Mission Statements of the Largest Corporations in the World

Wal-Mart, Ford, Disney and Starbucks Missions and Non-Retail Mission Statements

An Apple Store
Reprinted with permission from Apple.com

What are the mission statements of some of the largest companies in the world? Most of the largest companies in the U.S. retail industry have a mission statement which helps to guide and lead their entire employee organization toward an overarching business goal. The largest non-retail corporations have mission statements as well, and comparing the retail and non-retail mission statements often reveals the leadership differences which create success in different industries.\

What follows is a complete list of mission statements for retail companies like Wal-Mart, Ford, Disney and Starbucks, along with the mission statements for non-retail companies like Bank of America and Wells Fargo. This list is arranged alphabetically, according to the company name. Click the links for each complete mission statement, as well as history, founders facts, and headquarters information for each company.

American Eagle

The leaders of American Eagle create excellence by pointing employees at all levels at the satisfaction of a job well done with its mission statement.

Apple

It might be expected that one of the most innovative companies in history would also have one of the most innovative mission statements in history. Not so with Apple, Inc., a company whose mission statement is barely a mission statement at all.

Amazon.com

The founder of Amazon.com has always centered his leadership decision around one primary thing, which is the unwavering mission of the world's larges Internet retailer.

Bank of America

Bank of America focuses on the daily activities of its employees by clearly defining its target market in its missions statement, a strategy used by some retail companies as well.

Barnes & Noble

It would be understandable to assume that Barnes & Noble's mission statement was to be the largest and only national brick and mortar bookseller in the U.S. But the mission statement of Barnes & Noble is less about profits and more about attitude.

Best Buy

Best Buy focuses on a formula that is simple and relies on its employees to make the formula work.

Blockbuster

Can the downturn of Blockbuster be found in the redundancy of its mission statement?

Bon-Ton

Since it began, Bon-Ton has valued attention to detail with its customers, its merchandise, and the match between the two, and this continues to be Bon-Ton's mission more than 200 years later.

Borders Books

The Borders Books chain had a vision and values, but no distinct mission statement, which is one of the things that may have contributed to its demise.

BP

It may be surprising to find out that BP's mission statement includes a commitment to do no harm or damage to people or to the environment.

The Buckle

The mission statement of The Buckle focuses every employee everywhere on the customer shopping experience.

Circuit City

Did Circuit City's lost vision and missed mission lead to its bankruptcy and liquidation?

Costco Wholesale

The leaders at Costco believe that only ethical business can create profits, and its mission statement revolves around that.

CVS

The CVS vision is larger and loftier than most retail organizations, and its mission statement and values seek to provide a structure for employees to be part of that vision every day.

Dollar General

The mission statement of deep discount retailer Dollar General focuses on more than just money and savings.

Duckwall-ALCO

Rather than moving the company into the future, the mission statement of Duckwall-ALCO keeps their shopping experience rooted in the goals and values of bygone days.

Five Guys Burgers and Fries

The mission of Five Guys couldn't be more obvious and its service goal couldn't be more focused.

Ford

The Ford Motor Company has one mission, one team, one play and one goal that has led it to be the #1 car company in America and one of the great American brands.

Fred's

The shopping experience at Fred's is fast, fun, and friendly when Fred's employees are fulfilling their mission.

GameStop

Except for its reference to the gaming industry, the GameStop mission statement, which it refers to as its vision statement, lack both a mission and a vision in its wording.

The Gap Stores

Operating one of the largest global chains of retail stores, the mission statement of The Gap stores provides purpose and values that help to build the brand of The Gap in a consistent way around the world.

Home Depot

Customer service doesn't start in the aisles of the Home Depot stores, it starts in the mission statement fashioned in the Home Depot boardroom.

JC Penney

Founded on the Golden Rule, JCPenney continues to "do unto others" with its Winning Together Principles.

Kmart

As an offspring of Sears Holdings, Kmart has its own unique vision, but it could be the alignment with its parent company that is the cause of its recent struggles.

Kohl's

In one short mission statement, Kohl's manages to clearly define its competitive niche, its products, the Kohl's shopping environment, and the branded Kohl's customer experience.

Kroger

Kroger's mission statement recognizes that being a leader requires that you value more than sales and profits.

Limited

It's not easy for a retail chain to build customer loyalty by being "captivating" except if you're part of the Limited Brand family, which includes chains like Victoria's Secret.

Lowe's

Home improvement value and valuable solutions is what Lowe's Mission Statement is all about.

Macy's

Even though it is one of the oldest retail chains in the U.S., the Macy's mission statement proves that it has a new vision that will continue to make it a successful U.S. retailer in the future.

Netflix

Although Netflix doesn't have an "official" published mission statement, the sum total of its Vision, Brand Promise, and Company Values provide insight about the Netflix mission, whether it's official or not.

Panera Bread

From Panera Bread's mission statement and leadership goal, there is no mistaking what the company values most.

Sears

Instead of focusing on its famous proprietary brands and how to sell them, the Sears mission statement focuses instead on a proprietary type of relationship the retailer wants to have with its customers.

Stage Stores

Stage Stores uses one mission statement for five different storefront brands to make its impact on small towns and neighborhoods.

Staples

Staples proves that selling any type of merchandise can a soulful experience with the right mission statement.

Starbucks

The mission statement of Starbucks is a model to be followed not just because of the success of the company itself, but because of the successful structure of the mission itself, which provides an inspiring vision and practical implementation at the same time.

Target

When Target fulfills accomplishes its mission when it fulfills its advertised brand promise to "Expect More. Pay Less."

Toyota

Toyota's popularity with car buyers worldwide is due to a mission that is much larger than building and selling cars.

Toys 'R Us

Not surprisingly, the Toys 'R Us mission statement is all about kids and the company puts 'R Commitments and 'R Values behind it.

Walgreens

The Walgreens mission statement is about much more than drugs for sick people and positions the drug store and pharmacy chain as a retailer of wellness.

Walmart

Everybody who's ever seen a Walmart advertisement has also seen the Walmart mission statement, whether they knew it or not.

Walt Disney

The mission statement of the Walt Disney company is widely recognized as being one of the best in corporate America because it is the guiding force behind the success of one of the great American brands.

Wells Fargo

As would be expected with most financial institutions, the mission statement of Wells Fargo Bank is to get control of as many individual assets as possible, a mission which could possibly leave the what's best for the customers out of the equation.

Wendy's

The legacy of success created by Dave Thomas is kept alive by the mission, vision, and values created by the founder.

Western Sizzlin

The relaxed, friendly, family-oriented mission statement of Western Sizzlin sets the tone for a Western Sizzlin dining experience.

Whole Foods

With a Motto, Mission Statement, Core Values, and Quality Standards clearly defined, Whole Foods, there is little doubt about the customer experience that Whole Foods wants to create and how its employees are expected to create it.

Zappos.com

The mission statement of Zappos.com Internet retailer is nothing about the products sold on its shopping website, and everything about the customers who purchase those products.

Zumiez

Zumiez stays focused on its active cutting edge customer base by staying aligned with a mission to do what others only dreamed of.