Bunnings: Purpose
INDUSTRY: Retail
The executive team of Bunnings, a leading Australian and New Zealand home improvement retailer, reached out to Interchange following some dedicated and focused work on establishing a clear set of strategic objectives.
With the strategy in place, the leadership team felt that it was the right time to create a clear and compelling purpose to galvanise the organisation.
The objective was to have the executive team work together and arrive at an organisational purpose statement that all team members would be able to feel genuinely connected to. The purpose statement was to be used as an internal tool, a lens through which the organisation makes a number of critical decisions. It would help ‘ring fence’ strategic thinking, choices around investment in system and product assortment and also provide a connection back to the operating model.
The Solution
That is why our initial approach was one that involved engaging with a cross-section of the retailers' stakeholders including team members, store managers, board members and more. We wanted to dive in deep and learn more about the people and the culture at Bunnings.
We gathered stories. We filmed video interviews. We immersed ourselves in the culture.
These interviews would go on to provide insight to the executive team and further guide their purpose development process.
From there, the journey began.
Ten weeks. Ten 3-hour online workshops. Twenty-two leaders, dialling in from across Australia and New Zealand, united by a shared goal: to articulate a purpose that was real, resonant, and rooted in who they were.
Between sessions, we pushed them to go further—engaging their teams, seeking feedback, pressure-testing ideas. It is an organisational-wide purpose statement after all, so it is imperative to gather input from a larger cross-section of the company. And every week, the findings were integrated back into the session to help evolve the work and build a deeper connection with the task at hand.
THE BALLAD OF BUNNINGS
Of course, it wouldn’t be an Interchange project without a little unexpected magic.
Knowing this group shared similar generational touchpoints, we used pop culture from the 80s and 90s as a creative thread —songs, movies and moments that tapped into memory, sparked laughter, and unlocked a sense of curiosity and play.
Each reference carried a deeper meaning, helping us tell a story about identity, change and connection. The result? A space where creativity flowed, and people felt safe to show up with bold, authentic thinking.
The workshops became more than just strategy—they became a collective experience. Debates. Walking discussions. Tinder profiles. Musical performances. Purpose got personal, and the ideas came alive.
BUNNINGS LEADERSHIP GROUP PURPOSE RECORD
The Outcome
Once the executive team had come to the end of their purpose journey and had shared their ideas with the broader business, the statements were finalised. All 22 leaders felt strongly connected to the newly established organisational purpose and had a solid understanding of their own personal motivation, as well as that of their respective teams.
Moving forward, the executive team are keen to use their position to lead the implementation of the new organisational purpose statement.
“We’ve thoroughly enjoyed the collaboration with Interchange and greatly appreciate the exceptional support their team has provided to ours.”
Mike Schneider, Bunnings CEO
Best Behaviour Podcast
LISTEN TO BUNNINGS CEO, MIKE SCHNEIDER, ON THE POD
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LISTEN TO BUNNINGS CEO, MIKE SCHNEIDER, ON THE POD *
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