How passionate are you about the products you buy or places where you shop?  Do you know whether or not these companies act responsibly and if they don’t, would you continue to buy their products or shop there?  These are questions you will soon ask yourself after researching this week’s assignment which focuses on mission statements.

First, let’s start off by defining what a mission statement is.  A mission statement is the basic purpose of an organization and its reason for existing.  Within the corporate mission statement, you will also find the corporation’s strategic vision which allows customers to understand the future direction of the company.  You may find these words used interchangeably, but please note the vision statement will clearly state the long-term direction of the company and its intent.   Some companies stand up to their promise while others make promises they fail to live up to.

Keurig Green Mountain (KGM) is one of the leading coffee distributors and one that truly lives up to its promises.   What does it promise?  Their website states:

“We believe that every cup matters — for the convenience, for the great taste, as well as for the world. Across our supply chain and within our own operations, we strive to make the world a better place.” Keurig Green Mountain (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

Research for examples that would back up this statement revealed the following: 

• Since its incorporation, KGM has protected the environment by composting unused coffee beans
• It encouraged growers to farm organically and introduced organic coffees to its product line
• It gives financial grants to help farmers learn how to implement effective agricultural practices and how to care for their own and their family's health.
• In 2009, it replaced the roof at its distribution center with a solar array roof.

During my research, I also discovered KGM is having an issue with the “K-cup” that many of you may use in your Keurig coffee machines at work or at home.   These cups are not recyclable which runs counter to KGM’s commitment to protecting the environment.  However, the company is looking for ways to make K-cups recyclable and thereby showing a commitment to its mission statement  My KGM research seems to indicate this company stands by what it says and I feel very comfortable purchasing its products.  Below is a link listing Fortune 500 mission statements.  Can you find examples that indicate they live up to what they say?  Or will you discover some or all of their promises are false? 

How passionate are you about the products you buy or places where you shop?  Do you know whether or not these companies act responsibly and if they don’t, would you continue to buy their products or shop there?  These are questions you will soon ask yourself after researching this week’s assignment which focuses on mission statements.

First, let’s start off by defining what a mission statement is.  A mission statement is the basic purpose of an organization and its reason for existing.  Within the corporate mission statement, you will also find the corporation’s strategic vision which allows customers to understand the future direction of the company.  You may find these words used interchangeably, but please note the vision statement will clearly state the long-term direction of the company and its intent.   Some companies stand up to their promise while others make promises they fail to live up to.

Keurig Green Mountain (KGM) is one of the leading coffee distributors and one that truly lives up to its promises.   What does it promise?  Their website states:

“We believe that every cup matters — for the convenience, for the great taste, as well as for the world. Across our supply chain and within our own operations, we strive to make the world a better place.” Keurig Green Mountain (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

Research for examples that would back up this statement revealed the following: 

• Since its incorporation, KGM has protected the environment by composting unused coffee beans
• It encouraged growers to farm organically and introduced organic coffees to its product line
• It gives financial grants to help farmers learn how to implement effective agricultural practices and how to care for their own and their family's health.
• In 2009, it replaced the roof at its distribution center with a solar array roof.

During my research, I also discovered KGM is having an issue with the “K-cup” that many of you may use in your Keurig coffee machines at work or at home.   These cups are not recyclable which runs counter to KGM’s commitment to protecting the environment.  However, the company is looking for ways to make K-cups recyclable and thereby showing a commitment to its mission statement  My KGM research seems to indicate this company stands by what it says and I feel very comfortable purchasing its products.  Below is a link listing Fortune 500 mission statements.  Can you find examples that indicate they live up to what they say?  Or will you discover some or all of their promises are false?