FNA MONTHLY BRIEF - September

Note from the Founder

At FNA, we approach governance as infrastructure that carries accountability, equity, and impact - the systems that hold everything else together.

This month, I’ve been reflecting on feedback loops - one of the most undervalued tools in governance. Often reduced to complaints forms, they’re actually engines of accountability, and alignment. They’re also critical to ensuring a just transition, because they keep those most affected at the centre of decision-making.

Here are four ways to strengthen feedback loops in your organisation:

1. Close the loop - don’t just collect input, show how it influenced decisions.

2. Analyse patterns - treat feedback as data, not anecdotes.

3. Embed escalation - ensure serious issues reach governance forums, not just middle management.

4. Offer platforms - provide multiple avenues for feedback, from digital to face-to-face, to capture diverse voices.

~ Bec Blurton

Governance Reflections

Most organisations treat feedback as a compliance checkbox - a complaints inbox, a website form, a reporting channel.
But feedback loops are more than compliance. Done properly, they’re a governance mechanism: a living data stream that keeps organisations relevant, effective, and efficient. In the context of climate and transition, they’re a tool for justice - ensuring the voices of those most impacted actually shape outcomes.
If your governance lacks a functioning feedback loop, how do you know you’re still aligned with the people you serve?

FNA Resource of the Month

Maturity Benchmarking

Our Maturity Assessment & Governance Diagnostic helps organisations move past token compliance and identify how feedback loops - and other governance levers - can strengthen First Nations alignment. It’s the starting point for embedding accountability and building meaningful, measurable impact.

Climate, Finance, & Policy

2035 Emissions Target

Australia has just announced a new target to cut emissions by 62–70% by 2035. This will shape decisions across government, business, and finance over the next decade.

But setting a target is the easy part. The harder part is making sure transition plans are built with real input from the people most affected - including First Nations communities. Feedback loops are one of the simplest ways to do this. They make sure strategies aren’t just written at the top but are tested, adjusted, and kept relevant by those on the ground.

Without these loops, climate plans risk being disconnected from reality - and can end up ineffective or even unfair.

First Nations Affairs