Our ValuesHow we work with one another and our partners What do values mean to Xilinx?Our values have helped set the character of our company. They are more than a set of lofty ideals put down on paper and left to yellow in conference rooms. Values are very much alive and well in Xilinx. We don't just talk about them, we try and live them every day. Our values also provide the backdrop for the dialogue we have with colleagues. They help us make business decisions. They provide the framework for interacting with each other. What's especially impressive about our values is that they are accepted and acceptable around the world. The practices may be different in different places, but the values are relevant everywhere. While a whirlwind of business change constantly surrounds us - and we accept change as the reality of today's high-tech industry - it's important to know that the values we depend upon are constant and unchanging. They are, in a very real sense, our permanent anchors. How did we clearly define our values?The set of values we believe in started with our company's founders. The three men who followed their dream of starting a new enterprise were just as concerned about the work environment as they were about the new, innovative technology they were pioneering. Respect for the dignity of the individual was the cornerstone of the philosophy upon which Xilinx was founded. In 1996, our company started a grassroots process to articulate our values. We looked very carefully at our business and made certain the values were connected with what would move us forward and foster our growth in the marketplace. Most importantly, we wanted to capture in words what we liked so much about working at Xilinx and the ideals our founders had set in motion. The result was a description of the the eight Xilinx CREATIVE values.
It was the creativity of the founders and their innovative ideas that launched a new category of products for customers around the world. And it is the creativity of our products and patents that has propelled us to market leadership. How do we keep our values visible and viable in the company?At Xilinx, we believe that making decisions based on our values translates directly to the bottom line, helps us be more successful in our business, and brings us closer to realizing our company vision of setting a new standard for managing a high-tech company. Customers are eager to do business with a company whose values are as excellent as their products. Another way the values are kept alive is through a variety of appreciation programs. The most popular one is the Values Medallion award. Employees nominate someone who has exhibited a teamwork value, and, each quarter, several winners are randomly selected from the nominees. These individuals are awarded 10 shares of stock and receive public recognition from Wim. How do we "enforce" the values? We don't. We leave it up to each individual to act in accordance with them. The values are there to direct our actions, to guide us professionally and personally, and to inspire us in the worst and the best of times. |