GEC supports Atipfund Georgia with performance improvement
Tbilisi-based business advisory firm GEC has helped implement a performance improvement package at Atipfund Georgia – a State-backed fund for the protection and assistance of human trafficking victims.
Atipfund Georgia supports victims of abuse, trafficking, domestic and sexual violence through legal custody, guardianships, protection and rehabilitation. The fund was set up in 2006, and recently sought an upgrade in its approach to monitoring and meeting targets.
Noted for over a decade of experience in strategy, corporate finance advisory and business improvement support, GEC was picked as the partner of choice for the performance overhaul. Partners at the firm George Simongulashvili, Eka Katamadze and Tamuna Simongulashvili set about implementing a three-pronged performance improvement plan.
Step one was a performance assessment of Atipfund Georgia’s people, positioning and processes. The fund’s business model, strategic objectives, stakeholder communications, structure, contingency plans, culture, as well as functional areas such as finance, human resources, procurement and operations were all put under the microscope.
Recommendations were made in each of these areas, to ensure that all systems were geared towards streamlined objectives. With these functional improvements in place, GEC noted a need for a strategy overhaul at Atipfund Georgia – to cope with a significant shift in purpose since the organisation was established.
George Simongulashvili explained: “In the past, Atipfund Georgia had a leading role in coordinating activities related to granting a victim status, but its current role focuses mainly on the provision of protection services.”
Stakeholders have appreciated this growing mandate, but have also noted a dip in efficiency – particularly in its original role of coordinating victim status. According to Eka Katamadze, building capacity to serve a multifaceted purpose could strengthen Atipfund Georgia’s stance in the battle against human trafficking.
“The fund was responsible for elaborating standards for the quality of victim protection services, although currently, no nation-wide vision for the management of these services exists. This means the organisation has more authority and bargaining power to influence the environment.”
GEC helped clarify this mandate; develop a long-term strategy for business and communications; and craft three-year action plans to meet these objectives. The firm also set performance indicators to monitor progress.
The last pillar of GEC’s performance improvement package was a ‘quality management handbook’ – to ensure that services provided across Atipfund Georgia’s stakeholder ecosystem lived up to a certain standard, The handbook includes a quality concept, training mechanisms and a thorough description of service procedures.