How to formulate a strong mission statement for your company

A mission statement is more than just a simple sentence - it is the heart of a company and describes its purpose, values ​​and daily activities. A well-formulated mission statement serves as a clear guideline for the entire company, gives employees orientation and helps to manage the expectations of customers, partners and investors. In this guide you will learn how to formulate a mission statement, what the difference is to a vision statement and which examples can serve as inspiration. We also explain how Dialogbild can support you with visual representation.

What is a mission statement?

A mission statement (also called a company mission) is a clear and concise statement that describes a company's purpose and core values. It answers the questions: “Why does this company exist?”, “What do we do?” and “What values ​​guide our actions?” It serves as a daily guide for all employees and provides insight into what makes the company unique and how it achieves its goals.

Why is a mission statement important?

It is crucial to the success of a business for several reasons:

1. Orientation and focus: It provides clear direction and helps employees concentrate on what is important. All activities and decisions in the company should be consistent with the mission.

2. Employee motivation: A strong statement gives employees meaning in their work. It makes them feel like they are part of a larger purpose and motivates them to do their best.

3. Trust among customers and partners: A clear mission shows external stakeholders what the company stands for and what values ​​it pursues. This creates trust and strengthens the brand image.

4. Long-term vision: It lays the foundation for the company's long-term strategy by connecting the current focus and future goals.

Flowchart: The classic form of process representation

A flowchart is one of the most commonly used process visualization tools. It shows the flow of a process in the form of symbols and arrows that show the order of the individual steps and the relationships between them.

Important symbols in flowcharts:

  • Oval: Start and end point of a process.
  • Rectangle: A process step or task.
  • Diamond: A decision that can steer the process in different directions.
  • Arrows: Connections between the individual steps that represent the process.

A flowchart provides a clear and concise structure that makes it possible to quickly capture and understand processes. It also helps to recognize dependencies and interactions between the individual steps of the process.

Mission Statement vs. Vision Statement – ​​The Difference

It is important to understand the difference between a mission statement and a vision statement as these terms are often confused. Both play an important role in corporate strategy, but they perform different functions:

  • Mission Statement: Describes the purpose and core activities of the company in the present. It focuses on what the company is doing today to achieve its goals.
  • Vision Statement: Is future-oriented and describes the long-term goal that the company is striving for. It paints a picture of where the company wants to be in five, ten or twenty years.

So it sets the current framework for action, while the vision statement defines the desired end goal.

How do you formulate a strong mission statement?

Creating an effective mission statement requires clear strategic direction and an understanding of the company's core values ​​and goals. Here are the steps you should consider when formulating a mission statement:

1. Define the purpose of the company

Think about why your company exists. What is the overall purpose of your work? This step helps you articulate the core reason why your company was founded and what problems it solves. Questions you should answer are:

  • What products or services do we offer?
  • How do we improve our customers’ lives or the world around us?

2. Identify the target group

A mission statement should clearly define who the company works for. This means that you have to know your target group exactly. Remember that your mission statement should appeal to employees as well as customers and partners.

3. Include the company's values

Values ​​are a central part of a mission statement. What principles guide your decisions and actions? Authentic values ​​should be deeply rooted in the corporate culture and be visible in every activity of the company. Examples of such values ​​could be integrity, innovation, sustainability or customer focus.

4. Formulate clearly and concisely

A good mission statement is simple and understandable. Avoid long and complicated sentences. Concentrate on the essentials and limit yourself to the core message. A concise mission statement is not only easy to remember, but also has a stronger impact.

5. Offer inspiration

A strong mission statement should be inspiring. It should create a sense of belonging among your employees and customers and motivate them to support the company's goals. It's about creating a clear connection between the company's values ​​and what it wants to achieve.

Mission statement examples – inspiration for your company

Looking at well-known mission statement examples can help you formulate your own mission. Here are some examples of successful companies:

1. Google: “Our mission is to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful.”

Google clearly describes its purpose and focuses on making knowledge accessible to everyone.

2. Patagonia: “We are in business to save our home planet.”

This mission statement highlights Patagonia's commitment to sustainability and environmental protection.

3. Nike: “Bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete* in the world.”

Nike positions itself as a brand that drives innovation and inspires athletes around the world.

4. IKEA: “To create a better daily life for the many people.”

IKEA highlights the mission of creating affordable and functional products that improve everyday life.

How Dialogbild can support you in visualizing your mission statement

A strong mission statement must not only be formulated, but also communicated and anchored correctly. Dialogbild can help you present your mission statement visually and make it tangible for your employees and customers. Our customized explainer images and visual solutions provide an effective way to present your company mission in a clear and inspiring way.

Autoneum Values Unternehmenswerte Dialogbild Agentur für Visualisierung von Prozessen, Veränderungen und Visionen.

Autoneum Values Unternehmenswerte Dialogbild Agentur für Visualisierung von Prozessen, Veränderungen und Visionen.

AUTONEUM VALUES

Autoneum is an international company that produces innovative acoustic and thermal management solutions for the automotive industry. Headquartered in Switzerland and with a global presence in over 20 countries, Autoneum offers a wide range of products to improve the comfort and safety of vehicles.

The company was founded in 2011 and has established itself as a leading supplier in its field. With a dedicated team and a strong focus on customer service, Autoneum strives to build long-term partnerships with car manufacturers and meet their needs in the best possible way. ...

Livisto Vision 2030 Visionsbild Strategiebild Leitbild Unternehmensleitbild Dialogbild Agentur für Visualisierung von Prozessen, Veränderungen und Visionen.

VISION 2030

OUR MOTTO: ALONG WITH YOU - WE ARE THE ONES WITH HEART

We are the ones with heart...

... a guiding principle that drives LIVISTO and its more than 500 employees in the development and manufacture of high-quality products for the health of farm and companion animals.

Thus, they work every day to create added value for veterinarians and pet owners and, moreover, to assist them with high-quality and efficient solutions. ...

 

ALKO-Therm Klimaanlagen Leitbild Strategiebild Infografik Dialogbild Agentur für Visualisierung von Prozessen, Veränderungen und Visionen.

Logo von ALKO

QUALITY FOR LIFE

THE MISSION STATEMENT

AL-KO Therm provides for a perfect climate with individualized, economic and ecological concepts. The enterprise is a specialist in ventilation equipment which is characterized by the latest technology, quality, reliability and consistently meeting customer requirements. It has developed sophisticated high tech facilities with the best room air quality in office buildings or hospitals and precisely controlled air in production facilities as well as for effective solutions for large commercial or leisure complexes. The most attention is given to the development of energy-economical technology for environmental discharge and cost reduction. In order to support the strategic transformation and the relationship between a growing self-image and the corporate philosophy, we developed a mission statement together with inGenics AG. ...

BASF Schwarzheide Visionsbild Vision Dialogbild Agentur für Visualisierung von Prozessen, Veränderungen und Visionen.

BASF Schwarzheide GmbH

BASF Schwarzheide GmbH is an industrial beacon in Lusatia and has been part of the BASF Group since 1990. More than 2,000 employees produce chemical specialties at the production site in southern Brandenburg. The product range includes polyurethane base products and systems, crop protection agents, water-based coatings, engineering plastics, foams, dispersions, laromers and, from 2022, battery materials. The site is growing and has set itself the goal of CO2-neutral production in the future and piloting the integration of renewable energies. ...

 

Volksbank Bruchsal-Bretten Vision und Werte Leitbild Unternehmensleitbild Dialogbild Agentur für Visualisierung von Prozessen, Veränderungen und Visionen.

MISSION STATEMENT: VISION & VALUES

COURAGE, SUSTAINABILITY, HONESTY, PRIDE AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

How do we manage to deliver our vision and strategy to our employees, to bring everyone to a common understanding and to embed them into the (future) work to ensure that our bank is aligned as stable, successful and future-proof? How do we manage to deliver the path of our vision and strategy with the same content into our house, without losing important integral facts, or rather, to create room for interpretation through a new choice of words? These questions gave us the idea to translate our formulated vision and strategy into a picture-based language, true to the adage: “a picture says more than 1,000 words.” ...

 

Frequently asked questions

What is a mission statement?
It describes the purpose, values ​​and main activities of a company. It answers the questions of why the company exists, what it does and how it achieves its goals. A mission statement serves as a daily guide for employees and shows customers and partners what the company stands for.

Why is a mission statement important?
It is important because it:

  • Provides clear direction for all employees.
  • Employee motivation strengthens because it gives them meaning in their work.
  • This creates trust among customers and partners because it shows what the company stands for.
  • Serves as a guide for daily decisions and ensures that all activities are aligned with company goals.

What is the difference between a mission statement and a vision statement?
It describes the current purpose and daily activities of a company. It focuses on what the company is doing today to achieve its goals.
A vision statement is future-oriented and describes the long-term goal of the company, i.e. the desired future image it is striving for.

How do I formulate a strong mission statement?
To create a strong statement, you should:

  • Clearly define the purpose of the company: Why does your company exist?
  • Identify the target group and the added value of the company.
  • Include the company's values: What principles guide your actions?
  • Formulate it concisely and clearly: Keep the statement short and understandable.
  • Use inspirational language to motivate employees and customers.

How long should a mission statement be?
It should be clear and concise. A sentence or short paragraph that sums up the purpose and values ​​of the company is ideal. Avoid explanations that are too long and complicated.

What is a good example of a mission statement?
Here are some mission statement examples:

  • Google: “To organize the world’s information and make it widely accessible and useful.”
  • Patagonia: “We are in business to save our home planet.”
  • Nike: “Bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world.”

How can a mission statement help motivate employees?
It shows employees the meaning and purpose of their work. It makes them feel like they are part of a larger goal, which increases their motivation and makes them more committed to working towards achieving company goals.

Can a mission statement change over time?
Yes, it may change as the company grows, evolves or new market conditions emerge. It is important to regularly review the mission statement and ensure that it continues to align with the company's values ​​and goals.

How does Dialogbild help visualize a mission statement?
Dialogbild supports companies in visually presenting their mission. We create tailor-made explanatory images that visualize your mission statement clearly and understandably. These visual representations help to make the company mission tangible for employees and customers and to anchor it in the company in the long term.

Why is it important to visualize a mission statement?
The visualization makes it easier to understand and accessible for everyone involved. Visual representations are remembered longer and help to anchor the company mission in the minds of employees and communicate it better.