Situation
After a period of poor publicity surrounding bad governance practices, the new leadership of the International Biathlon Union (IBU) approached Burson to support the organisation with the development of a sporting and organisational strategy, both to reform internal practices and shine a new, more positive light on the sport internationally
Solution
Burson engaged a tried and tested process to build an effective strategy for the IBU. This centered around four main phases:
- Situational analysis: Burson initiated an extensive stakeholder engagement programme, including a range of surveys, interviews and focus groups, as well as data analysis on the economic strength of the sport, and public perception.
- Strategy development: With the analysis complete, Burson drafted all strategic documentation for the IBU. This included the development of a new 5-year strategy, Target 26, and recommendations for constitutional amendments.
- Strategy launch and communication: With the approval of the strategy and reforms at the IBU Congress, Burson supported the launch of the strategy, ensuring positive momentum for the new IBU leadership team.
Success
The new strategy and reforms were adopted by the IBU Congress with unanimous support of the national biathlon federations. Target 26 has been used as the cornerstone for the organisation and sport’s growth over 5 years, with satisfaction among all stakeholders showing significant growth throughout the period. Due to the strategy’s success, the framework of Target26 has been extended for a further four years until 2030.