Defining Oktra’s Purpose Statement
Client
Oktra Ltd
Project
Corporate Purpose Statement
Project Length
7 Months
Project Outcome
Oktra's newly defined purpose statement
“Shaping places that connect people and inspire our every day”
Oktra, a leading workplace Design & Build company in the UK, celebrated its 30th anniversary this year. Marking this milestone, the company embarked on an introspective journey to rediscover the meaning of ‘Purpose’, not just as a concept, but as a fundamental element that guides the business, its employees, and its stakeholders. The goal was to achieve clarity around a Purpose Statement that would reflect the company’s identity and aspirations.
The Context
The Challenge
As Oktra initiated the development of its Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategy, it became evident that a clearly defined and unified Purpose Statement was essential to underpin and drive the strategy’s success.
The company wanted to articulate its ‘Why’, expressing the deeper reason for its existence as a guiding force for its people, decisions, and impact. Key principles established from the outset:
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The process must involve participation from all levels of the organisation.
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The Purpose Statement was not to be invented but to be discovered.
Our Approach
Over a seven-month period, AORA supported Oktra and collaborated with a committee comprising the Head of Marketing, the Group Design Operations Director, the Senior SEO & Content Manager, and one of Oktra’s Creative Directors to define its Purpose Statement.
1. Understanding Purpose
AORA began by helping the organisation explore the concept of ‘Purpose’, what it means, how it is applied, and how purpose-driven businesses are defined by why they operate, rather than merely what they do.
2. The Survey
In collaboration with the Marketing team, AORA designed a survey with the following objectives:
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Engage all employees and make them part of the journey.
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Identify candidates for the next stages of the process.
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Gain initial insights into how employees perceive the company and its impact.
Following the survey rollout, AORA analysed over 800 responses from 182 participants, synthesising the data into unified themes across two dimensions.
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Core Values & Operational Approach (How Oktra operates).
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Impact & Outcomes (What Oktra does and why it exists).
3. The Workshop
To facilitate the final stage of discovery, AORA developed a presentation deck for a workshop aimed at crafting the Purpose Statement. The workshop focused on:
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Contextualising the need for a Purpose Statement.
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Presenting survey findings.
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Outlining a structure for the statement.
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Drafting the statement using real stories and lived experiences to bring it to life.
4. The Statement
Three final statements were presented to the executive leadership team, who selected the one that had the strongest alignment.
“Shaping places that connect people and inspire our every day”
As of September 2025, Oktra is rolling out its newly defined Purpose Statement, both internally and externally.