Company Profile > The Whitford Ethos

The Whitford Ethos

Successful companies tend to have several things in common: clear direction, the will to excel, and a distinctive personality.

Collectively, these are frequently referred to as “corporate culture”.

Many years ago, soon after Whitford was founded, we wrote down our thoughts about the kind of company we wanted to be, the principles that should guide us, the kind of environment we wanted to create for our people. We boiled these down to six simple statements and we printed them. Called “The Whitford Ethos”, these are displayed in all our offices around the world. This is what the Ethos says:

1. We believe in making superior products. Our products must be better than those of the competition in some way: properties, price, or both. This makes it easier for the customer to choose Whitford — and harder for him to choose a competitor.
2. We believe in serving our customers better. While we sell products, we are in the business of people: people whose jobs may depend on the support they receive from their suppliers. In times of diminishing product differences, service can set us apart. We must place our customers’ interests above our own. It is difficult to fire someone who serves you well.
3. We believe in leading the way. We must commit a higher percentage of our sales, interest and talent to research and development than our competitors do. We must blaze new trails.
4. We believe in high personal ethics. No lying, cheating or stealing. We despise politics, the pastime of small people. We embrace equal opportunity: everyone must have the same right to succeed.
5. We believe in being happy. We spend a lot of time at our jobs. It should be happy time. Life is short. We agree with the Scottish proverb: “Be happy w’er leevin, for y’er a lang time deid”.
6. We believe in divine discontent. Self-satisfaction is the first step toward failure. Remember: “Good enough is not good enough”.