What is a mission statement? Definition, content, and significance for companies

A mission statement is a written statement of an organization's identity and core principles. It briefly and concisely formulates the company's mission, strategic goals (vision), and key principles for implementation (values). As a central element of the company's identity, the mission statement serves both internal orientation and external communication.

Mission Statement Definition: Core Elements and Functions

A corporate mission statement encompasses the following numerous aspects:

  •  Mission: The company's purpose and raison d'être
  •  Vision: The company's long-term goals and vision for the future
  •  Values: The company's fundamental principles and ethical guidelines

The mission statement fulfills several important functions:

  1. Orientation for employees
  2. Motivation and identification with the company
  3. Communication of the company's philosophy to the outside world
  4. Framework for strategic decisions and operational activities

Mission Statement Content: What should be included in a good corporate mission statement?

An effective mission statement should include the following elements:

  • A clear statement of the company's purpose
  • A description of the desired market position
  • A presentation of core competencies
  • An explanation of the company's culture and values
  • Statements regarding customers, employees, and other stakeholders
  • References to social responsibility and sustainability

Examples of Corporate Mission Statements: Inspiration from Successful Companies

To illustrate the diversity and effectiveness of mission statements, let's look at some examples from well-known companies:

Amazon

"To be the world's most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they want to buy online, and which strives to offer its customers the lowest possible prices." This mission statement underscores Amazon's focus on customer satisfaction, a wide product range, and competitive pricing.

Starbucks

"To inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time." Starbucks emphasizes the importance of community and personal relationships beyond simply selling coffee.

Migros (Switzerland)

Migros' mission statement is based on three pillars: economic, social, and ecological responsibility. It is committed to high-quality products at fair prices, social responsibility, and sustainability.

You can find more examples of corporate mission statements here.

What is a corporate mission statement? Its significance and benefits

A corporate mission statement is more than just a marketing tool. It serves as:

1. Compass for business decisions
2. Basis for corporate culture
3. Tool for employee motivation
4. Differentiator in competition
5. Basis for stakeholder communication

By clearly defining goals and values, the mission statement helps to make and justify decisions at all levels of the company

A Company's Mission Statement: Creation and Implementation

Developing an effective mission statement requires a structured process:

1. Analyzing the company's identity and culture
2. Involving managers and employees
3. Formulating the mission, vision, and values
4. Aligning it with the company's strategy
5. Communicating the mission statement internally and externally
6. Regularly reviewing and updating

It is important that the mission statement not only exists on paper, but is actively lived and integrated into everyday company life.

Example Mission Statement: What a Successful Mission Statement Can Look Like

A good example of a concise and inspiring mission statement is Tesla's: "The company's mission is to accelerate the world's transition to sustainable energy." This mission statement is short, clear, and motivating. It conveys the company's purpose and vision in one sentence and appeals to both employees and customers.

What is a mission statement: Support from the Dialogbild agency

The Dialogbild agency can offer valuable support in creating and visualizing mission statements. Dialogbild specializes in presenting complex topics in a clear and understandable way. Show what you want to say. By creating visual mission statements, companies can communicate their values, goals, and strategies in a memorable and easily understandable way. The Dialogbild agency can help you:

  • Identify and refine the core messages of your mission statement
  • Develop a visual representation that brings your mission statement to life
  • Increase employee and stakeholder engagement through compelling visualizations
  • Optimize internal and external communication of your mission statement

By working with Dialogbild, you can ensure that your mission statement is not only well-written but also effectively visualized and communicated. This promotes understanding and identification with the company's values ​​and goals among all stakeholders.

Conclusion: The Importance of a Strong Mission Statement

A well-thought-out and formulated mission statement is a powerful tool for companies. It provides guidance, motivates employees, and communicates values ​​externally. When creating it, you should pay attention to clarity, conciseness, and authenticity. Remember that a mission statement is only effective if it is actively implemented and regularly reviewed. With the support of experts like the Dialogbild agency, you can develop a mission statement that not only impresses on paper but also has an impact in your company's daily operations. Invest in a strong mission statement – ​​it's an investment in the future and success of your company.

Hellmann Promise For the Better. Together. Leitbild Unternehmenskultur Dialogbild Agentur für Visualisierung von Prozessen, Veränderungen und Visionen.

Hellmann Promise For the Better. Together. Leitbild Unternehmenskultur Dialogbild Agentur für Visualisierung von Prozessen, Veränderungen und Visionen.

HELLMANN PROMISE

FOR THE BETTER. TOGETHER.

For more than 150 years, the family-owned company Hellmann Worldwide Logistics has successfully delivered top performance across a broad range of services - freight forwarding services by rail, truck, air and sea freight are complemented by CEP services, contract logistics and industry and IT solutions. What began with the transport of goods by horse and cart has evolved over the decades with technical innovations into state-of-the-art solutions.

To enable Hellmann Worldwide Logistics to meet the challenges of tomorrow, interdisciplinary work is already underway today on new visions. In order to position the company for sustainable success in times of constant change, a new corporate culture was defined, including a vision, mission and values. This globally valid culture, which connects all 14,000 employees, was to be conveyed in the dialog image and at the same time provided with a basic clarity.

VW Nutzfahrzeuge Volkswagen Nutzfahrzeuge Transformation Werk Hannover Leitbild Strategiebild Dialogbild Agentur für Visualisierung von Prozessen, Veränderungen und Visionen.

VW Nutzfahrzeuge Volkswagen Nutzfahrzeuge die Fabrik der Zukunft Smart geplant Dialogbild Agentur für Visualisierung von Prozessen, Veränderungen und Visionen.

TRANSFORMATION PLANT HANOVER

Process optimization, strategy, cultural work and good communication are key to the VW Nutzfahrzeuge plant management Hanover in leading the way to a successful future. In the past, strategy and transformation processes were often accompanied by powerpoint "battles".There were numerous charts that tried to make it as comprehensible as possible what goals the company wanted to achieve and how it planed to get there.

Now the company wants to go other ways and has developed a vision for the future together with Goldpark and DIALOGBILD. On the one hand, the picture emerged in an intensive process, on the other hand, the discussion about the things that are important to the board in the picture led to a common understanding and also made it possible for different perspectives to be discussed and brought together.

Hahn Gruppe Strategie 2028 Erklärbild Leitbild Strategiebild Dialogbild Agentur für Visualisierung von Prozessen, Veränderungen und Visionen.

Hahn Gruppe Strategie 2028 Erklärbild Leitbild Strategiebild Dialogbild Agentur für Visualisierung von Prozessen, Veränderungen und Visionen.

STRATEGY 2028

THE HAHN GROUP - TRADITIONALLY INNOVATIVE!

The Hahn Group is one of the largest automobile trading companies in Germany. With around 2,000 employees and 35 plants of the Volkswagen, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, Audi, Porsche, Skoda and Seat brands in the Stuttgart metropolitan region, Hahn has enjoyed a strong market position for 100 years and is a reliable partner for customers, employees and business partners.

The automotive industry is undergoing the greatest upheaval in its history. The Hahn family of entrepreneurs has always implemented innovative ideas and broken new ground, making the company an extremely successful enterprise. In 2018, the management developed a long-term strategy that, in addition to economic factors, also includes topics such as digitisation and new business models. The great challenge that drew our attention to DIALOGBILD was to make this 150-page paper understandable to all employees in a simple form.

Beiersdorf Fabrik der Zukunft Leitbild Digital Supply Chain Visionsbild Dialogbild Agentur für Visualisierung von Prozessen, Veränderungen und Visionen.

Beiersdorf Fabrik der Zukunft Leitbild Digital Supply Chain Visionsbild Dialogbild Agentur für Visualisierung von Prozessen, Veränderungen und Visionen.

FACTORY OF THE FUTURE

Beiersdorf Digital Supply Chain Vision

For over 140 years the Beiersdorf AG has been standing for innovative, high-quality skin and body care, as well as leading skin research. The company convinces customers worldwide with its internationally leading brands and their consumer-needs oriented product portfolio. The supply chain, with its resilient and modern production network, significantly adds to this success.

The production processes find themselves in change during the fourth industrial revolution. They become more efficient and connected through the use of modern technologies, as well as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things and automatization. The “Factory of the Future” relies on agility, sustainability, productivity and transparency, all of which is driven by digitalization. People and data play a central role in this. Our dialog picture shows exactly these important points and paints a picture of the future.

chiesi attraktiver Arbeitgeber Zielbild Leitbild Strategiebild Dialogbild Agentur für Visualisierung von Prozessen, Veränderungen und Visionen.

chiesi attraktiver Arbeitgeber Zielbild Leitbild Strategiebild Dialogbild Agentur für Visualisierung von Prozessen, Veränderungen und Visionen.

DECIDE.DO.WIN.

Use the freedom. Be Chiesi.

Chiesi is dedicated to the research, development and distribution of innovative prescription therapeutic products in the fields of respiratory, neonatology, transplantation and rare diseases. Founded in 1935, the company currently employs more than 4,800 people in 26 subsidiaries worldwide and sells its products in more than 70 countries. More than 300 of their Hamburg employees work in internal and external sales.

The project "Chiesi - being an attractive employer" covers a multitude of topics in the area of human resources. An internal employee survey has shown that the offers of the HR management were not recognizable for everyone.
The department has grown immensely over the past two years and has become more complex. Therefore, it’s a good time to make HR's offer easy to understand for everyone.

Alunorf Leitbild Strategiebild Dialogbild Agentur für Visualisierung von Prozessen, Veränderungen und Visionen.

Logo von Alunorf

OUR MISSION STATEMENT

Remelting and casting, rolling and slitting: With its 2,200 employees Aluminium Norf is the biggest aluminium rolling and casting facility in the world. This extraordinary working environment presents the most diverse challenges for employees and managers: The processing of the hot 32-ton aluminium ingots not only demands perfect precision and team work, but also exact know-how of all the different machines, processes and of course safety regulations. Furthermore environmental standards, quality and customer requirements and the company′s own values play an important role in the daily working routine. All the topics above are part of the Aluminium Norf Guiding Principles, which were visualized by the Dialog Picture Method.

Bäderland Unternehmensleitbild Leitbild Visionsbild Dialogbild Agentur für Visualisierung von Prozessen, Veränderungen und Visionen.

OUR MISSION STATEMENT

Bäderland is the urban swimming pool operator in Hamburg with a broad offer of services in the fields swimming, fitness, wellness and relaxation. With 26 indoor and outdoor pools, Bäderland is Germany‘s largest and Europe‘s second largest swimming pool operator.

To communicate the newly revised company mission and the future company goals to the employees and to create a common understand, Bäderland decided on the development of a dialog picture. The contents of the company mission and the company goals were developed in two interdisciplinary and cross-divisional workshops.

Festo Leitbild Unternehmensleitbild Logistik individuell innovativ intitiativ Dialogbild Agentur für Visualisierung von Prozessen, Veränderungen und Visionen.

MISSION STATEMENT LOGISTICS

INDIVIDUAL, INNOVATIVE & PROACTIVE

The Festo Group provides answers to questions in the field of automation technology. The success of these answers is demonstrated by the 300,000 customers worldwide from over 35 industries in 176 countries. If one of the approximately 33,000 catalog products is not suitable, Festo will develop customized customer solutions: Individual, innovative and proactive.

In order to drive forward its own internal development within OPEX, Festo initiated the collaboration with DIALOGBILD. The goal was to communicate to employees at first glance where their own work area is and which topics also interact across the board.

BVR Bundesverband der Volksbanken und Raiffeisenbanken Leitbild Strategieagenda genossenschaftliche Zukunft des BVR Leitbild Dialogbild Agentur für Visualisierung von Prozessen, Veränderungen und Visionen.

STRATEGY AGENDA

FUTURE-ORIENTED DESIGN OF COOPERATIVE BANKING

With its strategy agenda in mind, BVR turned to Dialogbild to work together on a visualization that would be able to illustrate the interdependent unity of the strategies for all cooperative members and create a multidimensional overview. The dialog image is intended to show how a collaborative ecosystem and efficient operating and collaboration models are interlinked and lead to BVR's overarching visions.

 

Frequently Asked Questions: Mission Statement Definition

What is a mission statement?

A mission statement is a written statement of an organization's identity, core principles, and values. It describes the vision, mission, and desired corporate culture and serves as a framework for orientation for all stakeholders.

What elements does a mission statement typically contain?

A mission statement typically consists of the following elements:

  • Vision: Long-term goals and vision of the future
  • Mission: Purpose and core mission of the company
  • Values: Ethical principles and standards of conduct
  • Strategic goals: Concrete objectives derived from the vision and mission

Why is a mission statement important for companies?

A mission statement is important because it:

  • Provides guidance for employees and managers
  • Creates a strong corporate culture and identity
  • Strengthens the trust of customers and partners
  • Supports strategic decisions

How long should a mission statement be?

An effective mission statement should be short and concise, containing approximately 100 words or one to three sentences. It should convey the core messages clearly and understandably.

How do you develop an effective mission statement?

Developing a mission statement involves the following steps:

1.) Analysis and preparation

2.) Stakeholder engagement

3.) Formulating key messages

4.) Finalization and adoption

5.) Communication and implementation

How often should a mission statement be revised?

A mission statement should be reviewed regularly and adjusted as needed. Typically, it is geared towards the next five to ten years.

How can a mission statement be communicated effectively?

Various methods can be used to effectively communicate a mission statement:

  • Internal workshops and training
  • Visual representations (e.g., using DIALOGBILD)
  • Integration into corporate processes and communications
  • Regular discussion in employee meetings

What role does visualization play in mission statement communication?

Visualization can significantly increase the comprehensibility and effectiveness of a mission statement. Companies like DIALOGBILD help to vividly depict complex relationships and strengthen emotional connections.7.

Frequently asked questions

What is a mission statement?

A mission statement is a written statement that defines a company's purpose, vision, and values. It serves as a guide for employees and as a means of external communication.

What should be included in a good mission statement?

A good mission statement should contain the following elements:

  • Mission: The reason the company exists.
  • Vision: The long-term goals and future prospects.
  • Values: The fundamental principles and beliefs that guide the company's actions.

Why is a mission statement important?

A mission statement is important because it:

  • Provides guidance for employees.
  • Shapes the corporate culture.
  • Facilitates decision-making at all levels.
  • Strengthens identification with the company.
  • Improves communication with customers and other stakeholders.

How do you develop a mission statement?

Developing a mission statement involves several steps:

  1. Analysis of the current corporate identity and culture.
  2. Involvement of managers and employees in the process.
  3. Formulation of the mission, vision, and values.
  4. Alignment of the mission statement with the corporate strategy.
  5. Communication of the mission statement to all stakeholders.
  6. Regular review and adjustment of the mission statement.

What are examples of corporate mission statements?

Examples of successful corporate mission statements include:

  • Amazon: "To be the world's most customer-centric company."
  • Starbucks: "To inspire and empower the human spirit."
  • Tesla: "The company's mission is to accelerate the world's transition to sustainable energy."

How can Dialogbild help with the creation of a mission statement?

The agency Dialogbild supports companies in creating and visualizing mission statements by:

  • Identifying and sharpening core messages.
  • Developing compelling visual representations.
  • Engaging employees and stakeholders through effective visualizations.
  • Optimizing internal and external communication of the mission statement.

How often should a mission statement be updated?

A mission statement should be reviewed regularly, at least every two to three years, or whenever significant changes occur within the company or the market. This ensures that the mission statement remains relevant and reflects current goals and values.

Can a mission statement fail?

Yes, a mission statement can fail if it is not clearly formulated, is not actively implemented, or does not reflect the company's reality. It is important that the mission statement is authentic and supported by all employees.

How can I ensure my team understands the mission statement?

To ensure your team understands the mission statement:

  • Communicate it regularly in meetings and training sessions.
  • Integrate it into the company culture through workshops or team-building activities.
  • Use visual aids to clearly illustrate the core messages.

What distinguishes a good mission statement from a bad one?

A good mission statement is clear, concise, and inspiring. It conveys a clear understanding of the company's purpose and values. A bad one, on the other hand, is vague, long-winded, or unrealistic and is often perceived as a mere marketing ploy. If you have further questions or need support developing your own mission statement, don't hesitate to contact the Dialogbild agency!