A mission statement is a statement of the purpose of a company, organization or institution and is a written declaration of its reason for existing or core purpose whose focus normally remains unchanged over time.

The mission has to be seen in the wider concept of Vision-Mission-Goals: A key principle is that strategy is the product of a rigorous process to define the most cost-effective means of applying scarce (human, financial, technological and other) resources to achieve a companies or organization’s goals. These [quantified and time-bound] goals must be rigorously derived from the organization’s Mission - its reason for existing - and must advance progress towards achievement of its empowering Vision.