The Company Profile is the formal summary of a company and its activities; a kind of identity card that, in addition to indicating biographical data, also illustrates items such as mission, vision, values, goals for the future… This is essential for communicating the company to all those who deal with it: potential investors, but also customers and suppliers.
The company profile thus brings together a range of information in a single document, and it can be very brief and incisive, or structured and dozens of pages long. The format can also vary: originally a paper version was more common, but now companies focus on digital formats, from static PDF files to animated infographics on their website.
The main purpose of the Company Profile is to get known. This is very important especially for small and medium-sized businesses that are trying to maintain a good range of customers or aiming to grow and expand the company. If a potential customer shows interest in our company, and wants to know more about it, the Company Profile is a single document that gathers all the useful information.
This document, if written and structured correctly, also helps the company’s image, making it look more professional in the eyes of stakeholders (suppliers, shareholders, etc.). In addition, this information is useful internally, as it helps to keep the company’s identity, values and goals in mind at all times.
How to structure the Company Profile
The first part deals with the details of the company. These are usually at the beginning of the document, and should be as accurate and up-to-date as possible.
- Name
- Date of foundation
- Address(es) of location(s)
- Phone contact
- Email contact
- Website link
After the more technical details, it is useful to include the essence of the company. This information varies greatly by type of business and is not applicable to all companies, but it is the main part of the Company Profile.
- Description of the company’s activities
- Vision and mission statement
- Description of products
- Description of services
- History, evolution and growth
- Public relations
- Publicity
- Industry sector information
- Health and safety
- Description of core team
- Portfolio of clients
In case there are awards or achievements that are relevant within the industry, it is good practice to include them to reflect the prestige of the company within the Company Profile.
- Awards
- Certificates
- Special programs and projects
- Testimonials
Then there are a number of elements that are optional, as they again depend on the type of company, but also on the company’s approach.
- Annual sales
- Budgetary targets
- Number of employees
- Partners
Examples of interesting Company Profiles
As we have seen, this document has a detailed structure, and the end result can be very different. It all depends on the nature of the company and its goals, and there is no such thing as “right” or “wrong.” One basic rule that every company should follow is to create an interesting and appealing Company Profile. Having a boring company presentation is detrimental to business, and will not do the job of attracting new investors and customers. Let’s look at a number of relevant examples from more or less famous companies, and in different formats.
Company Profile of Google
Despite the fact that it is one of the most famous companies in the world, and that everyone knows its activities, Google also has a Company Profile. This is online, and has a relatively simple structure. Divided into sections, this simply and concisely tells the story of the company, the nonprofit activities, the products and services offered, the team (this varies by country), and a general news page about the company. Of course, the entire document (which is effectively a website) is accompanied by pictures, videos, and interactive links.
Starbucks Company Profile
A decidedly drier approach is taken by the famous coffeehouse chain Starbucks. Their Company Profile is also located in a section of the website, but it is a single page of text. This is easily printable and contains no images. The document has a serious tone, and describes the company’s history, products and stores, brand, and social consciousness.
Company Profile of Able
Looking at a smaller company, Singapore’s Able Construction Pte has a Company Profile in PDF format. About fifteen pages long, the document begins with the company’s history and structure, then describes the team structure and annual sales, and concludes with a series of photographs of completed projects. It is a simple example but comprehensive in its structure.
Apple Inc. Company Profile
Apple’s company profile is emblematic in its ability to tell a compelling story. Interestingly, there is no actual codified document. The Company Profile can be inferred from the various pages on the corporate website that outline the company’s approach to business as well as its approach to ethics and sustainability. In the footer of Apple’s website, we find a footer section named “Apple Values,” which precisely brings together all the different profiles of interest involving the company with respect to various important issues. With a minimalist design focused on innovation, Apple not only lists products or services but also conveys the company’s vision and its commitment to creating technologies that change people’s lives.
IKEA Company Profile
IKEA, similar to the previous example, communicates its corporate values by segmenting them according to the company’s most important areas of action. On their website we find a page that collects all the company information, broken down into additional in-depth pages. A composite company profile, then, that reflects its vision: to create a better everyday life for most people. The company’s presentation focuses on accessible design, sustainability, and innovation in manufacturing processes.
Tesla, Inc.Company Profile
The Tesla, Inc. company profile is an outstanding example of how a company can use its narrative to position itself not only as a manufacturer of electric cars but as a pioneer in the sustainable energy revolution.
Again, the salient information is gathered on the company’s corporate business page, and is broken down into the different areas of action, composing a mosaic of information that, all together, outlines the corporate identity of the famous technology brand.
Conclusions
These profiles demonstrate how a company can use its history, values, and unique value proposition to create an emotional connection with the public, standing out in its industry. A successful company profile is not just a description of what a company does, but a narrative that reflects its identity, goals, and values.
As we have seen there are different types of Company Profiles, and these depend on the size and nature of the company’s business. Having an online document offers the opportunity to include interactive content and thus make it more interesting, while having a static format such as a PDF file may be more convenient for its physical distribution. The Company Profile thus offers ample possibilities in terms of creativity and graphic production, you just have to find the right format and tone for your company!