What is a Values-Based Organization?

An Organization can be viewed as Values-Based when its major business processes, projects and measurement system are closely related to its set of Core Values, its Purpose and its Vision.

A VBO caters to the real needs of its core stakeholders (Customers. Employees, Partners/Suppliers and Shareholders), not just to the short-term interest of its managers or shareholders. It has created a virtuous circle where happy employees generate happy customers who generates happy financial returns.

Its strong positive, open culture becomes a strong attractor of talented employees, loyal customers and trusted partners. It is highly regarded by the communities in which it operates and performs an important social role.

From a purely financial point of view there is ample evidence that VBOs outperform their peers, often by an order of magnitude.See "Evidence for VBO".

Do such organizations exist?

The short answer is yes. While there, are almost certainly, no perfect organizations, there is a significant minority of businesses that would, in the eyes of their major stakeholders, qualify as being largely values-driven. Those businesses invariably perform better than their peers.