GOODWILL TOPS WORLD VALUE SURVEY FOR 2ND YEAR

For a second consecutive year, Goodwill has been ranked No. 1 in a survey measuring people’s perceptions of the global value of major brands.

Goodwill, the leading nonprofit provider of employment placement, job training and education services, topped brands such as Amazon, Google, Kellogg’s, Microsoft and other Fortune 100 and 500 brands in the 2017 World Value Index. The survey is based on a nationally representative, comprehensive survey of 3,000 Americans on perception, awareness and behaviors in response to the purpose and mission of organizations and brands.

“We are honored to once again be present at the top of this list of world class brands,” said Matthew Bourlakas, President and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee. “This ranking is a testament to the positive impact our mission has for individuals with disabilities and barriers to employment, the community and the environment. It demonstrates a deep understanding and appreciation by the public of how Goodwill changes lives through the power of work.”

To earn the World Value Index top ranking on the survey, Goodwill scored extremely well in the four areas of creating World Value, which refer to public perceptions of a brand’s purpose or mission: High awareness, relevance and resonance, a strong motivator in garnering active support and an influential factor in triggering purchases.

The creative agency enso, which works to build mission-driven brands and Share Mission initiatives, developed the World Value Index as a tool for brands to measure the importance of creating “world value.” The surveys of various demographic samples of the U.S. population ages 18 and up were conducted by Quadrant Strategies.

“Today, at a time when people have more choices, and greater access to information, the strength of a brand & its purpose is more important than ever,” said Sebastian Buck, enso’s co-founder and strategic lead. “With the World Value Index, our research centers around whether people can identify a brand’s purpose and mission, and the extent to which that purpose reflects society’s values.”

Goodwill Industries International is a network of 162 independently operated, community-based organizations across the U.S. and Canada with a presence in 13 other countries. Since 1957, Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee has been helping people find jobs, build their financial stability and strengthen their families and communities. This work annually helps thousands of people build their careers and experience the pride and sense of community that work brings. Goodwill’s free services include job training, digital literacy classes, help in writing resumes and more.

Goodwill also plays an important role in protecting the environment. Last year, Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee diverted more than 32 million pounds of material from landfills extending the life cycle of useful products — through recycling and other efforts.

A social enterprise with a donated goods retail infrastructure, Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee has 36 stores and an auction site, onlinegoodwill.com, which fund services in 48 middle and west Tennessee counties. Of every dollar Goodwill spent in 2016, 97 cents was applied toward its mission.