You have to walk the talk.
If your business is going to talk about embracing values like honesty, being employee and customer friendly, having a quality product, etc. — then by all means, you’ve got to live up to it.
If you don’t, your credibility, believability and reputation is going to plummet as fast as a sheep falling out of a tree.
Your values story is more than just words on a corporate website — it’s a powerful way to illustrate the principles that guide your company’s culture, day-to-day decisions, and customer and press relationships.
Unlike the founder’s or origin story, which focuses on how the company started, a values story showcases how an organization authentically lives its values in real, everyday situations.
(Ooooh I love that word “authentically!”)
3 Examples of Effective Values Stories
- Customer Focus: A customer needed a critical replacement part for medical equipment. Instead of following standard delivery timelines, your team worked overnight to ensure it arrived the next morning — demonstrating a true commitment to putting customers first.
- Innovation: Your company developed a breakthrough energy-efficient technology, reducing carbon emissions by 20%. This isn’t just a business win — it’s an example of sustainable progress and your commitment to innovation.
- Integrity: When faced with a potential conflict of interest, your leadership team chose honesty over profit, proving that integrity isn’t just a buzzword — it’s a business priority.
Examples of Companies Embodying Their Core Values
Let’s check out a few examples of how some companies are walking the walk of their values story or stories:
Patagonia, the outdoor apparel company, is renowned for its dedication to environmental sustainability. Their core values emphasize building the best product, causing no unnecessary harm, and using business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis. This commitment is evident through initiatives like “The Footprint Chronicles,” where Patagonia shares transparent stories about their environmental and social responsibility efforts. They also encourage customers to buy only what they need and offer repair services to extend the life of their products, reinforcing their stance against consumerism.
New Balance demonstrates its core value of integrity by maintaining a significant manufacturing presence in the United States, despite higher costs. Under the leadership of CEO Joe Preston, the company reported a record $6.5 billion in global sales in 2023, up 23% from 2022, aiming for $7.6 billion in 2024. This decision reflects their commitment to domestic job creation and quality craftsmanship, aligning with their brand’s heritage and consumer expectations.
Canva, a global online design platform, focuses on aligning its mission with the values and beliefs of its young workforce to maintain employee satisfaction. Recognizing that 44% of Gen Zs and 40% of Millennials turn down jobs misaligned with their values, Canva introduced the “Force for Good” week. This initiative empowers staff to give back to the community through volunteering and support for various causes, reflecting their core values of inclusivity and social responsibility. Employees are granted three days of volunteer leave and engage in projects like Canva for Education and partnerships with organizations such as GiveDirectly.
7 Elements of a Strong Values Story
- Identify the Value – Choose a core principle that defines your company, such as integrity, innovation, customer focus, sustainability, or teamwork.
- Find a Relevant Example – Select a real-world example that demonstrates this value in action, making it tangible and relatable.
- Describe the Scenario – Provide context: What happened, and why does it matter?
- Highlight the Actions Taken – Show how individuals or the company embodied this value through their decisions and behavior.
- Show the Outcome – What was the result? How did it impact employees, customers, or the community?
- Create an Emotional Connection – People connect with stories, not corporate jargon. Use storytelling techniques to make it engaging and memorable.
- Tie Back to the Mission – Reinforce how this value aligns with your company’s broader mission and long-term purpose.
4 Reasons Why a Values Story Matters
- Builds Trust – Actions speak louder than words. A great values story shows, rather than tells, what your company stands for.
- Reinforces Culture – Employees are reminded of the company’s mission, making it easier to align their work with its principles. It also makes it easier to recruit new employees.
- Differentiates Your Brand – Many companies make promises, but those that prove their commitment to values stand out.
- Inspires Loyalty – Customers and employees alike are drawn to companies that live by their principles.
A values story isn’t just a nice-to-have component in your corporate communications — it’s a strategic tool that builds trust, strengthens your culture, and sets your brand apart. Make sure your organization isn’t just stating its values, but showing them through powerful, true stories.
The 3 Big Takeaways
- Show, Don’t Just Tell – The values story demonstrates your company’s principles in action, making them more credible and impactful.
- Make It Personal – Real-life examples and emotional connections make your values story memorable and relatable.
- Use It Strategically – A well-crafted values story builds trust, strengthens company culture, and differentiates your brand.
Have a values story, or an idea for one? Do share!
Stay authentic… and press worthy!
Jeffery E. Pizzino, APR (seen here in a vintage photo circa 1983 serendipitously doing a Clash impersonation in a since-forgotten location) is a spin-free public relations pro who is passionate about telling the why of your story with clarity, impact and authenticity. He began his PR career in 1987 at Ketchum Public Relations in New York City but has spent the majority of his career as a solopreneur. He’s AuthenticityPR’s Chief Authentic Officer and also functions as the fractional CCO for technology startup Converus.
Jeff has an MBA in Management from Western International University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications — with an emphasis in PR — from Brigham Young University. He’s a native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, but also holds an Italian citizenship. Jeff and his storyteller wife Leticia have four children and four grandchildren. In his extremely limited nonwork hours, he studies italiano, practices guitar, write songs, gardens, disc golfs, reads, listens to New Wave music, serves in his church, watches BYU football, and plays Dominion and Seven Wonders. Email Jeff.
