While they go about things in very different ways, every organization is actually in the same business: behavioural change. Whether it is a bank encouraging consumers to switch to their product; a government agency trying to get citizens to pay taxes on time;or a health agency interested in improving the consumption of medication, behaviour-change challenges abound. As a result, some of the smartest organizations have begun to embed behavioural insights (BI) into their everyday processes. The authors describe the four main ways that BI can add value to any organization, as well as four approaches that an enterprise can take to embedding BI in its work.

In late 2010,the director general of the Industrial Sectors Directorate at Environment Canada, was reviewing a draft work plan for the Air Quality Management System (AQMS), a regulatory project to deal with Canada’s transboundary air pollution problems. Though some of the key elements of AQMS were in place and director general had the support of co-chairs from Alberta and Ontario, she had to develop a series of briefings on her strategy before the end of 2010 so that she could gain approval from her deputy minister and minister.

In late 2010,the director general of the Industrial Sectors Directorate at Environment Canada, was reviewing a draft work plan for the Air Quality Management System (AQMS), a regulatory project to deal with Canada's transboundary air pollution problems. Though some of the key elements of AQMS were in place and director general had the support of co-chairs from Alberta and Ontario, she had to develop a series of briefings on her strategy before the end of 2010 so that she could gain approval from her deputy minister and minister.