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How to Write a Mission Statement + 10 Great Examples
17 min. read
Updated May 10, 2024
Why is an effective mission statement so valuable? It’s worth taking a minute to ask what it is about certain brands that keep us coming back. What is it about them that makes us spend more time, money, or effort over other options? Is it the price? Maybe the convenience? Or is it something more?
The brands and businesses that we really connect with do more than just supply a product or service . They showcase a purpose, a mission that we can get behind. This can be displayed in how they interact with customers, the organizations and communities they support, and even the way they develop their products.
And there’s no better way for a business owner to showcase this purpose, than through a well-written mission statement.
On this page
- What is a mission statement?
Mission statement or vision statement?
- Why write a mission statement?
- How to write a great mission statement
- 10 Examples of Great Mission Statements
A mission statement is a simple action-oriented statement that explains your company’s purpose. It summarizes what your company does for customers, employees, and owners, and typically includes general descriptions of your organization, its core function, and its goals. In short, you’re explaining what you do and why you do it within a mission statement.
Depending on the focus of your business, your mission statement may be even broader. Explaining not just how you serve your customers and employees, but your community and the world at large. Some businesses even opt to separate this larger aspiration into what’s known as a vision statement.
A vision statement is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a vision for the direction of your company and what it aspires to be.
These two statements aren’t really interchangeable. They both reflect the purpose and goals of your business, but serve completely different purposes. Your mission statement is the roadmap to achieve your vision. Your vision statement is a much broader picture of the aspirations for your business.
These can be completely separate written statements for your business, or they can be combined into a more comprehensive mission statement. Having all three does allow you to utilize them for different business purposes, so it may be worth developing variations over time.
Speaking of variations, it’s important to note that your mission statement will likely evolve over time as your business grows and changes. So, don’t be afraid to make adjustments when it seems necessary, and avoid looking for the perfect version of your mission statement.
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I’ve had a 30-year love-hate relationship with mission statements. I’ve read thousands. I love it when a mission statement defines a business so well that it feels like strategy—which does happen—and I hate it when a mission statement is generic, stale, and completely useless.
Just because a traditional business plan often includes a mission statement isn’t a reason to do one. If it’s not going to be useful for you and help guide your business, don’t bother. The vast majority of the mission statements are just meaningless hype that could be used to describe any business.
Don’t fall into the trap of writing a mission statement just because some checklist or expert said you had to. There are actually sites that poke fun at how most mission statements use vague, high-sounding phrases to say nothing. You should write a mission statement if you want to add clarity to your business goals and you want to get your employees, investors, and customers to understand what your organization is all about.
Developing your company’s first mission statement, or writing a new or revised one, is your opportunity to define the company’s goals, ethics, culture, and norms for decision-making. The daily routine of business gets in the way sometimes, and a quick refresh with the mission statement helps you take a step back and remember what’s most important: the organization has a purpose.
So how do you make a useful mission statement? Over the decades I’ve spent reading, writing, and evaluating business plans , I’ve come up with a process for developing a useful mission statement, and it boils down to these five steps.
1. Start with a market-defining story
A really good market-defining story explains the need, or the want, or—if you like jargon—the so-called “why to buy.” It defines the target customer or “buyer persona .” And it defines how your business is different from most others, or even unique. It simplifies thinking about what a business isn’t, what it doesn’t do.
Imagine a real person making the actual decision to buy what you sell. Why do they want it? How did they find your business? What does it do for them? The more concrete the story, the better. And keep that in mind for the actual mission statement wording: “The more concrete, the better.”
This isn’t literally part of the mission statement. Rather, it’s an important thing to have in your head while you write the mission statement. It’s in the background, between the words. If you’re having trouble getting started, make a quick list of what your company does and doesn’t do.
2. Define what your business does for its customers
Start your mission statement with the good you do. Use your market-defining story to suss out whatever it is that makes your business special for your target customer .
Don’t undervalue your business: You don’t have to cure cancer or stop global climate change to be doing good. Offering trustworthy auto repair, for example, narrowed down to your specialty in your neighborhood with your unique policies, is doing something good. So is offering excellent slow food in your neighborhood, with emphasis on organic and local, at a price premium.
This is a part of your mission statement, and a pretty crucial part at that—write it down.
If your business is good for the world, incorporate that here too. But claims about being good for the world need to be meaningful, and distinguishable from all the other businesses. Add the words “clean” or “green” if that’s really true and you keep to it rigorously. Don’t just say it, especially if it isn’t important or always true.
For example, Apple Computer’s 2020 mission statement is:
“Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple TV. Apple’s four software platforms—iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS—provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, and iCloud. Apple’s more than 100,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth, and to leaving the world better than we found it..”
That one obviously passes the test of defining the company with flying colors. Nobody could mistake that mission for generic hype. And it’s an interesting change from the early mission as defined by founder Steve Jobs:
“To make a contribution to the world by making tools for the mind that advance humankind.”
Ikea, on the other hand, starts its mission statement with something that could be any company anywhere. “Our vision is to create a better everyday life for the [sic] many people.” To its credit, it goes on to define a “rest of the mission” that could only be IKEA:
“We make this possible by offering a wide range of well-designed, functional home furnishing products at prices so low that as many people as possible will be able to afford them.”
And note, in this mission statement, how Sweetgreen incorporates a world vision into a product-oriented mission statement:
“Founded in 2007, Sweetgreen is a destination for delicious food that’s both healthy for you and aligned with your values. We source local and organic ingredients from farmers we know and partners we trust, supporting our communities, and creating meaningful relationships with those around us. We exist to create experiences where passion and purpose come together.”
3. Define what your business does for its employees
Good businesses are good for their employees too or they don’t last. Keeping employees is better for the bottom line than turnover. Company culture matters. Rewarding and motivating people matters. A mission statement can define what your business offers its employees.
My recommendation is that you don’t simply assert how the business is good for employees—you define it here and then forever after make it true.
Qualities like fairness, diversity, respect for ideas and creativity, training, tools, empowerment, and the like, actually really matter. However, since every business in existence at least says that it prioritizes those things, strive for a differentiator and a way to make the general goals feel more concrete and specific.
Don’t worry about being fully unique
With this part of the mission statement, there’s a built-in dilemma. On the one hand, it’s good for everybody involved to use the mission statement to establish what you want for employees in your business. On the other hand, it’s hard to do that without falling into the trap of saying what every other business says.
Stating that you value fair compensation, room to grow, training, a healthy, creative work environment, and respect for diversity is probably a good idea, even if that part of your mission statement isn’t unique. That’s because the mission statement can serve as a reminder—for owners, supervisors, and workers—and as a lever for self-enforcement.
If you have a special view on your relationship with employees, write it into the mission statement. If your business is friendly to families, or to remote virtual workplaces, put that into your mission.
You may not need to focus on employees
And this is rare in mission statements. The vast majority are focused on messaging for customers. My recommendation here is not the norm. I include it because it’s good practice, even though not common.
While I consulted for Apple Computer, for example, that business differentiated its goals of training and empowering employees by making a point of bringing in very high-quality educators and presenters to help employees’ business expertise grow. That was part of the culture and, to my mind, part of the mission; but it wasn’t part of the mission statement. It could have been.
American Express, however, includes the team in its mission:
“We have a mission to be the world’s most respected service brand. To do this, we have established a culture that supports our team members, so they can provide exceptional service to our customers.”
4. Add what the business does for its owners
In business school, they taught us that the mission of management is to enhance the value of the stock. And shares of stock are ownership. Some would say that it goes without saying that a business exists to enhance the financial position of its owners, and maybe it does. However, only a small subset of all businesses are about the business buzzwords of “share value” and “return on investment.”
In the early years of my business, I wanted peace of mind about cash flow more than I wanted growth, and I wanted growth more than I wanted profits. So I wrote that into my mission statement. And at one point I realized I was also building a business that was a place where I was happy to be working, with people I wanted to work with; so I wrote that into my mission statement, too.
However, this element too, as with the suggestion about including employees, is unusual. Few mission statements do it. That’s understandable, since most mission statements are outward-facing only, aimed at customers and nobody else.
Still, some of the best mission statements incorporate a much broader sense of mission that includes, or at least implies, the mission of ownership.
Warby Parker, an eyewear company, does a great job at voicing a higher mission that includes customers, employees, and owners.
“Warby Parker was founded with a rebellious spirit and a lofty objective: to offer designer eyewear at a revolutionary price while leading the way for socially-conscious business.”
5. Discuss, digest, cut, polish, review, and revise
Good mission statements serve multiple functions, define objectives, and live for a long time. So, edit. This step is worth it.
Start by considering developing a full mission statement for internal use and using a customer-facing subset for general publication. That’s common. Many companies have segmented mission statements, with sections set aside and categorized by type or goal. Use bullet points or sections if that works for you. Part of the reason people confuse mission with mantra and vision is that many businesses use them together, and many others also redefine them to fit their context. So what a company does for customers is often called vision, despite the formal definition.
Remember, form follows function, in mission statements, as in all business writing. Make it work for your business. Or don’t do it at all. If you want to call it a vision, and that works for employees and customers, then do that.
Cut out general terms
As you edit, keep a sharp eye out for the buzzwords and hype that everybody claims. Cut as much as you can that doesn’t apply specifically to your business, except for the occasional special elements that—unique or not—can serve as long-term rules and reminders. Unique itself, the word, means literally, the only one in the world. Use it sparingly. Phrases such as “being the best possible,” “world-class,” and “great customer service” mean little because everybody uses them. Having great customer service is way harder than writing that into a mission statement.
Read other companies’ mission statements, but write a statement that is about you and not some other company. Make sure you actually believe in what you’re writing—your customers and your employees will soon spot a lie.
Then, listen. Show drafts to others, ask their opinions and really listen. Don’t argue, don’t convince them, just listen. And then edit again.
And, for the rest of your business’s life, review and revise it as needed. As with everything in a business plan, your mission statement should never get written in stone, and, much less, stashed in a drawer. Use it or lose it. Review and revise as necessary, because change is constant.
- Great Mission Statements: 10 Examples
If you’re looking for some inspiration to get you started on your own mission statement, here are a few of my favorites.
1. Southwest Airlines
“The mission of Southwest Airlines is dedication to the highest quality of customer service delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, individual pride, and company spirit.”
What’s most interesting about Southwest’s mission statement is that they don’t mention anything about getting from point A to point B. Their mission is all about how they differentiate what, these days, can be seen as a commodity experience. They also focus on their own employees and the “spirit of the company”, not just the customer experience.
2. Urban Outfitters
“A lifestyle retailer dedicated to inspiring customers through a unique combination of product, creativity and cultural understanding. Founded in 1970 in a small space across the street from the University of Pennsylvania, Urban Outfitters now operates over 200 stores in the United States, Canada, and Europe, offering experiential retail environments and a well-curated mix of women’s, men’s, accessories and home product assortments.”
Urban Outfitters focuses on the experience that they deliver and the focus on what they do. Their mission drives what their stores look like and what their goal is: to inspire. They also nod to their heritage of starting small and growing.
“At Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI) we believe a life outdoors is a life well-lived. We believe that it’s in the wild, untamed and natural places that we find our best selves, so our purpose is to awaken a lifelong love of the outdoors, for all.”
REI’s mission focuses mostly on what it wants to do for its customers, but hidden in the mission statement is a mission to preserve the environment as well. Their focus on “getting outside” is what creates a connection between them and their customers.
4. Starbucks
“To inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time.”
Starbucks expands on its mission statement by stating its core values. This is really an extension of the mission statement and explains how they focus on their customers, how they grow their company, and how they work with employees. You can read their values here .
5. Walgreens
“Walgreens’ mission is to be America’s most-loved pharmacy-led health, well-being, and beauty retailer. Its purpose is to champion everyone’s right to be happy and healthy.”
Walgreen’s mission really defines their goals: what they want to achieve and in what product categories they want to achieve it in. They also bring in their broader purpose when they talk about “everyone’s right to be happy and healthy.”
“Make work-life simpler, more pleasant, and more productive.”
While Slack’s mission statement is short, it implies a lot. “Work” doesn’t just mean their customer’s work, it means their own work at their company. Their mission statement serves them both internally and externally.
7. The Coca Cola Company
“Refresh the world. Make a difference.”
Coca Cola takes a slightly different approach with a statement of purpose and then a vision statement. Their purpose is essentially their mission statement and says a lot for being so short. They want to refresh people in both body and spirit while making a positive impact on the world. Their vision also implies their goal of serving the entire world’s population which hits on their corporate and shareholder goals.
8. Patagonia
“We’re in business to save our home planet.”
Another short mission statement that says so much more than you would think at first glance. First and foremost, Patagonia doesn’t say that they are a non-profit – they state that they’re a business. And, this implies that they need to be a strong, healthy business to meet their goal of saving the planet. Their mission applies to their employees, their customers, their products, and their activism.
9. charity: water
“charity: water is a nonprofit organization bringing clean and safe drinking water to people in developing countries.”
charity: water’s mission statement is clear and to the point – it simply describes what it does and who it does it for. For most non-profit mission statements, this is enough.
10. Asana
“Asana’s mission is to help humanity thrive by enabling the world’s teams to work together effortlessly.”
Similar to other mission statements, Asana blends a message about what they do with a higher goal of enhancing the world outside of their company. Yet, they still hint at their target market and goals of being a world-wide company, thus improving the lives of their employees and shareholders.
Tim Berry is the founder and chairman of Palo Alto Software , a co-founder of Borland International, and a recognized expert in business planning. He has an MBA from Stanford and degrees with honors from the University of Oregon and the University of Notre Dame. Today, Tim dedicates most of his time to blogging, teaching and evangelizing for business planning.
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- Inspiration , Operations
Mission statement examples: 16 of the best to inspire you
- 15 Jun 2021
More than just a planning exercise, a mission statement focuses your leadership team, inspires employees, and communicates your core values to the larger world.
All in a single sentence. Magic.
A mission statement is one of the most important documents in your company’s arsenal, but it’s also one of the most difficult to craft. We’ve gathered 16 of the best company mission statement examples to help get your creativity flowing.
Level up with a mission statement video: Deliver your mission statement with the most engaging communication medium — video. Turn your company’s mission statement into a video with Biteable. Start with a brandable mission statement video template and let Biteable’s smart editing features do all the heavy lifting for you.
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What is a mission statement?
A mission statement sums up the core of who your company is and why it exists. It’s raison d’etre , if you want to get fancy and speak a little French.
Company mission statements are typically short and sweet, only a sentence or two. And the best mission statements are anything but boring.
When done right, your company’s mission statement acts as a powerful driver that informs every aspect of your organization, from daily operations, to customer loyalty, to employee satisfaction. When done wrong, a mission statement is just another line of jargon everyone pretty much ignores.
Take the Starbucks company mission statement as an example: To inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time.
Starbucks could have said: To challenge the predominant infrastructure of coffee culture and develop a network of coffeehouses in every major market.
Did your eyes glaze over on that second one? Ours too. While technically true, our made-up example of a company mission statement is full of dreaded corporate-speak. It belongs deep in the bowels of a strategic plan, not as it’s headline.
On the other hand, the real Starbucks mission statement makes us want to be a part of it all. And even more than that, it conveys a sense of the beating heart behind the company.
The best mission statements do just this — clearly convey a company’s reason for existing, in language that is exceedingly human.
Mission statements vs. vision statements — what’s the diff?
It’s easy to confuse vision statements and mission statements. But there are a few important differences.
A vision statement is aspirational. It outlines where your company strives to be in the future — whether that is one year from now or ten. In contrast, a mission statement spells out where your company is right now.
Think of your company’s vision statement as a long-term goal post. The end point towards which you are working. If your vision statement is a goal post, then your mission statement is what drives you toward that goal post.
Why your company mission statement is important
You’ll probably write your company mission statement during your strategic planning because it’s a valuable tool that helps your leadership team make big-picture decisions. Chances are, you’ll even look at examples of other company mission statements to help you craft your own.
But the purpose of a mission statement goes far beyond strategic planning.
Consumers value mission-driven companies
It’s no secret that today’s consumer values a company with, well, values. These values don’t have to be centered around saving the world. But they do need to be clear, focused, and genuine.
A 2020 study by global communications agency Zeno Group found that if consumers think a company has a strong purpose, they are:
- 4 times more likely to purchase from the company
- 4.5 times more likely to recommend the company to family and friends
- 6 times more likely to defend the company in the wake of public criticism
Think about this in terms of your personal life. The more you connect with a person, the more likely you are to invite them over for coffee, introduce them to your other friends, and come to their defense. The same is true for the companies we buy from.
We humans value connection and a shared sense of purpose. All things equal, your company’s mission statement can be a powerful differentiator.
Employees want a sense of purpose
Just as your company mission statement makes an impact on consumer sentiment, the same can be said about employee sentiment.
According to a recent Gallup poll Gen Z and millennials (who make up nearly half of the full-time workforce in the US) value belonging to a company with a strong moral compass. They appreciate ethical leadership, and they want to know that their own work has a positive impact on the world at large.
The more effectively human resources and the rest of the leadership team communicates the company’s mission to rank and file employees, the better.
But it doesn’t stop there. It is equally important to put your money where your mouth is, so to speak. If your company mission places value on the environment, do you give your employees opportunities to act upon these values in their everyday work life?
The most effective company mission statements are clear and actionable, from the products a company makes all the way down to the food in the employee cafeteria.
How to write an effective mission statement without a lot of headache
Understanding mission statements is one thing. Actually sitting down to write your company’s own mission statement is quite another.
But if you take the time to do it right, the process is a really useful exercise. Think of this as a chance to clarify and fine tune your purpose so you can point the company in the right direction for years to come.
Brainstorming your company mission statement
To get started, gather your leadership team and brainstorm answers to these four questions. If you are the solo founder of a fledgling company, gather key stakeholders or a handful of your professional mentors instead.
Aim for a short paragraph on each question.
- Why does our company exist?
- What value do our products or services bring to consumers?
- What core beliefs guide our work?
- What makes our company different, better, or more inspiring than our competitors?
After you brainstorm answers to these questions, review your answers and highlight the concepts that are central to your company. You might also pick a few company mission statement examples from businesses you admire and use those to help guide you.
If this brainstorming discussion took place with a group of people, now’s the time to send one or two individuals off to winnow the answers down to a couple of sentences.
Task this pair with writing several drafts of a mission statement, so the final decision makers have choices to work with.
This group process might seem cumbersome, but remember, your company mission statement is a core document. It should reflect the thought processes of as many stakeholders as possible.
Finalizing your work
After you land on a mission statement, do one final check to make sure it meets these criteria:
Plausibility: Your mission statement is big-picture, but it should ultimately tie back to your everyday business operations. At least in a broad sense.
Readability: No corporate speak or jargon. Avoid unnecessarily big words or complex sentences. Keep it simple.
- Voice: Now isn’t the time to be dry and boring. Use language that’s active and compelling. Your mission statement should reflect the unique voice and culture of your company.
Pro-tip: Give your mission statement more reach by creating both a text and video version. The video can be simple, just an eye-catching background, animated text, and a soundtrack.
Include your mission statement video as part of hiring announcements or other HR video communications . Or send it over to your marketing team to use as a Facebook cover, website content, and more.
Company mission statement examples: 16 of the best
How do other leading companies tackle their mission statements? We searched far and wide for the best company mission statement examples.
1. Starbucks: Inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time.
The Seattle-based coffee giant originated in 1971 and has since become ubiquitous around the world.
Starbucks mission statement : Inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time.
Why it works: We touched on the Starbucks mission statement earlier, but we’ll elaborate more here. We included this example of the Starbucks company mission statement because it works well for two reasons: it’s ambitious without being overreaching, and it uses down-to-earth language.
Inspiring and nurturing the human spirit isn’t directly related to coffee. But considering the role the company played in reviving coffee house culture in the US, the human spirit and a sense of community doesn’t seem like too big of a stretch. The second part of the statement is exceedingly tangible. It paints a small-scale picture of the company and its work.
2. Honest Company: Meaningful transparency and thoughtful design. We’re on a mission to change the world, one product at a time.
Honest Company made headlines when it went public in mid-2021, with founder Jessica Alba as the youngest-ever Latina to list a company on the New York Stock Exchange.
Honest Company mission statement : Meaningful transparency and thoughtful design. We’re on a mission to change the world, one product at a time.
Why it works: As a company committed to creating “clean” baby products, a mission of meaningful transparency and thoughtful design is two-fold. It’s a necessary part of their business practices, and it also speaks to consumers looking for a higher standard in their products.
Being on a “mission to change the world” might be a bit of a stretch. But considering the baby products market is projected to be worth $88.72 billion US dollars worldwide by 2026, maybe it isn’t such a huge stretch after all.
3. Patagonia: We’re in business to save our home planet
The outdoor apparel and equipment company is known for its social and environmental activism.
Patagonia mission statement : We’re in business to save our home planet.
Why it works: Patagonia is often used as a good company mission statement example, and for a reason. Although it’s wildly lofty, the company really does put their money where their mouth is.
Patagonia originally began as a scrappy company specializing in steel pitons for rock climbing. But when the founders realized their gear damaged the rock face they so loved, they pivoted to low-impact aluminum chocks.
From the moment Patagonia pivoted to aluminum chocks, it became an environment-first company with far-reaching efforts built into every aspect of their business practices.
4. Microsoft: To empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more
The software giant is currently valued at approaching $2 trillion .
Microsoft mission statement : To empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.
Why it works: Notice, Microsoft’s company mission statement makes no mention of software, or PCs, or technology at any level.
This isn’t to say the company is focused on something other than tech. But by concentrating on the “why” not the “what” of the business, this mission statement example remains flexible and agile. No matter where the market moves, Microsoft aims to increase productivity with it’s products.
5. Square: Everyone should be able to participate and thrive in the economy.
Square’s point-of-sale and online payment platforms came out on top during the pandemic. But even before that time, the company was a leader in POS products.
Square mission statement : Everyone should be able to participate and thrive in the economy.
Why it works: The company’s extended mission statement goes on to say: No one should be left out of the economy because the cost is too great or the technology too complex.
Similar to Microsoft’s mission statement, Square leaves room for agility here. It aims to produce simple, low-cost payment products, regardless of where the market takes it. We also appreciate Square’s focus on who the company serves and why.
6. Pinterest: Bring everyone the inspiration to create a life they love.
Ah, Pinterest. Inspiration central for crafters everywhere, but also a valuable tool for businesses looking for new marketing platforms.
Pinterest mission statement : Bring everyone the inspiration to create a life they love.
Why it works: More than the words it uses, we appreciate how Pinterest discusses the ways its mission evolved along with the company.
According to Pinterest, the platform was originally conceived as “a tool to help people collect the things they were passionate about online.” It quickly became clear that people most enjoy using the site to get inspiration from others. And with this, Pinterest’s current mission was born.
7. Target: Help all families discover the joy of everyday life
Fun fact: According to Target’s website, 75% of the US population lives within 10 miles of a store. And why not? Everyone loves a trip to good old Target.
Target mission statement : Help all families discover the joy of everyday life.
Why it works: This company mission statement example is equal parts broad and super-specific, depending on how you look at it.
It speaks to Target’s affordable products, geared toward everyday people. But this mission statement can also easily extend to the company’s focus on community giving, corporate responsibility, and creating a positive employee experience.
8. Southwest Airlines: Connect people to what’s important in their lives through friendly, reliable, and low-cost air travel
The smallest of the “big four” US airlines, Southwest is known for its friendly crew and affordable ticket prices.
Southwest Airlines mission statement : Connect people to what’s important in their lives through friendly, reliable, and low-cost air travel.
Why it works: Maybe you can chalk it up to the company’s southern roots, but Southwest consistently ranks high for customer service. Its mission of connecting people to what’s important in their lives touches on this value.
Southwest sees itself as doing more than just moving people from point A to point B.
9. Spotify: To unlock the potential of human creativity — by giving a million creative artists the opportunity to live off their art and billions of fans the opportunity to enjoy and be inspired by it
The Swedish audio streaming platform currently has 356 million users across 178 markets.
Spotify mission statement : To unlock the potential of human creativity — by giving a million creative artists the opportunity to live off their art and billions of fans the opportunity to enjoy and be inspired by it.
Why it works: We included this example because, technically speaking, this is a mission statement and a vision statement combined into one.
When you write your mission statement, it’s important not to confuse the two. But for marketing purposes, wrapping a mission statement and a vision statement up into one shiny package sometimes works very well.
10. Google: Organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful
This one needs no introduction. After all, to Google is officially listed in Merriam-Webster as a transitive verb. If that isn’t a sign of a powerful company, we don’t know what is.
Google mission statement : Organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.
Why it works: Google’s effectiveness is centered around its algorithms. At its heart, an algorithm is a system for organizing information. So Google pretty much nailed it here.
We also appreciate the focus on making information “universally accessible and useful.” Google is arguably the most powerful search engine in the world, yet it’s simple enough for anyone to use. Universally accessible and useful sums that up nicely.
11. Nike: Bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world. If you have a body, you are an athlete
The Oregon-based footwear, apparel, and sports equipment company was founded in 1964 and is now synonymous with athletics.
Nike mission statement : Bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world. If you have a body, you are an athlete.
Why it works: We admit, we like the asterisk more than we like the actual mission statement. Nike outfits some of the biggest names in professional sports, but its mission specifies “if you have a body, you are an athlete.” The word “inclusion” doesn’t appear in the company’s mission statement, but it says it — and then some — in so many words.
12. CVS: Helping people on their path to better health
Founded as a drugstore in 1963 by brothers Stanley and Sidney Goldstein and partner Ralph Hoagland, CVS bills itself as a “health care innovation company that is reinventing pharmacy.”
CVS mission statement : Helping people on their path to better health.
Why it works: This isn’t one of the most inventive examples of a company mission statement, and it also seems somewhat obvious for a drugstore. But CVS embodies its mission in some pretty bold ways. In 2014, it became the first national pharmacy in the US to stop selling cigarettes and tobacco products.
13. Harley Davidson: More than building machines, we stand for the timeless pursuit of adventure. Freedom for the soul
Harley-Davidson was founded in Milwaukee in 1903, and it remains one of the most popular motorcycle brands.
Harley Davidson mission statement : More than building machines, we stand for the timeless pursuit of adventure. Freedom for the soul.
Why it works: Harley-Davidson is known not only for its iconic design and distinctive engine sound, but also for the unique subculture of Harley riders.
Although Harley enthusiasts might balk at the idea, the company is as much a lifestyle brand as it is a motorcycle manufacturer. And that lifestyle delivers just what is promised in the company’s mission statement: adventure and freedom. And a whole lot of leather.
14. Dove: Help women everywhere develop a positive relationship with the way they look, helping them raise their self-esteem and realize their full potential
What started as a single product — the Dove Beauty Bar — grew into a major line of personal care products used by women around the world.
Dove mission statement : Help women everywhere develop a positive relationship with the way they look, helping them raise their self-esteem and realize their full potential.
Why it works: The company’s mission statement combines seamlessly with their vision statement, which says, “We believe beauty should be a source of confidence, and not anxiety.”
Dove delivers on this promise with its far-reaching body positivity campaigns, research initiatives, and self-esteem projects.
15. Livestrong: Which everyday cancer problem will we fix today?
Livestrong is a nonprofit organization that supports people living with or affected by cancer.
Livestrong mission statement : Which everyday cancer problem will we fix today?
Why it works: Because selling products and services to consumers isn’t part of the equation, nonprofit mission statements differ from those of their for-profit counterparts. But we included Livestrong here, because it has such a unique mission statement.
Very few mission statements are in the form of a question. This was very intentional on the part of Livestrong. As the company puts it on their mission page, “We have a Mission Question, not a Mission Statement, because we believe that we can only achieve the best solutions through asking the right questions.”
16. TED: Spread ideas.
The media company solicits keynote-style talks from some of the best minds and makes these available, for free, via video and through their podcast,
Ted mission statement : Spread ideas.
Why it works: This is another company mission statement example that makes the rounds on the best-of lists. You can almost imagine the lengthy thought process that transpired as TED execs winnowed their mission statement down to just two words. Two words! But that’s all they need.
This mission statement doesn’t say they are “creating opportunities for…” or “gathering the brightest minds to…” They do all of these things as well. But at the very core of the organization, their mission is to spread ideas.
In those two words, they say it all.
FAQs about company mission statements
These company mission statement examples are just a sample of what’s possible when a company really takes the time to craft a thoughtful mission statement. To help you write yours, here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about mission statements.
What should a company mission statement include?
A company mission statement should include one or two strong, well-written sentences that talk about why a company exists, the value it brings to its customers, the core beliefs that drive its work, and what sets it apart from other companies doing similar work.
What are the 3 parts of a mission statement?
The three parts of a mission statement are:
- Mission and purpose: the main reason a company exists. Its purpose in a broad sense.
- Values: the core values that drive everyday decisions and behavior in the company.
- Goals: what the company hopes to achieve by sticking close to its mission and values.
What is a strong mission statement?
A strong mission statement is short and actionable. The strongest company mission statements are written in accessible language (no corporate speak) that reflects a company’s unique culture and voice. A good mission statement is lofty, but also ties back to a company’s everyday business practices.
What is Coca Cola’s mission statement?
Coca Cola’s mission statement is “to refresh the world in mind, body, and spirit, to inspire moments of optimism and happiness through our brands and actions, and to create value and make a difference.”
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