An idiomatic term that has many meanings depending on context. It may refer to a company’s range of service or operation (e.g., a regional footprint or a global footprint). In other words it describes a company’s ability, now or in the future, to penetrate or have a presence in a specific city, country, region, or across the globe.

It may also denote a marked effect, impression, or impact, whether tangible/ physical (in quantitative terms) or intangible (in qualitative terms). For example, the company left a footprint in the field of social responsibility. Another example: the standards setting organization left a global footprint, as its standards were adopted by many countries worldwide.