Writing an Effective Mission Statement: 10 Inspiring Examples
A mission statement is a crucial element of any organization’s identity and purpose. It serves as a guiding light, outlining the values and goals of the company. Crafting a concise and impactful mission statement requires careful consideration of the core message you want to convey.
Here are ten inspiring examples of mission statements that effectively capture the essence of their respective organizations:
1. Google: "To organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful."
2. Nike: "To bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world."
3. Amazon: "To be Earth’s most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online."
4. Microsoft: "To empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more."
5. Tesla: "To accelerate the advent of sustainable transport by bringing compelling mass market electric cars to market as soon as possible."
6. Starbucks: "To inspire and nurture the human spirit—one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time."
7. The Red Cross: "To prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors."
8. TED: "Spread ideas."
9. WWF: "To conserve nature and reduce the most pressing threats to the diversity of life on Earth."
10. Airbnb: "Belong anywhere."
These mission statements are concise and impactful, capturing the essence of each organization in just a few words. By focusing on the core values and goals, they effectively communicate the purpose of the organization to both internal and external stakeholders.
When crafting your own mission statement, remember to keep it concise and purposeful. Identify the key message you want to convey and eliminate any unnecessary words or phrases. Consider the impact and clarity of your statement, and ensure that it aligns with your organization’s values and goals.
Remember, a well-crafted mission statement can serve as a beacon that guides your organization’s actions and decisions. By following these examples and refining your own statement, you can create a powerful tool that inspires and unifies your team and resonates with your target audience.
Effective mission statements are highly valuable. They go beyond simply providing a product or service and instead showcase a purpose that resonates with customers. This purpose is often displayed in how businesses interact with customers, support organizations and communities, and develop products.
A mission statement defines a company’s purpose and summarizes its core function and goals. It explains what the company does and why it does it. Depending on the focus of the business, the mission statement may also encompass how the company serves its community and the world. Some businesses choose to have a separate vision statement to articulate a larger aspiration.
While mission and vision statements are related, they are not interchangeable. A vision statement defines the direction and aspirations of the company, while a mission statement serves as a roadmap to achieve that vision. Both statements can be combined or developed into variations over time.
Writing a mission statement should not be done simply to check off a requirement. Mission statements that are vague and generic are not useful. Instead, a mission statement should add clarity to business goals and help employees, investors, and customers understand the organization’s values and purpose.
To write a great mission statement, start with a market-defining story that explains the need, want, or why behind your business. Then, define what your business does for its customers, employees, and owners. Highlight what sets your business apart and make sure to make concrete statements rather than using generalized terms.
Furthermore, discuss how your business values employees and consider including this in your mission statement. While this is uncommon, it can be a way to differentiate your business and create a more specific and concrete statement. Don’t worry about being completely unique in your mission statement, but strive to make it meaningful and relevant to your business.
Lastly, take the time to review and revise your mission statement as your business evolves. Cut out any buzzwords or hype that doesn’t apply to your business and make sure you truly believe in what you’re writing. Seek feedback from others and make necessary edits.
Here are some examples of great mission statements for inspiration:
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."
2. Urban Outfitters: "A lifestyle retailer dedicated to inspiring customers through a unique combination of product, creativity, and cultural understanding."
3. REI: "To awaken a lifelong love of the outdoors, for all."
4. Starbucks: "To inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time."
5. Walgreens: "To be America’s most-loved pharmacy-led health, well-being, and beauty retailer. To champion everyone’s right to be happy and healthy."
6. Slack: "Make work-life simpler, more pleasant, and more productive."
7. The Coca Cola Company: "Refresh the world. Make a difference."
8. Patagonia: "We’re in business to save our home planet."
9. charity: water: "Bringing clean and safe drinking water to people in developing countries."
10. Asana: "To help humanity thrive by enabling the world’s teams to work together effortlessly."
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