Why Cornerstone
Add Cornerstone. Add Growth.
Cornerstone is a leading global leadership enhancement firm that offers executive recruitment, executive coaching, and career navigation solutions. Cornerstone has a globalized vision, with 60 offices in 40 countries since 1989; we aim to generate attractive investment returns for our clients by helping them appoint and engage new cornerstones for their operations. We work closely with clients to understand their needs and culture, then develop a customized search strategy to find the right fit. Our industry knowledge and executive search expertise identify and attract the best candidates for each search assignment. We often discuss the benefits of our structure and business model – which marries global branding with local ownership and anchor with three pillars of services.
Our Talent Management business provides a full range of services, from helping companies appoint new cornerstones for their business to grooming and engaging existing high potentials and outplacement supports.
Our local offices individually generate local advantages for our clients, but when paired with other Cornerstone offices, we create a decisive competitive advantage. We see our consultants as a key differentiator, allowing us to align our interests with our clients, develop new talent strategies and support existing high potentials, and enter into the right- sizing as needed on our client’s behalf.
When you partner with Cornerstone, you benefit from the breadth and expertise of the entire firm. When appropriate, all of Cornerstone’s offices work together on behalf of our client and your offices worldwide. With our operational experience, broad regional and industry expertise since 1989, insight into global macro and geopolitical trends, and a robust network of local and international relationships – we seek to provide innovative talent placement solutions, and coaching supports to help our clients achieve their business goals.
With offices worldwide, we fulfill our mission when you ADD Cornerstone, you ADD Growth—and we do this as one global firm.
Our Vision
Vision
We see a better world where our clients have purpose-driven leaders as their cornerstone, and their corporate culture is one of “doing well and doing good”.
Mission
To help our clients be more successful attracting and developing leaders who contribute to their organization’s long-term success.
Positioning
Cornerstone is a trusted partner who supports our clients’ in attracting, developing, and retaining talent, believing people are an organization’s greatest asset.
Our Values
Understanding
We are respectful and empathetic. While we are proud of our 30+ year heritage, we take more satisfaction in our clients’ success.
Dependable
We are committed to integrity. We deliver what we promise.
Human
We consider the needs of the internal associates, as well as those people being recruited, while supporting the organization’s various talent requirements.
Inspiring
We believe an optimistic “can do” attitude is the cornerstone of our success and can be inspiring to others.
The Cornerstone Edge
Our global reach, in combination with local experience & entrepreneurial mindset, enables our clients to succeed worldwide.
Our three primary business solutions are: Strategic Talent Acquisitions, Coaching Leaders, and Career Navigation Support. Along with outplacement support for departing employees, these services ensure the organization has committed employees and a positive reputation as an employer.
1. Our Partners
Our managing partners in each office possess ownership mindsets. They assume accountability for delivering projects that contribute to clients’ success.
Partners have industry and territory expertise and amplify their global reach through an integrated, highly qualified network of Cornerstone offices.
A “local” phone call enables clients to begin a global project. Watch our “Meet CIG” video.
2. Our Credibility
Since 1989, what has set Cornerstone apart is its success in delivering and supporting our clients’ key corporate talent. Achieving this requires us to adhere to our own high standards. We are gratified that our clients recognize our internal efforts and our success on their behalf.
We are members of the Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants (AESC), the organization that sets the quality standard for the executive search and leadership consulting profession. All our executive coaches are members of the International Coaching Federation (ICF), the world’s largest organization leading the global advancement of the coaching profession. Cornerstone is recognized regularly in rankings by industry trackers such as Forbes Media, Hunt Scanlon and others.
Benefit: The demands on today’s leaders are unlimited and unforgiving. It takes the highest levels of assessment and support in the recruiting process to evaluate true potential in a highly complex environment.
The search process alone, however, is no longer enough to assure the best return in a market where 40% of executive hires fail in the first 18 months. Many support services are needed to bring your new hire over the goal line.
Start by reading The Edge You Get from Cornerstone, and welcome to our website.
ADD Cornerstone,
ADD Growth.
Our three critical business solutions are Strategic Talent Acquisitions, Coaching Managers to become Leaders, Career Navigation Supports for your high potentials. In addition we protect your employer brand with outplacement supports for your departing employees.
Our global reach, local experience & ownership mindset enable our clients to succeed and grow worldwide.
At Cornerstone International Group, we put at your service a network of 225+ consultants at some 60 offices and 40 countries. You receive personal attention locally and the clout of a global organization.
This collective capability is recognized by Forbes as one of the top 20 organizations in executive search in America, and among the top 40 globally. We are also a global member of the Association of Executive Search Consultants, which is the voice of excellence for executive search and leadership consultants worldwide.
NEW EXECUTIVES
40%
Fail in the first 18 months
AESC & ICF Accredited. Our Standard.
Credibility in the domain of executive recruiting demands the highest standards. We are members of the Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants (AESC), the organization that sets the quality standard for the executive search and leadership consulting profession. All our executive coaches are accredited coaches of International Coaching Federation(ICF), the world’s largest organization leading the global advancement of the coaching profession. We are recognized regularly in rankings by global industry newsmakers such as Forbes Media, Hunt Scanlon & have received many other local awards.
AESC Accredited – Means Confidence in Cornerstone
Cornerstone International Group is a global member of the Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants (AESC). This global body has members in 70+ countries —retained search firms and leadership consulting groups who must adhere to a strict code of conduct to remain as members.
Since 1959, AESC has set the quality standard for the executive search and leadership consulting profession. Its members are the leaders in executive talent and leadership advisory solutions. AESC members find, place and develop more than 100,000 executives each year in board and C-level positions for the world’s leading organizations of all types and sizes.
When working with Cornerstone, we assure that we will
- Vet candidates to rigorous quality standards.
- Anticipate future trends in global executive talent.
- Deliver a range of solutions, from executive search to succession planning & career navigations, designed for top performing companies in a high-speed, high-stakes world.
- Help you minimize risk by providing confidence, credibility and security.
Cornerstone’s membership in AESC gives you confidence when making that selection.
ICF Accredited coaches – Means Confidence in Cornerstone
Many call themselves coaches.
But Cornerstone has set high standards for those we engage as coaches. They are professionals who have met stringent education and experience requirements, and have demonstrated a thorough understanding of the coaching competencies. They adhere to strict ethical guidelines as described at International Coach Federation (ICF). Video explanations are at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMBtOVpaN5DhGnQMkwdA6Mebib094zEgW
All Cornerstone executive coaches are accredited by ICF or its equivalences – It means Cornerstone has confidence in our coaching processes.
Leadership Team at Cornerstone
Cornerstone International Group has one of the world’s largest global coverage of executive search and coaching resources in some 60 cities around the world – and growing.
The Cornerstone Network is managed by an active board of directors and managers. We have dual headquarters located in the two largest economies of the world; Atlanta, Georgia USA and Shanghai, China.
The officers and regional chairs are also active consultants managing the local operations.
You can access any of these people through the regional structure on the Home page, or by consulting the following lists:
DEI & Justice
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you is the “Golden Rule” of the human race. It is also the basis of the core values we ascribe to professionalism, collaboration, humanity, equity, and justice.
Creating equal opportunities between men and women of all colors and backgrounds is more than a moral position. It is also a pragmatic and common sense position, as Cornerstone believes that when you do good, you do well also.
In a recent McKinsey & Company study, companies with racially diverse employees are 35% more likely to experience higher returns. This makes diversity a crucial component in building your competitive advantage. A gender diversity study of 3,000 managers concluded that diversity works better overall.
However, a recent survey in the Harvard Business Review revealed that 78% of employees say their organization lacks diversity, especially in leadership positions.
We are proud to be counted among the members of our profession, believing in the power of diverse talent and inclusive cultures. In so doing, we acknowledge that there are things we can and should do as a profession at the business level.
Cornerstone supports the initiative of the Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants (AESC). We fully subscribe to the AESC pledge:
· We share a commitment to combat racism, prejudice, and discrimination within our organization, with candidates, the clients we serve, and in our communities.
· We pledge to use our collective voices and actions to help create a world that is inclusive, diverse, equitable, and accessible for all.
Signed
Simon Wan
Chairman & CEO
Larry Shoemaker
President
Apply to Join Cornerstone
If you are already successful locally in executive search or coaching and career navigation services and want to go to the next level, we should talk.
If you want to associate with a team of like-minded souls that could help you expand your market and share business expertise, while at the same time letting you continue to run the show…
As a member firm of Cornerstone International Group, your market becomes THE WORLD. Specifically, your colleagues are in some 60 cities across 40 countries. This scale has become the default as our business, in turn, becomes global. Please consider joining us.
It’s more than just global access; it is how you can keep and continue to grow in your local market.
YOU HAVE A GLOBAL FAMILY
Many of Cornerstone’s offices are corporate-owned and more members select to market 100 % as Cornerstone. You can choose to operate under your name at Cornerstone, and with Cornerstone, you continue to own and control your operation. You can co-brand, taking advantage of the local reputation we already have at Cornerstone.
Your annual investment is reasonable; you share new and practical resources, get to know some great people, and the world is a click away.
HOW GOOD ARE WE?
You become a member of an elite global organization, the Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants, or AESC. That tells clients you adhere to the highest standards of quality and an international team behind you.
We have been a leader in the industry for over 33 years – since 1989.
