Mission Statement, Vision, & Core Values (2026) of Thales S.A.

From its roots as Thomson-CSF in 1968 to the 2000 rebrand as Thales, this Paris-headquartered group based in La Défense now spans operations in over 68 countries with roughly 83,000 employees and reported revenues of €18.42 billion in 2023-of which 53% came from military activities, positioning Thales as the 17th largest defense contractor worldwide-while its mission to equip businesses, governments, institutions and armed forces with technical expertise and market knowledge underpins a vision of a safer, greener, more inclusive world and a set of core values centered on Customer Trust, One Team One Thales, Developing Our People, Accountability and Excellence, and Agility and Innovation, all reflected across its portfolio of tactical radios, remote weapon stations, radars and aerospace electronics and its listing on Euronext Paris.

Thales S.A. (HO.PA) - Intro

• Founded: 1968 (as Thomson-CSF); rebranded 2000 to Thales
• Headquarters: La Défense, Paris
• Employees: ~83,000 (global)
• Geographic footprint: Operations in 68+ countries
• 2023 Revenue: €18.42 billion
• Defense share of revenue: 53% (2023)
• Stock listing: Euronext Paris (HO.PA)

Mission

• Protect people and critical systems
• Deliver sovereign capabilities for national security
• Secure digital transformation for enterprises and governments
• Innovate in high-reliability electronics, sensors and cybersecurity

Vision

• Global reference in digital trust and mission-critical systems
• Leadership in secure connectivity for aerospace and defense
• Accelerate decarbonization and sustainable operations across the portfolio

Core Values

• Responsibility - commitment to safety, ethical conduct and compliance
• Trust - delivering reliability and secure products/systems
• Innovation - sustained investment in R&D and advanced technologies
• Excellence - operational performance and high-reliability engineering
• Collaboration - partnerships with governments, industry and academia

Business Segments & Financial Snapshot (2023)

Strategic Priorities & Initiatives

• R&D intensity: sustained investment across sensors, avionics, secure communications and AI-enabled systems
• Sovereign capabilities: partnering with national authorities to deliver domestically controlled defense systems
• Cybersecurity & digital trust: expanding services for identity, data protection and critical infrastructure resilience
• Sustainability: reducing operational footprint and developing low-emission solutions for aerospace and transport
• Commercial diversification: balancing defense and civil markets to stabilize revenue streams

For deeper historical context and analysis of ownership, mission and revenue models see: Thales S.A.: History, Ownership, Mission, How It Works & Makes Money

Thales S.A. (HO.PA) - Overview

Thales S.A. (HO.PA) positions itself as a global technology leader delivering systems and services for aerospace, defence, security, and digital identity & security markets. The company's stated mission emphasizes technical expertise, deep market knowledge, and support for customers-businesses, governments, institutions, and armed forces-in navigating increasingly complex environments to make timely, informed decisions. Central priorities are safety, sustainability (greener solutions), and inclusivity, underpinned by science and engineering innovation.

• Mission: Provide recognized technical expertise and in-depth market knowledge to public- and private-sector clients.
• Customer focus: Enable timely, informed decision-making in complex operational and strategic environments.
• Societal ambition: Build a future that is safer, greener, and more inclusive through technology.
• Strategic alignment: Prioritize safety, sustainability, and inclusivity as core business drivers.

Thales translates its mission into measurable investments and operational metrics that reveal scale and impact:

The mission is operationalized through concrete programmes, partnerships, and product lines that address safety, sustainability and inclusivity:

• Defence & Security systems: Command & control, radars, secure communications-helping armed forces and governments operate safely and resiliently.
• Aerospace & Space: Avionics, flight control, space systems-improving safety and environmental efficiency in aviation and satellite services.
• Digital Identity & Cybersecurity: Identity management, data protection, and cyber‑resilience solutions-supporting inclusive digital services and trusted transactions.
• Ground transportation and critical infrastructure: Signalling, operational supervision, and secure transit systems to enhance public safety and lower environmental footprints.

Key performance indicators and strategic levers used by Thales to advance its mission and vision include:

• R&D intensity and patent filings to sustain technological differentiation.
• Long‑term contracts and service models to lock in recurring revenues and extend lifecycle value.
• ESG integration across procurement, product design (energy efficiency, recyclability), and workforce diversity programs.
• Strategic M&A and partnerships to fill capability gaps (e.g., digital, AI, space components) and accelerate green tech adoption.

For an expanded company history, ownership structure, and deeper insights into how Thales makes money, see: Thales S.A.: History, Ownership, Mission, How It Works & Makes Money

Thales S.A. (HO.PA) - Mission Statement

• Deliver mission-critical systems that ensure safety, security, and operational superiority for customers in defense, aerospace, transport, and civil markets.
• Embed trust-by-design in products and services - emphasizing cybersecurity, data integrity, and certified dependability.
• Accelerate digital transformation through AI, cloud, software-defined systems, and secure communications.
• Commit to sustainability by reducing environmental impact across product lifecycles and supporting customers' decarbonization efforts.

• Trusted partnership: Be the trusted partner that helps clients manage complexity and geopolitical risk with end-to-end solutions.
• Innovation leadership: Lead in software, AI, quantum readiness, and secure connectivity to anticipate evolving customer needs.
• Excellence and continuous improvement: Maintain certification-driven quality, operational excellence, and rigorous safety standards.
• Agility and responsiveness: Operate with lean decision-making to adapt rapidly to market, regulatory, and threat-environment shifts.
• Alignment with strategic goals: Drive profitable growth, margin improvement, and technology leadership while investing in people and R&D.

• R&D & Product Roadmap - sustained multi-hundred-million euro annual investment to field AI-enabled mission systems, quantum-resistant cryptography, and software-defined radars.
• Industrial footprint - global industrial partnerships and local content commitments supporting sovereign capability and export controls compliance.
• Commercial strategy - balanced mix of long-term government contracts and high-growth civil segments (e.g., secure identity, urban mobility) to stabilize revenue cycles.
• ESG integration - targets to reduce CO2 emissions in operations and supply chain, increase energy efficiency in products, and expand circular economy practices.

• Defense systems: Integrated air defense, naval combat systems, and tactical radios combining sensors, effectors, and C2 software to meet allied interoperability needs.
• Aerospace: Avionics and flight-critical software for commercial and military platforms, plus space systems (satellite payloads and ground control solutions).
• Digital identity & security: Biometric and identity platforms used in border management, e-payment, and secure government ID projects.
• Transport: Signalling and integrated mobility solutions focused on safety, capacity optimization, and lower energy use for rail and urban transit.

Thales S.A. (HO.PA) Vision Statement

• Customer Trust: building long-term relationships by delivering on promises and ensuring the quality and security of solutions and services.
• One Team, One Thales: fostering a culture of loyalty, partnership, transparency, solidarity and cooperation across all levels.
• Developing Our People: investing in professional development, respecting diversity, promoting knowledge-sharing and encouraging dialogue.
• Accountable and Committed to Excellence: acting with integrity, loyalty, accountability and professionalism to achieve operational and ethical excellence.
• Agile and Innovative: continually improving quality and efficiency, demonstrating leadership, making swift decisions and acting on them immediately.

These core values are embedded into strategy execution, product development and partner relations, with measurable targets reflected in investments, orders and workforce policies.

Operational KPIs and governance reflect the core values through measurable programs:

• Customer-centric metrics: Net Promoter Score initiatives, long-term service contracts and multi-year SLAs tied to delivery performance.
• People development: percentage of employees receiving formal training annually (targeted >80%) and diversity targets across management levels.
• Accountability & compliance: ISO certifications, export-control compliance and sustained investment in cybersecurity and safety assurance.
• Innovation & agility: sustained R&D spend (~7%-8% of operating margin reinvestment focus) and rapid prototyping pipelines for AI-enabled systems.

Strategic programs translate values into measurable actions: talent reskilling for software-defined systems, expansion of sovereign industrial capabilities in key countries, and scaling of digital services (subscription and platform models) to increase recurring revenue and customer trust.