Helm 360 Consult Ltd

René asked me to step back and look at the business through a governance lens — not just financial performance, but how the system as a whole was working.

His business was growing, with multiple service lines, strong technical capability and increasing commercial ambition.

But like many fast-moving organisations, there was a sense that performance wasn’t always visible in a consistent way, decision-making relied heavily on instinct and individual insight, and different parts of the business were operating with slightly different versions of the truth.

The reality

This wasn’t a typical ESG challenge. There were no environmental or social metrics to define.

Instead, the focus was deeper – governance – how well the business understands and manages its own performance.

Across sales, product, delivery, capacity and financial performance.

• In sales, there was strong activity and opportunity, but limited visibility of pipeline quality, conversion and how this translated into reliable revenue.
• Across product and services, performance was understood at a high level, but not always clearly connected to demand, delivery effort or commercial return.
• In delivery, utilisation and capacity were being managed, but without a consistent view of how this linked to sales commitments or future demand.
• Financial reporting existed, but the connection between revenue, cost and operational drivers was not always clear or easy to interpret at leadership level.

Where we focused

Rather than introducing new reporting for the sake of it, the focus was on building something that created a single, trusted view of performance, connected different parts of the business, and supported better, more confident decision-making.

What we did together

• We designed and built a structured KPI and performance framework, aligned to how the business actually operates and create meaningful transparency.
• This included establishing a consistent monthly data rhythm and single source of truth, so performance could be tracked reliably over time.
• We developed an executive reporting pack covering sales performance, including pipeline health, conversion and revenue alignment; product and service performance, including mix, demand and delivery effort; commercial and financial performance, connecting revenue, cost and margin; and capacity and utilisation, giving visibility of how resource was being used and where pressure points were emerging.
• We introduced a clear financial bridge, linking commercial activity to financial outcomes and helping leadership understand what was driving performance — not just what the numbers were.
• Ownership was aligned across the business, with clear accountability for each area, so performance conversations became more consistent and grounded in shared data.
• Importantly, the focus wasn’t just the numbers. It was what the numbers mean, and how they support better decisions.

How we approached it

We kept the same principle throughout. Start with the system. Not just the outputs, but how data is created, how it’s used, and where decisions are really made.

From there, we simplified where things were overcomplicated, added structure where clarity was missing, and made performance visible in a way the leadership team could actually use.

What’s changed

• There is now a clear, consistent view of performance across the business.
• Sales, delivery and financial outcomes are better aligned, with a clearer understanding of how pipeline activity translates into revenue and resource demand.
• Forecasting and planning are more grounded, with improved confidence in the numbers and what sits behind them.
• Leadership has better visibility of where performance is strong, where it isn’t, and where action is needed.
• Decision-making is more structured and less reactive, supported by shared data rather than individual interpretation.

Commercial impact

• Stronger control over revenue and resource planning.
• Reduced reliance on reactive decision-making.
• Improved ability to manage growth without losing grip on performance.
• Clearer connection between commercial activity and financial outcomes.

Why this matters

For a business operating in reducing cyber vulnerabilities for consumers, businesses and authorities, performance isn’t just about revenue.

It’s about delivering consistently for clients, managing capacity and capability, and making informed decisions at pace. This work creates the conditions for that.

• Applied across multiple service lines and delivery teams.
• Supporting a growing consultancy with complex commercial dynamics.
• Designed to evolve alongside the business as it scales.

For me, this is governance at its best. Not more reporting. But a clearer understanding of how the business actually works — and the confidence to act on it.

• People running recycling centres.
• Employing local teams.
• Supporting their communities
• Delivering for our customers.

This is ESG embedded in how work gets done.

The impact for the business

• Greater confidence in responding to insurer ESG requirements
• Stronger, more consistent evidence across the network
• A more engaged and capable supply chain
• Clear progress year-on-year, rather than one-off activity

This work spans a national network of recycling centres, with a wide range of business types and levels of ESG maturity.

That’s what makes it work — it’s designed for reality, not theory. For me, this is what good looks like. Steady, measurable progress — built on clear intent, practical action and evidence that stands up in the real world.