The Medtronic Mission
The Medtronic Medallion

The Medtronic Mission

In 1960, Earl Bakken, with the help of the company's board of directors, produced a formal statement of Medtronic's objectives. Nearly a half-century later, the Mission Statement continues to serve as both the ethical and practical framework for Medtronic's operations. It reads as follows:

To contribute to human welfare by application of biomedical engineering in the research, design, manufacture, and sale of instruments or appliances that alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life.

To direct our growth in the areas of biomedical engineering where we display maximum strength and ability; to gather people and facilities that tend to augment these areas; to continuously build on these areas through education and knowledge assimilation; to avoid participation in areas where we cannot make unique and worthy contributions.

To strive without reserve for the greatest possible reliability and quality in our products; to be the unsurpassed standard of comparison; and to be recognized as a company of dedication, honesty, integrity, and service.

To make a fair profit on current operations to meet our obligations, sustain our growth, and reach our goals.

To recognize the personal worth of employees by providing an employment framework that allows personal satisfaction in work accomplished, security, advancement opportunity, and means to share in the company's success.

To maintain good citizenship as a company.

The Medtronic Medallion

Earl Bakken presented the first Medtronic medallion to employees at Medtronic's 25th anniversary in 1974. Featuring the company's corporate symbol - a rising human figure, first created in an oil painting by artist Alan O. Hage in 1968 - the medallion is personally presented to new employees by Earl or other senior executives at meetings held throughout the world. The medallion symbolizes Medtronic's mission to contribute "toward full life" of patients.

The Mission Statement and the medallion unite Medtronic employees worldwide in a common goal - to "alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life" in partnership with the medical community. This common mission has been instrumental in Medtronic's growth and success and continues to be the foundation upon which the company builds its future.