Discussion Unlike similar firms, General Mills offers a comprehensive statement of purpose rather than a traditional mission statement or statement of vision. General Mills’ statement of purpose is succinct, capturing the company’s core mission, values, and vision. “We serve the world by making food people love,” (“Purpose,” 2017). Unsurprisingly, the General Mills mission statement is remarkably similar to that of their competitor Kraft, which is “Helping people around the world to eat and live better,” (“Kraft Food’s Mission Statement,” 2011). The word “serve” suggests that General Mills wants to cultivate a consumer-focused approach to food-related businesses, while the “food people love” phrase connotes comfort food and food that is culturally appropriate.

General Mills also lists five main pursuits, including putting people first, building a culture of creating, making food with passion, earning people’s trust, and treating the world with care (“Purpose,” 2017). Each of these separate pursuits is addressed on the company website, including sections related to diversity and corporate social responsibility. Farmers and other food suppliers around the world, distributors and other members of the supply chain, General Mills employees, and consumers are the primary stakeholders. General Mills also commits to sustainable sourcing of their top ten ingredients by the year 2020 (“Our Planet,” 2017). The...

An assessment of the General Mills statement of purpose is that although it does not conform to traditional mission and vision statement standards, it does indicate where the company is headed, what it hopes to achieve, and how it hopes to achieve those goals.
References

“Kraft Food’s Mission Statement,” (2011). Kraft Foods. http://kraftblogr.blogspot.com/2011/09/kraft-foods-mission-statement.html

“Our Planet,” (2017). General Mills. https://www.generalmills.com/en/Responsibility/OurPlanet

“Purpose,” (2017). General Mills. https://www.generalmills.com/en/Company/purpose

Response to Peer

It is true that General Mills purposefully avoids addressing the company’s vision and mission, instead offering a statement of purpose. On the one hand, their approach encapsulates their overall vision but lacks specificity. It is possible that General Mills banks on its longevity as a company, its history, and its brand identity. However, the Module 1 background information does indeed suggest, “The mission statement should be the first consideration for anyone engaged in the strategic planning process, or in decisions which have strategic implications,” (p. 1). It is unlikely that General Mills lacks the strategic planning focus,…