corporate values essay

Company core values: 25 inspiring examples

by Kellie Wong

Updated on February 20, 2024

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Your company core values define the employee experience. To inspire your workforce to live by them, you must lay out clear expectations and recognize the people (and their behaviors) who epitomize your company values.

This article will break down what lies behind the best core company values, help you identify the values that define your business, and inspire you with outstanding examples of companies that live their values each day.

What are company core values?

Company Core Values are the set of ethics and principles that govern a company’s decision making and actions. They also serve as the foundation for the company culture, and the behaviors expected by its workforce.

The top factor of employee satisfaction is the culture and values of an organization. Over 75 percent of employees consider it “very important” to work for a company with defined core values. This translates to a better bottom line : companies with highly aligned cultures see 30 percent higher growth and 17 percent higher profit growth.

A recent Harvard Business Review article by Dr. Natalie Baumgartner, Chief Workforce Scientist at Achievers, suggests that 26 percent of employees would forego a fancy title and 65 percent would accept lower pay rather than deal with a poor workplace environment.

What are examples core values?

• Integrity: Acting ethically and transparently in all business dealings, prioritizing doing the right thing over personal gain. It means being accountable and following through with decisions made, even if no one is around to see it.
• Innovation: Pushing past the status quo with bold and progressive ideas. Being curious and challenging deeply ingrained assumptions and traditional methods. Innovation is learning from both successes and failures to forge a new path forward – all with a deep hunger for improvement.
• Accountability: Owning the decisions made and their outcomes. It is more than simply acknowledging one’s mistakes but actively learning from them to drive positive outcomes. Taking ownership of one’s actions help foster a culture of trust and improved employee morale.
• Honesty: Being upfront and forthcoming with information, insights, and processes. By creating a culture where truth is at the forefront, employees are able to address the problems openly and transparently at hand. Relationships built on honesty help build connections among employees and customers alike.
• Respect: Going beyond simply being polite, respect means treating all employees, clients, customers, and stakeholders with dignity and worth – no matter their background, position, or opinions. It is acknowledging the unique contributions each individual makes in furthering the goals of the organization.
• Passion: Expressing a contagious enthusiasm for shared company goals and daily tasks at hand. Passion is what motivates and drives employees to excel helping them find purpose in their day-to-day job. It is also what helps individuals persevere when faced with inevitable challenges or obstacles in the workplace.
• Trust: Nurturing positive relationships at all levels of the organization. Building trust means your employees benefit from a culture of honesty, psychological safety , and mutual respect. Trust is key to helping employees feel secure in their jobs, improving retention and engagement.
• Teamwork: Working cohesively and collaboratively towards something bigger. Teamwork brings together different skills and perspectives that you would not get if it was just an individual on their own. Collaborating as a team can result in an increase in innovation, team bonding, learning & development, and a greater sense of achievement.
• Creativity: Finding new ways of thinking, learning, and doing. Encouraging calculated risk-taking and celebrate experimentation, understanding that even failures can offer valuable lessons. Not only can creativity improve productivity and efficiency, it also helps businesses stay ahead of the competition.
• Compassion: Actively understanding and empathizing with the experiences and challenges of others, without judgement or assumptions. Cultivating a supportive environment which means active listening, offering support when needed, and celebrating successes together. Prioritizing compassion fosters a sense of belonging leading to reduced stress, improved wellbeing and ultimately employee retention.
• Courage: Standing up for a principle or cause despite personal fears or risk of negative outcomes. In the workplace this might mean taking a calculated business risk, making a stand against discrimination, or saying ‘no’ to something that might go against one’s convictions.
• Loyalty: A strong attachment to an organization and its mission, values, and vision. Loyalty means working hard not only for a paycheck but committing to see the company grow and succeed. Feeling seen, heard, and valued are major contributors in building employee loyalty.
• Adaptability: The ability to change and adjust one’s behavior or strategy based on the shifting demands of the organization, market, or general circumstances. Being proactive and resourceful in new environments with the capacity to bounce back from setbacks.
• Dependability: Being trustworthy and reliable in the workplace. It means consistently demonstrating integrity through actions, not just words. Taking ownership of commitments, delivering high-quality work, and standing accountable when things don’t go as planned. Upholding this value creates an environment of mutual support and shared success.
• Excellence: Workplace excellence goes above and beyond requirements and expectations. It is the pushing of boundaries to achieve the highest quality results taking pride in the work that is done. A spirit of excellence inspires and motivates employees to continuously improve bringing the best out of everybody.
• Happiness: Feeling enjoyment or fulfillment with one’s job, workplace environment, and relationships. Happiness develops when employees feel valued and appreciated for the contributions they make. A happy workforce boosts all aspects of the business including engagement, productivity, reduced absenteeism, and lower turnover.
• Health: Employee wellbeing takes into account both the physical and mental health of the entire workforce. Organizations that take a holistic approach through policies, programs, and benefits not only improve employee morale but help reduce healthcare costs for both employers and employees.
• Humility: The self-awareness to recognize one’s limitations or weaknesses as well as the open-mindedness towards different perspectives. Being able to learn and grow from people and experiences is key to this trait. It’s the realization that all employees regardless of their role or experience contribute to the success of an organization.
• Kindness: Acts of kindness is a powerful way to foster safety and build connections in the workplace. Breeding a culture of kindness involve understanding, empathy, support, and recognition. Improvements in workplace morale, collaboration, loyalty, and wellbeing can all be outcomes when organizations prioritize this core value.
• Knowledge: Freely sharing information so that employees can do their jobs effectively. Knowledge can look like organizational policies and procedures, technical expertise, and industry-specific trends. Knowledge also extends beyond simply acquiring information but applying it to the job as well.
• Leadership: Empowering and motivating others towards a shared goal. Leadership can take on many forms, from setting an inspiring vision and direction to offering guidance and support to leading by example. By positively influencing others to participate in the company’s vision, leaders act as a north star for peers around them.
• Openness: Fostering an environment where individuals can freely share relevant ideas, opinions, and information without fear of judgement. This type of environment creates psychological safety for all, encouraging honesty and transparency. Organizations that promote an open workplace not only contributes to a more positive work environment but fosters innovation and creativity.
• Commitment: The willingness to put the time, effort, and energy into furthering the organization toward its goals. It is an unwavering dedication stemming from the belief that the daily tasks meaningfully contribute to the bigger picture. Always going the extra mile to ensure the job gets done no matter how big or how small.
• Community: More than just individual connections, community at work brings people together through common interests, objectives, or experiences. It’s an investment in policies, programs, and activities that build a “one team” mentality helping employees feel a sense of belonging, connection, and shared purpose.
• Diversity: Respecting and valuing the background, skills, and insights of all employees. A commitment to creating an environment where everybody has equal access to opportunities that are available. Diversity goes beyond demographics and includes accepting different work styles, personalities, and differences in how people think and learn.
• How to define and live by your company core value statements

Defining your company values statements requires a close examination of your organization’s culture and vision. Think deeply about how to use your values to illustrate what your company hopes to achieve and represent. Consider these guidelines when establishing your company core values:

• Keep it short . Your values should be easy for your employees to memorize and epitomize. Rather than writing an essay, think about the real meaning of your values. Distill them down to words that the average person understands and can adhere to.
• Stay specific . Writing in vague corporate jargon is confusing and dilutes the meaning behind your words. Values need to tie specifically to your company’s goals and mission. They should be relevant to the products or services your company offers as well as your company culture.
• Address internal and external goals . A company’s decisions impact the employee experience, but they also impact the outside world. Failing to consider the ways your company affects external groups is disingenuous. When you address the manner in which your company wants to interact with the outside world, it leaves employees feeling hopeful and inspires trust in your customers.
• Make them unique . Using the same values as a different company 一 or worse, a competitor 一 leaves your business looking ordinary. Think of what sets your organization apart from others and concentrate on bringing those aspects to light in your company core values to attract the right customers and employees.

With values established, one of the best ways to build a culture that aligns with your company values is by recognizing employees who embody them. 92 percent of employees agree that when they’re recognized for a specific action, they’re more likely to repeat it in the future . Explicitly tying recognition to company values helps sync company and employee principles even further.

Encouraging everyone in your organization to practice frequent recognition strengthens company values and performance. Make recognition easy with an employee recognition platform that also allows employees to tie recognitions to specific company core values. For example, this recognition from Achievers’ CEO and President, Jeff Cates, that exemplifies his organization’s core value of “One Team”.

Jeff was able to send this recognition across a company-wide newsfeed in moments using Aspire, Achievers’ recognition program. See how a recognition platform can help your company start truly living its values .

• 11 examples of companies with exceptional core values

To keep your employees eager to do great work, you need to create a clear, meaningful set of core values everyone can get behind. And there’s no better way to start than by looking at examples of companies that have done it right. The companies below have values that capture the essence of their business and culture, and putting their values into practice 一 often with the aid of a recognition platform 一 has led each organization to sustained success.

3M is a global company with over 88,000 employees that produces innovative technologies to change the world for the better. The values they choose to live by reveal the deep appreciation they have for their investors, the environment, and their employees. Their guiding values include:

• Act with uncompromising honesty and integrity in everything we do.
• Satisfy our customers with innovative technology and superior quality, value and service.
• Provide our investors an attractive return through sustainable, global growth.
• Respect our social and physical environment around the world.
• Value and develop our employees’ diverse talents, initiative and leadership.
• Earn the admiration of all those associated with 3M worldwide.

One way that 3M ensures these values stay constant as they grow is by investing in educational opportunities for potential future 3M employees. 3M supports programs like WorldSkills, DonorsChoose.org, Frontline Sales Initiative, Young Scientist Challenge, and 3M Visiting Wizards. Each initiative hopes to inspire the next generation of scientists, innovators and inventors.

While their values are exemplary, 3M had several challenges bringing their workforce together: a traveling sales team, a mix of unionized and non-unionized workers, and a wide range of employee ages, from young professionals to employees nearing retirement. In 2009, 3M deployed an all-in-one recognition solution that performed with flying colors, increasing engagement by seven percent with 99 percent of employees actively using the platform. It was especially popular with 3M’s offline employees who were out providing customers with superior service.

2. Bayhealth

Bayhealth is the largest not-for-profit healthcare system in central and southern Delaware. Its mission is to bring the nation’s best healthcare to the communities it serves, and this is reflected in their core values:

• Compassion: We are kind and caring to everyone we encounter.
• Accountability: Each of us is responsible for our words, our actions, and our results.
• Respect: We value everyone and treat people with dignity and professionalism.
• Integrity: We build trust through responsible actions and honest relationships.
• Teamwork: We achieve more when we collaborate and all work together.

To drive their community-focused mission, Bayhealth understood that recognizing and engaging their workforce would be paramount in effecting positive change for both their employees and patients. They implemented a new recognition program, Driven, powered by a comprehensive employee recognition platform. Driven resulted in a 98 percent activation rate, 84 percent of employees engaging with it on a monthly basis — including 97 percent of leaders. Employees also started receiving almost 4 recognitions per month on average while sending out almost 3.

Bayhealth also implemented an employee feedback solution so their leaders could receive timely information about day-today issues that require immediate attention — a critical concern in a patient caring workforce.

3. Coborn’s

Coborn’s features over 120 grocery, convenience, and liquor locations in the Midwest. Coborn’s values reflect their commitment to making a positive impact on their customers and communities:

• Guest Focus
• Executional Excellence
• Community Giving
• Dignity and Respect

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Coborn’s increased location managers’ budgets and urged them to ramp up recognition frequency to front-line employees. The company also added a new recognition category, Safety & Wellbeing, to reiterate the importance of safety across their 120 locations. In keeping with their core value of Dignity and Respect, Coborn’s also implemented an end-to-end employee engagement solution that demonstrated they wanted to give each team member a voice and increased employee engagement.

4. Cox Automotive

Cox Automotive is a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises, and the parent company of Autotrader, Kelley Blue Book, and Xtime. The company splits their values into a few categories: The Why, The Hows, and The Whats. Each section of their values highlights Cox Automotive’s commitment to their employees, customers, and surrounding communities:

• Empower People Today to Build a Better Future for the Next Generation
• Do the right thing. Always.
• Lead by example
• Bring out the best in everyone
• Make a little music
• Do it all in the spirit of Cox
• Identify & invest in growth & diversification
• Delight our customers
• Honor our commitments
• Develop & incorporate new technology
• Improve financial security

To address their why, hows, and whats, Cox Automotive has built a unique workforce that reflects the communities they serve . During the pandemic, their workforce doubled down on their recognition of all the hard work the technology, people solutions, and communications teams were doing, and shouting out their employees on the front lines.

To rallying the company, Cox Automotive implemented Spark , a recognition program to enhance camaraderie across the organization. They also ran a special campaign which included a fun roster of activities to drive awareness and participation, 25,522 “Thank You” recognition cards – more than tripled their daily average.

5. Discover

Discover’s values are short, sweet, and effective. The values, often displayed in the form of an acrostic poem, demonstrate Discover’s focus on integrity, invention, and partnership:

• Doing the right thing
• Collaboration
• Volunteerism

Discover truly lives by these values , and considers giving back to be “a key component to bettering [their] community and running a successful business.” As such, Discover partners with organizations like Boys and Girls Club, Junior Achievement, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and Chicago Cares. Discover even has an employee giving program where they match employee donations to charities of their choice.

To continue driving positive behaviors and demonstrating respect for their employees, Discover implemented a recognition solution that let employees reward each other for living their values. Whether they are explaining how to improve a customer’s credit score or outlining the way a customer’s student loan is structured, recognition motivates Discover employees to help their customers make informed financial decisions.

Everyone in the world has heard of Google. Such an influential business needs killer corporate values, and Google does not disappoint. They refer to their values as ten things we know to be true, which were originally written when Google was a few years old:

• Focus on the user and all else will follow.
• It’s best to do one thing really, really well.
• Fast is better than slow.
• Democracy on the web works.
• You don’t need to be at your desk to need an answer.
• You can make money without doing evil.
• There’s always more information out there.
• The need for information crosses all borders.
• You can be serious without a suit.
• Great just isn’t good enough.

Google has a corresponding paragraph fully explaining each of these tenets in detail. It is evident that Google takes their values extremely seriously, and holds their employees to the highest standards. Google also mentions that they revisit their values to ensure they are still in keeping with the company’s goals and mission, and they’ve done so multiple times since they were first written when Google was a few years old.

7. Kellogg’s

Kellogg’s is another quintessential American brand. Kellogg’s six core values represent the type of employees they want to attract, the businesses they want to work with, and the types of products that will fit consumers’ needs:

• Accountability

Kellogg’s strong commitment to its values have won the company significant accolades. In terms of diversity, Kellogg’s was one of the 50 best companies for diversity according to Black Enterprise, and it was included in the Diversity, Inc. lists for the top 50 companies for veterans and LGBT employees in 2018. Not only that, the United States Environmental Protection Agency deemed Kellogg a 2030 Food Loss & Waste Champion, and Ethisphere called Kellogg’s one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies.

With thousands of people employed across the globe, it was imperative to align employees around Kellogg’s vision. Melissa Howell, Chief Human Resources Officer at Kellogg’s, describes how they did so:

“How do we align our employees around the vision at Kellogg’s? One of the biggest things around that is reinforcing behaviors and reinforcing success. And the best way to do that is a global [recognition] platform [. . .] because everyone can see how people are modeling the behaviors that help drive our success at Kellogg’s.”

Within four months of launching their recognition program with Achievers , Kellogg’s has seen over 80,000 employee recognitions sent. The platform made it easy for everyone to recognize colleagues who are modeling behavior that leads to success and reinforces Kellogg’s values.

Meijer is a large grocery store chain based in the Midwest that has provided nutritious, fresh food since 1934. As such, their values emphasize the importance of making customers happy, selling the freshest products, and keeping up with the fast pace of the grocery industry while maintaining a superior level of safety:

• Competition
• Safety & Health

To ensure that their company values are actually put into practice, Meijer implemented a platform which allowed their employees to recognize each other’s efforts on a global scale and tie each recognition to one of their core principles. It even implemented several specific recognition programs tied to efforts that reflected these values, like leading safety initiatives or coming up with fresh, innovative ideas. By focusing on their values, Meijer tangibly strengthened the sense of connection and belonging in each of its stores, and it also increased customer satisfaction in stores with higher recognition rates.

Olympus Australia Pty Ltd is a subsidiary of the Olympus Corporation and is responsible for marketing and distributing Olympus’ line of innovative products to medical, consumer, and scientific businesses in Australia and New Zealand. Olympus’ goal is to make people’s lives healthier, safer, and more fulfilling by practicing and living their core values:

• Unity: We are strongest when we work together as a team.
• Integrity: We are trustworthy and act in good faith.
• Empathy: We care about all of our stakeholders.
• Long-Term View: We look beyond the present to deliver future value.
• Agility: We challenge the status quo with open minds, focus, and speed.

In accordance with their values, Olympus has committed $100,000 annually to their five long-term charity partners. It has also engaged in internal environmental initiatives, including implementing an integrated Quality and Environmental Management System. Olympus also adopted a recognition platform that let it more closely align its corporate values with its recognition and rewards program. Olympus realized incredible benefits from its new platform, seeing a 102 percent increase in total recognition activity and an increase in its favorable engagement score from 34 percent to 63 percent.

10. Power Design

Power Design Inc. is a family-run business that has become one of America’s leading electrical contractors and a one-stop shop for all things in the multi-family market. It has been recognized as one of the country’s top workplaces by Inc. and Fortune magazines. Their values reflect their dedication to delivering quality service, building lasting relationships, and holding themselves accountable:

• Integrity: We make responsible decisions based on professional standards.
• Innovation: We encourage thoughtful, creative and inspirational ideas.
• Teamwork: We build better when we work together.
• Growth: We develop professionally through expanding our capabilities with innovative training.
• Accountability: We empower each other to take ownership of our actions.

Power Design puts these values into action through a series of charitable programs called Project V5, which donates cash from recycled wire across the nation to charities chosen by employees. And in an effort to herald their employees’ achievements, they implemented a unified, agile recognition solution that allowed for nationwide accessibility, mobile recognition, and visibility across the company. With its new recognition program, rave (Recognizing Achievements Values and Excellence), Power Design is well on its way to 100 percent activation and participation, with 89 percent of its employees actively using rave and 70 percent logging in at least once a month.

11. Salesforce

Salesforce is a customer relationship management tool that combines data from multiple departments to create a shared view of every single one of their clients’ customers. Salesforce’s values are unique because they are heavily focused on the customer and employee experience. They refer to their employee and customer base as their “Ohana,” or family, and they are very passionate about delivering on their values, which include:

• Customer Success

Salesforce walks the walk by instilling trust in their employees right off the bat. They support the growth of their employees with things like ”Cultivating Your Career” workbooks, and Salesforce also has a Chief Equality Officer and an Office of Equality to foster equality internally and externally, with the chief purpose of driving innovation.

• Make company values a part of daily life

According to the Achievers Engagement and Retention Report , 45 percent of employees say that their leadership is “minimally” or “not at all” committed to improving company culture. Leaders need to focus on building a culture that aligns with company values to motivate their employees .

Recognizing employees who embody your company values connects your workforce and unites them in support of your culture. Achievers data shows that every time organizations double the number of recognitions in their organization, their overall engagement is expected to go up five percentage points , which is linked to a three point increase in revenue growth the following year. And companies with culture alignment are six times more profitable .

By regularly acknowledging employees in a public way, companies can honor ongoing achievements and  Achievers Recognize simplifies the end-to-end recognition process, allowing users to tie every recognition to a company value.

Many of the companies listed above use Achievers to drive their business forward, and Achievers recognizes them for their exceptional employee engagement. Join the elite group of organizations whose company values instill trust in their employees, customers, shareholders, and partners by requesting a demo of Achievers Recognize today.

Discover the direct connection between employee recognition and employee retention

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• Company core values FAQ

Can culture influence core values, or are they universal?

While core values may exist across societies, their interpretation and application can differ in emphasis and detail. For instance, the concept of “honesty” might take different forms depending on the culture. In Western cultures, direct communication is often valued, while some Eastern cultures prioritize more indirect and polite ways of expressing the same thing.

Why are core values important in personal development?

Core values are important in personal development because they create alignment between an employee’s unique values and skills, and what matters to the company. This alignment fosters a sense of purpose and meaning in work, as employees see how their unique contributions connect to the organization’s goals.

Can core values change over time?

Core values are the bedrock of a company’s identity. However, as companies evolve and as the marketplace shifts, the values and beliefs can also change. Companies need to periodically re-evaluate their core values to ensure it doesn’t go stale.

How many core values should a company have?

There is no magic number of core values for any given company. While 4-7 values can be a good starting point, clarity and alignment with company culture are key. Choosing values that inspires and reflects the vision of the organization is more important than the exact number.

How do you develop company core values?

Developing strong company core values starts with an assessment of your organization’s culture , vision, and mission. Next, gather appropriate leaders and employees to brainstorm values that resonate with your vision. Remember, effective values are short, specific, unique, and address both internal and external goals.

How do you share your company values with your team?

Embedding core values throughout the employee journey is crucial. Start by integrating them into job descriptions, onboarding processes, and manager check-ins. Use newsletters and other communication channels to reinforce them regularly. Recognizing employees who exemplify these values is also a powerful way to further solidify desired behaviors.

In this article:

• What are company core values? What are examples of core values in a company?

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How to define your company’s Mission, Vision and Values: a practical guide

• 10 de March de 2023 4 de August de 2024

Defining a company’s mission, vision, and values is crucial to its success. These elements serve as a roadmap for the organization, guiding decision-making, setting priorities, and shaping its culture. However, crafting a mission statement, vision statement, and core values can be a challenging task, especially for new businesses or those undergoing a period of change.

In this article, we’ll provide you with a practical guide to defining your company’s mission, vision, and values. We’ll cover everything from the importance of each element to the steps you can take to create them effectively. With our expert guidance, you’ll be able to articulate a clear purpose and direction for your organization, foster a shared sense of values and goals, and ultimately, drive growth and success. So if you’re ready to define your company’s mission, vision, and values, read on to discover our practical guide.

source:  freepik

Table of Contents

Mission, vision, and values: how to define these statements to reflect your company’s identity, what comes first: mission, vision or values, what are the 3 parts of a vision statement, how do i initiate the mission vision values, define your company’s purpose, identify your company’s values, establish your company’s vision, write vision, mission, and values statements, review and adjust, how does the customer see a company that has a well-defined mission, vision and values, other references:.

Mission, vision and values are fundamental elements of a company or organization that help define its identity and guide its strategic decisions. The mission is the company’s statement of purpose or reason for existing, while the vision represents the future that the company aims to achieve.

Values are the ethical and cultural principles that guide the behavior and actions of the organization. These elements are essential for the company to establish clear objectives consistent with its identity, in addition to conveying its message and brand effectively.

Some inspirations to assemble Mission, Vision and Values:

• What are we going to do today ?
• What are we for?
• What are we trying to accomplish?
• What impact do we want to achieve?
• Where are we going to move forward?
• What do we want to achieve in the future?
• What kind of future society do we envision?
• What do we support?
• What are our non-negotiables?
• How do we treat our organization and community members?

When building a company or organization, it is important that the definition of the mission is the starting point, as it represents the purpose or reason for the company’s existence. The mission is the statement that defines its identity, its performance and its value for society and for the market in which it operates.

From the definition of the mission, the organization’s values can be established, as they reflect the ethical and cultural principles that guide the behavior of the company and its employees. Values are fundamental for building the organizational culture and for employee engagement, as they represent what is considered important and ethical in the company’s operations.

Finally, the vision of the future must be established taking into account the mission and values of the organization. It represents what the company wants to achieve in the long term, but it must be aligned with its identity and purpose.

Therefore, the mission must come first in building the company or organization, followed by the values and vision of the future, so that its identity, culture and strategy are coherent and aligned with its purpose.

A vision statement can be made up of several parts, but is usually structured around three main elements: what you do, how you do it, and why you do it.

• The first element, “what you do” , refers to the description of the company’s main activity. This part of the vision is important to define the company’s scope of action and to delimit the market or sector in which it operates.
• The second element, “how you do it” , refers to the definition of how the company carries out its main activity. This part of the vision is important to establish the competitive advantage of the company in relation to its competitors and to highlight its value proposition.
• Finally, the third element, “why do you do it” , refers to the definition of the company’s purpose or reason for existing. This part of the vision is important for conveying the company’s aspiration and sense of purpose, as well as for establishing its organizational identity and culture.

By combining these three elements, the company’s vision statement is able to convey a clear message about what the company does, how it does it, and why it does it. This is essential to establish strategic objectives consistent with the company’s identity and purpose.

Starting to define a company’s mission, vision and values may seem like a challenging task, but it is essential to establish the company’s identity, purpose and organizational culture.

Bringing the company’s leadership team and key personnel together to discuss and establish the company’s aims and values is a smart place to start. It is important that this discussion is guided by questions such as: “what is our purpose?”; “What do we want to achieve in the long term?”; “What are the values that guide us?”; “What differentiates us from our competitors?”.

In order for the company’s vision, purpose, and values to accurately reflect the variety of thoughts and viewpoints present inside the business, it is also crucial to take into account the perspective and opinion of every team member.

Another option is to conduct a survey of the firm’s stakeholders, such as customers, suppliers and business partners, to learn how they view the organization and what their expectations are for it. This survey can help identify the company’s strengths and weaknesses and guide the definition of the vision, mission and values.

In summary, starting to define the company’s mission, vision and values can be done through collective discussions, considering the perspective of all team members, or through surveys with the company’s stakeholders. What is important is that these definitions reflect the company’s identity, purpose and organizational culture.

How to create Vision, Mission and Values Statements

Creating vision, mission, and values statements is an important process for establishing a company’s identity, purpose, and organizational culture. Here are some tips to help you create these statements:

• Defining the purpose of your company is a crucial step in creating vision, mission, and values statements. This purpose statement should articulate the core reason why the company exists and what it aims to achieve. It should be concise, inspiring, and reflective of the company’s overall direction.
• Values are the guiding principles that shape the company’s culture and behavior. They define how the company operates, interacts with stakeholders, and makes decisions. It’s important to identify the core values that align with the company’s mission and vision. These values should reflect the desired ethical standards, beliefs, and priorities of the organization.
• The vision statement represents the desired future state of the company. It serves as an aspirational guidepost that inspires and motivates employees and stakeholders. A compelling vision statement should be ambitious, specific, and aligned with the company’s purpose. It should paint a vivid picture of what the company aims to achieve in the long term.
• Based on the purpose, values, and vision, craft concise and impactful statements for the vision, mission, and values. The vision statement should capture the company’s future goals and aspirations. The mission statement should define the company’s overall purpose, what it does, and who it serves. The values statement should articulate the guiding principles and beliefs that shape the company’s culture and decision-making processes. These statements should be clear, memorable, and easily understood by employees and stakeholders.
• Vision, mission, and values statements should not be set in stone. They should be periodically reviewed to ensure they remain relevant and aligned with the evolving needs of the company and its stakeholders. As the company grows and changes, it’s important to assess whether the statements accurately reflect its identity, purpose, and organizational culture. Adjustments may be necessary to maintain consistency and ensure that the statements continue to inspire and guide the company’s actions.

By following these steps, companies can create vision, mission, and values statements that provide a clear sense of purpose, direction, and identity, fostering a strong organizational culture and guiding decision-making processes.

Customers generally view a company that has a well-defined mission statement, vision, and values as more reliable and committed to quality and customer satisfaction. This is because the statements reflect the company’s identity and purpose, its organizational culture and its commitment to providing products or services in line with the customer’s needs and expectations.

A clear and concise mission statement helps customers understand the company’s purpose and goals, and this can help establish customer trust and loyalty. A compelling vision can also demonstrate the company’s dedication to enhancing its offerings over time in order to satisfy consumers’ changing demands.

Company values are also important to customers, as they demonstrate the company’s commitment to operating in an ethical and responsible manner. This can be especially important for customers who value sustainability and social responsibility.

Customers favor businesses that have well defined mission statements, visions, and values because it shows that they are dedicated to meeting their requirements and expectations for high-quality goods and services. These statements can help establish trust, loyalty and a lasting relationship between the company and its customers.

In conclusion, the mission, vision and values statement is an important tool for any company that seeks to succeed and stand out in its sector. These statements help establish the company’s identity and purpose, its organizational culture and its commitment to providing quality products or services in line with customer needs and expectations.

A clear and concise mission statement helps guide the company in its daily decisions and actions, while an inspiring vision gives the company a sense of direction and long-term purpose. The company’s values reflect its core beliefs and help establish its culture and commitment to operating ethically and responsibly.

For customers, the mission, vision and values statement can be an important factor when choosing a company to do business with. Consumers like organizations with a clear and well-defined statement since it shows the company is committed to offering quality products or services that meet their wants and expectations.

In summary, the mission, vision and values statement is an essential tool for any company seeking to be successful and sustainable in the long term. It helps establish the company’s identity and purpose, guiding its daily decisions and actions and demonstrating its commitment to providing quality products or services in line with the customer’s needs and expectations.

The mission is a statement that defines the company’s fundamental purpose and reason for being. It should be clear, concise and customer oriented.

The mission is the statement that defines the fundamental purpose of the company, while the vision is a statement that describes the desired future of the company. The mission is the company’s raison d’être, while the vision is the long-term aspiration.

Values are fundamental beliefs that guide the behavior and actions of the company. They must reflect the company’s culture and ethical principles.

Having a well-defined mission, vision and values helps the company establish its identity, purpose and culture. This helps to guide your daily decisions and actions and to establish a relationship of trust and loyalty with your customers.

A company can create its mission, vision and values statement through an internal process of reflection and consultation with its stakeholders. It is important that the statements are clear, concise and aligned with the company’s objectives and values.

The mission, vision and values statement can be used as a guide to guide the company’s daily decisions and actions. It can also be used to communicate with consumers, employees, and stakeholders, assisting in the establishment of a trusting and loyal connection.

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250+ Company Core Values Examples to Guide Your Organization

Want to know how to write company core values? These examples will serve as inspiration.

Core values are the principles and priorities that guide an organization’s actions. They represent the foundational commitments and deeply held beliefs that allow a company to navigate complex situations while keeping their identity and culture at the forefront.

Top Core Values Examples

• Build for durability.
• Appreciate the journey.
• We’re iconoclasts and innovators.
• Approach every day with curiosity.
• Think like an underdog and remain humble.

Why Are Core Values Important?

Core values define you. Along with your mission statement , your company core values exist to summarize your ethos. They encapsulate what you’re all about and what you choose to focus on as an organization, even as you grow and scale.

Core values guide you. They give employees an example to follow, a spirit to embody, and this gets everyone on the same page.

Core values help you recruit. They provide job seekers a snapshot of what you care most about, and if there’s alignment between your priorities and those of the job seeker, it’s more likely you’ll want to work together.

Related Reading How to Describe Company Culture: 39 Examples of Culture Statements

What Goes Into Creating Core Values?

Make your core values unique to you. Ask key members of your organization what makes us us ? What are the characteristics of our company that would make someone want to work here instead of someplace else? How would you describe our culture in one sentence? One word?

Make your core values specific and realistic. They should still be aspirational and ambitious, too, though. While “change the world” is probably too big and too vague for it to be an actually useful guiding value, “innovate courageously” has a sharper point to it.

Make your core values succinct and memorable. You want your teammates and job seekers to be able to remember your core values.

25 experts share advice on how to create core values that will inspire your workforce.

Company Core Value Examples

To help you get started on creating your own core values list, we rounded up core values examples used by a few companies, breaking down what each of them gets right.

• We believe in the power of community.
• We are a positive force.
• We embody diversity and belonging.
• We innovate with purpose.

Why it works: Hivebrite describes itself as an “all-in-one community management and engagement platform.” Its dedication to building, engaging and maintaining communities is reflected clearly in its core values to help each team member stay focused on the company’s mission.

• Recombination
• Mission first
• Continuous learning
• Thoughtful communication

Why it works: Asimov draws on innovations in machine learning, computer-aided design and synthetic biology to push innovation in genetic engineering. The company’s core values draw on specific terms from its field to illustrate its emphasis on collaboration, innovation, sense of urgency and willingness to iterate.

• Raise the bar
• Do the right thing
• Empower customers
• Embrace curiosity

Why it works: Governance, risk and compliance software provider LogicGate emphasizes quality, collaboration and initiative in its core values. The company also stresses integrity, customer focus and an ongoing focus on learning and humility.

• Accountable
• Deliver joy

Why it works: The core values of healthcare navigation platform provider HealthJoy emphasize openness to new ideas and perspectives, humility and collaboration as well as taking responsibility for one’s work. The final two pillars, “deliver joy” and “care,” focus on the company’s relationship with its users.

Greenlight Guru

• Be innovative
• Fanatical support
• Culture of closing
• True quality

Why it works: Greenlight Guru provides software for medical device companies to collect data and streamline the process of bringing products to market. Its values focus on innovating to help its customers stay one step ahead, following through and ensuring quality stays top of mind.

• Build a house you want to live in
• Invest in each other
• Discipline equals freedom
• Strive for greatness

Why it works: A software company focused on supporting sales teams, Close puts a focus on transparency and honesty, building trust, and investing in relationships. Together, these elements reinforce the company’s first stated value of building with a long-term perspective in mind.

• Put individuals first
• Go fast while maintaining quality and integrity
• Challenge each other and state your good intent
• Work to win together

Why it works: Evidation uses everyday health data to help people understand their own health and take action to improve their outcomes. The company’s focus on empowering individuals, and to innovate while ensuring accuracy and trustworthiness, shine through in its stated values.

Bectran, Inc

Why it works: B2B credit management software provider Bectran puts innovation and the willingness to think outside the box front and center. The company also aims to hold itself to a high standard of integrity, and aims to create a welcoming workplace and a product that’s easy to understand.

Grand Studio

• Embrace the unknown
• Trust in transparency
• Inspire collaboration

Grand Studio develops user-centered digital products and experiences, specializing in UX/UI design and strategic consulting. Its values reflect the company’s commitment to meeting clients where they’re at to “take on complex challenges to build clearer paths and tools for success.”

• Customers Always Come First
• We’re Humans, Not Robots
• Our Reputation is Priceless
• Simplicity Is Our Strength
• Hard Work Pays Off
• We Work Better Together

Why it works: AlertMedia develops an employee alert and communications platform for emergency preparedness. Its commitment to minimizing loss and reducing business interruptions to clients are reflected in its core values. When it says its customers always come first, it’s not just a statement about its customer service, but saving lives.

Identity Digital

• We are innovative
• We act with integrity
• We are driven to succeed
• We have a growth mindset
• We work as one team

Why it works: Identity Digital is the company behind what it describes as the world’s largest portfolio of top-level domains, helping its customers make their websites more memorable. The company, which also provides protection about cyberattacks and abuse, emphasizes innovation, hard work and teamwork in its core values.

• Good talent shouldn’t be hard to find
• Serving both organizations and job seekers equally is the only way to create a world where everyone finds the right job
• Every organization, regardless of size, should have access to world-class talent science

Why it works: Candidate assessment test provider Wonderlic has created a set of core values around the experience of both its customers and job seekers using its tools in the application process. 

Strong Analytics

• Credibility 
• Collaboration

Why it works: Strong Analytics builds custom machine learning tools that help its customers make business-critical decisions, so it makes sense for its values to emphasize the importance of doing the job right. That said, Strong also wants to ensure its employees know it’s okay to take a breather and have fun together along the way.

Belvedere Trading

• Compete and succeed at the highest level. Make those around you better. Be the best teammate.
• Share individually in the success of the company. Earn merit-based responsibilities. Balance high expectations and a healthy environment.
• Act like an owner. Be accountable in all aspects of your role. Take pride in your work.
• Dream big and be willing to fail. Deliver value consistently. Make decisions and verify results.
• Speak with compassion and an open mind. Listen to understand. Bring new and challenging ideas to the table.

Why it works: Belvedere Trading ’s values are highly specific, making it very clear what working in accordance with them looks like. The company also says its values are more than words — they’re the “bedrock of our teamwork, pushing us to excel with integrity and respect.”

• Pets come first
• Dig new holes
• Trust the pack
• Jump fences

Why it works: Pet insurance company pumpkin modeled its values after the patients it aims to serve. While the underlying values will feel familiar to many in the startup space — customer focus, innovation, collaboration and willingness to experiment — the company puts a unique spin on them to stand out from the pack.

Elevate K-12

• Obsess about the customer
• Focus on outcomes
• Act like owners
• Ground decisions in detail and data
• Collaborate to win together
• Continuously elevate our performance

Why it works: Elevate K-12 refers to its values as “gyanisms” — a sanskrit word that can be translated as “wisdom” or “knowledge.” The company says it strives to draw on these values in how its team members act and make decisions.

Wolverine Trading

• Empowerment

Why it works: Wolverine Trading highlights its efforts to do more and go “beyond what is expected.” The company also backs its values up through community initiatives, fundraising and employee resource groups.

Definitive Healthcare

• Customer focused: We focus on our clients and work hard to ensure their satisfaction.
• Problem solvers: We strive to identify problems and develop targeted solutions.
• Honorable: We act with honesty and integrity in everything that we do.
• Team first: We love to collaborate and celebrate the success of our company and colleagues.
• Community oriented: We value our local community and make a determined effort to give back.
• Highly motivated: We welcome new challenges and push ourselves to try new things.
• Decisive: We make timely, informed decisions and aren't afraid to take risks.
• Scrappy: We aren't afraid to roll up our sleeves and get the job done.
• Balanced: We have fun at work and manage a healthy work-life balance.

Why it works: Definitive Healthcare says it’s cultivated a strong company culture where every employee embodies its core values. These nine principles give every team member something to strive for every day — and a way to keep each other accountable. 

OTR Solutions

• BE PASSIONATE: Conquering the day with energy and heart.
• BE INNOVATIVE: Always finding new ways to improve our services and technologies. 
• BE LIMITLESS: Dedicated to the growth of ourselves, the company and our clients. 
• BE AGILE: Willing and eager to accept new challenges. 
• BE ESSENTIAL:  Committed to being a strategic partner. 
• BE OTRelite.

Why it works: OTR Solutions is unapologetically client driven and you can sense its commitment to customers in these core values. It’s easy to see how that commitment to excellence extends to its team members.

Forward Financing

• Drive the Mission: We believe in financial opportunity for underserved small businesses. We say “yes” when others say “no.”
• Keep It Real: We value direct communication, candid feedback and authenticity. We are an open book.
• Act With Kindness: We create an environment where caring is cool and helping is the norm. We do the right thing.
• Shoot for Extraordinary: We are inspired by innovative thinking and continuous improvement. We never settle for yesterday’s best.

Why it works: Forward Financing’s core values reflect the company’s mission to provide capital to small businesses that have traditionally been underserved. These four simple principles remind every Forward Financing employee of the company’s north star.

• Act Like an Owner: To be successful, every employee needs to feel accountable, act with empowerment and be fully invested in the mission.
• Create Simplicity: Creating simplicity is an exercise in mindfulness. Pursue thoughtful reduction; distill to the essentials and remove unnecessary complexity.
• Lead with Empathy: Start with empathy. Assume positive intent. Allow yourself to be guided by curiosity and compassion. Manage with empathy. Create with empathy.
• Use the Power of Today: Resist the urge to postpone important challenges, opportunities and decisions.
• Know the Goal: Understand the big picture to understand what success looks like at a macro and micro level.
• Learn and Improve Together: We are one team, and we win together. Taking proactive steps to master a new skill is a strength. Be a model of humility and perseverance for others as you learn by doing.

Why it works: BrainPOP’s mission is to “help empower kids to understand the world around and within them,” so it makes sense it would bring that principle to its core values. Can’t you almost see these inspiring notes on laminated poster in your homeroom? 

• Get Results: We are a startup, so we are very result oriented.
• Build Trust: Getting results the right way to build long lasting relationships 
• Have Fun: We spend a huge part of our life at work, so having fun is a must.

Why it works: These simple ideas drive zLinq’s mission and company culture. It believes that, by living up to these values, the company can create an environment that welcomes a diverse array of perspectives so everyone is heard and valued.

• The Golden Rule Works: Practice the principle of respect. Treat everyone with kindness and empathy, just as you would like to be treated by others.
• Think Outside the Box: We are a solution-oriented company. Think bigger, be creative, and step outside your comfort zone to find innovations to our biggest problems.
• Design Is Not a Luxury: Design is core to our company DNA and runs deeper than just aesthetics. Great design is necessary to convey great ideas.
• Persistence Is Irreplaceable: Talent, genius and education are all inferior to persistence. Perseverance and determination are the keys to success.
• Laughter Has No Accent: Have a sense of humor. We shouldn't take ourselves too seriously. Laughter and smiling is an international language that bonds us as a team.
• You’re an Owner: You are a crew member on this company's long, crazy voyage! Roll your sleeves up and find pride and satisfaction in owning your work.

Why it works: Jackpocket’s core values are detailed and all-encompassing, serving as very clear guide posts for what it aims to achieve as an organization.

Biz2Credit Inc.

• C: Collaboration
• R: Responsibility
• E: Empowerment
• D: Disruption
• I: Innovation

Biz2Credit’s playful acrostic gets the point across — plus, it’s easy to remember. The company says it’s focused on funding small businesses and their big plans for the future and you can see that reflected here.  

• Swim against the current: Be innovative and differentiate.
• Jet fast, but don’t wreck: Activate quickly, align and build for efficiency.
• Glow brightly: Learn, teach and share.
• Surf to morph: See ahead, evolve and act in the right moment.
• Bloom together: Build culture, team cohesion and connection.

Why it works: Jellyfish’s core values play on the image of the company’s namesake and reflect the company’s interest in teamwork, efficiency and long-term solutions. 

• Curious and always improving
• Diligent with intent 
• Humble about oneself
• Proud about our company
• Respectful and positive

Why it works: As a company specializing in both virtual and hybrid event platforms, SpotMe’s core values reflect the company’s commitment to working as a team to constantly improve and help customers manage even the largest and most complex projects.

Scorability

• Customers first
• Better together

Why it works: Scorability provides a software platform to help college coaches recruit and you can feel that pep-talk spirit reflected in the company’s simple, straightforward, no-nonsense core values.

Hiro Systems

• We go together: A rising tide lifts all boats. We freely collaborate and share across our community.
• We have a bias for action: We know that speed can magnify impact, and we move swiftly.
• We make bold bets: We embrace the uncertainty, never let fear rule decisions, and once aligned, fully commit to executing our ideas.
• We find a way: No challenge is too big or daunting. We are resourceful, tenacious and creative in finding solutions.

Why it works: Hiro System creates developer tools for Stacks, which is a network that enables apps and smart contracts for Bitcoin. Working in this space means working quickly and decisively, so its core values reflect that forward movement.

Gogo Business Aviation

• Mission minded: Every day, we seek new ways to enrich the lives of passengers and enhance the efficiency of operators worldwide. We celebrate our wins, learn from our setbacks and always move forward towards our next big breakthrough.
• Bold problem solvers: In pursuit of the best inflight connectivity and entertainment solutions for every business jet, everywhere, we have a complex technological landscape to contend with. At Gogo, we eagerly rise to the challenge, always setting the goal post further to redefine innovation in airborne connectivity.
• Performance obsessed: Continuous improvement in everything we do is the cornerstone of staying ahead, so we’re always challenging ourselves to work smarter and seeking new ways to offer the highest quality products and services to our customers.
• Extraordinary harmony: Collaboration fuels innovation. Our team blends diverse talents in an environment that fosters mutual respect, healthy debate, personal empowerment and forward momentum.

Why it works: Gogo knows its diverse blend of employees is its greatest asset. While the company’s employees help Gogo achieve its mission and contribute to the organization’s overall success, the company also aims to ensure employees can maintain the flexibility to work toward their own professional goals and opportunities for personal growth. 

Hotel Engine

• Together We Thrive: We are a team and we win together. We support each other, push each other to be better and we build our culture together.
• Customer Obsessed: Without our customers, we have nothing. We keep our customers at the core of everything that we do. We are committed to understanding their needs, delivering value at every turn, and exceeding their expectations.
• Insist on High Standards: We do not just set high standards; we insist on them. These standards are not only for ourselves and our work, but for each other. We are creating a culture where excellence is standard.

Why it works: Hotel Engine says its values are its DNA and what propels the company forward. By putting its commitment to excellence for customers front-and-center, the company builds its list of priorities from the outset. 

• Neighborly Attitude: We treat our customers, employees and partners like lifelong neighbors.
• DFY not DIY: When it comes to investing in a customer’s home, we believe that “done for you” is better than “do it yourself.”
• Home Equity: We’re here to help customers enjoy, protect, and invest in one of their most important assets: the home.
• Trust Over Transactions: We recognize that integrity and transparency are key to building trust. 
• Unrivaled Culture: Our greatest asset: people. The Leaf Home team shows up every day for the mission of making homeownership easy and does so with focus, empathy and a growth mindset.

Why it works: Leaf Home’s brands provide consumers with an array of products and end-to-end services that enable them to maintain and upgrade their homes. The company’s values reflect its people-focused culture and commitment to “an innovative and welcoming workplace where all people feel respected, supported and driven to realize their full potential.”

Core Digital Media

• Innovative: Be curious, create new paths, make it happen.
• Driven to Win: Give 100 percent and take ownership.
• Transparent: Be open and share often.
• Collaborative: Work, win and learn as a team.
• Metrics Driven: Lead with business impact and measure results.
• Adaptable: Embrace and run with change.

Why it works: Core Digital Media operates brands that provide consumers with educational resources and price comparisons to support their financial journeys, and its six values set the tone for how team members can contribute to the organization’s overall success.

Blueprint Test Prep

Learners First

Own the Result 

Honesty and Transparency

Always Learning

Bias for Action 

Why it works:   Blueprint Test Prep offers digital exam prep courses, with a focus on LSAT and MCAT. Its core values are suited for its purpose, as they highlight education, results and action as opposed to inaction. 

Max Courage 

Ubuntu, a term popularized in the “western world” during the twenty-first century by Nelson Mandela, roughly translating to "I am because we are."

Why it works : Hi Marley offers text-based communication tools to streamline the relationship between insurance professionals and their customers. Hi Marley told Built In “ The founders were adamant about ensuring leadership led by example by behaving in alignment with a shared purpose and set of values.

• Elevate People
• Lead with Integrity
• Focus on Impact
• Invite Change
• Trust in Transparency

Why it works: Meetup builds technology to help people cultivate meaningful social connections in their area. Its core values depict a work environment that empowers people to take on challenges that are meant to have positive real-world impact.

• Care (for everyone)
• Get better (every day)
• Collaborate (with everyone)
• Act with integrity (every time)

Why it works: Fintech company Achieve boasts a “culture with impact,” and its values set the tone for the empathy and authenticity that team members are asked to carry with them as they engage with one another and perform their job duties. 

• We Are Trusted Partners
• We Cultivate Innovation
• We Value Differences
• We Operate With Responsibility
• We Work Together

Why it works: Nisos is a cybersecurity and threat intelligence company that aims to infuse the energy and spirit of its core values into every element of its people-first work culture, from training and professional development opportunities to its emphasis on work-life balance.

Why it works: Cleo’s values represent the company’s four key business pillars, highlighting a commitment to the company’s mission to “deliver supply chain and organizational agility” — a message that serves as the driving force behind the work of Cleo’s passionate team members.

First Entertainment Credit Union

• Members First
• Inclusivity

Why it works: First Entertainment Credit Union’s values illustrate the priorities at the center of its service model, which supports creators across the entertainment industry.

• Purpose: Lead with why.
• Impact: Make it count.
• Responsibility: Own it.
• Collaboration: Choose teamwork.

Why it works: Thumbtack characterizes itself as a workplace where employees can make a tangible impact on the homeowners and businesses the company serves, and its values provide a simple set of guiding principles to steer their work.

• Bias for Action
• Love Our Customers
• Win as a Team

Why it works: DataGrail’s values reflect the nature of the company culture, which emphasizes, “We lead with trust — on our team and with our customers.”

• We put our teammates before our individual egos and extend ourselves to support each other professionally and personally
• We set ambitious goals for ourselves and supportively challenge each other to get the best result.
• We genuinely care about each other, the company, our customers and the broader world.
• We all have things we’re passionate about outside of work - so don’t expect many dull conversations.

Why it works: Enigma describes its values as being “rooted in high-achievement, empathy and fair play,” laying the foundation for how team members engage with one another and the company’s work to bring innovation to small business intelligence.

firsthand Health Inc

• Individuals at the Center: We always do the right thing and go the extra mile for the individuals we serve, prioritizing their well-being above all else.
• Seek Understanding and Remain Teachable: We assume positive intent and we lead with curiosity. All questions are welcome; we love to learn, whether about one another or ourselves.
• Serious Fun: We work hard on an important mission, but we don’t take ourselves too seriously. We sprinkle fun in as much as possible!
• Bias Toward Action: We all take many small steps to stride towards our vision. We are quick to ask for help and to begin wading into new and often unfamiliar territory, knowing that our team has our back.
• Candor and Kindness: We have an obligation to give timely, direct feedback - delivered with care for our colleagues. We sometimes disagree, but we work through our differences and grow together.
• Deliver Value: Our customers’ endorsement, support and success enables us to further our mission.

Why it works: In line with its vision to create “a world where individuals living with serious mental and physical illnesses live their best possible lives,” firsthand put together a list of values that prioritize engaging both clients and employees with compassion, support and an eagerness to make a positive impact.

Accelerated Digital Media

• Accountability
• Respect every interaction
• Do it with a smile
• Encourage ideas, empower pursuit

Why it works:  Accelerated Digital Media uses the acronym A PRIDE on its website to convey its six core values, setting simple and transparent expectations to guide the way team members perform their jobs. It helps to illustrate the company’s goal of creating “an open, dynamic and productive work environment where expertise and creativity thrive together.”

• Purpose: We pursue work that matters.
• Wholeness: We hold space for people to be their complete and authentic selves.
• Trust: We build relationships based on trust – among teammates, customers, and partners.
• Self-Management: We reinforce autonomy and local decision-making in individuals and teams.
• Inclusion: We see, hear, and value people.

Why it works: Agile Six aims to establish a values system that clearly demonstrates a commitment to having a positive impact both on employees and its government clients. The overall message aligns with the company’s mission to “build better by putting people first.”

Why it works: CompanyCam likes to keep it short and sweet. These core values succinctly reflect the company’s fast-paced people-first culture.

The Predictive Index

• Teamwork: Focus on the “we,” not the “me.”
• Honesty: Follow your moral compass.
• Reliability: Be someone others can count on.
• Energy: Be balanced, be energized.
• Action: Errors of action are better than errors of inaction. Be brave.
• Drive: Own it.
• Scope: Don’t try to boil the ocean.

Why it works: The Predictive Index refers to their seven core values collectively as THREADS, and that’s what this set of values does — it brings together disparate ways of working into a cohesive system and collaboration philosophy.  

• Transparency
• Resourcefulness
• Togetherness

Why it works : At Edmunds, TRUST is not only a value the company holds dear, it’s also the acronym for the Edmunds’ core values. 

• Obsessed with customer needs
• Do the impossible
• Build globally, serve locally
• Constantly change, learn and evolve
• Respect above all

Why it works:  Spotnana aims to change how we travel and their core values reflect their community-centric approach to building “stronger human connections through travel.”

• Play for each other
• Make something better today
• Build for durability

Why it works: Amperity’s core values are short and memorable and underscore the company’s commitment to “growing a company together” and “planning for long-term scale.”

• Elevate doers of good
• Innovate courageously
• Cultivate inclusivity
• Appreciate the journey

Why it works: As a “leader in social good technology,” Bonterra’s core values tie directly back to — and help expand upon — its stated purpose: “We power those who power social impact.”

• We’re iconoclasts and innovators
• We’re more than a company—we’re a community
• We play as hard as we work

Why it works: By starting each value with “We,” these three values memorably describe the ethos of the company from the starting point of togetherness.

• Act boldly with courage
• Be financially responsible
• Be data-driven
• Operate ethically with integrity
• Be collaborative
• Approach every day with curiosity

Why it works: PEAK6 says its culture is “rooted in innovation, inclusion and flexibility,” and that comes through in its core values, which succinctly sum up how the company’s employees should approach their work.

• Put customers first and value their business
• Be the best at what we do
• Innovate by taking intelligent risks
• Provide an open, honest and constructive workplace
• Promote a fun work environment
• Achieve sustainable long-term growth and profitability
• Think like an underdog and remain humble

Why it works: GoHealth’s core values are comprehensive and speak to company culture, business excellence and the character its teammates should embody.

• Openness is the future: For Narmi, openness means giving our customers the ability to grow and scale for their future, and a platform flexible enough to meet the needs of any financial institution.
• Dependability is a given: Your customers need a tool that can meet their varied, demanding needs, right where they are — and Narmi surpasses expectations with an intuitive platform that offers users everything they want, and then some.
• Rewrite the financial story: Narmi’s focus on the financial health and wellness of our end-users means building beyond traditional banking. Our products are easy and intuitive to use, empowering every user with a holistic view of their finances and giving them the information they need to live healthier financial lives.

Why it works: Narmi provides financial institutions with products that allow them to offer digital banking experiences. The company’s simple and straightforward value pillars serve as the building blocks for its tech development strategy.

• Be patient obsessed. We make every decision with our main focus in mind: improving the lives of patients.
• Act like an owner. We speak up, share ideas, give feedback and are all accountable for growth.
• Build to learn. We don’t fear making mistakes; innovation requires failing courageously over and over again.

Why it works: Healthtech company NuvoAir specializes in technology and services to address chronic cardiopulmonary diseases. The company touts a “mission-oriented culture,” and its values guide the work of current employees, as well as point to the qualities NuvoAir looks for when hiring new people. 

VelocityEHS

• Champion Customer Success
• Build Honest Relationships
• Choose Simple
• Make a Difference
• Team Player

Why it works: VelocityEHS aims to advance workplace safety and sustainability. It has a value system that encourages employees to work collaboratively and lets them know their efforts can lead to real-world impact for client companies that trust VelocityEHS.

• We build to benefit all customers (not just one)
• We make good decisions and consider the long-term benefits for our customers, Adyen and the world at large
• We launch fast and iterate
• Winning is more important than ego; we work as a team - across cultures and time zones
• We don’t hide behind email, instead we pick up the phone
• We talk straight without being rude
• We seek out different perspectives to sharpen our ideas
• We create our own path to grow toward our full potential

Why it works: Businesses look to Adyen for solutions that allow them to accept payments, protect and grow their revenue and offer financial products. The company created its set of guiding principles known as the “Adyen Formula” to emphasize its commitment to “speed and autonomy across teams, regions and time zones.”

• Our work is grounded in research, design and privacy.
• At WHOOP, the best idea wins.
• We have a bias for action.
• We operate at the intersection of high intensity and high humility.
• Our differences are a source of strength.
• We are obsessed with the member experience.

Why it works: WHOOP makes wearable technology that provides users with insights about their health and fitness. With a mission “to unlock human performance,” WHOOP’s core values highlight the company’s dedication to responsible innovation and a quality member experience.

• Customer Obsessed: Listen, go above and beyond and deliver an amazing experience to our customers.
• Be Open: We can do anything with hard work, innovation, an open mind and a positive attitude.
• Skrappy: Always be in start up mode.
• DTJAIBAI: Don’t just talk about it, be about it.
• One Krew: Remember to have fun together while staying humble, respecting and leaning on each other — we are nothing without our team.
• Win with Data: It’s through data that we verify, understand and quantify our decisions and actions.
• Work fast and iterate: Continuous improvement over delayed perfection.

Why it works: Kustomer develops AI-powered conversational intelligence solutions to improve customer service operations. The core values that define Kustomer’s culture express a passion for hard work, collaboration and data-driven action. 

• Host: You are inclusive and kind
• Serve: You are collaborative and empathetic
• Deliver: You work hard and follow through
• Celebrate: You are supportive and fun

Why it works: Provi runs a B2B alcohol marketplace. With fun labels like “Host” and “Celebrate,” Provi’s core values show the company puts a premium on creativity and an encouraging work environment that contributes to a positive culture.

More Core Value Examples

Still looking for more inspiration? Check out these additional company core values examples.

• We are rational
• We strive to improve
• We focus on results
• We are trustworthy
• We are team players

BigCommerce

• Team on a mission
• Act with integrity
• Make a difference every day

Restaurant Brands International

• Meritocracy
• Creativity and innovation
• Authenticity

• Challenging
• Understanding
• Knowledgeable

Related Reading 21 Company Culture Examples to Get You Inspired

Tapestry Solutions

• Dedicated to the dream
• Hold to high standards
• Embrace difference by design
• Break through with magic and logic
• Stand taller together

Magna International

• Take responsibility
• Never settle

The HEICO Companies, LLC

Two Barrels LLC

• Check in with each other
• Test new ideas
• Make beautiful things
• Teach and learn

Restaurant365

• Love good food
• Share positive vibes
• Solve problems, together
• Relentlessly seek greatness

DailyPay, Inc.

• Do your research
• Start simple
• See the circle
• Pull the wagon
• Move the line
• We win with diversity
• Act like an owner

RealWork Labs

• People first
• Adopt a beginner’s mind
• Strength in our differences
• Empower to win
• Relentless pursuit of improvement
• Take ownership, not credit

• Champion the mission
• Embrace the adventure
• Be a cereal entrepreneur

• Make complex things simple
• Set crazy big goals and make them happen
• Be a force for good
• Empower others

Walmart Global Tech

• Service to the customer
• Respect for the individual
• Strive for excellence

• Be the next
• Remember the feeling
• Action is our first instinct
• Stronger united

• Be a hacker
• Practice humility
• Be an exceptional teammate

Adage Technologies

• Be an ambassador
• Adapt and evolve
• Enjoy the journey
• Get it done

• Deliver the best customer experience, period
• Grow 1 percent every day
• Work hard and be an owner
• Normal f*cking sucks
• Pay it forward with random acts of kindness
• Have fun, find joy, be you
• Be transparent and direct, with optimism

• Put team first
• Be admirable
• Find a better way

CB Insights

• High standards
• Helpfulness

Ellevation Education

• Long-term vision
• Partnership

• Customer first
• Best answer wins
• Operate as an owner
• Accountable for results
• Top talent and teamwork

• Solve a problem
• Work-life balance
• 100 percent transparency
• The best team, ever

• We are owners
• We obsess over customer needs
• We make F5 more agile
• We create a more diverse and inclusive F5
• We create clarity and alignment
• We help each other thrive
• We find and shape brilliance
• We boldly raise the bar

Related Reading You’ve Finally Nailed Down Your Company Values. What Happens Next?

• Customer obsession
• Debate openly, commit fully
• Deliver results
• Grit and focus
• Think bold, think big, think broad

• Client focus
• Professionalism

• Customers are king
• Excellence is a state of mind
• Embrace and drive change
• Focus on focus
• Make It fun

• Bias to action
• Win together
• Show up curious
• Say it, do it
• Customer success is our success
• We love insurance

Envoy Global, Inc.

We believe employees are happier, companies are more successful and our world is a stronger place when people are able to work and live anywhere an opportunity presents itself. We built our company on a simple idea: Never, ever forget that there are people behind every application and case file. We truly care about these people — their hopes, their dreams, their fears — and helping them realize what’s possible.

We take that job really seriously.

Contentsquare

• Team spirit

• Sense of ownership
• Constant changes

• Customer obsessed

• System1 supports you
• Everyone is on the same team
• Be yourself
• Make an impact
• 1 percent better every day

• Take action
• Learn together
• Build a foundation of trust
• Own progress and outcomes
• Focus on customers

We champion the vitality of American enterprise. Our desire to continually build new things reflects our belief that the freedom to innovate, create, and celebrate advancements propels our country. All things are possible so long as we never stop building and improving.

We celebrate the pioneers. That’s why we do more than root for passionate entrepreneurs; we find them, fund them, and build with them. Every Pardon venture was born from this same entrepreneurial vigor and our own artistic sensibility.

Whether launching a new digital media brand or designing a space for deep collaboration and creation, our team approaches each venture and partnership with the same unwavering excitement over the possible path ahead.

Boundless Immigration

• Think without bounds
• Understand the why
• Focus on impact
• Strive to simplify

Morgan Stanley

• Put clients first
• Lead with exceptional ideas
• Commit to diversity and inclusion

• Interfaces matter
• Consumer advocate
• Detail obsessed
• Aligned DIY
• Bold yet humble

• Customer focused
• Collaborative
• Transparent

• Make a difference
• Work together
• Reimagine the possible

• Embody a service mindset
• Dream big, then make it real
• Be proud of the how
• Embrace an ownership mentality
• Debate then commit

Andreas Rekdal, Sara B.T. Thiel, Ana Gore and Hal Koss contributed to reporting for this story.

Recent Company Culture Articles

Essays About Values: 5 Essay Examples Plus 10 Prompts

Similar to how our values guide us, let this guide with essays about values and writing prompts help you write your essay.

Values are the core principles that guide the actions we take and the choices we make. They are the cornerstones of our identity. On a community or organizational level, values are the moral code that every member must embrace to live harmoniously and work together towards shared goals. 

We acquire our values from different sources such as parents, mentors, friends, cultures, and experiences. All of these build on one another — some rejected as we see fit — for us to form our perception of our values and what will lead us to a happy and fulfilled life.

5 Essay Examples

1. what today’s classrooms can learn from ancient cultures by linda flanagan, 2. stand out to your hiring panel with a personal value statement by maggie wooll, 3. make your values mean something by patrick m. lencioni, 4. how greed outstripped need by beth azar, 5. a shift in american family values is fueling estrangement by joshua coleman, 1. my core values, 2. how my upbringing shaped my values, 3. values of today’s youth, 4. values of a good friend, 5. an experience that shaped your values, 6. remembering our values when innovating, 7. important values of school culture, 8. books that influenced your values, 9. religious faith and moral values, 10. schwartz’s theory of basic values.

“Connectedness is another core value among Maya families, and teachers seek to cultivate it… While many American teachers also value relationships with their students, that effort is undermined by the competitive environment seen in many Western classrooms.”

Ancient communities keep their traditions and values of a hands-off approach to raising their kids. They also preserve their hunter-gatherer mindsets and others that help their kids gain patience, initiative, a sense of connectedness, and other qualities that make a helpful child.

“How do you align with the company’s mission and add to its culture? Because it contains such vital information, your personal value statement should stand out on your resume or in your application package.”

Want to rise above other candidates in the jobs market? Then always highlight your value statement. A personal value statement should be short but still, capture the aspirations and values of the company. The essay provides an example of a captivating value statement and tips for crafting one.

“Values can set a company apart from the competition by clarifying its identity and serving as a rallying point for employees. But coming up with strong values—and sticking to them—requires real guts.”

Along with the mission and vision, clear values should dictate a company’s strategic goals. However, several CEOs still needed help to grasp organizational values fully. The essay offers a direction in setting these values and impresses on readers the necessity to preserve them at all costs. 

“‘He compared the values held by people in countries with more competitive forms of capitalism with the values of folks in countries that have a more cooperative style of capitalism… These countries rely more on strategic cooperation… rather than relying mostly on free-market competition as the United States does.”

The form of capitalism we have created today has shaped our high value for material happiness. In this process, psychologists said we have allowed our moral and ethical values to drift away from us for greed to take over. You can also check out these essays about utopia .

“From the adult child’s perspective, there might be much to gain from an estrangement: the liberation from those perceived as hurtful or oppressive, the claiming of authority in a relationship, and the sense of control over which people to keep in one’s life. For the mother or father, there is little benefit when their child cuts off contact.”

It is most challenging when the bonds between parent and child weaken in later years. Psychologists have been navigating this problem among modern families, which is not an easy conflict to resolve. It requires both parties to give their best in humbling themselves and understanding their loved ones, no matter how divergent their values are. 

10 Writing  Prompts On Essays About Values

For this topic prompt, contemplate your non-negotiable core values and why you strive to observe them at all costs. For example, you might value honesty and integrity above all else. Expound on why cultivating fundamental values leads to a happy and meaningful life. Finally, ponder other values you would like to gain for your future self. Write down how you have been practicing to adopt these aspired values. 

Many of our values may have been instilled in us during childhood. This essay discusses the essential values you gained from your parents or teachers while growing up. Expound on their importance in helping you flourish in your adult years. Then, offer recommendations on what households, schools, or communities can do to ensure that more young people adopt these values.

Is today’s youth lacking essential values, or is there simply a shift in what values generations uphold? Strive to answer this and write down the healthy values that are emerging and dying. Then think of ways society can preserve healthy values while doing away with bad ones. Of course, this change will always start at home, so also encourage parents, as role models, to be mindful of their words, actions and behavior.  

The greatest gift in life is friendship. In this essay, enumerate the top values a friend should have. You may use your best friend as an example. Then, cite the best traits your best friend has that have influenced you to be a better version of yourself. Finally, expound on how these values can effectively sustain a healthy friendship in the long term. 

We all have that one defining experience that has forever changed how we see life and the values we hold dear. Describe yours through storytelling with the help of our storytelling guide . This experience may involve a decision, a conversation you had with someone, or a speech you heard at an event.  

With today’s innovation, scientists can make positive changes happen. But can we truly exercise our values when we fiddle with new technologies whose full extent of positive and adverse effects we do not yet understand such as AI? Contemplate this question and look into existing regulations on how we curb the creation or use of technologies that go against our values. Finally, assess these rules’ effectiveness and other options society has. 

Highlight a school’s role in honing a person’s values. Then, look into the different aspects of your school’s culture. Identify which best practices distinct in your school are helping students develop their values. You could consider whether your teachers exhibit themselves as admirable role models or specific parts of the curriculum that help you build good character. 

In this essay, recommend your readers to pick up your favorite books, particularly those that served as pathways to enlightening insights and values. To start, provide a summary of the book’s story. It would be better if you could do so without revealing too much to avoid spoiling your readers’ experience. Then, elaborate on how you have applied the values you learned from the book.

For many, religious faith is the underlying reason for their values. For this prompt, explore further the inextricable links between religion and values. If you identify with a certain religion, share your thoughts on the values your sector subscribes to. You can also tread the more controversial path on the conflicts of religious values with socially accepted beliefs or practices, such as abortion. 

Dive deeper into the ten universal values that social psychologist Shalom Schwartz came up with: power, achievement, hedonism, stimulation, self-direction, universalism, benevolence, tradition, conformity, and security. Look into their connections and conflicts against each other. Then, pick your favorite value and explain how you relate to it the most. Also, find if value conflicts within you, as theorized by Schwartz.

Make sure to check out our round-up of the best essay checkers . If you want to use the latest grammar software, read our guide on using an AI grammar checker .

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Build a Culture That Aligns with People’s Values

• Natalie Baumgartner

It’ll improve retention and recruitment efforts.

Candidates are seeking workplaces where they can intertwine their beliefs with those of the company, and work together on a common vision of purpose and success. As leaders grapple with how to recruit top candidates and retain employees, they must rethink how they’re shaping and building a culture that unites people around a common cause. Great culture should provide continuous alignment to the vision, purpose, and goals of the organization. Today’s workforce wants to know that they’re making a difference within their companies. While work cultures are unique to every organization, the foundation of what enables a culture to thrive is the extent to which employees are empowered to be engaged, feel valued, and be heard. At a time when companies are making headlines for culture failures or scandals, employers must evaluate whether their own organizational culture is empowering employees to live by shared values – or to compromise them.

Candidates are seeking workplaces where they can intertwine their beliefs with those of the company, and work together on a common vision of purpose and success. As leaders grapple with how to recruit top candidates and retain employees, they must rethink how they’re shaping and building a culture that unites people around a common cause. Great culture should provide continuous alignment to the vision, purpose, and goals of the organization.

• NB Natalie Baumgartner is the Chief Workforce Scientist at Achievers , an employee-engagement platform. She’s a thought leader, advisor and speaker on corporate culture, employee experience and organizational transformation.

Partner Center

Core company values examples to help shape your culture

Last updated

12 September 2023

Reviewed by

Lara Leganger

When you start a company with a small team, it’s often relatively easy for everyone to work toward a common goal without formalized core values. Communication flows naturally, collaboration is pretty seamless, and there might even be a strong shared sense of purpose. 

But as the company grows and you hire more people and expand operations, how do you ensure everyone works together toward a common goal? How do you help everyone understand what is most important? And how do you attract the right talent?

You need a set of core company values to establish a cohesive company culture, identity, and mission.

This article is your guide to understanding company values, from what they are to how to shape and implement them. It includes ten examples of companies with inspiring, forward-thinking core values to help you shape your own team culture and values.

• What are a company’s core values?

Core values are principles and fundamental beliefs that guide decisions and behavior. Core values integrate into every aspect of the company, from sales, operations, marketing, HR processes, and beyond.

Also, company values extend beyond internal dynamics. They shape how investors, customers, and the general public perceive your company. Going beyond what your company does, values explain why you do it. Brands that create lasting positive impressions tend to make decisions and treat people in a way that aligns with their stated values.

• Why are company values important?

Articulating your company values is essential to growing a brand because they:

Give employees a purpose

Clearly stated values give employees a sense of purpose by connecting their work to a meaningful mission and shared beliefs. A sense of purpose empowers employees to find fulfillment beyond financial compensation, which enhances job satisfaction, engagement, and motivation.

Attract and retain talent

Qualtrics  surveyed  1,178 US employees to learn more about retention. They found that 54% of respondents were willing to take a pay cut to work at a company with “better values,” and 56% wouldn't consider working at a company with values they disagree with.

These findings suggest that clearly defined values are essential for your talent-retention strategy. Once you identify your business’s core values, you are more likely to attract like-minded individuals who resonate with the mission and culture. These employees are more likely to fit their roles and enjoy their work, increasing retention. 

Conversely, a lack of identifiable or poor values, such as being disrespectful, noninclusive, unethical, cutthroat, or abusive, is a recipe for high attrition, aka “churn and burn.” 

When MIT Sloan Business Review analyzed 34 million online employee profiles in 2021, they found that companies with a healthy company culture had a lower-than-average turnover , even in the first six months of the ongoing phenomenon, dubbed the “Great Resignation.”

Develop a company culture

Company values shape employees' behaviors, attitudes, and interactions, creating a unique cultural identity that defines a company's operations. 

For example, when executive leaders embody valuing teamwork, the entire team may be more likely to collaborate and support each other.

Company values also create a sense of identity and purpose, fostering unity and belonging and strengthening the culture.

Promote consistency

Consistency is the uniformity of actions and decisions across the company. Company values facilitate consistent actions and behaviors by offering behavioral guidelines and a decision-making framework. 

Consistency makes outcomes more predictable, builds trust, strengthens the brand image, streamlines processes, and improves efficiency. Consistent decisions and actions establish a strong foundation for growth, innovation, and sustainable success.

Differentiate your company

Precise values are crucial to attracting like-minded employees and customers while distinguishing your company from competitors. Pairing core values with ethical and socially responsible guidelines can significantly boost your company's reputation, positioning it as a moral leader and a valuable contributor to society. You’ll also likely draw socially conscientious talent to your organization and generate positive word-of-mouth and media coverage, further solidifying your brand's unique identity.

• 10 companies with inspiring core values

Several companies have created successful cultures with their inspiring core values. Here are ten example companies with well-thought-out core values to help inspire your brainstorming session:

Google calls their core values “ Ten things we know to be true .” They wrote their values when the company was just a few years old and revisit them regularly to ensure they stay relevant.

Their inspiring company values are:

Focus on the user, and all else will follow

It's best to do one thing really, really well

Fast is better than slow

Democracy on the Web works

You don't need to be at your desk to need an answer

You can make money without doing evil

There's always more information out there

The need for information crosses all borders

You can be serious without a suit

Great just isn't good enough

Gusto is a popular payroll application that supports hundreds of thousands of businesses in the US.

They have six  core company values  that aim to support the needs of employees and customers:

Embody a service mindset

Dream big, then make it real

Be proud of the how

Embrace an ownership mentality

Debate, then commit

Build with humility

3. Bayhealth

Bayhealth’s mission is to deliver the nation's best healthcare to its communities. This not-for-profit healthcare system accurately reflects its strategic objectives in its five  core values :

Accountability

4. Salesforce

Inspired by Hawaiian culture, Salesforce refers to its entire community (employees, partners, and customers) as " Ohana ," which means family. They assert that business is the greatest platform for change. Their core values are: They have unique core company values that heavily focus on the customer and employee experience .

Customer Success

Sustainability

Adidas' core values  are known as the 3Cs. They are a set of behaviors that the company wants to see in its people.

Collaboration

Creativity  

Apple has four simple but effective  core values  that are part of everything they build, including careers. Each core value on their website has a link to related resources to improve comprehension.

Accessibility

Environment

Supplier responsibility

7. Unilever

Unilever's core values  aim to create a sustainable and successful business to benefit all its stakeholders and the environment. They include:

Responsibility

3Ms core values represent how deeply they appreciate investors, the environment, and their employees, enabling the company to succeed for over a century:

Passion for making an impact

9. Patagonia

Patagonia regularly updates its core values to reflect the company they want to be in the future. They have five core values:

Environmentalism

Not bound by convention

The social media management software company’s CEO gives a hat tip to renowned “How to Win Friends and Influence People” author Dale Carnegie, crediting his principles for heavily inspiring their core values , which are:

Default to transparency

Improve consistently

Be a no-ego doer

Show gratitude

Choose optimism

Reflect to unblock

• The different types of values

There are many values companies can adopt. However, your values should reflect your unique mission, industry, and organizational culture. They should also accurately represent your company's identity and aspirations.

To make your core business values well-rounded, you might group them according to the following five categories:

Ethics   Equality, respect, diversity, and sustainability are examples of ethical values. These core values might be ideal for your company if you strongly support paying a living wage or other forms of corporate social responsibility, such as environmental stewardship.

Customer-centricity Customer-centric values include service excellence, quality, and responsiveness. These values are likely a strong fit if your customers are at the heart of your operations.

Internal Collaboration, respect, flexibility, and communication are internal values that focus on employee well-being and internal processes. 

Financial These values guide the company's money management and may serve as a roadmap for impact investing (philanthropy).

Employee-centricity Work-life balance , diversity and inclusion , and employee development are all employee-centric values. These principles aim to create an engaged and motivated workforce by prioritizing their well-being, growth, and satisfaction.

• Common elements of excellent core values

Specific core values will vary from company to company. Still, the most compelling ones are always:

Brief, memorable, and clearly stated: Concise statements are understandable and easy to retain, helping to keep core values top of mind with all stakeholders.

Aligned with the company mission: Values should be consistent with strategic objectives.

Forward-thinking and adaptable: Responding to change and routinely assessing your company’s core values (with input from all team members) is a way to stay principled yet adaptable.

Action-oriented: Values that guide employees through day-to-day work are usually more helpful than abstract concepts. For example, “excellence” is a theoretically great value but doesn’t indicate what steps or actions are necessary to achieve it.

• How to establish your company's core value statements

Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you define your company's core values. The process of defining a company's core values may differ slightly depending on whether you are a startup or an established company. 

Gather insights

The first step is to gather insights from stakeholders representing different departments, levels, and perspectives in your company. This collaborative approach will help you understand the company's culture and guiding principles. 

Review mission and vision

Your mission and vision statements outline the purpose and aspirations of your organization. Assess whether they accurately reflect your company's purpose and goals. This analysis will ensure that the core values align well with them.

Identify fundamental beliefs

Fundamental beliefs are the convictions that shape a company's decisions and actions. Identifying them uncovers the core philosophies and principles integral to your company's existence and growth. 

Draft and prioritize values

With the identified fundamental beliefs in mind, list potential core values and prioritize them based on how well they resonate with your company's mission, vision, and culture. 

Create clear definitions for each core value

Descriptions should explain how each core value applies to your company's environment, goals, and culture to ensure employees understand how to adopt and use them in their daily decisions and actions.

Solicit stakeholder feedback

Share the core values with relevant parties like employees and leadership and ask them for feedback. Soliciting their feedback enables you to create meaningful, relevant, and impactful core values that represent the collective ethos of your company. 

• How to implement core values

After building the core values, the next step is integrating them into your company's day-to-day decisions and actions.

Here are five ways to get started:

Check-in with your team:   Discuss your proposed core values with employees, ensuring they align with the company's identity and resonate with the team. This initial dialogue fosters a sense of ownership.

Solicit feedback:   Actively seek feedback from various levels of the organization. Encourage open conversations about the proposed core values and their potential impact. Feedback helps refine and shape the values to reflect the diverse viewpoints within the company, making it easier for the employees to embody the values after implementation.

Implement feedback:   Use the feedback to fine-tune the core values. Incorporate suggestions and address concerns to create a final set of values that captures the essence of your organization. By including team input, you enhance the core values and cultivate a sense of unity and shared responsibility for their adoption.

Make your core values unique to your brand: While drawing inspiration from example companies is valuable, tailor your core values to authentically represent your brand's distinct identity, mission, and culture. Doing so gives your core values a genuine, memorable quality.

Continue to evolve when necessary:   Company dynamics change over time, and core values should remain adaptable to ensure relevance. Regularly revisit and refine the core values as your company grows so that they continue to guide behavior and decisions effectively

Core company values are influential blueprints for organizations striving to cultivate a robust and positive workplace culture. By embracing core values such as transparency, innovation, and diversity, businesses can foster an environment where employees feel inspired, motivated, and connected to a shared purpose. Ultimately, aligning your company with genuine, well-defined values enhances employee satisfaction and contributes to long-term success and sustainability in today's dynamic business landscape.

How can I measure the success of my core company values implementation?

You can measure success by conducting employee engagement and customer feedback surveys . When employees actively embody the values and contribute to a positive work environment (and customer satisfaction), that indicates a team that walks the talk.

What happens if I don’t create core values?

Suppose you don't explicitly define your core values. In that case, they will evolve independently and could shape your culture in ways that hurt your business.

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On Humans: Grappling with the Intersection of Nature, Work + Technology

About Trust, Part Six – A Deeper Dive Into Core Values

By Mark Abbott

At the core of every company is people. Everyone says this, so it reads trite, but anyone who has ever worked in a company knows this to be true. They also know that their level of life satisfaction, and their level of well-being, is fairly dependent upon their level of satisfaction with their work. Not only that, their satisfaction with work is significantly dependent upon their satisfaction with their relationships at work. In short, I believe High Trust Company’s (HTC’s) are those where the vast majority of employees genuinely love not just their Work but their Workplace (yep, another intentional capital W).

The other major item that comes into play for almost every worker is their belief that their work matters (aka they buy into the company’s purpose). Deep down inside I believe we all want to matter (and that to matter, we need to make life better). This is consistent with Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. If we matter, we will have a reasonable likelihood of developing self-esteem. I write “developing” because you cannot give it to someone. That was one of the big flaws with the self-esteem movement that began in the late 20th century. You have to earn self-esteem because then it’s yours. You earned it. You own it. You can take it with you if you want to move to another tribe (aka company). I like to say: to matter, you have to matter. By that I mean you can’t just want to matter, you have to earn it.

It’s like an insight I acquired decades ago which is: You don’t make money because you want to make money; you make money because someone values what it is you do / have.

This simple idea applies to individuals and companies. At the risk of stating the obvious, all of this Work needs to be executed reasonably well if the company operates in a market where competition exists.

The consequence of all of this is that HTC’s have cultures that not only recognize the importance of people, and their need to matter, but minimize the inherent friction associated with all these different types of people (each of whom wants to matter) coming together and breaking apart to do Work. And one of the most important things HTC’s do is develop high trust cultures that are built upon a small collection of very well developed “Core Values.” Without a clear set of deeply shared values… there is no enduring connection ).

HTC’s inevitably develop cultures that minimize the inherent friction associated with…different types of people coming together and breaking apart to do Work.

As I wrote about in “ Being Human: 101 ,” thousands of years ago we developed values to make it easier for us to survive and flourish as social beings. The consequence of this is values are ubiquitous in all groups (religious or secular).

After a couple of decades or so of living on this planet, most of us have come to learn that there are all sorts of groups out there. Some we’re attracted to and comfortable within, and some we’d rather not be a member of. It feels almost wrong to write the last sentence, but it’s true. This doesn’t mean we cannot co-exist and thrive without belonging to all groups. And it certainly doesn’t mean that different groups cannot get along.

What it does mean is we are not well suited for all groups and, frankly, not all groups want us. Some groups need a certain level of Competency we don’t possess (e.g., an NBA team for >99.999% of humans) and some require a Character that we may not possess (e.g., a spy ring for me — I couldn’t lie well enough to save my life), and many are composed of values that don’t match well with ours (e.g., a dictatorship — I am not a big fan of being told what to do. You?).

This is my first essay where we’re going to take a deeper look at some of the more complex ingredients associated with the Three Dimensions of Trust. I’m starting these “deep dives” by unpacking the Core Values component of the Connections-Based Trust dimension (which I have come to believe could also be called the Social-Based Trust dimension but the “Three C’s of Trust” generally resonates better for me — feel free to comment). I’m starting with Core Values because it’s one of the most common ingredients that companies focus on if they have any interest in building an HTC.

So what are values?

According to Wikipedia: “In ethics, value denotes the degree of importance of some thing or action, with the aim of determining what actions are best to do or what way is best to live (normative ethics), or to describe the significance of different actions. Value systems are prospective and prescriptive beliefs: they affect ethical behavior of a person or are the basis of their intentional activities. Often primary values are strong and secondary values are suitable for changes. What makes an action valuable may in turn depend on the ethical values of the object it increases, decreases or alters. An object with “ethic value” may be termed an “ethic or philosophical good” (noun sense).”

I love this definition because there is so much to unpack here. Let’s list a few of the values of values:

• Some values are strongly held (e.g., what is good and important, tend to endure and are typically widely held by a group [e.g., democracy])
• Some values are more personal and subject to change (e.g., what is useful, beautiful, desirable and constructive)
• Most of us have values that reflect our personal beliefs on what “ought to be”
• Every value can be categorized along three sub dimensions: – Importance (to me, to the group) – Relevance (to me, to the group) – Time (durability)
• Since values help us understand the degree of importance, they are hierarchical in nature
• Since values are hierarchical, and we care more about things that deeply matter to us than those that don’t, they also help us form a hierarchy for feeling (from strongly for, to indifferent, to strongly against)
• Values have value and consequently can be thought of as a good (i.e., something whose value can be measured)
• The value of values can, with a bit of work, be measured and consequently values make it easier to objectively assess options so we can undertake cost / benefit analyses, make informed decisions and do what our team calls GSSD™ (“Get Smart Stuff Done™)
• Consequently, values help us form a hierarchy for thinking, feeling and doing (all three of which are needed to create and innovate) that not only simplify our choices but make it significantly easier for us to Work, and through our Work, make life better

What Core Values are Not

If you’ve been following this series, you may recall I purposely inserted the Core Values component into the Connections-Based Trust dimension and that, for purposes of clarity, I highly recommend you think of Core Values as traits that are not commonly associated with Character and Competency. I’ve worked with dozens of companies that mix these concepts and their Core Values are far more effective, and durable, when they don’t dilute them with Character-based traits (e.g., honesty, integrity) that are, in the words of Patrick Lincioni, “permission to play” or Competency-based traits that are not appropriate for every single seat in our company (e.g., detail oriented, innovative, organized).

Some Guiding Principles for Creating a Company’s Core Values

Core Values are a short list (typically 3 to 7) of behavioral norms, philosophical beliefs, and / or guiding principles that a company finds sacrosanct (aka important, relevant and enduring). The best Company Core Values score 10/10 across all three dimensions (recall, I love being able to understand the math associated with trust ).

Well-defined and genuinely embraced Core Values:

• Clarify who we are
• Articulate what we stand for
• Guide us on who we hire
• Help explain why we do business the way we do
• Guide us on how to teach
• Inform us on how to reward
• Help us to better understand why some people don’t fit
• Help us let people go
• Unify the whole organization
• Inform our business processes
• Guide / are compatible with our value proposition
• Require no external justification

There are numerous approaches to developing your company’s Core Values. If you haven’t already enumerated them or if you are not sure yours are right, here’s a brief summary of how I help my clients find theirs:

• I have them collectively create a list of 10–15 employees they love working with (the more that are known by most of those in the room, the better).
• I present the Three C’s of Trust framework and ask them to list the behavioral traits (repeat: not character, not competency) that they love about each one of these people.
• I write the words and short phrases (e.g., Get Stuff Done, Do the Right Thing) that they use to describe the traits that they love up on a white board.
• Once we’re done building the list of traits, I ask each of them to share the names of some colleagues (present and / or past) who they find / found really difficult to work with. My goal is to get 5–7 names and then have them share what behaviors / traits they find difficult to work with. Almost all the time, they tend to be the antithesis of some of the behaviors that they found so attractive in the colleagues that they loved working with.
• As they share their list of what I call “antitheticals,” we star the attractive / opposite behaviors.
• Finally, we work to consolidate the list into about five Core Values (90% of my clients have five).
• I know we’ve built Core Values that will last when the words we choose are words they were using all of the time. Words that they obviously use in the workplace. Words that are authentic, clear and easy to remember.

90% of the time, we get a very good initial list of Core Values within an hour, we load them into the Core Values section of Ninety.io (forgive the plug but it’s true), add some descriptors, and the teams find the exercise almost magical.

I then ask them to sleep on our Work and tweak as needed until they deeply love them. 90% of the time they are ready to publish / share their Core Values by the end of our second or third session together.

While I love all aspects of being a coach, helping teams nail their Core Values is probably not only one of the most rewarding things I do, but it’s probably the easiest Work I do.

If you’ve already built out your Core Values, are you and your colleagues confident they will stand the test of time?

Rock-solid values have three common “core” traits; they are important, relevant and enduring . It’s a worthy exercise to run each of your proposed values up against each of these. Is this value truly important to us as individuals and as an organization? Is this value relevant — does it matter as essential to who we are? And as time rolls on and we navigate future changes (some yet to be anticipated), will this value endure as we evolve?

Also, avoid diluting Core Values with words, concepts or traits related to Character or Competency . As referenced earlier, Character-Based Traits (e.g., “integrity”) are table stakes and add little value. Incorporating Competency-Based Traits (e.g. “innovative”) that typically don’t apply to every seat in the company will not stand the test of time if your using your Core Values to assess every person in your company and every candidate you consider hiring. What follows is a simple diagram you can use to assess your current Core Values if you already have them or to help you develop yours if you haven’t.

If the answers aren’t checked straight across the board, you may want to schedule an hour with your senior team and run through the exercise I shared earlier.

As Jim Collins and Jerry Porass masterfully presented in Built to Last (the book that unquestionably launched my career), enduring companies are founded, and later led, by individuals who not only provide their organizations with strong and well-defined philosophical belief systems but endeavor to ensure the systems persevere.

In short, genuine, well crafted, Core Values are one of the essential ingredients you’ll find in virtually every HTC. They help us distinguish between important and not important, desirable or not desirable. They help us find our kind of people and steer clear of the wrong people for us. They are tightly aligned set of lights that guide us toward and away from actions. They are one of the key ingredients associated with building and maintaining a High Trust Company.

Executive Summary

• A person’s well-being in general is influenced by the level of satisfaction with their Work, with their relationships within the workplace and the belief that their Work matters (aka they buy into the company’s purpose).
• You don’t make money because you want to make money; you make money because someone values what it is you do / have.
• An organization’s Core Values are a key component of the Connections-Based Trust dimension, one of the most common ingredients that companies focus on if they have any interest in building an HTC. This typically is a short list of behavioral norms, philosophical beliefs, and / or guiding principles that a company finds important, relevant and enduring.
• While there are different approaches to develop Core Values, well-defined and genuinely embraced Core Values will help clearly define who the company is, what it stands for, who belongs in it, who doesn’t, and make it much easier to not only attract but retain your kind of great people.
• Over the longer run, great Core Values accelerate our ability to build, and sustain, a High Trust Company.

About the Author

This article is part of a series by Mark Abbott. Mark is the Visionary / Founder of Ninety.io and a sought-after business leader, writer and executive-team coach. With nearly four decades of experience with early stage, small and mid-sized companies as a lender, investor and business builder, his passion centers on helping people build extraordinarily productive, humane and resilient companies.

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About Trust, Part One – A Forever Work in Progress

About Trust, Part Two – What is Trust

About Trust, Part 7a - A Deeper Dive Into Connections, Culture and Hierarchies

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Choosing Core Company Values: 15 Meaningful Examples

Ever feel like your work doesn’t serve a bigger purpose?

Press the button to generate random icebreaker questions.

There are 300 more icebreaker questions at the bottom of the article.

Ever feel like your work doesn't serve a bigger purpose?

If you don't, you've got your company and its company's core values to thank for it. 🙌

Companies with clear core values drive employees towards a larger goal and give them a purpose. And purpose is the key to employee satisfaction—a  survey of LinkedIn members  by Imperative reveals that 73% of purpose-oriented people are satisfied with their jobs.

Need help with choosing company core values? We've got your back.

In this article, we give you a lowdown on what business core values are, examples of core values, and examples of company values to choose from.

Business Core Values Definition

Business core values are guiding principles that help the company achieve its own vision statement and mission.They're the building blocks of your company culture and create a positive, purpose-driven work environment.

So, the million-dollar question:  what type of core personal values should you have?  🤔

15 Examples of Business Core Values

Here are some of the most important business practices and core values to choose for the professional growth of your business.

Teamwork is a powerful force that can help a company achieve its goals faster.

Collective efforts compound and produce results that are nearly  impossible  to achieve as an individual.

But the challenge is to  keep your team engaged and motivated . For teams to thrive, you need to recognize every team member growth's contribution (check out the  best team building activities  here).

Recognition and rewards are especially tricky with remote teams, but using Assembly makes it easier  and  fun. For instance, you can celebrate a teammate's achievements and contributions with Assembly's “Celebrate a Teammate” flow like so:

• Customer-Centricity

Put your user at the center of everything you do. 🎯

As Google explains on its  philosophy page :

“Whether we're designing a new Internet browser or a new tweak to the look of the home page, we take great care to ensure that they will ultimately serve you, rather than our own internal goal or bottom line.”

Make a promise to your customer or user and stay true to your commitment to customer-centricity.

You want your customers and users to see you as a reliable, trustworthy business. 

Having integrity helps you establish yourself as reliable and trustworthy through transparency and strong ethics.

Integrity helps you build long, fruitful business relationships.

But integrity is more than what most people think of it.

As John Blumberg, author of  Return on Integrity  and an integrity expert, explains that integrity isn't just a core value,  “it's the fabric of every core value.”

Your kindergarten teacher was spot on: Honesty is the best policy.

Being transparent both within the organization and with your customers is key to customer success and building a strong image, not just in the industry but also strong company values in society at large.

• Continuous Learning

Think you've got all the answers? The truth is, no one does. 

The more you learn, the more you grow, and the faster you grow. Make kaizen an integral part of the company's mission, values reflect and culture. When you're encouraging everyone to upskill, you'll see a sharp increase in your company's growth momentum.

Fresh ideas, new perspectives, and unconventional approaches breed innovation and creativity.

Bringing people from different walks of life and with different types of experiences can help companies make better decisions. As Coca-Cola explains on its  Global Diversity Mission page :

“We champion diversity by building a workforce as diverse as the consumers we serve. Because the more perspectives we have, the better decisions we make.”

But here's the challenge: you often see a slight disconnect between members in a diverse team, especially if you're a remote team.

But Assembly can help you, just like it helped  UpKeep build an engaging remote world for its team of over 150 members .

Hear what Heather, Program Manager at UpKeep, liked about Assembly:

• Accountability

Almost everyone has had a boss who slacked but still asked employees to  always  meet deadlines. 🙄

That's a great recipe for attrition.

You should hold yourself just as accountable as your dream team is.

Own your mistakes and lead by example. If you've made a mistake, let your team see that you acknowledge it, and how you work on ensuring it doesn't happen again.

It's okay to focus on profit. But to become a remarkable company, you need to care about more than  just  the money.

You won't go far if you're not passionate about your work. Passion pushes you to take things one step further.

Think about American Express for instance. It has been around for over a century. It's a brand people trust. The reason? Amex has a corporate culture that encourages teams to do more than just what's necessary.

Raymond Joabar shares an incident in a  Forbes interview  where he reveals how his team went above and beyond to help one of their customers. 

Once, an Amex merchant called Raymond requesting help. He had accidentally sold a display cake with harmful chemicals to one of the customers. 

Instead of just sharing the list of cardholders who swiped their card at the cake shop, the team went through the record of charge, identified 21 members who swiped their cards during that time frame, and reviewed their accounts to find the right person. 

That's  passion.

• Dignity and Respect

You should ensure everyone feels respected at work. 

Respect isn't  only  about avoiding name-calling, it's also about subtler things that you might unknowingly overlook. For example, you should always let a person finish talking instead of butting it.

As Coborn's says on its  core values page :  treat everyone as you wish to be treated .

Innovation encourages action.

A company should spark its employees' curiosity and nudge them towards exploring new ideas. 

Employees should be encouraged to take calculated risks, experiment, and learn from mistakes.

Innovation isn't just about helping the company, though. 

It also helps employees achieve their full potential and validate their skills. And we all know what that means—better retention rates. 😊

Does humility mean you can't be proud of yourself?

Not quite.  🙅

Humility means you should be graceful in how you express your achievements. Be confident and respectful, and never arrogant.

Encouraging humility helps ensure that the team is always open to other people's ideas and listens to those ideas objectively. It helps them keep an open mind about  feedback  and opinions.

The world is crowded with options and experiences, and that's what makes simplicity valuable. 😌

Simplicity is about trimming down what's unnecessary. 

For example, you can focus on removing clutter from your workflow or products, keeping only what's essential. If your product is loaded with features your target audience doesn't use, it's time to reconsider the feature set.

Simplicity isn't necessarily boring. None of the core values are. And if you think the team isn't very excited about core values, try Assembly.

Listen to Theresa Stover of PJ Fitzpatrick share her experience with Assembly and how they used it to make core values fun:

Regardless of how in-demand your product is, you need to strive for quality.

When you focus on quality, you'll attract customers that are willing to pay the price that solves their problem right out of the box.

You also earn goodwill and build a reputation as a business that maintains high standards. 🏅

Trust leads to quicker decisions, better collaboration, and improved retention.

Employees thrive in a culture where  employees provide feedback , feel safe, respected, and free to ask a boss questions . That's why you need to build trust with your team.

Trust is fragile, though. Break it once and it's hard to earn back.

Granted, you've got a full plate.

But if building and maintaining trust takes a backseat, you'll notice employee productivity and customer satisfaction drop.

A  survey by YPO  finds the company value the following obstacles in maintaining employee trust:

• Competing priorities (41%)
• Lack of time to devote to effective trust building (34%)
• Lack of alignment among senior leadership (24%)
• Company culture (22%)
• Lack of knowledge (22%)
• Operational structure (21%)

There's a thin line between boldness and recklessness. 🤏

The line represents prudence and foresight.

You can't hire a growth team in one week and call yourself bold. You need to look at the cost-benefit of your actions. Or you risk, quite literally, losing your job.

Boldness is about having the drive to take calculated risks and being committed to achieving your goals. And if you must challenge the status quo in the process, you should do it boldly.

Real Examples of Business Core Values

Need inspiration? 💫

Here are some of the biggest companies with strong core values.

Google lists its core values on its philosophy page and gives examples of how they work on staying true to those values.

• Focus on the user and all else will follow.
• It’s best to do one thing really, really well.
• Fast is better than slow.
• Democracy on the web works.
• You don’t need to be at your desk to need an answer.
• You can make money without doing evil.
• There’s always more information out there.
• The need for information crosses all borders.
• You can be serious without a suit.
• Great just isn’t good enough.

Uber lists the following core values, or as it likes to call them, cultural norms:

• We build globally, we live locally.
• We are customer obsessed.
• We celebrate differences.
• We do the right thing.
• We act like owners.
• We preserve.
• We value ideas over hierarchy.
• We make big bold bets.

Slack’s core values are reflective of its brand as a modern, friendly brand. Here are the Slack’s six core values :

• Craftsmanship
• Playfulness

How to Identify Core Company Values

Every successful business, should have core values that guide the company forward.

If you're only getting started: 

• Look at your role models and determine what makes them special. 
• List those characteristics. That's the list where you'll find your values.
• Strike-off ones that you don't think are important. 
• When you have about 10 to 15 values in the list, brainstorm with stakeholders and team members to find your core values.

It's almost fun identifying core values. But don't forget, these core values are your core values represent your company vision's north star.

Core Values are Your Company's North Star 🌟

If you look at  Enron's 2000 annual report , you'll see its corporate values: Communication. Respect. Integrity. Excellence.

See why just  having  core values is only half the job?

Core values are helpful only when you implement them correctly by including employees in the process. Engage them in conversations about common core values and help them understand the importance of communicating company core values well.

When you have a tool like Assembly, it's easy to engage, guide, and reward employees. Sound interesting?  Sign up for Assembly's free 14-day trial .

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is assembly soc 2 compliant.

Yes, at Assembly, security is a top priority. Each quarter, we have ongoing security work that is everyone’s responsibility. While we maintain a strong security posture, it was important for us to prove to our customers that we do everything we claim to do. This led us to pursue a SOC 2 Type II report that would provide evidence of our compliance with industry gold-standard security practice.

What's the ROI for employee recognition?

There is study after study showing that employee recognition leads to increased engagement. This in return creates an environment where employees are happier and more motivated which increase productivity and reduces voluntary turnover significantly. In order to filled critical roles, companies tend to spend nearly twice the value of an annual salary. Assembly is an investment in your employees that supports your bottom line.

Does Assembly offer longer-term contracts?

Yes, we will offer contracts for companies with longer-term agreements to help larger customers have more certainty around future costs. The minimum agreement term is a 12-month subscription.

Does Assembly offer onboarding support?

We do and for FREE! Any new customer needing further support to get started with Assembly to ensure you're set up for success can request custom onboarding support. Improving your employee experience is about much more than just using our amazing software; it’s about transforming your business to create a workplace that people love. That’s much easier to do with the personal support and advice from our passionate people experts.

Is there a free version of Assembly?

Yes. We offer a completely free plan for up to 50 team members. This plan is intended for teams or organizations that are looking to get started with an employee engagement tool. Keep in mind, this plan is limited in features. All customers can open an Assembly account for free and get started without a credit card. Then you can change plans as necessary.

How much do rewards cost?

At the time of redemption (when your employees exchange their points for a paid reward) you'll pay face value. If a reward is a $10 Amazon gift card, your cost will be $10. All paid rewards are billed for on a monthly basis. The good news is that you don't have to pay for rewards upfront because we only charge you when points are redeemed, not when they're earned.

Does Assembly offer discounts?

We offer discounts or educational or charitable organizations. In order to secure a discount, you'll first need to book a demo with a customer support specialist. For all other organizations, we are willing to consider longer-term agreements in exchange for discounts. To set up annual plans or longer, you will need to book a demo with a customer support specialist.

How do I cancel my plan if needed?

If you're on a month to month plan, you can go here and cancel anytime. If you're having concerns or need help setting up your account for success, you can always book a demo with a customer support specialist. If you're on a longer-term custom plan, you'll need to reach out to your customer support specialist to cancel your account or email us at [email protected].

What customizations are available?

Great question! You can customize your core values to match your organization's to boost and track alignment. You can change your currency from the 🏆 emoji (our default) to any emoji of your choice. You can swap our logo for your own. You can also set up company culture rewards such as, "Lunch with the CEO," "Buy a book on us," and so much more!

Who can give or receive recognition?

While we recommend a peer to peer set up where anyone in your organization can give or receive recognition, you can set up Assembly however you want. If you need to limit the people who can give or receive recognition, that's perfectly fine and can be done from your Admin, here .

What integrations are available?

Assembly connects to the tools your employees use every day to offer an easy, seamless experience with minimal change management.   Assembly has integrations with HCM/HRIS systems like ADP, Google, Office 365, and Slack. We also integrate with communication tools like Slack and Teams so you and your employees can access Assembly wherever they work now.

What's your average adoption rate?

That depends on the company's permissions set up. That said, over 90% of the employees on Assembly's platform are recognized on a monthly basis. That means nearly every employee across all of our customers are receiving regular recognition from their peers, managers, or leadership. We're extremely proud of this.

Must rewards be set up to use Assembly?

They are not required. You can use Assembly without having rewards set up. However, we don't recommend it if you intend to have a high adoption and usage rate. You can always keep the costs down by offering internal culture rewards that are fulfilled by you internally.

Are points required to use Assembly?

No, you can remove allowances from anyone or everyone. It's up to you but we do recommend using points whether they're worth a real dollar value or not. Companies that use points have a much higher engagement rate even if those points don't exchange for real dollars.

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Ethical Standards: Institution’s Corporate Values Essay

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
• As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
• As a template for you assignment

All employees share the institution’s corporate values and are responsible for compliance with corporate policies. Thus, ensuring a comfortable and inspiring working environment for all employees, inspiring team members for productive work, and working on mistakes without implementing penalties are new corporate policies that reflect the company’s ethical and cultural priorities. Therefore, TechFite will implement inclusiveness in the workplace due to the new corporate culture. The company will now search for an approach that will create policies for productive work. For instance, the organization can create an improved procedure to select the right staff. Second, a policy on the value of each employee’s work. Finally, the third policy ensures that staff skills are regularly upgraded. The company encourages discussions and reasonable objections aimed at constant improvement.

The main difference between ethical and legal company issues is that in the first case, a person is guided by social norms, and the second is by the law. Moral responsibility involves behavior that is not necessarily regulated by law (Graham, Grennan, Harvey & Rajgopal, 2022). In the scenario provided to Techfite’s HR department, it became essential to tell the leadership team that they must do the right ethical thing and come close to the pledge made to the employees and community of Dellberg. Though the previous immoral procedures were legal, it became imperative to alter and adjust towards a more ethical treatment of employees and constructive participation in local activities to protect Techfite’s reputation worldwide.

While reducing employee hours and benefits was a legal approach to offset budget difficulties, it was not an ethical option because it left critical staff employees without a way to support their families and care for their children. Implementing the policies of thorough and high-quality selection of employees for a company is necessary in this regard. This concept will create a good working environment, and support from the enterprise is critical from the ethical side. So, this practice will improve not only the atmosphere among employees but will also be proof of the practical work of the company.

Having assessed the scale of the problems mentioned above, it is worth moving on to finding ways to implement the monitoring policy and take care of the work of every employee. To ensure this policy, it is necessary to consider employees’ interests and try to compromise with the company’s interests. The Management accountant will analyze the organization’s productivity at all stages and determine a course for introducing a standardized working day that will suit everyone (Endenich & Trapp, 2020). Such a specialist would help to keep staff conduct under control so that employees would be more ethically satisfied with working conditions.

The last possible ethical policy for employees may be the support of employees in their professional development. This procedure will improve the company’s reputation, and the type of employees will be more generous and suitable for a specific working process. Thus, implementing this policy will contribute to the employee’s development and improve the company’s work.

Finally, ensuring an appropriate ethical policy is essential for the correct conception of corporate social responsibility. To improve the conditions of employment, it is necessary to focus on a competent selection of employees, objective assessment of their work, and promotion of their personal and professional development. Thus, the company follows some ethical rules, improving working conditions and business importance because ethics are integral to CSR.

Endenich, C., & Trapp, R. (2020). Ethical implications of management accounting and control: A systematic review of the Journal of Business Ethics contributions . Journal of Business Ethics, 163 (2), 309-328. Web.

Graham, J. R., Grennan, J., Harvey, C. R., & Rajgopal, S. (2022). Corporate culture: Evidence from the field . Journal of Financial Economics, 146 (2), 552-593. Web.

• The Norwegian Business Etiquette
• The Lego Company's High Ethical Standards
• Promoting Women’s Dignity: Inspiring Lessons From the Past
• Productive and Counterproductive Behaviours
• MacArthur Fellows Program: Inspiring to Be Creative
• Wells Fargo: Unethical Behavior
• Sexual Abuse in the Workplace as an Ethical Issue
• Employers and Vicarious Liability for Sexual Harassment
• Leadership and Ethical Requirements
• Ethical Issues of the Tillamook Products Shrinkflation
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2024, January 3). Ethical Standards: Institution's Corporate Values. https://ivypanda.com/essays/ethical-standards-institutions-corporate-values/

"Ethical Standards: Institution's Corporate Values." IvyPanda , 3 Jan. 2024, ivypanda.com/essays/ethical-standards-institutions-corporate-values/.

IvyPanda . (2024) 'Ethical Standards: Institution's Corporate Values'. 3 January.

IvyPanda . 2024. "Ethical Standards: Institution's Corporate Values." January 3, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/ethical-standards-institutions-corporate-values/.

1. IvyPanda . "Ethical Standards: Institution's Corporate Values." January 3, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/ethical-standards-institutions-corporate-values/.

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IvyPanda . "Ethical Standards: Institution's Corporate Values." January 3, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/ethical-standards-institutions-corporate-values/.

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6 Examples of Corporate Social Responsibility That Were Successful

• 06 Jun 2019

Business is about more than just making a profit. Climate change, economic inequality, and other global challenges that impact communities worldwide have compelled companies to be purpose-driven and contribute to the greater good .

In a recent study by Deloitte , 93 percent of business leaders said they believe companies aren't just employers, but stewards of society. In addition, 95 percent reported they plan to take a stronger stance on large-scale issues in the coming years and devote significant resources to socially responsible initiatives. With more CEOs turning their focus to the long term, it’s important to consider what you can do in your career to make an impact .

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What Is Corporate Social Responsibility?

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a business model in which for-profit companies seek ways to create social and environmental benefits while pursuing organizational goals, such as revenue growth and maximizing shareholder value.

Today’s organizations are implementing extensive corporate social responsibility programs, with many companies dedicating C-level executive roles and entire departments to social and environmental initiatives. These executives are commonly referred to as chief officers of corporate social responsibility or chief sustainability officers (CSO).

There are many types of corporate social responsibility , and CSR might look different for each organization, but the end goal is always the same: Do well by doing good . Companies that embrace corporate social responsibility aim to maintain profitability while supporting a larger purpose.

Rather than simply focusing on generating profit, or the bottom line, socially responsible companies are concerned with the triple bottom line , which considers the impact that business decisions have on profit, people, and the planet.

It’s no coincidence that some of today’s most profitable organizations are also socially responsible. Here are six successful examples of corporate social responsibility you can use to drive social change at your organization.

Check out our video on corporate social responsibility below, and subscribe to our YouTube channel for more explainer content!

6 Corporate Social Responsibility Examples

1. lego’s commitment to sustainability.

As one of the most reputable companies in the world, Lego aims to not only help children develop through creative play but also foster a healthy planet.

Lego is the first, and only, toy company to be named a World Wildlife Fund Climate Savers Partner , marking its pledge to reduce its carbon impact. And its commitment to sustainability extends beyond its partnerships.

By 2030, the toymaker plans to use environmentally friendly materials to produce all of its core products and packaging—and it’s already taken key steps to achieve that goal.

Over 2013 and 2014, Lego shrunk its box sizes by 14 percent , saving approximately 7,000 tons of cardboard. Then, in 2018, the company introduced 150 botanical pieces made from sustainably sourced sugarcane —a break from the petroleum-based plastic typically used to produce the company’s signature building blocks. The company has also recently committed to removing all single-use plastic packaging from its materials by 2025, among other initiatives .

Along with these changes, the toymaker has committed to investing $164 million into its Sustainable Materials Center , where researchers are experimenting with bio-based materials that can be implemented into the production process.

Through these initiatives, Lego is well on its way to tackling pressing environmental challenges and furthering its mission to help build a more sustainable future.

Related : What Does "Sustainability" Mean in Business?

2. Salesforce’s 1-1-1 Philanthropic Model

Beyond being a leader in the technology space, cloud-based software giant Salesforce is a trailblazer in corporate philanthropy.

Since its outset, the company has championed its 1-1-1 philanthropic model , which involves giving one percent of product, one percent of equity, and one percent of employees’ time to communities and the nonprofit sector.

To date, Salesforce employees have logged more than 5 million volunteer hours . Not only that, the company has awarded upwards of $406 million in grants and donated to more than 40,000 nonprofit organizations and educational institutions.

In addition, through its work with San Francisco Unified and Oakland Unified School Districts, Salesforce has helped reduce algebra repeat rates and contributed to a high percentage of students receiving A’s or B’s in computer science classes.

As the company’s revenue grows, Salesforce stands as a prime example of the idea that profit-making and social impact initiatives don’t have to be at odds with one another.

3. Ben & Jerry’s Social Mission

At Ben & Jerry’s, positively impacting society is just as important as producing premium ice cream.

In 2012, the company became a certified B Corporation —a business that balances purpose and profit by meeting the highest standards of social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability.

As part of its overarching commitment to leading with progressive values, the ice cream maker established the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation in 1985, an organization dedicated to supporting grassroots movements that drive social change.

Each year, the foundation awards approximately $2.5 million in grants to organizations in Vermont and across the United States. Grant recipients have included the United Workers Association, a human rights group striving to end poverty, and the Clean Air Coalition, an environmental health and justice organization based in New York.

The foundation’s work earned it a National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy Award in 2014, and it continues to sponsor efforts to find solutions to systemic problems at both local and national levels.

Related : How to Create Social Change: 4 Business Strategies

4. Levi Strauss’s Social Impact

In addition to being one of the most successful fashion brands in history, Levi’s is also one of the first to push for a more ethical and sustainable supply chain.

In 1991, the brand created its Terms of Engagement , which established its global code of conduct regarding its supply chain and set standards for workers’ rights, a safe work environment, and an environmentally friendly production process.

To maintain its commitment in a changing world, Levi’s regularly updates its Terms of Engagement. In 2011, on the 20th anniversary of its code of conduct, Levi’s announced its Worker Well-being initiative to implement further programs focused on the health and well-being of supply chain workers.

Since 2011, the Worker Well-being initiative has been expanded to 12 countries, benefitting more than 100,000 workers. In 2016, the brand scaled up the initiative, vowing to expand the program to more than 300,000 workers and produce more than 80 percent of its product in Worker Well-being factories by 2025.

For its continued efforts to maintain the well-being of its people and the environment, Levi’s was named one of Engage for Good’s 2020 Golden Halo Award winners , the highest honor reserved for socially responsible companies.

5. Starbucks’s Commitment to Ethical Sourcing

Starbucks launched its first corporate social responsibility report in 2002 with the goal of becoming as well-known for its CSR initiatives as for its products. One of the ways the brand has fulfilled this goal is through ethical sourcing.

In 2015, Starbucks verified that 99 percent of its coffee supply chain is ethically sourced , and it seeks to boost that figure to 100 percent through continued efforts and partnerships with local coffee farmers and organizations.

The brand bases its approach on Coffee and Farmer Equity (CAFE) Practices , one of the coffee industry’s first set of ethical sourcing standards created in collaboration with Conservation International . CAFE assesses coffee farms against specific economic, social, and environmental standards, ensuring Starbucks can source its product while maintaining a positive social impact.

For its work, Starbucks was named one of the world’s most ethical companies in 2021 by Ethisphere.

6. New Belgium Brewing’s Sustainable Practices

New Belgium Brewing has always been a proponent of green initiatives . As early as 1999, it was one of the first breweries to use wind power to source 100 percent of its electricity, significantly reducing its operational carbon footprint.

In Harvard Business School Online’s Business and Climate Change course, Katie Wallace, New Belgium Brewing's chief environmental, social, and governance (ESG) officer, elaborates on the company’s sustainable practices.

"We have biogas here that we capture from our process water treatment plant," Wallace says in the course. "We make electricity with it. When we installed our solar panels on the Colorado packaging hall, it was the largest privately owned solar array at that time in Colorado. And today, we have many other sources of renewable electricity and have invested quite a bit in efficiencies."

New Belgium Brewing also turns outward in its sustainability practices by actively engaging with suppliers, customers, and competitors to promote broader environmental change. These efforts range from encouraging the use of renewable resources in supply chains to participating in policy-making discussions that foster industry-wide sustainability. For example, it co-founded the Glass Recycling Coalition to improve recycling nationwide after recognizing sustainability concerns in the bottling industry.

New Belgium's commitment to corporate social responsibility is an ongoing process, though. The brewery continues to set ambitious targets for reducing waste, conserving water, and supporting renewable energy projects to build a more sustainable future.

The Value of Being Socially Responsible

As these firms demonstrate , a deep and abiding commitment to corporate social responsibility can pay dividends. By learning from these initiatives and taking a values-driven approach to business, you can help your organization thrive and grow, even as it confronts global challenges.

Corporate social responsibility is critical for businesses today. It enables organizations to contribute to society while also achieving operational goals. By prioritizing social responsibility, you can build trust with your stakeholders and leave a positive impact.

Do you want to understand how to combine purpose and profit and more effectively tackle global challenges? Explore our online business in society courses , including Sustainable Business Strategy and Business and Climate Change , to learn more about how business can be a catalyst for system-level change.

This post was updated on May 30, 2024. It was originally published on June 6, 2019.

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Embrace change in the corporate world: turn resistance into resilience.

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Like a tree that bends with the wind, adapting to change is crucial for success

We can all agree that change is a constant in the corporate world. Yet, despite its inevitability, most people resist it.

This resistance is deeply rooted in our brain’s wiring. Our ancestors regularly faced life-and-death situations, and our brains evolved to treat unfamiliar scenarios as potential threats.

Today, everyday changes are generally not life-threatening, but our brains still react to change as though they might be. Additionally, our brains strive to conserve energy by sticking to routines and familiar processes. For many, change disrupts these routines, causing discomfort and resistance.

However, adapting to change is crucial for success. Companies that cling to the status quo while the world evolves around them risk falling behind. To thrive, organizations must understand the barriers to change and find ways to help their teams accept, adjust, and adapt.

Here are three barriers to change and how you can overcome them:

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Barrier: One of the biggest challenges is the element of surprise. When changes are introduced without sufficient context or involvement, it can throw teams into confusion.

People are creatures of habit; disrupting their established routines and familiar processes can cause anxiety and resistance. Employees may fear the unknown and its potential to impact their roles, skills, and future.

Solution: To mitigate this, be transparent about what’s coming and why. Communicate openly about the reasons for change and the expected outcomes. Identify and empower change agents who are enthusiastic about new ways of working. These individuals are often eager to innovate and can help smooth the transition for others.

2. Emotional Attachment to Expertise: But That’s My Baby

Barrier: When change renders previous expertise obsolete or challenges long-standing processes, it can be difficult for employees who have invested emotionally in their roles. They may feel their past efforts and skills are devalued and wonder if they have the competence to move forward in the organization’s transformation.

Solution: Acknowledge and respect the emotional investment people have in their work. Offer support and training to help them transition to new roles or processes. By valuing their past contributions while guiding them through the changes, you can help alleviate feelings of loss and frustration.

3. Change in Competencies: Can I Do It?

Barrier: Employees may worry about their ability to meet new expectations. High aspirational goals can be intimidating; some may fear lacking the necessary skills or competencies.

Solution: Set skill and behavioral goals based on how each individual’s performance and values align with the culture you are seeking to create. Based on those goals, establish realistic, achievable milestones and provide resources for skill development. Recognize and celebrate small successes along the way to build confidence and demonstrate progress. Make tough decisions early on about the individuals who are unable to make the competency leap.

Here are three key benefits for embracing change:

1. Enhanced Value Delivery

Change often leads to improvements in how value is delivered to customers. When companies adapt and innovate, they can better meet customer needs and enhance their experiences. This benefits the customer and boosts employee morale by seeing their efforts make a tangible difference.

2. Employee Engagement and Satisfaction

Change, when managed well, can lead to greater job satisfaction. Employees who see their feedback valued and who are involved in shaping new processes are more likely to feel engaged and motivated. This positive environment can lead to extraordinary results and foster a culture of continuous improvement.

3. Survival in Disruptive Environments

Companies that fail to evolve in a rapidly changing world will lose market share to their competitors or disrupters. Embracing change is essential for survival, allowing businesses to stay competitive and responsive to new challenges and opportunities.

From Isolation to Collaboration

One of the most impactful ways to manage change is to continually nurture it.

A VP once asked me to visit a team that had achieved something remarkable. Just a few months prior, the members of this team were all working in isolation, firmly planted in their “lanes” with no initiative or desire for crossover or collaboration.

Walking into that room and feeling the excitement and camaraderie of the team as they walked me through what they had developed and how they had developed it was a moment I will never forget. This first successful collaboration, something none of them thought possible, inspired them to want to do more together and set the flywheel effect in motion.

The team lead followed me out of the room and said, “I just want to thank you, Mamie, for taking the time to see what we accomplished. It made the team feel so good.”

Intentionally nurturing change, even in small ways, significantly impacts morale and engagement.

Change is not just about adapting to new processes and technologies; it’s about creating a culture that values growth, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Making these values a core part of your organizational strategy can turn resistance into resilience and drive your company toward greater success.

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Enron, Ethics and Today’s Corporate Values, Essay Example

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This paper discusses conscious capitalism and analyzes the four principles of value-based business as applied in the Coca-Cola business values. In addition, this paper also tackles the factors that affect ethical practice in an organization and identify the key characteristics of a value-based leader.

Value Statement of Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola is one of the top companies whose successes are remarkable. This is due to the fact that the company values leadership, diversity, integrity, accountability, collaboration, quality and passion.

Conscious Capitalism

Conscious capitalism is defined as a form of marketing strategy wherein the corporation or any business for that matter appear to be aware of all the effects and the consequences of their business activities, undertakings and practices to both the environment and the human race. In this regard, it cannot be denied that a company should be aware of the effects of its actions, whether positive or negative.

Principles of Value-Based Business

It must be noted that in order to be so, there is a need to function based on the 4 principle of value-based business. Coca-Cola fits the definition of a value-based business. The company clearly shows self-reflection by showing integrity wherein the main focus is to be real. In addition, balance and perspective within the company is being observed through the collaboration of all the employees and people involved in the company as well as by showing true leadership. The company achieves true self-confidence by being confident that what they do, they do well. They boast of the quality of their products. Finally, Coca-Cola shows genuine humility by embracing diversity not just among their employees but as well as in their products.

Factors that Impact Ethical Practices

Individual and organization factors have the strongest impact in the ethical practices or decision-making within an organization. This is because of the fact that most of the time, self-interest and self-preservation comes first before ethics (Kraemer, 2011).

Value-Based Leader

Furthermore, in order to ensure value-based practices in an organization there is a need for a leader who believes that the better of the people is the main focus of the practices rather than thinking that people can be used to achieve the goals of the leader (Ferrell, 2002).

Kraemer, H. (2011). From values to action: The four principles of values-based leadership. New Jersey: Jossey Bass.

Ferrell, O. (2002). Business ethics. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.

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Home — Essay Samples — Philosophy — Values of Life — My Personal Values in Life

My Personal Values in Life

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Published: Jan 31, 2024

Words: 773 | Pages: 2 | 4 min read

Table of contents

Introduction, body paragraph 1: personal value 1, body paragraph 2: personal value 2, body paragraph 3: personal value 3, counterargument.

• Adler, M. J. (2000). The four dimensions of philosophy: Metaphysical, moral, objective, categorical. Routledge.
• Miller, W. R., & Thoresen, C. E. (2003). Spirituality, religion, and health: An emerging research field. American Psychologist, 58(1), 24-35.
• Peterson, C., & Seligman, M. E. (2004). Character strengths and virtues: A handbook and classification. Oxford University Press.

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Essay on Values for Students and Children

500+ words essay on values.

Importance of Values

For an individual, values are most important. An individual with good values is loved by everyone around as he is compassionate about others and also he behaves ethically.

Values Help in Decision Making

A person is able to judge what is right and what is wrong based on the values he imbibes. In life at various steps, it makes the decision-making process easier. A person with good values is always likely to make better decisions than others.

Values Can Give Direction to Our Life

In life, Values give us clear goals. They always tell us how we should behave and act in different situations and give the right direction to our life. In life, a person with good values can take better charge.

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Values Can Build Character

If a person wants a strong character, then he has to possesses good values such as honesty , loyalty, reliability, efficiency, consistency, compassion, determination, and courage. Values always help in building our character.

Values Can Help in Building a Society

If u want a better society then people need to bear good values. Values play an important role in society. They only need to do their hard work, with compassion, honesty, and other values. Such people will help in the growth of society and make it a much better place to live.

Characteristics of Values

Values are always based on various things. While the basic values remain the same across cultures and are intact since centuries some values may vary. Values may be specific to a society or age. In the past, it was considered that women with good moral values must stay at home and not voice their opinion on anything but however, this has changed over time. Our culture and society determine the values to a large extent. We imbibe values during our childhood years and they remain with us throughout our life.

Family always plays the most important role in rendering values to us. Decisions in life are largely based on the values we possess. Values are permanent and seldom change. A person is always known by the values he possesses. The values of a person always reflect on his attitude and overall personality.

The Decline of Values in the Modern Times

While values are of great importance and we are all aware of the same unfortunately people these days are so engrossed in making money and building a good lifestyle that they often overlook the importance of values. At the age when children must be taught good values, they are taught to fight and survive in this competitive world. Their academics and performance in other activities are given importance over their values.

Parents , as well as teachers, teach them how to take on each other and win by any means instead of inculcating good sportsman spirit in them and teaching them values such as integrity, compassion, and patience. Children always look up to their elders as their role models and it is unfortunate that elders these days have a lack of values. Therefore the children learn the same.

In order to help him grow into a responsible and wise human being, it is important for people to realize that values must be given topmost priority in a child’s life because children are the future of the society. There can be nothing better in a society where a majority of people have good values and they follow the ethical norms.

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The Human Cost of Your Breakfast Banana

By Ignacio Gómez G.

Mr. Gómez G. is the director of “Noticias Uno,” a Colombian news program. He has covered drugs, crime and corporate corruption in Colombia for 40 years.

Although several El Espectador journalists were killed in the 1980s and ’90s, many young reporters aspired to being on the staff of the storied Colombian newspaper at the end of the 20th century. I loved working there, despite the risks. After the Medellín Cartel bombed our headquarters, my colleagues and I rescued from the rubble the desk on which Gabriel García Márquez wrote his first stories for the paper.

We dreamed that an invisible Mr. García Márquez, from that empty desk, urged us to pursue stories that would expose injustice in Colombia. In 1998, when The Cincinnati Enquirer reported that the American banana company Chiquita Brands had bribed Colombian officials to obtain a license for the use of a port loading facility in Turbo, Urabá, a city on Colombia’s coast, I began investigating the firm as if Mr. García Márquez himself had handed me the assignment.

Chiquita denied the allegations of the 1998 Enquirer story. The paper later publicly apologized and renounced the investigation after it was revealed that a reporter lied about sourcing and illegally obtained voice mail records. But at El Espectador we felt that The Enquirer was on to something. We published the allegations, noting that the paper had retracted the article and the story’s reporter was being investigated by the police in Ohio. And for years — even when I left El Espectador for “Noticias Uno,” a nightly news program — I continued to look into the company. In 2002, after speaking with Nicaraguan police and military officials as well as the police in Panama, I reported that 3,000 weapons for the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia, a right-wing paramilitary group known as the AUC, had landed in the Urabá port from Nicaragua and that Chiquita appeared to have been aware the militants were using its facilities to receive weapons.

Now, I like to think that Mr. García Márquez would have smiled at the outcome of a Florida lawsuit against Chiquita. In June, a jury found Chiquita liable for the deaths of eight men killed by the AUC, which Chiquita helped finance. (Seventeen years earlier, the Department of Justice found that Chiquita paid the group over $1.7 million between 1997 and 2004 .) The firm was ordered to pay $38.3 million in damages to the men’s families. It was the first time that Chiquita was found liable for its actions in Latin America. A representative for Chiquita, responding to questions about this essay, said that the company’s payments to the AUC were made under duress and it is appealing the verdict.

The world has known something was amiss in the banana business for a while. In Colombia, “Noticias Uno” had reported on Chiquita’s association with the AUC since the early 2000s. And while that relationship has come under legal scrutiny in the United States, Chiquita has yet to face judgment in Colombia. The Florida case raised long neglected ethical questions in both countries about the real cost of one of the least expensive fruits in American supermarkets. We should all ask ourselves: How much bloodshed is behind the bananas we eat for breakfast?

In the Urabá region, there’s been far too much. Chiquita set up an operation there, where the land to grow bananas was inexpensive, but it was forced to pay the AUC through its subsidiary in Colombia to operate safely, the company has said . In the 20th century, Fusarium wilt, a deadly fungus also known as Panama disease, destroyed banana crops in parts of the Caribbean and Central America but not in Colombia. Then, in 1998, some of Chiquita’s banana operations in Honduras and Guatemala suffered hurricane damage , costing the company $74 million. Chiquita, it seemed, accepted that paying the paramilitaries was the cost of doing business in Colombia.

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