Values-Driven Culture
Join now to read essay Values-Driven Culture
Values-Driven Culture
Schad claims that the purpose of his company is “to be a role model of lasting business success based on our core values.” The company’s core values — make a contribution, proactive environmental responsibility, passion for excellence, and uncompromising honesty — cascade throughout all of the company’s activities. For example:
Husky’s commitment to environmental responsibility has made it a worldwide role model, and has earned it the Financial Post Gold Environmental Leadership Award, the National Occupational Health and Safety Award for Excellence, and the Ethics in Action Award for ongoing social responsibility. In 2000, Husky diverted 95 percent of it’s waste, realizing $348,000 savings in disposal costs and generating $804,000 in revenue through innovative reuse of materials.
Engaging in uncompromising honesty means that all employees are compelled to keep every promise they make, and that salespeople will not accept gifts from suppliers or customers because it might jeopardize their integrity, and must disclose to customers when they could get a better deal from a competitor.
Husky also demands the same level of commitment from each of its suppliers: a booklet entitled Doing Business With Husky asserts that “A shared set of values is a necessary condition for a successful business relationship,” and those values include being a community role model, environmental leader, and treating people fairly, equally, and with respect.
Integration into Business Strategy
Employee wellness and environmental practices at the company are not sidelined from core business strategies and conceptualized as perks; rather, the Human Resources and Environment, Health and Safety functions are fully integrated into the overall strategy of the company and sit equally beside Operations, and Sales and Marketing at the Management Team table. “HR is not a feel good Department,” says current VP of HR, Dirk Schlimm, who moved to his role, at Schad’s request, from a line position, “It’s very much involved in the business, very much involved in discussing and formulating business strategy, and very proactive in terms of keeping the pulse of the people, knowing the people, knowing their concerns.”
Supportive Environment
A non-hierarchical environment encourages teamwork and honesty. Space is open and allocated in a non-hierarchical way. Senior executives and technicians all park in the same lot, eat at the same cafeteria, and have open concept offices.
Financial Resources Committed to Wellness
Husky has committed significant resources to supporting its workforce and creating healthy work environments, because it sees those investments as investments in current and future organizational capacity and productivity, and not as organizational costs. Husky believes that true commitment to a healthy and productive work environment needs to be understood intellectually, emotionally, and supported financially in order to return measurable results.
Internally Husky promotes a proactive, healthy organization. On-site wellness, fitness, nutrition, and child care teams support our people and their families in leading balanced lives. We believe that an investment in “well-being” contributes many benefits to both our people and Husky.
Community Involvement
Husky is also financially committed to its larger community, on the conviction that quality of life is intimately connected to the quality of ones’ larger community. To this end, Husky contributes 5 percent of total pre-tax profits to charitable groups with a focus on the environment, education and the communities in which it operates.
At Husky we feel it is important to have a purpose beyond making money. We recognize that the special impact our resources can have when invested in causes with the greatest potential for improving our quality of life.
Schad is also committed to alternative medicine, and has been a major supporter of the Canadian College for Naturopathic Medicine in Toronto.
Dedicated Monitoring
Every company needs to decide for itself which measures will be the most indicative of its own progress. At Husky, those measures are absenteeism rates, turnover rates, injury rates, workers’ compensation claims, and benefits costs. The Vice President of Human Resources reads every exit interview conducted in the company.
Program Initiatives
The Copper House
Husky houses and supports one of the most respected on-site parent resource centers