An update from Matthew Hatchwell, Chair of the Board

Governance Review 

The Board undergoes an independent review every three years, which is currently underway. However, rather than undertaking the effectiveness review that we have completed previously, this year we are submitting ourselves to a detailed examination by an independent third party into decision-making by the Board over the last two years. We are committed to learning from this review process and evolving our practices to meet the needs of our growing organisation. 

Staff Welfare and Communications 

As an organisation going through a period of change, we understand the importance of supporting our employees, prioritising their well-being and keeping everyone informed of developments across the Trust. Our focus has been on building a culture of open and transparent communication where our teams feel valued and all employees can thrive. 

Earlier this year, we conducted a thorough review of all concerns raised by staff over the past 18 months to ensure that they were appropriately handled, and that remedial action was taken where necessary. 

We have also made improvements in how we communicate with our team. Employees now receive regular updates from the CEO and Senior Management Team, we host more frequent “all-staff” meetings, and we have introduced other new initiatives including “Breakfast with Becky”, drop-in sessions with the SMT and Trustees, and a calendar of informal social events. 

We recently completed our first global employee survey. This has provided insightful feedback from our teams in Jersey and around the world and the opportunity to learn more about what we do well and where we can do better. We were pleased that 80% of employees participated, and we achieved a positive engagement score of 74%, which exceeds the average for other international NGOs. 

In addition, we have implemented several new learning and development opportunities including management development, mental health awareness training, and equality, diversity and inclusion workshops. We have also launched a new whistleblowing procedure where we’ve partnered with a third-party provider to enable staff to raise issues of concern through an entirely independent channel. 

Membership Survey 

Following high levels of engagement at the EGM, we wanted to hear from our members and obtain an understanding of their motivations and expectations. We collaborated with an independent research agency to gather insights through a survey and small focus groups. Nearly 1,500 current and former members participated. We learnt that our members are strongly motivated by our conservation efforts, the care of animals at Jersey Zoo, and our scientific research. Using the results of this survey, we aim to enhance our membership offerings and improve our communications with members.

Animal Welfare and the Ethics Committee 

Following the EGM we welcomed a visit from BIAZA (British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums) representatives, who met with management and Trustees and subsequently confirmed no concerns about animal welfare standards were observed during that visit. 

Reflecting its uncompromising position on animal welfare, the Board of Trustees recently upgraded the Trust’s Ethics Committee so that it now reports directly to the Board. This will ensure direct involvement and oversight by Trustees. We will continue to invite independent members onto the Ethics Committee. 

Strategy Development 

In June, we shared the process with our staff for how we will develop Durrell’s new strategy, including how this will be done collaboratively with teams across the Trust. This process is due to begin in October 2024. Within this we will be developing a new collection strategy for the zoo, which will align with our overall organisational strategy and vision for the Trust.