Bâton Global Voyager Awards: Top North Star Statements

250 Free North Star Examples

Download our free eBook with 250 purpose, mission, vision, and values statement examples below:

Overview Criteria & Process

The award process begins by compiling a library of North Star statements from nominated organizations and analyzing these statements against a set of criteria. When drafting our standards, we tried to find a happy medium between screening for quality without being overly restrictive in terms of format. North Star statements are as much of an art as they are a science. For that reason, we recognize that each stage, including crafting the criteria, considering the nominations, and scoring organizations’ materials, involves a mix between using uniform rating scales and subjective judgment.

Below are the final criteria and weightings used to score our nominees’ statements, and in some cases, images:

Function: does it answer the basic framing question for that kind of statement? (50%)

• Purpose:  Why do we exist?
• Vision:  Where are we going?
• Mission:  How are we going to get there?  What do we do?
• Values:  What do we stand for? How do we treat one-another along the way?

Inspiration: general impact on the reader (35%)

• Do they make sense?
• Are they memorable?
• Are they creative i.e., in word choice, presentation, style?
• Are they overly long, complex, or wordy?

Integration: is the organization living out their statements? (15%) Organizations that have successfully communicated their North Star statements and woven those aspirations into their cultures tend to reap performance benefits.

• To what extent and how do they make the statements real?
• Do the statements impact decisions e.g., choices in times of crisis?
• Do the statements appear to lead to clear and consistent communication to internal and external stakeholders?
• Are there other aligned cultural elements and corporate policies in the public domain?

Award Winners

Each year we recognize organizations with Bâton Voyager Awards as follows:

• The top two from each category of Purpose, Vision, Mission, and Values
• The top organization with a complete set of North Star statements (PVMV)
• The top Iowa firm for Vision, Mission, and Values

Purpose Winners: Smithsonian Institution and Ford

Smithsonian Institution

The increase and diffusion of knowledge.

What we like about Smithsonian Institution’s Purpose: Simple, yet profound, the Smithsonian Institution does an excellent job of demonstrating the raw essence of a purpose statement. The statement speaks of ambitious aspirations that echo the founding principles of such organizations. This serves as an excellent example for organizations who are looking to provide inspiration without losing sight of the big picture.

Ford

To help build a better world, where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams.

What we like about Ford’s Purpose: Ford’s purpose statement points to a higher order reason for the car manufacturer’s existence. It speaks to the soul of the organization, capturing how it will make the world a better place appealing to a wide variety of stakeholders.

Vision Winners: The Nature Conservancy and Visa

The Nature Conservancy

A world where the diversity of life thrives, and people act to conserve nature for its own sake and its ability to fulfill our needs and enrich our lives.

What we like about the Nature Conservancy’s Vision: The Nature Conservancy’s vision statement answers the question of what kind of future society the organization envisions. It is aspirational and inspirational without being ambiguous. We really like that there are two components to this statement that speak to the future state of nature and people.

Visa

We aspire to create cutting-edge technology for everyone, everywhere.

What we like about Visa’s vision: Visa’s vision says a lot in few words. These 13 words evoke innovation, speed, ease of use, and inclusivity. In a world where we are bombarded with messaging from all different types of sources, we appreciate Visa’s simplicity and conciseness.

Mission Winners: LinkedIn and National Archives

LinkedIn

To connect the world’s professionals to make them more productive and successful.

What we like about LinkedIn’s Mission: LinkedIn’s mission answers the key questions of a mission statement to the letter. Not only does it flow well, but it also focuses on the key goal of the organization. This statement arms employees with an eloquent definition of what they do.

National Archives

We drive openness, cultivate public participation, and strengthen our nation’s democracy through public access to high-value government records.

What we like about National Archives Mission: A well-written mission statement serves as a vehicle through which aspirations become operational. The National Archives mission is exemplary at communicating the daily organizational activities and the value it creates to both internal and external stakeholders.

Values Winners: John Deere and Alliant Energy

250 Free North Star Examples

Download our free eBook with 250 purpose, mission, vision, and values statement examples below:

John Deere

• We Live Up to The Legend - From newborns to newlyweds, people celebrate life’s milestones with Deere. Our name is tattooed onto arms and stamped in history. You can’t invent that kind of regard. You have to earn it. And we do. Whether you use our equipment every day or you’ve never set foot in it, everyone sees their reflection in a freshly waxed Deere. We shine because whether it moves soybeans or rubble, our iron carries the weight of legend.

• We Serve with Sincerity - Our relationships with farmers, builders, dealers, doers, and each other move us to do the right thing at the right time. Together, we do it for humble people. Hard-working people. People whose jobs are fundamental to the lives of all people. We look them in the eye, speak the truth, and stand by our customers. We do good work in good faith, knitted together through relationships that sustain us and the world.
• We Forge the Cutting Edge - We’re masters at molding hard iron and melding it with hard data. Our solutions are as sophisticated as a precisely seeded field and as concrete as a perfectly graded road. We’ve always known the fullest potential of each seed, site, and dream lies in our ability to leap forward. We innovate on behalf of our customers because what we learn is not a byproduct of what we do. It’s the fuel that powers what we can do better.
• We Stay Ever Green - Green runs through our veins and pounds in the hearts of millions. That’s always been a point of pride for us. Now, it’s a call to action. As stewards of the land, water, and air that sustain us, we know everything we take we must leave better. For us, sustainability isn’t static. It’s about prioritizing long-term goals over short-term gains and sticking to our true colors, determined to stay ever green.

Why we like John Deere’s values: John Deere’s values are timeless, but their creative language makes it feel very timely. We like that instead of simply listing a value such as sustainability, they craft a narrative to speak to their specific line of work. With this storytelling we can understand how their core values shape daily culture within the organization.  

Alliant Energy

• Live safety. Everyone. Always. Our first priority is that nobody gets hurt.
• Do the right thing. We keep our promises and conduct our business openly and honestly.
• Care for others. Together we create a workplace where people feel like they belong and can use their unique backgrounds, talents and perspectives to their fullest potential.
• Make things better. We partner with our customers and communities to solve problems, create opportunities and help make life better.
• Act for tomorrow. We use resources wisely, care for the environment and continuously improve ourselves and our company.
• Think beyond. Be bold. We create and embrace change, innovate beyond current practices and use our curiosity to find new solutions.

Why we like Alliant Energy’s values: Alliant Energy has a well-rounded set of values that achieve the basic goals of the values statement. They communicate expectations at the internal level, while also demonstrating overall company values to external parties. The chosen values blend industry-specific best practices and over-arching business principles to arrive at a robust assortment of core principles and philosophical ideas.

North Star Set Winner: Winnebago Industries

Purpose

We help our customers explore the outdoors, enabling extraordinary mobile experiences as they travel, live, work and play.

Vision

We will be the trusted leader in outdoor lifestyle solutions by providing exceptional innovation, quality and service in the industries we engage.

Mission

To create lifetime advocates of our brands through a relentless focus on delivering an unsurpassed customer experience.

Values

• Customer-Centric - Our customers are the reason we exist. We understand and care deeply about their unmet needs. Our drive to elevate their ownership experience is pervasive in every area of our business;
• Results-Driven - We are focused on market leadership and delivering consistent financial results. With a bias for critical thinking and execution, we will deliver a rewarding, safe work experience for our employees and superior shareholder returns;
• Innovative - We are committed to push the frontiers every day to develop innovative and differentiated solutions. Internally, we will consistently reinvent our processes to continuously improve and exceed expectations;
• Quality-Focused - We will strive to set the standard for quality in our industries, working every day to improve upon these levels of excellence. We are focused to do things right the first time in all we do.;
• Collaborative -  We care about each other deeply. We work in high performing teams that are accountable to each other. We seek employees with strong, diverse talents who work together effectively to deliver results;
• Trusted - We will always conduct ourselves with the highest degree of integrity, trust and respect. We will honor our code of conduct. We will strive to be strong ambassadors in the communities our employees live and work in.

Why we like Winnebago Industries North Star statement set: Many firms chose to focus on one to three North Star statements. While some may argue for quality over quantity, Winnebago Industries’ portfolio of statements serves as a contrary example. Each statement achieves its specific goal, yet all of the statements cascade off of one another, building a thread of common supporting themes throughout

Iowa Winners

Vision: UnityPoint

Best outcome, every patient, every time: these words consistently guide our future aspirations, approach decision-making and courses of action.

Why we like UnityPoint’s vision: UnityPoint’s simple yet lofty vision keeps internal and external constituencies focused on what the organization hopes to achieve in the future and what drives decision-making.

Mission: Cottingham & Butler

To PARTNER with our clients, to PROTECT their most valuable assets, and to BUILD an exceptional company of passionate insurance professionals.

Why we like Cottingham & Butler’s mission: Punctual, concise, and meaningful, the mission statement for Cottingham & Butler beautifully captures the overarching themes of the insurance industry. The statement creates trust and provides context for the who, what, and how of the firm.

Values: Workiva

• ‍Customer Success – Always delight our customers;‍
• Innovation – Keep creating solutions and finding better ways;‍
• Trust – Always rely on each other;‍
• Inclusion – Support a diverse community where we all belong;‍
• Integrity – Do the right thing, every time;‍
• Accountability – Be responsible for your success and failure;‍
• Collaboration – Share resources and work together.

Why we like Workiva’s values: Workiva’s values foster an environment that encourages respect, relationship-building, and in effect, growth. We like that these core values are highlighted throughout the company’s website, showing that they are lived and top of mind for all employees.

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250 Free North Star Examples

Download our free eBook with 250 purpose, mission, vision, and values statement examples below:

Conclusion

We would like to say a big THANK YOU to all of the organizations who have inspired us with their amazing statements! We would also like to thank our Bâton team members for collecting and sharing and caring enough to celebrate the incredible work of organizations who are dedicated to doing incredible things. If you have awesome North Star statements and would like to be considered for future Voyager Awards, please participate in our survey and share how your organization articulates its inspiration.

Over the years, it’s been exciting and humbling to see our work helping clients create their purpose, vision, mission, and values statements expand. If you are interested in developing or updating your North Star Statements, please:

• Schedule a chat with us at BatonGlobal.com;
• Email us at bg@batonglobal.com; or
• Call us at 1.234.BGlobal or 1.234.245.6225.

No matter where you are in your North Star journey, keep inspiring and pursuing purpose with passion!