Organizational Wellness

16 Inspiring Examples of Core Values & Principles From Top Brands

Apr 14, 2023
Last Updated Jun 1, 2023

Your organization’s values are a set of core beliefs and principles that guide your decision-making, interactions, and behaviors at your company. No matter how long or short the list, they embody what’s important to your organization.

Organizational values – and their power to shape company culture – are pervasive enough that even fictional companies have them these days. Take Lumon Industries, the formidable company at the center of the dystopian show Severance. Their ominous-sounding nine Core Principles, which included “verve,” “probity,” and “wiles,” perfectly encapsulate its suffocating company culture. Then there’s AFC Richmond, the perennial underdog Premier League club at the heart of Ted Lasso, with just one core value scrawled across an off-center sign: Believe.

Ultimately, it’s important to choose a set of values that match your organization’s unique guiding principles, but drawing inspiration from real-world examples is a great place to start. These real-world company core values examples can help get the ball rolling!

 

  1. Starbucks

At the coffee giant, everyone from baristas to execs are held to these values:

  • Creating a culture of warmth and belonging, where everyone is welcome.
  • Delivering our very best in all we do, holding ourselves accountable for results.
  • Acting with courage, challenging the status quo and finding new ways to grow our company and each other.
  • Being present, connecting with transparency, dignity and respect.

  1. Equinox

The luxury fitness brand prides their community on being a welcoming space for everyone, and they’re guided by these values:

  • Inclusivity
  • Mutual respect
  • Equality
  • Diversity
  • Integrity
  • Empathy

  1. Lululemon

This athleisure brand wants its customers to live their best lives, which they guide through these organizational values:

  • Personal responsibility
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Honesty
  • Courage
  • Connection
  • Fun
  • Inclusion

  1. Zappos

The online shoe store and customer service powerhouse has 10 core valuesthat keep their team aligned:

  • Deliver WOW through service
  • Embrace and drive change
  • Create fun and a little weirdness
  • Be adventurous, creative, and open-minded
  • Pursue growth and learning
  • Build open and honest relationships with communication
  • Build a positive team and family spirit
  • Do more with less
  • Be passionate and determined
  • Be humble

Zappos’s values help them show how important customer service is to their company. They want people to be welcoming and respectful, think of new ideas, grow and learn, build relationships with honest communication, and work hard.

  1. Gympass

Gympass is making wellbeing universal. Organizations can provide their employeeswith access to thousands of fitness facilities and dozens of wellness apps through our all-in-one subscription. Our work is guided by the following values:

  • A-players
  • Constructive collaboration
  • Integrity above all
  • Diversity
  • Focus on results
  • Ecosystem mindset
  • Lead by example
  • Ownership mentality
  • Live the mission
  • Objective recognition
  • Proud and humble

  1. Airbnb

The hospitality giant has four valuesthat make sure their team stays on mission:

  • Champion the mission
  • Be a host
  • Embrace the adventure
  • Be a cereal entrepreneur

These core beliefs emphasize the importance of providing an easy way for people to find a great place to stay and creating an inviting atmosphere to help people feel welcome.

  1. Microsoft

The tech behemoth’s valuesprovide an open and fair work environment:

  • Respect: We recognize that the thoughts, feelings, and backgrounds of others are as important as our own.
  • Integrity: We are honest, ethical, and trustworthy.
  • Accountability: We accept full responsibility for our decisions, actions, and results.

  1. Goldman Sachs

The banking giant’s valuesare rooted in their commitment to trust, reliability, and top service for their customers and partners:

  • Client service
  • Excellence
  • Partnership
  • Integrity

  1. Peloton

Peloton is on a mission to use “technology and design to connect the world through fitness,” and they’re supported by these organizational values:

  • Put members first
  • Operate with a bias for action
  • Empower teams of smart creatives
  • Be the best place to work
  • Together we go far

Peloton’s values show how much they care about their customers and employees, and how dedicated they are to working quickly and creatively.

  1. KPMG

The consulting firm’s valuesare focused on providing quality service and a solid foundation for their client relationships:

  • Integrity: We do what is right.
  • Excellence: We never stop learning and improving.
  • Courage: We think and act boldly.
  • Together: We respect each other and draw strength from our differences.
  • For Better: We do what matters.

  1. LinkedIn

At the professional networking site, their valuesare all about connecting people:

  • We put members first
  • We trust and care about each other
  • We are open, honest and constructive
  • We act as One LinkedIn
  • We embody diversity, inclusion and belonging
  • We dream big, get things done and know how to have fun

  1. Salesforce

The cloud-computing giant has five distinct valuesthat set the tone for their company:

  • Trust: We act as trusted advisors.
  • Customer success: When our customers succeed, we succeed.
  • Innovation: We innovate together.
  • Equality: Everyone deserves equal opportunities.
  • Sustainability: We lead boldly to address the climate emergency.

  1. Calm

The meditation and mindfulness company is passionate about helping their customers be more present, and their valuesreflect that:

  • Growth mindset
  • Humble & hungry
  • High EQ
  • Results focused
  • Resourceful
  • Relentless
  • Teamwork
  • Magic

  1. Slack

The workplace communication tool stands behind these values:

  • Empathy
  • Courtesy
  • Thriving
  • Craftsmanship
  • Playfulness
  • Solidarity

While many of Slack’s users see it as a collaborative communication tool, these values show that it is actually built around a culture of courtesy, team spirit, and fun.

  1. Uber

The ride-sharing giant is driven by these shared beliefs:

  • Go get it: Bring the mindset of a champion
  • Trip obsessed: Make magic in the marketplace
  • Build with heart: we care
  • Stand for safety: safety never stops
  • See the forest and the trees: Know the details that matter
  • One Uber: Bet on something bigger
  • Great minds don’t think alike: Diversity makes us stronger
  • Do the right thing: Period

Uber’s values reflect a focus on championing the customer experience and safety, and providing customers with reliable transportation at their fingertips.

  1. Spotify

The music streaming service uses these core valuesto guide their company’s mission. They see themselves as:

  • Innovative: We move fast and take big risks
  • Sincere: We have no time for internal politics
  • Passionate: We revel in what we do
  • Collaborative: We recognize that we’re all in this together
  • Playful: We don’t take ourselves too seriously

Spotify’s core values underscore the company’s mission to empower music lovers around the world with a streaming service that is convenient, accessible, and engaging. They’re constantly pushing boundaries to stay ahead of the competition while delivering an exciting, engaging experience their customers love.

Your Values Are More Than Just Words

At the end of the day, your organizational values are more than just words on a piece of paper — they define who you are and how you operate, which is the sum of your company culture. Consider what’s important to your organization, and then stay true to those beliefs in everything that you do.

If transparency is a core value, for example, it will likely influence the way the team interacts and the working environment HR leaders help to create. You could implement collaboration-focused initiatives such as team-building activities, brainstorming sessions, and cross-departmental projects to promote deeper working relationships and solve problems together. To emphasize transparency, you could try out an employee suggestion box, where employees can submit their ideas and questions anonymously or directly to management. 

Or, if you want to embody the spirit of fun or playfulness, try helping your team members get out of their comfort zones and start enjoying themselves. An employee fitness challenge, for instance, is a great way to create some excitement and build strong bonds!

There are all kinds of ways to embody your core beliefs while helping your employees thrive. Speak to one of our wellbeing specialiststoday to learn how we can help you support each team member and stay true to your values!

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Gympass Editorial Team

The Gympass Editorial Team empowers HR leaders to support worker wellbeing. Our original research, trend analyses, and helpful how-tos provide the tools they need to improve workforce wellness in today's fast-shifting professional landscape.


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