You may think that corporate values or mission statements are nothing but meaningless fluff, typed out by a marketing intern with nothing better to do. And fair enough, some of them probably are\u2026 but for most successful organizations, company values actually form a very important part of the business.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Done right, corporate values can give your company the very guidance it needs to succeed, informing everything from how you treat your employees, to the way you talk to your customers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
So we thought we\u2019d take a few minutes to share with you the \u201csecret\u201d of a good, strong set of values. And by the end of this article, maybe you\u2019ll be able to test your own mission statement against our 5-point rule of thumb?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Take any set of corporate values from any successful company, and you\u2019ll notice that there are almost always a handful of common themes running through them. We call these themes \u201corientations\u201d, and they effectively give us the precise recipe to a highly effective vision statement \u2013 one that will serve you for many years to come. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
These five orientations are:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n You can put this to the test right now, if you like! Take any company you admire, navigate straight to their \u201cAbout\u201d page, and find their corporate values. You\u2019ll find that in almost all cases, all five of these value orientations are present.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But if you don\u2019t want to test it yourself, don\u2019t worry \u2013 we\u2019ll be looking at some examples later. First though, let\u2019s talk about why each of these orientations is so important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most successful companies have one or more values linked to a longer-term goal or vision. Perhaps that\u2019s a statement about an ideal future they believe in, or maybe it\u2019s a big goal they are working towards. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Having a vision orientation is important, because it shows that your business is working toward something bigger than the next quarter\u2019s results. It gives people a reason to believe in you for the long term, and generates excitement and energy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Having a strong visionary leadership orientation can help you to attract ambitious and high-performing talent, can increase customer loyalty, and can drive high levels of interest from investors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A customer or market-oriented value, is one that reflects how well you know the people you serve. After all, how many companies succeed if they don\u2019t truly understand their customers\u2019 needs?<\/p>\n\n\n\n These types of values focus on delivering great outcomes for the people who buy from you \u2013 whether that\u2019s through great service, innovative products, or simply listening to what customers want and actually acting on it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This orientation is important for building trust, especially in environments where competition is fierce. It builds loyal customers who will buy from you again and again, and it tells people that if they just put a little bit of faith in you, you always deliver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n An ethical orientation doesn\u2019t mean you simply try to avoid bad behavior. It means you have values that actively steer you towards making good, strong choices \u2013 choices that benefit the people, or the environments, your business comes into contact with on a regular basis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This might mean that you prioritise sustainability, or that you\u2019re transparent with your supply chain, or perhaps you support your community. It could even be a firm commitment to DEI (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion). <\/p>\n\n\n\n Ultimately, you will know which ethical issues you\u2019re likely to face as you go about your business \u2013 and you will know which ethical issues your employees and customers are most likely to care about. Having an ethics orientation as part of your values shows that you understand this, and that you\u2019re willing to do something about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Work-oriented values tend to be very internalised, focusing on the way your teams work together and the kinds of results you expect from them. These values may cover topics such as quality control, health and safety, or even operational discipline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Having a strong work-oriented value is particularly important in businesses where process matters, such as manufacturing, engineering, logistics and healthcare. But actually, it matters no matter what kind of business you run \u2013 after all, shouldn\u2019t all business leaders care about the quality of their product and the safety of their teams?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Think of this orientation as less of a ‘where you want to be’ and more of a ‘how you\u2019re going to get there’. These values should be practical, pragmatic, and should prove that your teams are miles ahead of the competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n No set of values should be without a human-oriented statement, and that\u2019s because at the heart of every organisation is its people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This type of value set is all about empathy, respect, and care. There are many cross-overs here with ethics-oriented values, in that your human-oriented values should show how you treat your employees, and how you treat the people you come into contact with every day \u2013 be that suppliers, customers, partners, or even total strangers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Having strong human-oriented values demonstrates a culture of inclusion and psychological safety, and will help you to attract loyal and happy workers who naturally spread the good word about your company. These values are especially powerful in organizations who want to be known for their culture \u2013 and as with any internal belief system It\u2019s especially powerful in organizations that want to be known for their culture \u2014 but you must make sure these values go beyond mere lip service, and that you\u2019re living and breathing them daily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We mentioned earlier in this article that you could probably pick any successful organization at random, and find all five of these value orientations in their mission statements. So let\u2019s put that to the test!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our first example is a company that\u2019s had a reputation for reliability for nearly 100 years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A quick look at their Global Vision page<\/a> will instantly reveal 12 core values<\/a> that really \u201cdrive\u201d the company, if you\u2019ll pardon the pun. And it\u2019s not very hard to map every single one of these values to one of the five core orientations!\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Take a look:<\/p>\n\n\n\n You might disagree with how we\u2019ve categorised some of these, but we think you\u2019ll agree that all five are present. It\u2019s interesting to note, too, that you don\u2019t need to restrict yourself to one value per orientation \u2013 many successful companies have multiple values associated with each.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s jump forward a decade, to an organization established in 1948: The NHS.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now, most people will be quick to admit that the NHS has its flaws. But almost everybody has some degree of respect for it as a core British institution. And it is yet another great example of an organization that does a great job of incorporating the five core value orientations into what it calls its \u201cconstitution.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Take a look at its six values, and you\u2019ll quickly see what we mean:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The NHS may have focused their values into fewer categories, but it\u2019s clear to see that all five orientations are present.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For our final example, let\u2019s head over to Sweden \u2013 or maybe just Meadowhall? \u2013 and examine arguably the most successful flat-pack furniture brand in the world: IKEA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
Visionary leadership orientation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Customer or market orientation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Ethics orientation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Work orientation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Human orientation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Three examples of companies with these five core values at their heart<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Toyota: Reliable since 1937<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Positions Toyota as a proactive leader, setting direction and investing in long-term transformation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
A clear commitment to shaping the future of transport and how people interact with technology.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Focuses on community contribution, job creation, and improving lives \u2014 all through people-centric values.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Puts safety at the core of operations, signalling a disciplined and process-driven approach.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Quality and reliability are key internal standards \u2014 this value underpins Toyota\u2019s operational consistency.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Embraces ongoing reinvention and technological progress to stay ahead of the times.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
An environmental focus that demonstrates a strong commitment to sustainability and social responsibility.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
A customer-driven mindset \u2014 going beyond basic needs to deliver exceptional experiences.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Anchors satisfaction in emotional outcomes, showing care for how customers feel about their experience.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Built around ambition and pushing boundaries, often in pursuit of long-term outcomes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Recognizes the power of teams and individuals, showing respect for collaboration and human potential.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Embodies the kaizen mindset \u2014 continual improvement through disciplined, pragmatic change.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\nThe NHS: A much-loved institution<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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\u201cPatients come first in everything we do.\u201d The NHS clearly puts patient experience and outcomes at the heart of their purpose \u2014 the patient being the \u201ccustomer\u201d, in this case.
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<\/em> \u201cWe value every person as an individual, respect their aspirations and seek to understand their priorities, needs, abilities and limits.\u201d This shows a clear focus on empathy and respect for the people they work with and care for.
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<\/em> \u201cInsisting on quality and striving to get the basics right every time.\u201d They may have issues with their waiting lists, but this value shows commitment to key operational discipline and consistent standards in service delivery.
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<\/em> \u201cRespond with humanity and kindness to each person\u2019s pain, distress, anxiety or need.\u201d This underlines warmth, empathy, and person-centred behavior.
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\u201cWe strive to improve health and wellbeing and people\u2019s experiences of the NHS.\u201d This statement goes beyond clinical practice, and is a future-facing goal focused on long-term impact and a desire to improve perceptions.
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<\/em> \u201cMake sure nobody is excluded, discriminated against, or left behind.\u201d This shows a strong moral stance on fairness, inclusion, and resource equity.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\nIKEA: \u201cThe Wonderful Everyday\u201d<\/h3>\n\n\n\n