":804,"attrs":3593},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":3595,"content":3596},{"textAlign":30},[3597],{"text":3598,"type":34,"marks":3599},"Over time, that started to shift. Clients began coming to us earlier—sometimes with just a rough idea or a spark of a thought—and we’d help shape it into something real.",[3600],{"type":804,"attrs":3601},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":3603,"content":3604},{"textAlign":30},[3605],{"text":3606,"type":34,"marks":3607},"As we worked more with impact-driven businesses, we found they often needed support making bigger decisions around their technical products. Interestingly, our corporate clients wanted that too—they wanted us in the room earlier, helping to shape strategy.",[3608],{"type":804,"attrs":3609},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":3611,"content":3612},{"textAlign":30},[3613],{"text":3614,"type":34,"marks":3615},"As the team grew and matured, it became clear that we could offer real value on the strategic side. Over the past couple of years, we’ve been leaning into that more—guiding product direction, helping teams make smarter commercial choices, and supporting long-term growth. And we've seen firsthand just how much of a difference it makes.",[3616],{"type":804,"attrs":3617},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":3619,"content":3620},{"textAlign":30},[3621],{"text":3622,"type":34,"marks":3623},"Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but I wish I’d listened to others and realised this so much sooner.",[3624],{"type":804,"attrs":3625},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":3627,"content":3628},{"textAlign":30},[3629,3634,3642],{"text":3630,"type":34,"marks":3631},"So I’m excited to share that we’re making it official. Today, we’re launching our new strategic service: ",[3632],{"type":804,"attrs":3633},{"color":806},{"text":2820,"type":34,"marks":3635},[3636,3639,3641],{"type":216,"attrs":3637},{"href":3638,"uuid":3501,"anchor":30,"target":220,"linktype":375},"https:\u002F\u002Fgrade.net.au\u002Fstrategic-product",{"type":804,"attrs":3640},{"color":806},{"type":184},{"text":2606,"type":34,"marks":3643},[3644],{"type":804,"attrs":3645},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":3647,"content":3648},{"textAlign":30},[3649,3654],{"text":2820,"type":34,"marks":3650},[3651,3653],{"type":804,"attrs":3652},{"color":806},{"type":184},{"text":3655,"type":34,"marks":3656}," is built to help you navigate the big (or small) questions and move forward with confidence. Here’s what it includes:",[3657],{"type":804,"attrs":3658},{"color":806},{"type":3660,"attrs":3661,"content":3663},"ordered_list",{"order":3662},1,[3664,3680,3696,3712,3728],{"type":678,"content":3665},[3666],{"type":28,"attrs":3667,"content":3668},{"textAlign":30},[3669,3675],{"text":3670,"type":34,"marks":3671},"Direction Discovery",[3672,3674],{"type":804,"attrs":3673},{"color":806},{"type":184},{"text":3676,"type":34,"marks":3677}," We help you uncover the best path forward by digging deep into your goals, users, and business context.",[3678],{"type":804,"attrs":3679},{"color":806},{"type":678,"content":3681},[3682],{"type":28,"attrs":3683,"content":3684},{"textAlign":30},[3685,3691],{"text":3686,"type":34,"marks":3687},"From Confusion to Clarity",[3688,3690],{"type":804,"attrs":3689},{"color":806},{"type":184},{"text":3692,"type":34,"marks":3693}," We bring structure and focus to your product thinking so your team can align and move with purpose.",[3694],{"type":804,"attrs":3695},{"color":806},{"type":678,"content":3697},[3698],{"type":28,"attrs":3699,"content":3700},{"textAlign":30},[3701,3707],{"text":3702,"type":34,"marks":3703},"Fast Track Your Path to Value",[3704,3706],{"type":804,"attrs":3705},{"color":806},{"type":184},{"text":3708,"type":34,"marks":3709}," We accelerate decision-making and delivery so you can realise value—and impact—sooner.",[3710],{"type":804,"attrs":3711},{"color":806},{"type":678,"content":3713},[3714],{"type":28,"attrs":3715,"content":3716},{"textAlign":30},[3717,3723],{"text":3718,"type":34,"marks":3719},"Launch Ready Product Marketing",[3720,3722],{"type":804,"attrs":3721},{"color":806},{"type":184},{"text":3724,"type":34,"marks":3725}," We support you in crafting go-to-market strategies that drive traction, adoption, and growth.",[3726],{"type":804,"attrs":3727},{"color":806},{"type":678,"content":3729},[3730],{"type":28,"attrs":3731,"content":3732},{"textAlign":30},[3733,3739],{"text":3734,"type":34,"marks":3735},"Your Fractional Product Manager",[3736,3738],{"type":804,"attrs":3737},{"color":806},{"type":184},{"text":3740,"type":34,"marks":3741}," We embed with your team as experienced product partners to guide delivery and drive momentum.",[3742],{"type":804,"attrs":3743},{"color":806},{"type":28,"attrs":3745,"content":3746},{"textAlign":30},[3747,3752,3761],{"text":3748,"type":34,"marks":3749},"We’re also offering a range of more tailored, hands-on services in and around this space—and ",[3750],{"type":804,"attrs":3751},{"color":806},{"text":3753,"type":34,"marks":3754},"we’d love to chat",[3755,3758,3760],{"type":216,"attrs":3756},{"href":3757,"uuid":373,"anchor":30,"target":220,"linktype":375},"https:\u002F\u002Fgrade.net.au\u002Fcontact",{"type":804,"attrs":3759},{"color":806},{"type":184},{"text":3762,"type":34,"marks":3763}," if you think any of it could be helpful.",[3764],{"type":804,"attrs":3765},{"color":806},{"id":3767,"alt":3768,"name":19,"focus":19,"title":19,"source":19,"filename":3581,"copyright":19,"fieldtype":44,"meta_data":3769,"is_external_url":40},21643860,"Aerial view of a garden with intersecting gravel paths, surrounded by green grass and wooden logs arranged decoratively.",{"alt":3768,"title":19,"source":19,"copyright":19},"Introducing Our New Offering",[408,1086,925],"introducing-our-new-offering","blog\u002Fintroducing-our-new-offering","2025-03-31",-190,[3358,416,1092,3359,105,108,109,112,390],"8a1f16d5-1022-42e2-a2ef-383167af3442","2025-03-31T00:00:00.000Z",[],38,12,"\u003Csvg xmlns=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.w3.org\u002F2000\u002Fsvg\" viewBox=\"0 0 140 160\" class=\"\">\u003Cpath d=\"M7.68 78.19A74.59 74.59 0 0 0 26 127.6v28.73h106.32v-75.1H84.44c-3.29 0-7.47 1.83-10.42 3.38a.32.32 0 0 1-.35-.54c2.32-1.88 5.27-4.33 6.76-5.83l51.89-51.93V24c-15-12.8-33.13-20.33-49.48-20.33C41.4 3.67 7.68 37.1 7.68 78.19zm77 7.72h43v65.75H30.72v-24L64 94.44a29.27 29.27 0 0 1 20.66-8.53zm-56.2 37.41a69.07 69.07 0 0 1-16.14-45.13c0-38.52 31.66-69.86 70.5-69.86 14.55 0 30 6.06 43.71 17.13z\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Fsvg>\n"]