"WIR!" Is Taking Shape
With “WIR! für NRW,” NRW.BANK has developed a new mission statement that clearly articulates the development bank’s purpose. In collaboration with Big Pictury, the bank created a “Big Picture” that brings the corporate culture and the six principles of the mission statement to life visually. This illustrates what NRW.BANK stands for: making a positive difference for people, businesses, and municipalities in North Rhine-Westphalia.
topic
Mission Statement Visualization & Corporate Culture
industry
Finance
format
• Big Picture (for digital and print)
• Cutouts
• Table displays
area of application
• Internal and external communication
target group
• Managers
• Employees
• Job applicants
special features
• Square "Big Picture"
• Visualization of the new purpose and the six guiding principles
Initial situation & challenge:
A Guiding Principle for Collective Action
As the development bank for North Rhine-Westphalia, NRW.BANK supports the state in its structural and economic policy initiatives. It promotes the economy, housing, infrastructure, and local communities—with sustainability as its central guiding principle.
The new mission statement was designed to convey the vision for the corporate culture in a simple, understandable, and emotionally engaging way. The challenge was to bring together the bank’s purpose, values, and principles in such a way that employees and job applicants could quickly grasp what NRW.BANK stands for and how it guides its actions.
The Solution: A Visual Stage for the “Purpose”
"The Big Picture" translates "WIR! for NRW" into a clear visual language featuring many illustrative examples. At the center is NRW.BANK as a partner to the state, deeply rooted in North Rhine-Westphalia and connected to its employees, grant recipients, and social responsibilities. The six principles are brought to life through striking scenes—ranging from collaboration and diversity to courage, excellence, and change. This creates an overall picture that provides guidance and vividly illustrates the corporate culture.
Individual scenes
Courage is demonstrated by daring to try new things, taking responsibility, and learning from mistakes. This scene illustrates how NRW.BANK encourages initiative, open feedback, and constructive conflict resolution—as the foundation for trust, professional growth, and innovative solutions.
Diversity, new perspectives, and personal growth form an important foundation for working together. The scene highlights how different people, life situations, and skills come together to strengthen the culture of NRW.BANK.
Change is viewed as a collaborative process that is actively supported and shaped with an eye toward the future. This scene illustrates how NRW.BANK combines transformation, sustainability, and new ideas to further develop North Rhine-Westphalia.
This is how the big picture came about
From the initial briefing to the final visualization, the collaboration was professional and efficient. Within a short period of time, the mission statement, purpose, and principles were translated into a clear visual narrative.
1. Workshop & Analysis
At the outset, the purpose, objectives, and six principles of the new mission statement were systematically documented. The focus was on how to present NRW.BANK’s culture in a way that is understandable, approachable, and at the same time consistent with its public mandate.
2. Prototyping & Iteration
Based on this content, a visual concept was developed featuring a map of North Rhine-Westphalia, key stakeholders, and illustrative scenarios. The scenes brought the mission statement’s messages to life and demonstrated how values such as courage, collaboration, change, and reliability are evident in everyday life.
3. Feedback & Finalization
The final "Big Picture" was formatted for both digital and print applications. In addition, individual scenes were provided as cutouts and incorporated into a tabletop display featuring further explanations of the mission statement, which was distributed to all employees.
Effect & Results
The Big Picture is used in both internal and external communications—including on the Internet, the intranet, and in print. It helps NRW.BANK clearly communicate its purpose and make its new mission statement emotionally tangible.
“TheNew Mission Statement, ClearlyExplained”
“By bringing our mission statement to life visually, Big Pictury has found a way to convey the vision for our corporate culture in an emotional and striking way.”
Svenja Klein, Corporate Development/Corporate Communications, NRW.BANK
Additional formats & options
The individual scenes from the Big Picture were turned into cutouts and incorporated into a tabletop display. This makes the principles of the mission statement visible in everyday work and supplements them with brief explanations to help employees understand them. The display was distributed to all NRW.BANK employees, ensuring that “WIR! für NRW” remains a constant presence.
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