Core values examples: 120 values and 30 company examples
Step 1 of 3: pick up to 10 values
Tap up to 10 values that feel true.
Core values are the three to five principles that guide how a company or a person behaves, decides and treats other people. These core values examples come in three sets: 120 values with a one-line definition each, 30 company values written with the behaviors that make them real, and 40 personal values. Below them you will find a 90-minute workshop for choosing your company’s values and the habits that keep core values at work from turning into a poster.
120 core values examples, with what each one means
A list of core values grouped by where they show up. The definitions say what each value looks like at work, which is the part most value lists leave out.
How we treat people (24)
- RespectEvery person's time, ideas and boundaries count, whatever their title.
- KindnessWe are generous with patience and help, especially on hard days.
- EmpathyWe try to see a problem the way the other person feels it.
- InclusionEveryone gets a real chance to speak, be heard and shape the outcome.
- BelongingPeople can bring their whole selves to work without hiding parts of it.
- TrustWe assume good intent and give people room to do their jobs.
- HonestyWe tell the truth, including the inconvenient parts.
- FairnessThe same rules and chances apply to everyone.
- GenerosityWe share credit, knowledge and time without keeping score.
- HumilityWe admit what we don't know and learn from anyone.
- GratitudeWe notice good work and say thank you out loud.
- LoyaltyWe stand by our people when things go wrong, not only when they go right.
- PatienceWe give people and ideas the time they need to work.
- CompassionWhen someone is struggling, we act to help, not just sympathize.
- CourtesySmall manners matter: replies, greetings, being on time for each other.
- DiversityWe seek out people with different backgrounds and ways of thinking.
- DignityNobody is talked down to, in public or in private.
- TeamworkWe win and lose together, and nobody is left to carry it alone.
- SupportAsking for help is normal, and so is offering it.
- OpennessWe share what we know and welcome questions about it.
- WarmthPeople feel welcome from their first day.
- CandorWe say the useful, uncomfortable thing directly and kindly.
- EquityWe give people what they need to have the same shot at success.
- AppreciationWe recognize effort as well as results.
How we work (24)
- AccountabilityWe do what we said we would, and own it when we don't.
- OwnershipWe treat problems as ours to solve, even outside our job description.
- ExcellenceWe hold a high bar and raise it a little each time.
- QualityWe would rather ship it right than ship it twice.
- ReliabilityPeople can count on us without checking up on us.
- DisciplineWe do the important work even when it is not urgent or fun.
- CraftsmanshipWe care about the details nobody else will notice.
- EfficiencyWe respect time and money by not wasting either.
- FocusWe do fewer things and finish them.
- SimplicityWe pick the plain solution over the clever one.
- UrgencyWe move fast when it matters to a customer or a colleague.
- CollaborationWe bring the right people in early instead of handing work over the wall.
- Hard workWe put in real effort and don't cut corners.
- ConsistencyWe do things the same good way every time, not only when someone is watching.
- ResourcefulnessWe find a way with what we have.
- ThoroughnessWe check our work and finish the last 10 percent.
- PunctualityWe start on time and hit the dates we promise.
- OrganizationAnyone can find what they need without asking.
- PrecisionWe get the facts, numbers and names right.
- SafetyNobody gets hurt doing their job, and anyone can stop work that looks unsafe.
- ResilienceWe recover from setbacks and get back to work.
- PerseveranceWe keep going on hard problems after the excitement fades.
- BalanceRest is part of the work, and evenings and weekends are protected.
- FunWe enjoy the work and each other, and it shows.
How we decide (24)
- IntegrityWe do the right thing when it costs us, and when nobody would find out.
- TransparencyWe explain how decisions were made, not just what was decided.
- CourageWe make the unpopular call when it is the right one.
- JudgmentWe weigh the facts and the people involved, then decide.
- ObjectivityWe judge ideas on their merits, not on who suggested them.
- PrudenceWe think through the downside before we commit.
- BoldnessWe set goals that make us a little nervous.
- EvidenceWe test opinions against data before we act on them.
- Long-term thinkingWe trade a quick win for a better result next year.
- EthicsWe stay inside the lines even when the lines are unclear.
- ResponsibilityWe consider who our choices affect beyond this room.
- AutonomyThe people closest to the work make the call.
- DecisivenessWe decide with enough information, not all of it.
- PragmatismWe choose what works over what is perfect.
- AgilityWe change course quickly when the facts change.
- Risk-takingWe try things that might fail, and treat failure as information.
- ClarityEvery decision has an owner, a reason and a date.
- FrugalityWe spend company money like it is our own.
- StewardshipWe leave resources, systems and teams better than we found them.
- SustainabilityWe count the cost to people and the planet, not just the budget.
- WisdomWe learn from experience, ours and other people's.
- CommitmentOnce we decide, we back the decision, even if we argued against it.
- IndependenceWe think for ourselves and speak up when we disagree.
- ComposureWe stay calm and clear under pressure.
How we grow (24)
- CuriosityWe ask why, and keep asking.
- LearningEvery project teaches us something we use on the next one.
- GrowthPeople leave here more capable than when they arrived.
- InnovationWe look for better ways, not just the usual way.
- CreativityWe make room for ideas that sound odd at first.
- AmbitionWe aim high for our customers, our team and ourselves.
- AdaptabilityWe adjust to change instead of fighting it.
- OptimismWe expect problems to be solvable and act like it.
- MasteryWe get really good at the skills our work depends on.
- ExperimentationWe test small before we bet big.
- FeedbackWe ask for it often and give it in time to be useful.
- MentorshipExperienced people teach, and newer people ask.
- Self-awarenessWe know our strengths and blind spots and talk about them.
- ReflectionWe look back on what happened before we rush to the next thing.
- Open-mindednessWe change our minds when we hear a better argument.
- ImaginationWe picture what could exist, not just what does.
- ProgressSmall improvements every week add up.
- AchievementWe set clear goals and celebrate hitting them.
- PassionWe care about the work, and it shows in how we talk about it.
- PurposeEveryone knows how their work helps someone.
- WellbeingHealthy people do their best work, so health comes first.
- PlayfulnessWe keep a sense of humor, even about ourselves.
- VisionWe know where we are headed and why.
- InitiativeWe start things without waiting to be asked.
How we serve customers (24)
- ServiceOur job is to make the customer's job easier.
- Customer focusWe start every project with the customer's problem.
- ResponsivenessEvery customer hears back quickly, even when the answer is not ready.
- ListeningWe ask more questions than we answer in the first conversation.
- HelpfulnessWe point people to the right answer even when it is not ours to sell.
- HospitalityCustomers feel like welcome guests, not ticket numbers.
- AccessibilityAnyone can use what we make, whatever their ability or device.
- ValueCustomers get more than they pay for.
- ConvenienceWe remove steps, forms and waiting wherever we can.
- PartnershipWe work with customers, not just for them.
- Follow-throughWhen we promise a customer something, it happens.
- PersonalizationWe remember who the customer is and what they need.
- AdvocacyWe speak up for the customer inside our own company.
- CareWe treat a customer's problem like it is our own.
- DelightWe look for the small extra that makes someone smile.
- ExpertiseCustomers can rely on us to know our field deeply.
- SpeedWe get customers what they need faster than they expect.
- Problem-solvingWe fix the cause, not just the symptom.
- CommunityWe invest in the places where our customers and team live.
- AffordabilityWe keep prices within reach of the people we serve.
- AttentivenessWe notice what a customer needs before they have to ask.
- ProactivenessWe tell customers about a problem before they find it.
- ProfessionalismWe are prepared, polite and on time, every time.
- DiscretionCustomer information stays private and is handled with care.
Looking for adjectives to describe a culture rather than values to live by? See our words to describe company culture.
30 company core values examples
Company values work when each one is a short phrase, a sentence that explains it, and behaviors anyone could observe. These are written that way, so treat them as sample core values: copy the ones that fit and rewrite the behaviors for your team.
1. Own the outcome. We finish what we start, and when something slips we say so first.
- A deadline at risk is flagged before the date, with a new one.
- Reviews of a miss name what we will change, not who to blame.
2. Say it to the person. Feedback goes straight to the person it is about, kindly and soon.
- Disagreements get aired while the decision is still open.
- Managers ask their own teams for feedback every quarter.
3. Customers before convenience. We do the inconvenient thing when it is the right thing for a customer.
- Frontline staff can approve a refund without waiting for a manager.
- We call customers back ourselves instead of passing the ticket on.
4. Make it simple. If a new hire can't follow it, it is too complicated.
- Every process fits on one page.
- Each quarter we retire one meeting or report nobody would miss.
5. Share by default. Information is open to everyone unless there is a real reason to keep it private.
- Decisions and their reasons are posted where anyone can read them.
- Leaders explain why a change is happening, not only what it is.
6. Leave it better. Every project, file and process should be in better shape when we hand it on.
- Engineers fix one small thing in any code they touch.
- Handover notes are written before anyone goes on leave.
7. Learn out loud. We share what went wrong as readily as what went right.
- The all-hands has a regular slot for what someone learned the hard way.
- Failed experiments get written up just like successful ones.
8. One team. No department wins if the company loses.
- Goals that need two teams have one shared owner.
- We lend people to another team when its deadline is at risk.
9. Keep our word. Our promises and our calendar can be trusted.
- Meetings start and end on time.
- If we can't hit a date, we say so early and agree a new one.
10. Assume good intent. When something goes wrong, we ask what happened before we decide why.
- A message that reads badly gets a call, not a reply-all.
- New ideas get a fair hearing before the objections start.
11. Everyone belongs here. We build a place where people of every background can do their best work.
- Recurring meetings rotate times so no region always gets the late slot.
- Interview panels mix teams, levels and backgrounds.
12. Sweat the details. Small things are how customers judge the big things.
- Important customer emails get a second read before they go out.
- A typo in the product is a bug, and we fix it like one.
13. Start before it's perfect. A good plan today beats a perfect plan next month.
- Small decisions are made by one person within a day.
- Pilots launch with a review date instead of a final answer.
14. Spend it like it's yours. We treat every company dollar as if it came out of our own pocket.
- Anyone can question a purchase and get a straight answer.
- We cancel the tools nobody used last quarter.
15. Do the right thing. We keep our standards when nobody is checking.
- We fix billing mistakes in the customer's favor, even ones they didn't notice.
- Anyone can raise a concern anonymously and gets a response.
16. Ask the next question. We ask why until we understand, and we are happy to be proven wrong.
- New projects start by talking to real customers.
- Lunch-and-learns are run by people at every level.
17. Make room for life. Great work comes from rested people.
- Nobody is expected to answer messages after hours or on weekends.
- Managers take their full vacation and let the team see it.
18. Celebrate the wins. We stop to recognize good work before rushing to the next goal.
- Every team meeting opens with one shout-out.
- Big milestones get a real celebration, not just a message.
19. Argue, then align. We debate openly, then back the decision together.
- Decision notes record who decided and who disagreed.
- Once a call is made, nobody reopens it in the hallway.
20. Listen first. We understand the problem before we offer a solution.
- On discovery calls, the customer does most of the talking.
- Support repeats the issue back before trying to solve it.
21. Raise the bar. Good enough today is the starting point tomorrow.
- Every project ends with one thing to do better next time.
- We compare our work with the best in any industry, not just ours.
22. Safety, always. No deadline is worth an injury.
- Anyone can stop work that looks unsafe, with no penalty.
- Near misses are reported and reviewed like accidents.
23. Grow each other. Everyone here is teaching someone and learning from someone.
- Every new hire gets a buddy for their first 90 days.
- Senior people block time each week for coaching.
24. Test small, learn fast. We run a cheap test instead of debating forever.
- An idea with a cheap test gets tested before it gets a meeting.
- A shared log keeps every experiment and its result.
25. Think in years. We choose what will still look smart five years from now.
- Customer trust wins when it conflicts with a quarter's numbers.
- We keep investing in training during busy seasons.
26. Be kind under pressure. We are at our most generous with each other when things are hardest.
- Credit for a win names everyone who helped.
- Nobody is made to feel small for asking a question.
27. People, not tickets. Behind every ticket, invoice and email is a person having a day.
- Support replies are signed with a real name.
- Customers can always reach a human.
28. Earn it again. Customers choose us again at every renewal, so we keep earning it.
- We check in with customers when nothing is wrong.
- Account teams prepare for a renewal like a new sale.
29. Speak up. If you see a problem, say so, whatever your title.
- In reviews, newer people speak before leaders so they are not anchored.
- Leaders thank the person who brings bad news.
30. Do good where we live. We give back to the places our people and customers call home.
- Everyone gets paid volunteer hours each year.
- We buy from local suppliers when we can.
Corporate values examples from 5 well-known companies
Each list of corporate values appears as the company publishes it, checked on its own site in October 2026. Companies revise their values, so follow the link for the current wording.
- Microsoft: Respect, Integrity, Accountability. Three values, each defined in a single sentence. Short enough that anyone can name all three.
- Netflix: Selflessness, Judgment, Candor, Creativity, Courage, Inclusion, Curiosity, Resilience. Each value is spelled out as “you” behaviors, so the list reads like a description of how to work there.
- The LEGO Group: Imagination, Creativity, Fun, Learning, Caring, Quality. Values that grow out of the product itself, which makes them easy to believe.
- Buffer: Default to transparency, Improve consistently, Be a no-ego doer, Show gratitude, Choose optimism, Reflect to unblock. Each value is a verb phrase with a list of “how we” behaviors under it.
- GitLab: Collaboration, Results for Customers, Efficiency, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging, Iteration, Transparency. The six spell CREDIT, and the public handbook explains how each one plays out day to day.
40 personal values examples
Personal values are what matters most to you in how you live and work. Read the list, notice which lines make you nod, then run the short exercise below.
- FamilyThe people I love come before my inbox.
- FriendshipI make time for friends even in busy seasons.
- HealthI guard my sleep, movement and meals like appointments.
- AdventureI say yes to new places and new experiences.
- FreedomI want a say in how I spend my days.
- SecurityI build a stable base for myself and the people who rely on me.
- AuthenticityI act the same way whether or not anyone is watching.
- CreativityI need to make things, at work or outside it.
- IndependenceI like to work things out on my own before I ask.
- LearningI want to understand something new every month.
- ContributionI want my work to make a visible difference for someone.
- Helping othersI go out of my way when someone needs a hand.
- HonestyI tell the truth when a small lie would be easier.
- LoyaltyI stick with people through the hard stretches.
- CourageI do the thing that scares me when it matters.
- PeaceI choose calm over drama, at home and at work.
- JoyI make room for things that make me laugh.
- GratitudeI notice what is going well and say thank you for it.
- SimplicityI would rather own less and worry less.
- NatureI feel most like myself outside.
- BeautyI care about how things look, sound and feel.
- AchievementI set goals and like the feeling of reaching them.
- RecognitionI do my best work when it is seen and valued.
- LeadershipI step up to organize people when nobody else does.
- JusticeI speak up when someone is treated unfairly.
- CompassionI try to ease other people's pain, not just notice it.
- HumorI look for the funny side, even on bad days.
- SpontaneityI leave room in my plans for the unplanned.
- TraditionI keep the rituals that connect me to where I come from.
- WisdomI think before I act and learn from what happens.
- Self-respectI hold boundaries that protect my time and energy.
- PatienceI give slow things the time they need.
- GenerosityI share my time, money and skills without keeping score.
- HomeI want a place that feels safe and like mine.
- CuriosityI ask questions until I really understand.
- DisciplineI do what I said I would, even when I don't feel like it.
- PresenceI notice what's happening around me instead of rushing to the next thing.
- LegacyI want to leave something that outlasts me.
- CommunityI show up for my neighborhood and the groups I belong to.
- LoveI tell the people who matter that they matter.
A 15-minute values reflection
- Recall a high point. Write down two moments when you felt proud or fully yourself. What was true in each one?
- Recall a low point. Write down a time you felt angry or let down. Which value was being stepped on?
- Pick 10. Choose 10 values from the lists on this page, or tap them in the card sort at the top.
- Cut to 5. Compare them two at a time and ask: if I could keep only one, which would it be?
- Test each one. For each of your five, write one decision this month it would change. If it changes nothing, swap it.
How to choose your company's core values: a 90-minute workshop
Values chosen by two executives in a room rarely stick. This workshop starts from stories about people at their best, so the values describe your company as it already is on a good day.
For: 6 to 20 people from different teams and levels. You need: index cards or sticky notes, markers, dot stickers and the list of values above, printed or on phones.
- Set it up. (0:00 to 0:10) Explain what the values are for: hiring, decisions, recognition. Show three real examples and say the goal is 3 to 5 values with behaviors, drafted today.
- Tell stories. (0:10 to 0:25) In pairs, each person tells a short story about a colleague at their best. The listener writes down the value that story shows.
- Sort alone. (0:25 to 0:40) Everyone picks 10 values and narrows them to 5, on cards or with the card sort on this page. Add the values from the stories.
- Cluster and vote. (0:40 to 1:00) Put every top 5 on the wall and group the ones that mean the same thing. Name each cluster. Everyone gets five dots to vote.
- Write the behaviors. (1:00 to 1:20) Small groups take one top cluster each and write a short value statement, two “what it looks like” behaviors and one “what it isn't”.
- Test and commit. (1:20 to 1:30) For each draft ask: would we hire for this, and would we let someone go for ignoring it? Keep the ones that pass, name an owner, and share the draft with everyone for comments within two weeks.
How to make core values real at work
Values become real in four places: who you hire, what you praise, how you review people and how you decide.
Hiring: ask for a story
Ask for a specific time, not an opinion. Anyone can say they value candor; fewer can describe the last time it cost them something.
- Ownership: “Tell me about something you owned that went wrong. What did you do first?”
- Candor: “When did you disagree with a manager, and how did you raise it?”
- Curiosity: “What have you taught yourself in the last year, and how did you go about it?”
- Customer focus: “Tell me about a customer you went out of your way for. Why that one?”
- Teamwork: “Describe a win that belonged to someone else as much as to you. What was your part?”
Recognition, reviews and decisions
- Recognition. Every shout-out names the value and the specific behavior: “Priya showed ownership when she stayed to fix the data feed.” Name awards after values, not after “employee of the month”.
- Reviews. Rate how someone works next to what they delivered, with one example per value. Make the values part of the promotion criteria, or people will learn they don't count.
- Decisions. Name the value in the decision note: “We chose the slower vendor because of safety.” Agree in advance which value wins when two collide.
For a full system of shout-outs and awards tied to your values, see how to build an employee recognition program.
Bad core values, and why they fail
Most value lists that don't work fail in one of these six ways.
- Vague. “Excellence” with no behavior attached can mean anything, so it guides nothing. Add what it looks like on a normal Tuesday.
- Aspirational only. Values that describe who leaders wish the company were, not how it behaves now, make people cynical. Pick values you already see in your best people, then add one stretch.
- Contradicted by promotions. If the values say teamwork and the promotions go to lone heroes, people believe the promotions. Audit who got promoted last year against the list.
- Too many. Ten values means nobody can name them. Three to five is the range people can remember and use.
- Table stakes. “Compliance” and “legal” are requirements, not values. A value should be a choice another good company might not make.
- Copied from a famous company. Borrowed values sound right and mean nothing to your people. Use other lists for words, not for the final answer.
The gap between stated values and daily behavior is what our guide to organizational culture calls the difference between espoused values and the real culture.
