The Bullitt Foundation is a nonprofit organization based in Seattle, WA with the mission: To safeguard the natural environment by promoting responsible human activities and sustainable communities in the Pacific Northwest. In 2011, the Foundation made over one hundred significant grants to environmental organizations to further the cause for green responsibility. One of the Foundation’s most recent undertakings showcases their commitment to mission in an impressive way: the construction of a new office building that will serve as a standard for environmentally conscious construction worldwide. Jason McLennen, chief officer of the Cascadia Green Building Council says, “the story is that this building is pushing the boundaries of performance in all categories, not just in one or two.”

Pushing the boundaries in performance is so often a matter of organizational culture. In her Leader to Leader article ”Building Organization Culture—Word By Word,” Tamara Woodbury writes “to keep organizational culture vital and relevant, people need a deep understanding of why the organization was created, what brought its members together in the first place, and why the group still exists today.” The Bullitt Foundation’s mission and new Bullitt Center are examples of strong manifestations of organization culture: a solid mission to promote sustainable communities has resulted in an undertaking to build what will be, at its completion, the greenest building in the world. The tight focus on mission is a critical component of success and a persistent motivating factor for everyone involved: staff, volunteers, directors and donors. Peter Drucker defines mission as “the organization’s purpose and very reason for being.” To serve as a global icon for environmental sustainability is a remarkable manifestation of the Bullitt Foundation’s mission and organizational culture.

Does your organization’s mission affect your organizational culture in a significant way? Leader to Leader has highlighted some environmental initiatives in the past —are these types of undertakings a part of your organization’s culture?