What is a purpose statement?

A purpose statement is literally the answer to the question: “why does your company exist beyond making a profit?” It’s your “why”.

A powerful purpose statement will help your business attract and align and retain talent, partners, and investors. It’s a common internal feeling you all share.

In Climate Tech, you’re likely to share the same purpose statement as your competitors: to build a sustainable future. And that’s OK. How you envision that future and how you’re going to achieve your vision will be what sets you apart.

How do you create your purpose statement?

Your purpose statement is the last time you can ask why.

Let me explain that.

Examples of great purpose and mission statements

The best place to start is by looking to companies and brands you admire and reading their purpose/mission statements or their manifestos. 

Consider Patagonia’s purpose statement: 

“We’re in business to save our home planet.” 

It’s big, it’s bold and it’s brave. It’s a step beyond their previous mission statement: “Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.” 

Both give you a sense of what the outdoor clothing brand represents whilst they’re on their journey towards reaching their purpose. Other notable examples include:

• Vattenfall. Fossil-free within a generation.

• Tony Chocolonely. Making all chocolate 100% slave-free across the globe

• Whole Foods. Support the health, well-being and healing of both people — customers, Team Members and business organizations in general — and the planet.

• Greenpeace. Greenpeace is an independent campaigning organization, which uses non-violent, creative confrontation to expose global environmental problems and to force the solutions which are essential to a green and peaceful future.

• DuPont. To create shareholder and societal value while reducing the environmental footprint along the value chains in which we operate.

In the next section, we’ll look specifically at how to write your vision statement and how it differs from a brand purpose.