| The overall purpose of Caterpillar is to enhance the long-term interests of those who
own the business - the stockholders. This in no way diminishes the strong and legitimate
claims of employees, dealers, customers, suppliers, governments, and others whose
interests touch upon our own - nor, indeed, of the public at large. Nor is this to
assert that profit should be maximized in any short-term framework at the expense of other
valid considerations.
Rather, it is to say we attempt to take a long-range view of things. We believe
we can best serve stockholders and the long-term profitability of the enterprise through
fair, honest, and intelligent actions with respect to all our constituencies.
This is particularly true in the case of customers. Our aim is to focus the
Caterpillar enterprise on the marketplace. We intend to be increasingly responsive
to customers and their changing needs - and to bring our full capabilities to the solution
of customers' problems.
With the preceding in mind, our business mission may be summarized as follows:
- Provide differentiated products and services of recognized superior
value to discriminating customers worldwide.
- Pursue businesses in which we can be a leader, based on one or more of
our strengths.
- Build and maintain a productive work environment in which high levels
of personal satisfaction can be achieved.
- Achieve growth and above-average returns for stockholders - resulting
from both management of ongoing businesses and a studied awareness and development of new
opportunities.
Caterpillar's Code of Worldwide Business Conduct and Operating
Principles is available for download in Adobe Portable Document Format
(PDF)
|