Mission Statement, Vision, & Core Values of MillerKnoll, Inc. (MLKN)

MillerKnoll, Inc.'s foundational principles-its Mission, Vision, and Core Values-are far more than wall art; they are the strategic blueprint that drove $3.7 billion in net sales for fiscal year 2025. When a company reports an adjusted diluted EPS of $1.95 while navigating a complex market, you have to ask: is that performance a result of pure luck, or is it the direct outcome of a deeply embedded philosophy like Design for the good of humankind? We'll break down how their commitment to being difference makers and better together defintely maps to their near-term risks and opportunities-so you can judge the investment thesis for yourself.

MillerKnoll, Inc. (MLKN) Overview

You need a clear picture of the design industry's heavy hitters, and MillerKnoll, Inc. is defintely one you can't ignore. The company is a global design leader, a powerhouse formed by the 2021 combination of two iconic American design firms: Herman Miller, which dates back to 1905, and Knoll, Inc., founded in 1938. This merger created a collective of dynamic, modern design brands that shape how we live, work, and play.

MillerKnoll, Inc.'s portfolio is vast, spanning the contract furniture industry-serving corporate, healthcare, education, and government sectors-as well as the residential market. Their products go far beyond the classic office chair; they offer a full range of furniture and accessories for commercial and residential spaces. This diverse product offering is a core strength, insulating them from single-market volatility.

The company operates under a shared purpose: design for the good of humankind. For the full fiscal year 2025, which ended May 31, 2025, MillerKnoll, Inc. generated total net sales of approximately $3.7 billion. This scale shows their significant footprint in the global furniture and design market.

To understand the full scope of their strategy and operational structure, you should look into MillerKnoll, Inc. (MLKN): History, Ownership, Mission, How It Works & Makes Money.

Fiscal Year 2025 Financial Performance: A Mixed Landscape

Looking at the full fiscal year 2025 results, which concluded on May 31, 2025, MillerKnoll, Inc. showed resilience, but the numbers tell a story of both growth and margin pressure. Total net sales reached $3,669.9 million, representing a 1.1% increase on a reported basis and a 1.6% organic growth year-over-year. This is a solid, albeit modest, increase in a challenging macroeconomic environment. They are growing, but not without a fight.

The company's profitability, however, faced headwinds. The full-year gross margin was 38.8%. While the company reported a diluted net loss per share of ($0.54) for the full fiscal year 2025, their adjusted diluted earnings per share (EPS), which strips out one-time charges like restructuring and purchase accounting, was a more telling $1.95. This difference highlights the impact of integration and strategic costs on the bottom line.

The growth was not uniform across all segments. Here's the quick math on where the sales strength was:

• North America Contract segment net sales for the full year hit nearly $1.97 billion, up 2.2% reported.
• Americas Contract segment net sales in the second quarter of fiscal 2025 were $504.2 million, growing a strong 6.2% organically.
• Orders in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025 were particularly strong, totaling $1,036.8 million, an increase of 11.1% year-over-year.

This shows that the core business-designing and furnishing commercial spaces in North America-is still the primary engine of growth. Still, the overall results reflect the cost of new store openings and tariff-related cost increases, which amounted to approximately $7.0 million in the fourth quarter alone.

A Leader in Design-Driven Value

MillerKnoll, Inc. is not just a furniture company; it is a collective of design brands that consistently sets the standard for the industry. Their leadership position is cemented by a strategy that blends high-end, classic design with a focus on innovation and sustainability. They are a resilient leader in the global furniture sector, positioning themselves as a growth-oriented company in both the industrial and consumer sectors.

The company's commitment to sustainability is particularly noteworthy, achieving 100 percent renewable energy across all manufacturing facilities worldwide in fiscal year 2025, ahead of schedule. Plus, they diverted 4.2 million pounds of furniture from landfills in the same period. That's a concrete example of their purpose-design for the good of humankind-translating into measurable business action.

This blend of design heritage, financial scale with $3.7 billion in annual net sales, and a forward-looking commitment to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives is what makes them a formidable force. They are a leader because they are constantly innovating, not just resting on the laurels of their iconic brands. The next step is to drill down into their core mission and values to understand the strategic framework that drives this success.

MillerKnoll, Inc. (MLKN) Mission Statement

You're looking for the bedrock of MillerKnoll, Inc.'s strategy, and that starts with their core purpose, which functions as their mission statement: Design for the good of humankind. This isn't corporate fluff; it's the lens through which they filter every investment, product launch, and operational decision, guiding a business that generated approximately $3.7 billion in net sales for the 2025 fiscal year. This purpose is what connects the iconic heritage brands like Herman Miller and Knoll, moving them beyond just selling furniture to pioneering innovations that improve how people live, work, and gather. It's a simple, powerful mandate.

For an investor or a business strategist, understanding this mission is crucial because it informs the company's long-term goals and capital allocation. The mission's three core components-their values-map directly to their near-term risks and opportunities, giving you clear actions to track. Honestly, a mission that focuses on 'good' provides a much stronger moat (competitive advantage) than one that just targets 'profit.'

Core Component 1: We Are Difference Makers (Product and Global Impact)

The first component, 'We are difference makers,' is where the rubber meets the road for product quality and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) commitments. This value means their products and business approach must actively improve the lives of customers and communities, not just fill a space. For example, their focus on circularity-designing products for longevity and end-of-life recovery-is a direct reflection of this value.

The 2025 fiscal year results show a tangible commitment here. MillerKnoll achieved 100 percent renewable energy across all its manufacturing facilities worldwide, hitting that goal ahead of schedule. Plus, through responsible design and circular initiatives, they diverted approximately 4.2 million pounds (1.9 million kilograms) of furniture from landfills in FY2025. That's a massive operational win that reduces waste and future-proofs their supply chain against material scarcity. It's hard to argue with those numbers.

• Achieve 100% renewable energy in all manufacturing.
• Divert 4.2 million pounds of furniture from landfills.
• Eliminate added PFAS in North America by end of FY2025.

The financial health of the company, which supports these initiatives, is detailed further in Breaking Down MillerKnoll, Inc. (MLKN) Financial Health: Key Insights for Investors.

Core Component 2: We Are All Extraordinary (People and Potential)

This value is all about human capital and fostering a culture of inclusivity, accountability, and high-performance. 'We are all extraordinary' speaks to the internal engine of innovation. You can't design for the good of humankind if you don't first value the unique potential of your own 10,200 employees. The core action here is investing in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) to drive innovation, because diverse teams solve complex problems better.

A concrete example of this commitment is the company's community engagement efforts. In 2025, MillerKnoll associates contributed over 13,000 hours of service during their annual Global Day of Purpose, with 100% brand engagement across their collective. That level of voluntary participation shows a deeply embedded culture that goes beyond a paycheck. It's a key indicator of employee engagement, which directly correlates to lower turnover and higher productivity-a defintely undervalued asset on the balance sheet.

Core Component 3: We Are Better Together (Collaboration and Collective Strength)

The third value, 'We are better together,' is the strategic glue for a company built on a collective of dynamic design brands. After the merger that created MillerKnoll, this component is crucial for realizing synergy (the actual term for combining operations). It emphasizes accountability and inclusivity to unify the various brands-like Herman Miller, Knoll, and Design Within Reach-into a single, high-performing entity.

The financial results for fiscal year 2025 illustrate the power of this collective. Despite market headwinds, the company maintained a consolidated gross margin of 39.2% and reported full fiscal year adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $1.95. This financial stability, coupled with a liquidity position of $575.9 million as of May 31, 2025, demonstrates the success of integrating operations and leveraging the collective's scale. The strategy is to use the diverse portfolio to weather different market cycles; when the Americas Contract segment is strong, it can offset a tepid housing market impacting Global Retail. That's the benefit of being 'better together.'

MillerKnoll, Inc. (MLKN) Vision Statement

You're looking at MillerKnoll, Inc.'s vision because you want to know if the company's long-term aspirations align with its current financial execution. The core takeaway is that the vision-redefining modern design for the 21st century by building a more sustainable, equitable, and beautiful future for all-is a clear strategic map, but its execution is a balancing act between design investment and market volatility.

Honestly, a vision is just words until it translates into tangible results. For the full fiscal year 2025, MillerKnoll reported net sales of nearly $3.7 billion ($3,669.9 million, to be exact), which is a modest 1.1% increase year-over-year. This tells us the collective of brands is stable but navigating a complex market, which is why the strategic pillars of the vision are so important right now.

Here's the quick math on why the vision matters: a strong, purpose-driven brand can command a premium and drive growth, even when adjusted earnings per share (EPS) for FY2025 came in at $1.95, down 6.3% from the prior year. The vision is the moat (economic barrier to competition) they are building.

Redefining Modern Design for the 21st Century (Innovation and Growth)

The first part of the vision is about product and market relevance. Redefining modern design means MillerKnoll must constantly innovate across its 15+ brands-like Herman Miller and Knoll-to meet the shifting needs of both commercial and residential customers. The market is dynamic; people are still figuring out the hybrid work model, so the demand for flexible, high-quality contract furniture is key.

Their focus is on generating insights and pioneering innovations to better align spaces with how people live, work, and gather. This commitment to design is a capital expenditure risk, still, it's necessary. For instance, the North America Contract segment, which focuses on these commercial spaces, saw full-year net sales of $1.97 billion in FY2025. That segment's success is a direct measure of how well they are redefining the modern office.

• Focus on flexible, high-design products.
• Integrate residential brands like Design Within Reach into the collective.
• Maintain a liquidity position of $575.9 million (as of May 31, 2025) to fund R&D and strategic acquisitions.

You can't redefine a category without spending money.

Building a More Sustainable Future (Planet)

Sustainability is not a side project; it's a core value and a non-negotiable part of the vision, especially for a company in the industrial and consumer sectors. MillerKnoll approaches design as a problem-solving method, and few challenges are more urgent than addressing the impact of a warming planet. This is where the rubber meets the road on their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) commitments.

The company made a major stride in FY2025 by achieving 100 percent renewable energy across all its manufacturing facilities worldwide, hitting this goal ahead of schedule. Plus, through responsible design and circular initiatives, they diverted 4.2 million pounds (1.9 million kilograms) of furniture from landfills. That's the equivalent of keeping over 100,000 Aeron Chairs in use and out of waste streams.

What this estimate hides is the ongoing cost of materials and tariffs, which impacted gross margin in Q4 2025 due to approximately $7.0 million in tariff-related cost increases. But, for long-term investors, this sustainability effort defintely lowers regulatory risk and appeals to a growing segment of corporate clients.

Changing the World for the Better (Equity and Community)

The final component of the vision-changing the world for the better-is executed through their commitment to people and community, making it a matter of equity and social impact. This is their 'design for the good of humankind' purpose.

A healthy corporate culture is essential to delivering on this promise. MillerKnoll fosters an inclusive, engaged culture, recognizing that belonging is more than an aspiration. On the community front, their associates contributed over 13,000 hours of service through 400 volunteer events in FY2025. This level of engagement, which achieved 100% brand participation, is a soft asset that reduces turnover and improves talent acquisition, which is hard to quantify but critical for long-term operational excellence.

For a deeper dive into the numbers behind the mission, you should check out Breaking Down MillerKnoll, Inc. (MLKN) Financial Health: Key Insights for Investors.

The operational reality is that the full-year operating margin of 1.4% shows the company is still in a phase of heavy integration and investment, but the vision provides a clear roadmap for how they intend to grow that margin over time: through design innovation, sustainability leadership, and a strong culture.

Next step: Finance and Strategy teams should model the long-term cost savings from the 100% renewable energy goal against the Q4 2025 tariff impact of $7.0 million to assess the net effect on future gross margin.

MillerKnoll, Inc. (MLKN) Core Values

You're looking for the substance behind the brand, and that's smart. A company's core values aren't just marketing copy; they are the non-negotiable principles that drive capital allocation and operational decisions. For MillerKnoll, their purpose-Design for the good of humankind-is lived out through three clear values that shape everything, from product development to their $3.7 billion in net sales for fiscal year 2025 (FY2025). Honestly, these values map directly to the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors investors are scrutinizing today.

Here's the quick math: a commitment to sustainability (a core value) directly impacts the bottom line by reducing waste and energy costs. If you want a deeper dive into the numbers, check out Breaking Down MillerKnoll, Inc. (MLKN) Financial Health: Key Insights for Investors.

We Are Difference Makers

This value is all about impact-making a positive difference for customers, communities, and the planet through their products and business approach. It's the foundation of their environmental stewardship, a long-standing commitment that dates back decades. In FY2025, this commitment translated into a major operational win: achieving 100 percent renewable energy use across all manufacturing facilities globally, hitting this goal ahead of schedule. That's a defintely a material accomplishment, not just talk.

The company also focuses on circularity (keeping products in use) to reduce the environmental footprint of the furniture industry. Through responsible design and take-back programs, MillerKnoll diverted 4.2 million pounds of furniture from landfills in FY2025. That's the weight equivalent of keeping over 102,000 Aeron Chairs out of the waste stream. This isn't just good for the environment; it's a tangible demonstration of product lifecycle management that builds brand equity.

• Achieved 100% renewable energy in manufacturing (FY2025).
• Diverted 4.2 million pounds of furniture from landfills.
• Prioritize design for product longevity and reuse.

We Are All Extraordinary

This value centers on people-celebrating the unique contributions of every individual to help them reach their fullest potential. For a collective of dynamic brands like MillerKnoll, fostering an inclusive, engaged culture is essential for driving innovation across a diverse portfolio that includes Herman Miller, Knoll, and Muuto. Innovation dies without diverse perspectives.

The company views belonging as a practice, not just an aspiration, and this is reflected in their talent and development strategy. They are a founding member of the Diversity in Design (DID) Collaborative, an initiative aimed at creating systemic change by increasing diversity across all design fields. This kind of industry-wide commitment shows a long-term view that goes beyond internal metrics. It's an investment in the future talent pipeline for the entire sector, which ultimately benefits MillerKnoll by expanding the pool of extraordinary design talent.

We Are Better Together

The third value speaks to the power of collaboration, accountability, and inclusivity to unify the collective of brands and create strong, high-performing teams. This is especially crucial for a company formed by the merger of two design giants, Herman Miller and Knoll, where integrating cultures and operations is a continuous process. You need a unified culture to deliver on a consolidated strategy.

A concrete example of this collective spirit is their annual Global Day of Purpose. In the last year, MillerKnoll associates volunteered across 175 cities and five continents, contributing over 13,000 hours of service through 400 volunteer events. This level of engagement, achieving 100% brand engagement across the collective, shows a strong, unified culture that is translating internal values into external community impact. The financial impact of this unified effort is seen in the full FY2025 results, where the company reported net sales of $3,669.9 million, a 1.1% increase year-over-year, demonstrating the power of their collective strength in a dynamic market.

• Associates contributed over 13,000 volunteer hours globally.
• Achieved 100% brand engagement in the Global Day of Purpose.
• Culture of accountability supports a unified collective of brands.