McKinsey has a dual mission: to help our clients make distinctive, lasting and substantial improvements in their performance and to build a great firm that is able to attract, develop, excite and retain exceptional people.
 
We support our mission with four aspirations and guiding principles.

Our Aspirations:

• Serve our clients as primary counselors on overall performance
• Deliver the best of the firm to every client
• Create an unrivaled environment for superior talent
• Govern ourselves through a values-driven partnership

Our Guiding Principles:

Impact-driven professional approach

• Adhere to professional standards
• Follow the top management approach
• Play an integrative role in problem solving, implementation, and capability building
• Build enduring, trust-based relationships
• Strive for superior quality and distinctive impact 

Being and delivering the best

• Serve all clients as firm clients by leveraging our scale and global network
• Develop and disseminate state-of-the-art management practices
• Manage client and firm resources in a cost-effective manner 

Caring meritocracy, committed to people

• Develop and excite our people through active apprenticeship and stretching entrepreneurial opportunities
• Foster an inclusive and non hierarchical working atmosphere
• Uphold the obligation to dissent
• Respect the individual's responsibility for balancing personal and professional life
• Demonstrate care and concern for every individual 

Self-governing, one-firm partnership

• Live by the principles of participative partnership through involvement, collaboration, and trust
• Benefit from individual freedom and assume the obligations of mutual accountability and self governance
• Maintain a meritocracy
• Operate as one firm