Case Study : Dufrain
Working within the fast-moving world of data consulting, Dufrain is a boutique firm that combines deep data expertise with leading-edge tech platforms. As they prepared for international expansion, they wanted to understand what had driven their success so far so they could codify it and use it as a foundation for growth.
more likely to recommend MAB as a place to work
improvement to communication (internal NPS)
of employees feel they fully understand the Mission, Vision and DNA
at the Business Culture Leadership Award
Working within the fast-moving world of data consulting, Dufrain is a boutique firm that combines deep data expertise with leading-edge tech platforms. As they prepared for international expansion, they wanted to understand what had driven their success so far so they could codify it and use it as a foundation for growth.
We stress-tested and refined MAB’s Mission, Vision and Values, then co-created a cultural blueprint called “MABology”. This gave everyone a shared narrative and clear set of behaviours – aligned to regulatory and ESG expectations – that could be lived consistently across the organisation.
We launched this new cultural identity through an online event, engagement programmes (Friday Joy, MABfest, MABplause), and series of team workshops with facilitation guides
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Delivered through our award-winning 3-stage methodology:
We kicked off our tried and tested Insight, Design, Embed process with a Culture Assessment to identify what gave Dufrain its edge. This included a culture audit using surveys and online focus groups.
What we discovered was that people felt the firm had a strong spirit – a mix of decency and commitment to winning – but were struggling to put that into words. There were also some indicators that the very qualities that had made them successful were starting to show signs of strain. Certain things needed rethinking.
One of the challenges we faced was scepticism – especially from those who’d been part of Dufrain’s early, more maverick phase, who saw Mission and Values as ‘corporate fluff’. So we created a Culture Design Group (CDG) made up of representatives from across the business and, as they got involved, contributed, and saw how the work came to life, even the doubters began to see its value.
Once we’d defined the Mission and Values, we worked with the leadership team and the CDG on a Behavioural Competency Framework. This allowed us to get a well-rounded perspective of the behaviours that people at all levels of the business would expect to see if those values were truly being lived.
Leaders were upskilled and supported through mentoring, and cultural metrics were introduced to track progress.
This culture project ran in parallel with a rebrand, and we worked closely with creative agency Big Helping to make sure insight and execution were tightly aligned. Today, Dufrain has a fresh sense of who they are and where they’re going, with a new public-facing brand to match, giving them everything they need to embark on their international expansion.
We were really pleased with the support provided – it felt like they were an extension of our team, and they really ‘understood’ what we do and understood our complexity. They brought us and our staff along on the journey, helping to explain new concepts to our people in an accessible way.
People and Culture Director, Mortgage Advice Bureau
Making
Complexity
Simple.
