Every part of Cuso International plays a key role in achieving our vision. Over the next five years we will strengthen our organization to truly embody “One Cuso” – a global organization where people, partners, and operations rooted in different locations work towards our strategic goals, which reflect their own unique realities, and work effectively together. We will strengthen our organization-wide decision making, provide enhanced support for all our offices and partner organizations, and actively strive for diversity and inclusion in every part of our organization.

To bring about the change that Cuso International wants to see, we will be agile in adapting to ever changing circumstances. We will:

Champion inclusion:

Cuso International recognizes the role of historic colonial legacies in creating and perpetuating the global inequalities and injustices we see today. We will ensure all aspects of our work better share power and increase representative voices and leadership. As we pursue a new South-North equilibrium, we will define success based on local context.

We are dedicated to a journey of growth as an inclusive, feminist, and anti-racist organization. This is a long-term commitment that requires constant evolution of our management processes, structures, and policies, and the terms and language we use. It also requires transparency in how we measure our performance in collaboration with our partners, the communities where we work, and the people we work with.

Build our capacity and knowledge to effect change:

The world around Cuso International is changing rapidly. To continue to be relevant and supportive of our partners and the communities we serve, we will invest resources in building organizational expertise in our strategic priority areas. We will continue our efforts to foster a learning culture structured around internal information sharing as well as “outside-in” thinking in support of learning for teams, partners, and volunteers alike.

Increase our organizational resilience:

Our internal operations must match our ambitions. To meet our organizational goals over the next five years, Cuso International will work to strengthen the following areas:

1. Evidence-based performance measurement Processes and technology
2. Workplace culture
3. Innovative funding models
4. Sector best practices
5. Innovation and partnerships