ROCKVILLE, MD — Forbes recently released its 2013 list of America’s 25 Most Inspiring Companies that included Goodwill® for the second time. Last year, Goodwill was ranked at #23; this year we are ranked at #19.
The list was based on results from Performance Inspired, Inc., a consulting and training firm that helps organizations elevate performance through the science of inspiration. The company surveyed 4,738 consumers and asked respondents to rank which five companies they find most inspirational. It also asked them to describe their most recent encounter with each company. The goal of the survey was to find a correlation between successful companies and those brands or corporations that inspire their consumers.
According to Terry Barber, chief inspiration officer for Performance Inspired, the survey showed that consumers are not only feeling inspired by certain businesses, but are acting inspired by spending more with these companies while evangelizing to others about their inspiring experience.
As Barber said, “We now see there is a validated set of drivers to inspiration and when these drivers are activated, it elevates employee engagement that shows up in the customer experience. These consumers feel like they are a part of a company’s mission for making the world a better place. They don’t feel like they are just helping a company make money; they feel that they are a part of doing good when they support their most inspiring companies.”
An inspiring company was defined for respondents as:
- Using its profits and influence to make the world a better place.
- Being recognized by consumers as having an inspired and passionate workforce.
- Demonstrating an ability to have big ideas and make those ideas become a reality.
- Causing consumers to feel encouraged and empowered to achieve their personal goals.
For the first time this year, the survey also asked respondents: “Who is most likely to make the world a better place, business, charities, church/synagogue or government?” Thirty-nine percent of people said charities, 39 percent said business and 22 percent said church/synagogue.
The most interesting statistic? Fifty-four percent of respondents think about their “most inspiring company” at least weekly and 28 percent actually talk positively about their most inspiring company every week. Twenty-nine percent of respondents think and/or talk about that company daily.
“Thanks to the joint efforts of Goodwill agencies across the U.S. and Canada, consumers have come to understand that by shopping and donating at your local Goodwill store, you are investing in job opportunities and skills development training in your local community,” said Jim Gibbons, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries International. “The Forbes recognition is a testament to the inspirational work that Goodwills across the enterprise do on a daily basis as we fulfill the Goodwill mission.”
The 2013 list of the top 25 most inspiring companies include:
1. Microsoft
2. Disney
3. Walmart
4. Chick-fil-A
5. Target
6. McDonald’s
7. Google
8. Amazon
9. Johnson & Johnson
10. Toms Shoes
11. The Coca-Cola Company
12. Apple
13. Starbucks
14. Costco
15. Ford
16. Whole Foods Market
17. Southwest Airlines
18. Wegmans Food Markets
19. Goodwill Industries®
20. Pepsi
21. Nike
22. American Express
23. Zappos
24. REI
25. Kohl’s
