Corporate Directives – Defined
Corporate directives are specific communications (written or oral) which initiate or govern actions, conduct or procedures in an organization.
Essentially, a corporate directive is a statement which indicates the mandatory features of a policy.
A typical directive would read like this:
“When in our offices, all staff members are required to wear their security badges around their necks, in a fully visible fashion, at all times. This applies at all times; both regular working hours and after hours”.
It is likely that the above directive would fall under the organization’s Office Security Policy.
Another example:
“When local transportation is required for business purposes, all staff members are expected to use the services of ABC Taxi Service or Redline Taxis. To be reimbursed, you must obtain a standard receipt from the driver at the end of your journey.”
This directive would likely come under an organization’s General Administrative Policies.
Writing Tip:
A directive should be absolutely clear, leaving no doubt whatsoever about what is required in all circumstances. Generally speaking, when a directive is issued it should allow for no exceptions. In the rare cases where exceptions may be required, they should be clearly spelled out in the directive statement.