Fortune magazine in its 2015 list of ”100 Best Companies to Work For” included 7 companies, in which core values play a key role in daily business practice and increase the level of happiness and confidence of their employees.
Below we present these 7 organisations chosen by Fortune magazine and their core values. It is worth noticing that they have been worded in various ways, in order to reflect companies’ organisational culture.

  1. Twitter
    Mission statement: „Mission statement: To give everyone the power to create and share ideas and information instantly, without barriers.”
  2. Build – A – Bear Workshop
    Core Values: „Reach, Learn, Di-bear-sity, Colla-bear-ate Give, Cele-bear-ate”
  3. Whole Foods Market
    Higher Purpose Statement: „With great courage, integrity and love—we embrace our responsibility to co-create a world where each of us, our communities, and our planet can flourish. All the while, celebrating the sheer love and joy of food”
  4. L.L.Bean
    Core Values Statement: „Sell good merchandise at a reasonable profit, treat your customers like human beings, and they will always come back for more.”
  5. Zappos.com
    10 Core Values: „1. Deliver WOW Through Service, 2. Embrace and Drive Change, 3. Create Fun and a Little Weirdness, 4. Be Adventurous, Creative, and Open-Minded, 5. Pursue Growth and Learning, 6. Build Open and Honest Relationships with Communication, 7. Build a Positive Team and Family Spirit, 8. Do More with Less, 9. Be Passionate and Determined, 10. Be Humble”
  6. Wegmans Food Markets
    Our “Who We Are” Values: „Caring, High Standards, Making a Difference, Respect, and Empowerment”
  7. Bright Horizons Family Solutions
    The HEART Principles: „Honesty, Excellence, Accountability, Respect, Teamwork”

Glossary:

  • core values – wartości kluczowe
  • reflect – odzwierciedlać
  • instantly – natychmiastowo
  • integrity – uczciwość
  • weirdness – dziwactwo
  • sheer  – czysty, niczym nie skażony
  • humble – skromny

Excercise:

Match the definitions with the words from the article:

  1. mission statement
  2. community
  3. courage
  4. merchandise
  5. empowerment
  6. accountability
  7. various
  8. passionate

the state of being responsible for something

showing strong emotion about something or someone

the power of dealing with danger

aims and objectives of a business organisation

group of people, society

the giving of an ability or power

goods to be bought and sold

of different kinds