PDF; 1,44 MB - Brenntag North America

PEOPLE 24The individual components of the programme are illustratedthrough various measures, including posters, stickers andtraining sessions. Brenntag Cornerstone is accepted very wellin North America and has significantly improved occupationalsafety. As a result of this success and the positive effects ithas had, the concept has now been rolled out at all Europeanlocations.Safety affects all Brenntag employees – starting with thetop-level management. The elements of the Cornerstoneprogramme are a major help when it comes to optimisingour safety performance even further. As far as content isconcerned, the aim is to increase safety awareness, to boostteamwork among employees, to look out for one another,to feel responsible and to act with responsibility, as wellas to increase attention and vigilance in the workplace.To achieve perpetual improvement, we always challengeall business processes to identify better ways to operate.In Europe, the Cornerstone programme was launched viaa special “Safety at Work” day on 30 October 2012. At thisevent, all employees attended safety training sessions –from the administrative staff and warehouse operatorsto sales employees. There were also presentations featuringgeneral information about Cornerstone and covering thefirst element, “Leadership and Accountability”. As was thecase for our Brenntag colleagues in North America, posters,roll-ups and banners were distributed to all Europeanbranches in the relevant languages. All employees haveaccess to key information via the intranet. The employeesalso watched video clips from the COO of Brenntag Europeand the regional managing directors, in which managementrequested all employees to pay attention to their own safety,as well as that of their colleagues. All six Cornerstone elementsare due to be introduced gradually at the individualEuropean locations during 2013.Dedication –Brenntag employees set an exampleOur employees are not only characterised by their excellentqualifications but also by their dedication and team spirit.For a company that operates in over 70 countries and transcendsmany languages and cultures, we have one thing incommon that binds us together – our passion for our businessand the chemical distribution sector. Our employees areencouraged to get involved in social and sustainabilityprojects by joy of working and by the belief that much canbe achieved by working together.Employees help to build housesOver the years, Brenntag employees from North Americahave volunteered and made charitable contributions tomany different causes, personally and through theworkplace. The interest in community programmes hascontinued to flourish, resulting in the development of the“You be the Difference” campaign and the beginning of apartnership with “Habitat for Humanity”, a non-profitorganisation dedicated to providing decent, affordablehomes to families in communities around the world.For every local home built, a payment is sent to “Habitatfor Humanity International”, which funds a home in adeveloping country.Brenntag employees pledged both time and moneyto “Habitat for Humanity”. Brenntag North America,Brenntag Northeast and Brenntag Specialties employeesparticipated in Habitat builds during the summers of 2011and 2012. These 50 plus employees brushed up on theircarpentry skills by installing insulation, painting skirtingboards, walls and ceilings, and preparing kitchen cabinetsfor installation. Some of the teams also participated indemolition and yard cleanup.Dedication, the willingness to help others and team spiritare what characterise our Brenntag North America colleagues,who are leading by example with their “Habitat for Humanity”charity projects. Through their commitment, dedicationand desire to contribute, Brenntag and its employees aresupporting the local community through “Habitat forHumanity” and many other charitable organisations.Public relations in the classroomBritish specialty chemicals distributor Multisol has developeda special project to boost the chemical industry’simage among the public. The aim is to explain the significanceof chemicals in our daily lives because people canonly appreciate them if they understand what they areused for.Multisol, which has been part of the Brenntag Group since2011, has taken on this task for the field of solvents andhas already won plenty of prizes for its commitment.Multisol colleagues visit schools in order to explain toyoung people the influence that chemicals have on ourday-to-day lives. A visit to the Multisol facility in Irlam,Greater Manchester, aims to illustrate to the 16- and 17-year-olds the link between their chemistry studies andthe practical applications enabling the students to recogniseand appreciate the importance of chemicals in ourday-to-day lives. The presentation of the safety regulationsused in the industry is of particular importance.The visit has shown to have the positive knock-on effectof increasing students’ interest in chemistry as a subject.In 2011, Multisol won the ESIG Award for Product Responsibilityfor its dedication. As a result of this success andthe positive feedback, the project will be continued inthe future.