BEW3555

INTEGRATIVE BUSINESS PRACTICES

Vision, Mission, Values and

Sustainability Principles

1
 Learning outcomes from lecture
In this week, students will be able to understand:
• 2.1 the vision and mission (and underlying values) that
determine the business model of the organisation.
• 2.2. the role that sustainability principles play in a business
idea.
• 2.3. how the organisation would benefit from intensifying
the integration of sustainability principles into the business
model.
• 2.4. how sustainability contributes to the economic success of
the organisation and what contribution will the organisation
make to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

2
 Unit Learning outcomes
Objective 1
Critically evaluate real-life business practices and issues by
integrating multiple perspectives and approaches, and identify
innovative solutions to the associated business problems.
Objective 2
Synthesize knowledge from multiple disciplines and identify
solutions to a range of business problems.
Objective 3
Articulate and present their ideas in a succinct and convincing
manner.
 The Sustainable Business Model
Canvas
Vision & Mission
1 – V&M

Key Partners Key Activities Value Customers Competitors

Proposition
9 - KP 7 - KA 3 - CU 4 - CO
2 - VP
Key Resources Other relevant
stakeholders
8 - KR
5 - ST
Cost Structure Revenue Streams

10 - CS 6 - RS
 Vision & Mission (V&M)
Vision & Mission
1 – V&M

Key Partners Key Activities Value Customers Competitors

Proposition
9 - KP 7 - KA 3 - CU 4 - CO
2 - VP
Key Resources Other relevant
stakeholders
8 - KR
5 - ST
Cost Structure Revenue Streams

10 - CS 6 - RS
 Vision, Mission, Values and
Sustainability Principles (V&M)
The development of the business model is
preceded by defining a vision/mission, the
company’s values and its sustainability principles
to ensure systematic orientation toward
sustainability

Tiemann, I. and Fichter, K. (2016): Developing business models with the Sustainable Business Canvas: Manual 6
for conducting workshops, Oldenburg and Berlin.
 Vision statement
• The vision of the business model describes
what distinguishes the business model in the
future (e.g., in the next three to five years)
and which long-term goal it pursues.
• A vision is more than a company’s economic
goals.
• It states briefly what your company should
stand for in the future.

Tiemann, I. and Fichter, K. (2016): Developing business models with the Sustainable Business Canvas: Manual 7
for conducting workshops, Oldenburg and Berlin.
 Vision statement (cont’d.)
• A vision is an attractive image of an attainable
reality.
• Describe your vision briefly and comprehensibly
– Which long-term goal determines the course
of your business model?
VISION = WHAT WE WANT TO BE
• A vision statement should answer the question:
“What do we want to achieve?”
“What do we want to be?”
Tiemann, I. and Fichter, K. (2016): Developing business models with the Sustainable Business Canvas: Manual 8
for conducting workshops, Oldenburg and Berlin.
 Vision statement (cont’d.)
• A well-conceived vision consists of two major
components: core ideology and envisioned
future. The envisioned
future is what we
Core ideology defines aspire to become,
what we stand for and to achieve, to
why we exist. create-something
that will require
significant
change and
progress to attain.
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Source: Collins & Porras (1996). Building Your Company’s Vision, Harvard Business Review
 Vision statement (cont’d.)
Example
• We believe that we are on the face of the earth
to make great products and that’s not changing.
• We are constantly focusing on innovating. We
believe in the simple not the complex.
• We believe that we need to own and control the
primary technologies behind the products that
we make, and participate only in markets where
we can make a significant contribution.
• We believe in ……... 10
 Vision statement (cont’d.)
Example
• Nike Inc.’s corporate vision is “to remain the
most authentic, connected, and distinctive
brand.” 
• The following are the notable components of
Nike’s corporate vision statement:
oAuthentic
oConnected
oDistinctive
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 Vision statement (cont’d)
Examples from non-profit organisation operating
social enterprises or commercial venture

• Epic makes collaborative social impact

accessible.
• Connecting people & place.
• We are a community-driven developer.

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 Vision statement (cont’d)

• world’s first not-for-profit organisation to use

hydroponics and environmentally sustainable
technologies to create food and economic security for
communities otherwise reliant on aid and affected by
poverty.
• to address the ever worsening food security crisis and
poverty in the world.
• increased sense of community pride and
achievement, as well as a shift in attitudes around
healthy eating.
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 Vision statement (cont’d)
Example from a social enterprise (a Zero waste
store)

• Inspiring a greener way to shop.

• Quality, healthier and sustainable lifestyle.

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 Mission statement
• A mission statement aims to provide employees
and stakeholders with clarity about the
overriding purpose of the organisation to be
established.
• The mission describes the purpose of the
company and its goals.
• It is derived from the vision and provides
orientation.

Tiemann, I. and Fichter, K. (2016): Developing business models with the Sustainable Business Canvas: Manual 15
for conducting workshops, Oldenburg and Berlin.
 Mission statement (cont’d.)
• What is the mission of your business model?
MISSION = WHY WE EXIST
“What business are we in?”
“Why do we exist?”
“How do we make a difference?”
“What would be lost if the organisation did not
exist?”
• Values and standards of behavior are
additional components of the mission.
16
Source: Johnson, Scholes & Whittington (2014). Exploring Corporate Strategy, 10th Edition, Pearson Education
 Mission statement (cont’d.)
Campbell and Yeung (1991) believe that a strong mission
exists when the following four elements of mission link
tightly together, resonating and reinforcing each other:
• Purpose (Why the business exists)
– Describe what the company is for and for whose
benefit is all the effort being put in.
– Describe the company’s responsibility to its
stakeholders.
• Strategy (What business and how)
– Describe the competitive positioning and distinctive
competence of the company.
17
Source: Grant & Jordan (2012). Foundations of Strategy, John Wiley & Sons.
 Mission statement (cont’d.)
Campbell and Yeung (1991) believe that a strong mission
exists when the following four elements of mission link
tightly together, resonating and reinforcing each other:
• Behaviour standards (The rules that guide how the
business operates)
– Translate purpose and strategy into actionable
policies and behaviour patterns that underpin the
distinctive competence and the Value System
• Values (What management believes in)
– Identify the values (i.e. beliefs and moral principles)
that lie behind the company’s culture.
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Source: Grant & Jordan (2012). Foundations of Strategy, John Wiley & Sons.
 Mission statement (cont’d.)
Example
• Apple designs Macs, the best personal
computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife,
iWork and professional software.
• Apple leads the digital music revolution with its
iPods and iTunes online store.
• Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its
revolutionary iPhone and App store, and is
defining the future of mobile media and
computing devices with iPad.
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 Mission statement (cont’d.)
Example
• Nike Inc.’s corporate mission is “to bring
inspiration and innovation to every athlete in
the world.” 
• Our mission is what drives us to do everything
possible to expand human potential.
• We do that by creating groundbreaking sport
innovations, by making our products more
sustainably, by building a creative and diverse
global team and by making a positive impact in
communities where we live and work. 20
 Mission (cont’d)
Examples from a non-profit organisation operating
social enterprises and commercial venture

• To deliver inexpensive, easy to operate horticulture

infrastructure to communities challenged by
inadequate or unreliable food supply to provide
nutrient-rich produce and a means of employment
for the poor.

21
 Mission statement (cont’d)

•  Empowering individuals to transform

communities and environments around them.
• To make this mission possible, we’ve created an
ecosystem of companies and platforms so that
you can start making impact today.
• Design and build spaces that enables people to
create cooperative, resilient and sustainable
communities.
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 Mission statement (cont’d)
Example from a social enterprise (a Zero waste
store)

• We partner with local organic farmers and since

we are a cooperative, we don’t ask for any
financial return.
• We encourage you to bring your own reusable
packaging (bottles, containers and bags) so we can
work together to reduce wastage. 
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 Value Statement
• Which values determine your business model?

VALUES = WHAT WE BELIEVE IN AND HOW WE

WILL BEHAVE

• A company’s values create a moral compass for

the organization and its employees.
• It guides decision-making and establishes a
standard against which actions can be assessed. 

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 Value Statement (cont’d.)
Example
• We believe that we’re on the face of the Earth
to make great products that will change the
world.
• We believe in the simple, not the complex.
• We believe that we need to own and control
the primary technologies behind the products
we make.
• We participate only in markets where we can
make a significant contribution. 25
 Value Statement (cont’d.)
Example
• Nike's core values are performance,
authenticity, innovation, and sustainability.

26
 Value Statement (cont’d)
Example from non-profit organisation operating
social enterprises or commercial venture

• We believe in the presence of relationships in what

it truly differentiates home from a house.
• Without people and relationships, a house is
nothing but a shell.
• We believe that the answer to solving this issue
[poverty] comes from collaboration, working
together to uncover new solutions and
opportunities. 27
 Value Statement (cont’d)
Example from non-profit organisation operating
social enterprises or commercial venture

• The communities approach us – we only go

where we’re wanted.
• a simple, but effective and sustainable solution
to food distribution.

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 Value statement (cont’d)
Example from a social enterprise
• We believe in The Zero-Waste lifestyle, a
philosophy that encourages the redesign of
resource lifecycles, so that all products can be
reused.
• Empowerment of women, refugee
communities and local suppliers.

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 Sustainability Principles
• How do we ensure our vision, mission and
values reflect or in line with sustainability
principles?

• The Brundtland Commission of the UN stated

that sustainability is to “meet the needs of the
present without compromising the ability of
future generations to meet their own needs”

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 Sustainability Principles (cont’d.)
“The three pillars of sustainability” or “The
triple bottom line (TBL)” recognises that
economic, ecological and ethical concerns are all
directed at the same question:

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Sustainability principles (cont’d)
Three pillars of
sustainability (or Triple
bottom line)

Economic
success
What are the best ways for human (Profit)
beings to live and flourish within the
biosphere that is their only home? Social
responsibility
(People)

Environmenta
l responsibility
(Planet)
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 Sustainability Principles (cont’d.)
Three questions can be framed around the TBL
definition:
• Economic success – Do our business activities
promote sustainable economic health for the
company and the global community? – Profit!
• Social responsibility – Do we conduct our
business in a manner that contributes to the
well-being of our employees and the global
community? – People!
33
 Sustainability Principles (cont’d.)
Three questions can be framed around the TBL
definition:
• Environmental responsibility – Do we manage
our operations in a way that is protective of the
environment to help ensure the earth can
sustain future generations and the company’s
ability to meet future needs? – Planet!

34
 Sustainability Principles (cont’d.)
Questions specific to business model and sustainability
goals:
• 1. How does your business model benefit if you intensify
the integration of sustainability principles?
• 2. How does sustainability contribute to your business
idea‘s economic success and which sustainability
principle plays a role in business idea?
• 3. Which concrete contribution will your company have
made in 5 or 10 years to reach sustainability goals? Or
UN Sustainable Development Goals?
Tiemann, I. and Fichter, K. (2016): Developing business models with the Sustainable
35
Business Canvas: Manual for conducting workshops, Oldenburg and Berlin.
 Sustainability Principles (cont’d)
• 1. How does sustainability contribute to your
business idea‘s economic success and which
sustainability principle plays a role in business idea?

Five Sustainability principles

• Efficiency
• Consistency
• Sufficiency
• Preventing unjustifiable risks
• Distributive justice

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 Sustainability Principles (cont’d.)
Which sustainability principles play a role for
your business idea?
• Efficiency: reduction of the amount of
environmental resources per unit of output;
• Consistency: preventing harmful or toxic
substances, using renewable resources and
biological principles, ensuring closed material
loops, recycling;

Tiemann, I. and Fichter, K. (2016): Developing business models with the Sustainable Business Canvas: Manual 37
for conducting workshops, Oldenburg and Berlin.
 Sustainability Principles (cont’d.)
Which sustainability principles play a role for your
business idea?
• Sufficiency: sustainable lifestyles and consumption
patterns, limiting consumption to necessities;
• Preventing unjustifiable risks: avoiding highly
invasive technologies with uncertain consequences
such as atomic energy;
• Distributive justice: just distribution of resources and
incomes within a generation; generational justice in
successive generations.

Tiemann, I. and Fichter, K. (2016): Developing business models with the Sustainable Business Canvas: Manual 38
for conducting workshops, Oldenburg and Berlin.
 Sustainability Principles (cont’d)
• 2. How does your business model/start-up benefit if
you intensify the integration of sustainability
principles? How does sustainability contribute to
economic success of business idea?
• Risk reduction
• cost reduction
• increasing turnover & profit
• efficiency gains
• reputation and brand
• attractiveness for employees
• innovation advantage
• network advantage 39
 Sustainability Principles (cont’d.)
• How does your business model/your start-up
benefit if you intensify the integration of
sustainability principles?
• How does sustainability contribute to your
business idea‘s economic success?
– Risk reduction: actively dealing with and
controlling risks, e.g., environmental risks,
regulatory risks, avoiding losses of
reputation

Tiemann, I. and Fichter, K. (2016): Developing business models with the Sustainable Business Canvas: Manual 40
for conducting workshops, Oldenburg and Berlin.
 Sustainability Principles (cont’d.)
• How does sustainability contribute to your
business idea‘s economic success?
– Cost reduction: cost savings for you or your
customers, key partners, additional
stakeholders, e.g., through more
sustainable production processes with low
energy consumption, longer operating life
of the products, etc.

Tiemann, I. and Fichter, K. (2016): Developing business models with the Sustainable Business Canvas: Manual 41
for conducting workshops, Oldenburg and Berlin.
 Sustainability Principles (cont’d.)
• How does sustainability contribute to your
business idea‘s economic success?
– Increasing turnover and profit: e.g.,
approaching new customer groups,
achieving higher margins through more
sustainable products
– Efficiency gains: e.g., advantages achieved
through efficient waste management and
reduced resource consumption
Tiemann, I. and Fichter, K. (2016): Developing business models with the Sustainable Business Canvas: Manual 42
for conducting workshops, Oldenburg and Berlin.
 Sustainability Principles (cont’d.)
• How does sustainability contribute to your
business idea‘s economic success?
– Reputation and branding: e.g., increasing
customer loyalty and willingness to pay
through sustainable products
– Attractiveness for employees: e.g., through
meaningful activities and better
identification with sustainability-oriented
purposes of the company
Tiemann, I. and Fichter, K. (2016): Developing business models with the Sustainable Business Canvas: Manual 43
for conducting workshops, Oldenburg and Berlin.
 Sustainability Principles (cont’d.)
• How does sustainability contribute to your
business idea‘s economic success?
– Innovation advantage: sustainability as a
source of innovation and strategic
competitive advantage, e.g.,
commercialization of green technologies
– Network advantage: advantages from
cooperation with important stakeholders on
the basis of shared value.
Tiemann, I. and Fichter, K. (2016): Developing business models with the Sustainable Business Canvas: Manual 44
for conducting workshops, Oldenburg and Berlin.
 Sustainability Principles (cont’d)
• 1.3. Which concrete contribution will your company
have made in 5 or 10 years to reach sustainability
goals or UN Sustainable Development Goals?

45
 Sustainability Principles (cont’d.)
• Which concrete contribution will your start-up
have made in 5 or 10 years to reach
sustainability goals?
• Is the sustainability principle contributing to
your business idea‘s economic success in line
with the UN Sustainable Development Goals
and what are your initiatives to achieve these
goals.

Tiemann, I. and Fichter, K. (2016): Developing business models with the Sustainable Business Canvas: Manual
46
for conducting workshops, Oldenburg and Berlin.
 Sustainability Principles (cont’d.)
• Typically, with clients a company would
express this in terms of the UN Sustainable
Development Goals but equally these could
be expressed in terms of measures important
to the organisation such as carbon savings,
water savings, jobs created and so on.

47
 Sustainability Principles (cont’d.)
Example
• Climate change: Reduce our impact on climate
change by using renewable energy sources and
driving energy efficiency in our products,
facilities, and supply chain.
• Resources: Conserve precious resources so we
all can thrive.
• Safer materials: Pioneer the use of safer
materials in our products and processes.
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 Sustainability principles (cont’d)
• Open discussion: So which SDG is linked to the
sustainability principles of Apple?

49
 Sustainability Principles (cont’d.)
Example
• At Nike, we know that the future of sport is
interlocked with the future of our planet.
• That understanding serves as our North Star for
sustainability.
• Without fresh air and clean water, athletes
can’t thrive.
• Without stable climates and healthy
ecosystems, they can’t push to reach their
potential………. 50
 Sustainability principles (cont’d)
• Open discussion: So which SDG is linked to the
sustainability principles of Nike?

51
 Sustainability Principles (cont’d)
Open discussion: Can you link the SDGs to the
sustainability principles adopted by The Hive and
Food Ladder?

52
 Sustainability principles (cont’d)
Example from the Hive
• Reduce waste – implement a zero-waste
approach to shopping (mission and values)
• Health – range of organic food products available
in bulk that are not processed or refined
• Community support – products made by
marginalised communities including women,
disabled, refugees, and other local suppliers.

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 Sustainability principles (cont’d)
Example from Food Ladder
• Food security and poverty – their mission is to
create food and economic security for communities
otherwise reliant on aid and affected by poverty.
• Resources – use of hydroponics and environment-
friendly technologies
• Community empowerment – local community
owed the assets, and operate social enterprises
initially created by Food Ladder to deliver solutions
for their food and economic security issues.
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 For Group Presentation on Vision, Mission, Values
and Sustainability Principles
Dimension Assessed Comments
Introduction (0.5 marks) • Introduce the four main topics –
Clear introduction of the components to be presented. Vision, Mission, Values and
Brief explanation of its importance. Sustainability Principles –to be
presented and explain their
importance in a business plan.
Collective Decisions and logic of argument (2.5 marks) • Present the company’s Vision and
All aspects and key points of the components are presented in Mission, and Value Statement
details • Present the Sustainability Principles
All the answers to the required questions were clearly presented in line with the UN SDGs.
• Explanation must be with logic and
with logic and properly justified. proper justifications.
Showed ethical considerations and/or sense of social
responsibility in collective decision and logic of argument.
Showed collective orientation to ‘think globally and act locally’
Conclusion (0.5 marks) • Conclude with the key points of the
Clearly sums up the presentation presentation.
Individual presentation skills (1.5 marks) • Marks will be given for individual
Clarity, pace and confidence in the presentation. presentation skills.
Showed teamwork and confidence in Q&A; sense of social
responsibility and/or ethical considerations in individual
decision and logic of argument; orientation to ‘think globally
and act locally.’
Deduction of marks from peer evaluation (based on meeting Refer to meeting minute (penalties table)
minute)