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My Favorite Vision & Mission Statements

Below is a list of examples of effective Mission Statements and Vision Statements that I believe are clear.

As a reminder, an effective mission statement (or vision statement) should be:

  • Concise
  • Specific
  • Answer the question: “Are we working on the right thing?”

See How To Write A Vision/Mission Statement, an article I wrote, for more on how to write one.

Enjoy!

AOL

The largest high-quality content producer for digital media – locally, regionally, nationally,
and globally (as of 2011).

“To be the world’s most customer-centric company.”

Apple (back in the early days when they were Apple Computer)

“A computer in the hands of everyday people.” (this was from their early days)

Ben and jerry logo.svg

“Making the best possible ice cream, in the nicest possible way”

BioBag

“Changing The World Without Changing The Earth”

Bi-Rite Market

“Creating community through food”

Bridge School

To ensure that individuals with severe speech and physical impairments achieve full participation in their communities through the use of augmentative & alternative means of communication (AAC) and assistive technology (AT) applications and through the development, implementation and dissemination of innovative life-long educational strategies.

Charles Schwab

“Helping investors help themselves.”

Cold Stone Creamery

“The ultimate ice cream experience.”

comScore

“To leverage the power of the Internet to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of our clients’ sales and marketing efforts.”

Disney

“To make people happy.”

To provide the highest quality medical, security, transport, and other critical services for our members anytime, anywhere in the world.

Google

“To provide access to the world’s information in one click.”

Got Vitamin B12

Our mission is to make affordable & convenient Vitamin B12 injections accessible to everyone in the Bay Area.

Illiteracy Program

“In two decades our services will no longer be needed.”

“Give customers the freshest, highest quality foods you can buy and provide them with friendly service in asparkling clean environment.”

Instagram

“Capture and Share the World’s Moments”

John F. Kennedy (for America)

“I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to Earth.”

Khan Academy

“To provide a free world-class education to anyone anywhere.”

LinkedIn

“To connect the world’s professionals and make them more productive and successful.”

Linux

“A free Unix and Open Source operating system.”

Market Leader Inc.

“To enable real estate professionals to make more money in less time while exceeding the expectations of home buyers and sellers.”

Microsoft

“A computer on every desktop and in every home (using Microsoft software)”

Mulholland

“We create purpose-built products for duty-driven people.”

Nike

“To bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete* in the world. ”
(“If you have a body, you are an athlete.” – Bill Bowerman (founder of Nike))

Nettlehorst Schools in East Lakeview, Chicago

“Every kid deserves a great neighborhood public school.”

Nugget Markets

“High-quality products at low prices.”

Patagonia's logo from Web site

“Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.”

Luminate (formerly Pixazza)

Vision: “Enrich every image on the Web.”

Mission: “To reveal the information inside every image.”

“We inspire, educate and outfit for a lifetime of outdoor adventure and stewardship.”

Quora

“Quora connections you to everything you want to know about”

Rock Medicine (aka “RockMed”)

[The above is a photo I took from the tribute to Warren Hellman tribute concert in Ocean Beach, San Francisco on Feb. 19, 2012]

Salesforce.com

“The end of software.”

SAS Vision Statement | Rob Kelly Blog

“Providing organizations with the Power to Know”

San Francisco Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Pride Celebration Committee

“Educate the world, commemorate our heritage, celebrate our culture, and liberate our people.”

Southwest Airlines

The Scooter Store

“To provide freedom and independence to people with limited mobility.”

Spark Program

“To provide life-changing apprenticeships to youth in underserved communities across the United States.”

StoryCorps

To provide people of all backgrounds and beliefs with the opportunity to record, share, and preserve the stories of our lives.

TOM’s Shoes

“With every pair (of shoes) your purchase, TOM’s will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need: one for one.”

Trader Joe’s

“To bring our customers the best food and beverage values and the information to make informed buying decisions.

 

“The leading package delivery company.” (Until 1991)

and then later (around 1999) they changed it to:

“The enablers of global e-commerce.”

Voice of the Faithful

“Keep the faith, change the church.”

Walmart

“To help people save money so they can live better.”

“Selling the highest quality natural and organic products available.”

Wikipedia

“Imagine a world in which every single person is given free access to the sum of all human knowledge.”

YMCA

“To put Christian principles into practice through programs that build a healthy spirit, mind and body for all…”

“Our goal is to position Zappos as the online service leader. If we can get customers to associate the Zappos brand with the absolute best service, then we can expand into other product categories beyond shoes.”

Zingerman’s

Zingerman's is a community of businesses around Ann Arbor, Michigan

An example of a mission/vision statement I wrote can be found at Ongig’s Mission.

What’s your favorite mission statement/vision statement?

Please include them in the comments below. Thanks!


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