Our Values: The Five Talls
Our values, The Five Talls, are the framework for our ability, as a company, and as individuals, to be extraordinary.
The term “Talls” holds high value in Nestlé Purina’s history – values that date back to the late 1800’s. The history of the Talls is reflected in how our founder, Mr. William H. Danforth, imprinted his own personal values on our company. Today, we’re proud to celebrate how we’ve stayed true to them.
In 1920, Danforth wrote a motivational book, “I Dare You,” which spelled out his Four Talls: Integrity, Passion, Expertise, and Performance. He wrote: “I Dare You to Stand Tall, Think Tall, Smile Tall, and Live Tall.” Those principles became the cornerstone of his philosophy—a set of values that has guided our business for generations. In 2009, a fifth Tall was added – Innovation. This addition demonstrated our commitment as a global leader to value, expect, and promote curiosity and innovative thinking among our associates.
“Much of what I know has come from others,” Mr. William H. Danforth, our founder, said. “So, I make it a daily practice to meet people; people who know more than I do. I learn from them and add to my knowledge. I must also think tall and develop my being. Most important of all, I have found that I must live tall. No great achievement stands the test of time unless it is based on honesty, truthfulness, integrity, clean living, and a love for our fellow man,” Danforth said.
Stand Tall with Integrity – Standing Tall with Integrity is how we define doing the right things right every time – even when no one’s looking. We’re proud and privileged to remain a leader in what we do, but never lost sight of our humble beginnings. With integrity leading the way, we embrace change, and we work to maintain the trust we have earned over our history.
Smile Tall with Passion – Smiling Tall with Passion is one way we Stand Taller. And it’s not where we stand that matters, it’s what we stand for. We’re guided by the belief that pets and people are better together, and we’re among the lucky few who get to live out our passion in the work we do – every day. But it’s about more than pets. It’s about using our extent and influence to make a memorable impact through our people, our processes, and our philanthropy.
Think Tall with Expertise – Thinking Tall with Expertise is how we innovate and renovate in ways that push pet nutrition forward and allow us to Stand Taller. We invest in our people just as much as we invest in their ideas, because we know diverse experiences broaden expertise. Our continuous excellence mindset tells us that our work to improve and expand our knowledge is never done. So, we dare to make every day better.
Live Tall with Performance – We strive to remain number one with customer and consumers, attacking obstacles until we prevail, outperforming our competitors, and daring to make every day better. We Live Tall with Performance. Our competitiveness is focused on external forces; internally, we work together and continuously ask “What’s Next?” So, we can do what’s never been done before in pet care.
Create Tall with Innovation & Agility – Creating Tall with Innovation & Agility is our way of advancing the science of pet nutrition, health, and wellness—and we do it better than anybody else. We think of originality, act strategically, and break down barriers to progress to make products we can stand behind. Products we can put our name on. Products that make good lives better.
The Five Talls are incorporated into everything we do daily. They are engraved in the ground on our St. Louis headquarters campus , painted along the walls in many of our buildings, and you can feel the presence of these values as you pass through the hallways of our nationwide facilities and factories. Click here to learn more about what these values mean to us.
