Notice the interesting use of the word “complementary” in this vision statement. No, the chain isn’t envisioning giving out freebies in the future. Its vision goes beyond remaining a large coffee chain. Rather, the brand wants to be the consummate leader in the coffee and donut industry. It wants to become a place known for fun, food, and recreation.
22 Vision Statement Examples to Help You Write Your Own
When starting a small business, founders typically have an idea of what they want to achieve—a vision of what success will look like. During the strategic planning process, it’s important to put this vision into concrete terms. Not only does a vision statement clarify your thoughts, but it helps employees and stakeholders understand what the business has set out to accomplish. No matter what the business, a good mission and vision statement can inspire and motivate employees to make that vision a reality.
Whether it’s your first or fifth business, writing a compelling vision statement can be challenging. Below, we’ll share how to write a vision statement—one that inspires your employees and positively impacts your business—and we’ll look at a few vision statement examples to help you get started.
Vision Statement Example Industries:
How to Write a Company Vision Statement
Amazon
Walmart
Nike
IKEA
Unilever
ASOS
Procter & Gamble
Costco
The Scooter Store
Pfizer
Johnson & Johnson
L’Oreal
CVS
Takeda
Progressive
Disney
Netflix
Sony
Blizzard
Belle Events
Zoom
Wikipedia
Microsoft (early 90’s)
Trip Advisor
Starbucks
Ben & Jerry’s
Coca-Cola
Their vision is “ to craft the brands and choice of drinks that people love, to refresh them in body & spirit. And done in ways that create a more sustainable business and better shared future that makes a difference in people’s lives, communities and our planet.”
Kellogg’s
McDonalds
Pepsico
Nestle
Kraft Heinz
Mondelez International
Stanford University (in the 1940s)
Harvard University
Florida Department of Education
South African Department of Education
Spalding School
Harley Davidson
Ford
Toyota
Subaru
Tesla
Audi
UPS
CSX
Ken Blanchard
PAAP
Their vision is “To become the premier crude oil transportation and marketing company in the United States and Canada by providing the utmost in value-added services to our customers, and in doing so, delivering superior returns to our stakeholders.”
Burlington Railway
PPG Industries
Their vision is “Be recognized as a preeminent global engineered-materials and services company that fully engages our people, passionately embraces new ideas, seeks out transforming technologies and operates with unbending ethical standards.”
AK Steel
Milne
Stecon
Bowman
CAT
CitiBank
Credit Agricole
Wells Fargo
Regions Financial
Auto-Owners Insurance
PayPal
Samsung
ThyssenKrupp
General Electric
Intel
Dow
Owens Illinois
Their vision is “To become the world’s leading packaging company by achieving sustainable and consistent growth by providing consumer preferred products that enable superior taste, health, visual appeal and value benefits for our business customers’ products.”
Philips
Vision Statement Examples for Not for Profit
Alzheimer’s Association
San Diego Zoo
Charity: Water
Feeding America
The Smithsonian
Life is Good
The American Red Cross
Chevron
Conoco Philips China
Gazprom
ArcelorMittal
AT&T
DataXu
Manik
Fanatics
GMG
Adobe
Etihad Airways
Marvin Group
Their vision is “To become the benchmark manufacturing company for the aerospace industry providing world-class products to satisfied customers through continuous improvement driven by the integrity, teamwork and creativity of our people.”
BAE Systems
Boeing
Ethiopian Air
Oman Air
Australian Department of Health
US Postal Service
Queensland Libraries
US Department of Defence
Martin County, Florida
Manitowoc, Wisconsin
Their vision is “a friendly, culturally diverse, and economically vibrant community that embraces the arts and humanities and that preserves the best of small town life on the lakeshore, including health, long life, beauty, comfort, and safety.”
Best Mission Statement Examples
- Life is Good: To spread the power of optimism.
- Sweetgreen: To inspire healthier communities by connecting people to real food.
- Patagonia: We’re in business to save our home planet.
- American Express: Become essential to our customers by providing differentiated products and services to help them achieve their aspirations.
- Warby Parker: To offer designer eyewear at a revolutionary price while leading the way for socially conscious businesses.
- InvisionApp: Question Assumptions. Think Deeply. Iterate as a Lifestyle. Details, Details. Design is Everywhere. Integrity.
- Honest Tea: To create and promote great-tasting, healthy, organic beverages.
- IKEA: To create a better everyday life for the many people.
- Nordstrom: To give customers the most compelling shopping experience possible.
- Cradles to Crayons: Provides children from birth through age 12, living in homeless or low-income situations, with the essential items they need to thrive – at home, at school, and at play.
- Universal Health Services, Inc.: To provide superior quality healthcare services that: PATIENTS recommend to family and friends, PHYSICIANS prefer for their patients, PURCHASERS select for their clients, EMPLOYEES are proud of, and INVESTORS seek for long-term returns.
- JetBlue: To inspire humanity – both in the air and on the ground.
- Workday: To put people at the center of enterprise software.
- Prezi: To reinvent how people share knowledge, tell stories, and inspire their audiences to act.
- Tesla: To accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy.
- Invisible Children: To end violence and exploitation facing our world’s most isolated and vulnerable communities.
- TED: Spread ideas.
1. Life Is Good: To spread the power of optimism.
This mission is perhaps a little unexpected if you’re not familiar with the company’s public charity: How will a T-shirt company help spread optimism? Life is Good answers that question below the fold, where the mission is explained in more detail using a video and with links to the company’s community and the Life is Good Kids Foundation page. We really like how lofty yet specific this mission statement is — it’s a hard-to-balance combination.
2. sweetgreen: To inspire healthier communities by connecting people to real food.
The language lets us know the company is all about connecting its growing network of farmers growing healthy, local ingredients with us — the customer — because we’re the ones who want more locally grown, healthy food options.
The mission to connect people is what makes this statement so strong. And, that promise has gone beyond sweetgreen’s website and walls of its food shops: The team has made strides in the communities where it’s opened stores as well. Primarily, it provides education to young kids on healthy eating, fitness, sustainability, and where food comes from.
3. Patagonia: We’re in business to save our home planet.
Patagonia’s mission statement spotlights the company’s commitment to help the environment and save the earth. The people behind the brand believe that among the most direct ways to limit ecological impacts is with goods that last for generations or can be recycled so the materials in them remain in use.
If your company has a similar focus on growing your business and giving back, think about talking about both the benefit you bring to customers and the value you want to bring to a greater cause in your mission statement.
4. American Express: Become essential to our customers by providing differentiated products and services to help them achieve their aspirations.
Best Vision Statement Examples
- Alzheimer’s Association: A world without Alzheimer’s disease.
- Teach for America: One day, all children in this nation will have the opportunity to attain an excellent education.
- Creative Commons: Realizing the full potential of the internet — universal access to research and education, full participation in culture — to drive a new era of development, growth, and productivity.
- Microsoft: We strive to create local opportunity, growth, and impact in every country around the world.
- Australia Department of Health: Better health and wellbeing for all Australians, now and for future generations.
- LinkedIn: Create economic opportunity for every member of the global workforce.
- Disney: To be one of the world’s leading producers and providers of entertainment and information.
- Meta: Give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together.
- Southwest: To be the world’s most loved, most efficient, and most profitable airline.
- Dunkin Donuts: To be always the desired place for great coffee beverages and delicious complementary doughnuts & bakery products to enjoy with family and friends.
1. Alzheimer’s Association: A world without Alzheimer’s disease.
The Alzheimer’s Association conducts global research and provides quality care and support to people with dementia. This vision statement looks into the future where people won’t have to battle this currently incurable disease. With the work that it’s doing in the present, both employees and consumers can see how the organization achieves its vision by helping those in need.
2. Teach for America: One day, all children in this nation will have the opportunity to attain an excellent education.
Teach for America creates a network of leaders to provide equal education opportunities to children in need. This organization’s day-to-day work includes helping marginalized students receive the proper education they otherwise wouldn’t have access to. Its vision statement is what it hopes to see through its efforts — a nation where no child is left behind.
3. Creative Commons: Realizing the full potential of the internet — universal access to research and education, full participation in culture — to drive a new era of development, growth, and productivity.
This nonprofit’s vision statement is broad. It helps overcome legal obstacles to share knowledge and creativity around the world. By working closely with major institutions, its vision is an innovative internet that isn’t barred by paywalls.
4. Microsoft: We strive to create local opportunity, growth, and impact in every country around the world.
Microsoft is one of the most well-known technology companies in the world. It makes gadgets for work, play, and creative purposes on a worldwide scale, and its vision statement reflects that. Through its product offering and pricing, it can provide technology to anyone who needs it.
5. Australia Department of Health: Better health and wellbeing for all Australians, now and for future generations.
6. LinkedIn: Create economic opportunity for every member of the global workforce.
Sources:
https://www.brex.com/blog/vision-statement-examples/
https://www.cascade.app/blog/examples-good-vision-statements
https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/inspiring-company-mission-statements