At our marketing agency, we know that having a set of defined Company Core Values can make the difference between success and failure.  

Stable, long-lasting companies have an identified set of corporate core values.  These values assist the leaders, teams, and employees in achieving personal goals as well as for the companies. 

The values are essential to the company’s identity and they add clarity and intention to many different actions a company takes.

We use the mission Statement and Values to establish and develop and maintain a client company’s brand, marketing, and culture.

Here are 215 brilliant examples of amazing companies and their company Core Values to help you get ideas and inspiration for writing your own.

We start out with the nutrition supplement powerhouse 1st Phorm and its Founder and my mentor Andy Frisella.  He has one of the best examples of a planned and implemented value system.  He goes against the norm, (and against my recommendation unless you are an extremely well-developed corporate brand) and has 12 different core values.  

You should start with 5-8 and leave room to add some later as your brand, culture, products, and services develop.  1st Phorm’s values are very descriptive and I do recommend you put as much description into your company values as necessary to express your vision.

215 Company Core Values 

1st Phorm 

1. Loyalty -We are, above all else, loyal. We believe in loyalty to our customers because without them we serve no purpose. We are loyal teammates because they are the ones in the trenches with us fighting for our mission to help others. We are loyal to ourselves and to these core values; because they shape us and define what we believe will make us successful.

2. Lead By Example – We understand that there is literally no other way to lead than from the front. We cannot lead if we are not willing to do. We cannot teach or expect anyone to follow our lead if we haven’t done the work ourselves and set the standard on what to do and how to do it.

3. Go the Extra Mile – We always go the extra mile for customers, co-workers, and the company. We strive to always over-deliver and exceed people’s expectations at everything we do and we do so with enthusiasm. We understand that going the extra mile for people is what results in word of mouth, which is the driving force behind real growth. We strive to WOW people with our outstanding customer service… It’s not just something we say, it’s something we do and our daily actions reflect this.

4. Stay Humble – We stay humble and practice humility when it comes to our own progress and accomplishments. We don’t take credit for our individual successes but instead give credit to the people who make our individual successes possible. We always give credit to others for a job well done, and we accept full responsibility when things go poorly.

5. Be Disciplined – We are self-motivated to stay on-task and get the job done. We are driven and focused on the company and its progress, from the big picture all the way down to the finite details of every task we take on. We are strong enough to hold ourselves accountable and we can be relied on to consistently get the job done above the start of expectations set for us.

6. Accept Responsibility – We always accept full responsibility for our actions and performance. When we identify an issue or are given a task, we own that issue or task and see it through to its completion. We don’t shift blame. Nothing we are aware of is ever someone else’s fault; we always take it fully upon ourselves to make it right.

7. Take Initiative – We do not wait to be told to do something. When we see something that needs to be done…we do it. We always take initiative to get tasks done without being asked. We are self-driven and look to constantly push ourselves forward and do what needs to be done to succeed. We don’t sit and wait for someone to tell us the next step to take; we anticipate the path and contribute accordingly without needing to be carried. We don’t need someone else to hold a carrot in front of

us… we find our own carrots and hold them for ourselves knowing that improving the company any way we can benefits all.

8. BUILD POSITIVE & FUN RELATIONSHIPS – We work to build positive and fun relationships both internally and externally and we know that the success of the business is built upon this. Quality, positive relationships are what successful businesses and successful people thrive on. Consistently making efforts to build strong relationships with everyone we encounter creates strong bonds and friendships and ultimately creates lifetime customers and loyalty to the brand. We can lose a customer, but we can never lose a friend.

9. Always be Learning – We are always learning and striving to better the company and ourselves. We believe in taking the time to learn things on our own to better ourselves personally and improve our performance. We know that learning is essential to growing and that our personal growth and performance have a direct impact on the company’s growth and performance. We work to get better every day and constantly push ourselves for personal progress and make it a point to never be the weak link on the team.

10. Be Selfless – We always give more than we take. We always put others and the company before individual accolades. We always do the right thing and make our decisions based on what is the morally right thing to do. We don’t seek out personal gain from what we do and the decisions we make, instead we make decisions based on what’s best for others and what’s best for the company. We believe that ultimately what is best for the company is best for us anyway.

11. Be Enthusiastic – We are enthusiastic about being a part of the 1st Phorm Team. Our enthusiasm and passion for what we do here carry through to all levels of our performance in everything that we do both at the stores and in our dealings with others externally. We understand that being enthusiastic is contagious and if we are enthusiastic and excited to help our customers, co-workers, and the company they will reciprocate that excitement about us. Working at 1st Phorm isn’t a job, it’s a lifestyle and we are loyal and dedicated to our cause and live our lives enthusiastically by the values that 1st Phorm stands for. 

12. Believe – We believe in the big picture, the direction we are all collectively going, and exactly what needs to be done to get there. We believe in everything that 1st Phorm stands for, including these core values, and live by them both inside and outside of the stores… it’s who we are fundamentally at our core… and we believe in that.

Adidas Core Values

13. Performance: Sport is the foundation for all we do and executional excellence is a core value of our Group.

14. Passion: Passion is at the heart of our company. We are continuously moving forward, innovating, and improving.

15. Integrity: We are honest, open, ethical, and fair. People trust us to adhere to our word.

16. Diversity: We know it takes people with different ideas, strengths, interests, and cultural backgrounds to make our company succeed. We encourage healthy debate and differences of opinion.

Adobe

17. Genuine.

18. Exceptional.

19. Innovative.

20. Involved.

American Express

21. Customer Commitment

22. Quality

23. Integrity

24. Teamwork

25. Respect for People

26. Good Citizenship

27. A Will to Win

28. Personal Accountability

Apple

29. Accessibility. Learn more.

30. Education. Learn more

31. Environment. Learn more.

32. Inclusion & Diversity. Learn more.

33. Privacy. Learn more.

34. Supplier Responsibility. Learn more.

Aptum10

35. Integrity – Do the Right Thing: We must always act in the best interest of our prospect or client.

36. Knowledge – We must understand why, what and how we give our recommendations and services.

37. Grit – DO THE UNCOMFORTABLE. Be adventurous, creative and open minded and experience transformational change as a company and as individuals.

38. Community – Build open and honest relationships inside and outside the company with communication.  Recognize that passion and personality do matter and communicate fearlessly to build trust.  Create proposals and plans for our clients that include consistent communication with the community.

39. Teamwork – Focusing efforts to achieve goals. 

Barnes & Noble Booksellers

40. Customer Service

41. Quality

42. Empathy

43. Respect

44. Integrity

45. Responsibility

46. Teamwork

Ben and Jerry’s Ice-Cream

47. We strive to minimize our negative impact on the environment.

48. We strive to show a deep respect for human beings inside and outside our company and for the communities in which they live.

49. We seek and support nonviolent ways to achieve peace and justice. We believe government resources are more productively used in meeting human needs than in building and maintaining weapons systems.

50. We strive to create economic opportunities for those who have been denied them and to advance new models of economic justice that are sustainable and replicable.

51. We support sustainable and safe methods of food production that reduce environmental degradation, maintain the productivity of the land over time, and support the economic viability of family farms and rural communities.

Bulid-A-Bear

52. Reach

53. Learn

54. Di-bear-sity

55. Colla-bear-ate

56. Give

57. Cele-bear-ate

BMW

58. Integrity: Asking customers for frequent feedback.

59. Respect: Treating each customer with dignity and courtesy.

60. Responsibility: Holding themselves accountable for their performance.

61. Growth: Focusing on constant innovations and creativity.

Coca-Cola

62. Leadership: The courage to shape a better future

63. Collaboration: Leverage collective genius

64. Integrity: Be real

65. Accountability: If it is to be, it’s up to me

66. Passion: Committed in heart and mind

67. Diversity: As inclusive as our brands

68. Quality: What we do, we do well

Facebook

69. Focus on impact

70. Move fast

71. Be bold

72. Be open

73. Build social value

Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts

74. Supporting Sustainability

75. Building Communities

76. Advancing Cancer Research

Genentech

77. Passion means we use our drive and commitment to energize, engage and inspire others.

78. Courage means we are entrepreneurial and thus take risks, reach beyond boundaries and experiment.

79. Integrity means we are consistently open, honest, ethical and genuine.

Google

80. Focus on the user and all else will follow.

81. It’s best to do one thing really, really well.

82. Fast is better than slow.

83. Democracy on the web works.

84. You don’t need to be at your desk to need an answer.

85. You can make money without doing evil.

86. There’s always more information out there.

87. The need for information crosses all borders.

88. You can be serious without a suit.

89. Great just isn’t good enough.

H&M

90. We believe in people

91. We are one team

92. Straightforward and open-minded

93. Keep it simple

94. Entrepreneurial spirit

95. Constant improvement

96. Cost-consciousness

The Honest Company

97. Create a Culture of Honesty

98. Make Beauty

99. Outperform

100. Service Matters

101. Sustain Life

102. Be Accessible

103. Pay it Forward

104. Fun!

IKEA

105. Humbleness and willpower.

106. Leadership by example.

107. Daring to be different.

108. Togetherness and enthusiasm.

109. Cost-consciousness.

110. Constant desire for renewal.

111. Accept and delegate responsibility.

Kellogg’s

112. Integrity

113. Accountability

114. Passion

115. Humility

116. Simplicity

117. A focus on success

Nike

118. It is our nature to innovate.

119. Nike is a company.

120. Nike is a brand.

121. Simplify and go.

122. The consumer decides.

123. Be a sponge.

124. Evolve immediately.

125. Do the right thing.

126. Master the fundamentals.

127. We are on the offense – always.

128. Remember the man. (The late Bill Bowerman, Nike co-founder)”

Procter & Gamble

129. Integrity

130. Leadership

131. Ownership

132. Passion for Winning

133. Trust

Rackspace

134. Fanatical Support in all we do.

135. Results first, substance over flash.

136. Committed to Greatness

137. Full Disclosure and Transparency

138. Passion for our Work

139. Treat fellow Rackers like Friends and Family

Southwest Airlines

140. Work Hard

141. Desire to be the best

142. Be courageous

143. Display urgency

144. Persevere

145. Innovate

146. Follow The Golden Rule

147. Adhere to the Principles

148. Treat others with respect

149. Put others first

150. Be egalitarian

151. Demonstrate proactive Customer Service

152. Embrace the SWA Family

153. Have FUN

154. Don’t take yourself too seriously

155. Maintain perspective

156. Celebrate successes

157. Enjoy your work

158. Be a passionate Teamplayer

159. Safety and Reliability

160. Friendly Customer Service

161. Low Cost

SquareSpace

162. Be your own customer

163. Empower individuals

164. Design is not a luxury

165. Good work takes time

166. Optimize towards ideals

167. Simplify

Starbucks Coffee

168. Creating a culture of warmth and belonging, where everyone is welcome.

169. Acting with courage, challenging the status quo and finding new ways to grow our company and each other.

170. Being present, connecting with transparency, dignity and respect.

171. Delivering our very best in all we do, holding ourselves accountable for results.

Teach for America

172. Transformational Change

173. Leadership

174. Team

175. Diversity

176. Respect and Humility

Twitter

177. Grow our business in a way that makes us proud.

178. Recognize that passion and personality matter.

179. Communicate fearlessly to build trust.

180. Defend and respect the user’s voice.

181. Reach every person on the planet.

182. Innovate through experimentation.

183. Seek diverse perspectives.

184. Be rigorous. Get it right.

185. Simplify.

186. Ship it.

Virgin Airlines

187. We think customer

188. We lead the way

189. We do the right thing

190. We are determined to deliver

191. Together we make the difference

Warby Parker

192. Treat customers the way we’d like to be treated.

193. Create an environment where employees can think big, have fun, and do good.

194. Get out there.

195. Green is good.

Yahoo!

196. Excellence

197. Innovation

198. Customer Fixation

199. Teamwork

200. Community

201. Fun

Zapier

202. Empathetic. Leave your ego at the door, the greater good of Zapier customers, partners and teammates are more important than any one of us.

203. Be Resourceful. Default to action, have an impact, find what you need, be fearless.

204. Be Transparent. …

205. Pay Attention to Details.

Zappos

206. Deliver WOW Through Service

207. Embrace and Drive Change

208. Create Fun and A Little Weirdness

209. Be Adventurous, Creative, and Open-Minded

210. Pursue Growth and Learning

211. Build Open and Honest Relationships With Communication

212. Build a Positive Team and Family Spirit

213. Do More With Less

214. Be Passionate and Determined

215. Be Humble

Now you can see how establishing company core values is a key element in the long-term success of any organization.  They are a key tool for you to lead with while you build partnerships and hire your team.  

Values define the culture and they allow for the messaging and vision of your brand to run deeper.  Maybe most important of all, they allow you to remain emotionally connected to the business you are creating so that you can make it to your “vein of gold”, whatever that means for you.  

Company values need to be well defined, constantly reinforced and reviewed as they are a key tool in many of the building blocks in a great company.

With the list of examples of company values provided, I know you will be able find or create your company values with ease.

Good luck!