We believe in making a difference.

We stand for value for money, quality, innovation, fun and a sense of competitive challenge. We empower our employees and we work hard to continually improve the customer's experience through innovation.

We look for opportunities where we can offer something better, fresher and more valuable, and we seize them. We often move into areas where the customer has traditionally received a poor deal, and where the competition is complacent.

Before we start a new venture, we review the industry and put ourselves in the customer's shoes to see what could make it better. We ask fundamental questions: Is this an opportunity for restructuring a market and creating competitive advantage? What are the competitors doing? Is the customer confused or badly served? Is this an opportunity for building the Virgin brand? Can we add value?

New ventures are often steered by people seconded from other parts of Virgin, who bring with them the trademark management style, skills and experience. We frequently create partnerships with others to combine skills, knowledge and market presence. Contrary to appearance, our constantly expanding and eclectic empire is far from random. Each successive venture demonstrates our skill in picking the right market and the right opportunity.

Once a Virgin company is up and running, several factors contribute to making it a success. The power of the Virgin name; Richard Branson's personal reputation; our unrivalled network of friends, contacts and partners; the Virgin management style; the way talent is empowered to flourish within the group. To some traditionalists, the fact that Virgin has minimal management layers, no bureaucracy, a tiny board and no massive global HQ adds to the enigma of our success.

Our companies are part of a family rather than a hierarchy. They are empowered to run their own affairs, yet other companies help one another, and solutions to problems come from all kinds of sources. In a sense we are a community, with shared ideas, values, interests and goals. The proof of our success is real and tangible.

The final word on our philosophy must go to Sir Richard, the man who continues to inspire it: A business has to be involving, it has to be fun, and it has to exercise your creative instincts.