When I stepped into the offices of the Danish company Pressalit in 2011 I was met with the usual CSR-speech. I had heard it many times before:
“Our people are our most important asset!”
“We really do care about the environment!”
“Our Code of Conduct is our foundation!”
I glanced at the poster on the wall with the Company Values.
We Listen. We Give. We Play. We Act.
I looked back at the woman who was about to hire me. We knew each other from another company and she leaned over and told me off the record: “I know these posters are usually BS, but the difference here is these people actually mean it!”
I was surprised and curious and I took the job as Design Engineer.
One icy cold morning six months later, I was cooking and serving a big traditional christmas lunch at a homeless soup kitchen, and by then I knew what she meant. This was an annual voluntary task, and you were concidered extremely lucky if you were picked as one of the few people to help out at the homeless Christmas Lunch.
By then, I had realized, that this company were not socially responsible to increase their bottom line. They did it because it was the right thing to do
The company is Pressalit, located in Ry Denmark. They employ around 300 people and produce toilet seats and equipment for hospital bathrooms. It is family owned and the values that inspire new employees like myself, were passed down from the founder to his son and grandsons, the current owners. Social responsibility is a way of life there, not a business area or a branding opportunity.
I will never forget my first meeting with Johnny Carlsen, who was head of the production. He recently retired after an impressive 50 years of service. The Beatles were at the top of their game when Johnny started. We talked for a while, and I quickly understood, that he was more interested in getting to know the person in front of him, than hearing about my new design, I was pushing.
Our meeting was interupted, and I got a glimpse in to his world. It was 10 in the morning and a man popped his head through the door and said “Good morning” in a shaky voice. The man, lokked like an alcoholic at some level, he had dark red cheeks and his hands where shaking slightly. Johnny smiled at him and asked, why he had not shown up on time. The man looked at the ground and replied: “Well Johnny, I have to wake up, before I can get here!”
Any other company, I have worked at, this man would have been fired, and probably would not live long on the outside. In Pressalit he was employed with a small grant from the local government. They and Pressalit both realize, that he will be better off doing simple tasks at a factory, than on the street.
Johnny laughed at my shocked expression and took me for a walk through his production. He explained that key positions were manned by skilled people with no dissabilities, but most of his crew had problems at some level. Dicease, alcohol, physical handicaps, mental problems.
Simple repetitive work was done by these individuals or outsourced to an on-site day center, were people who were not able to function in a “normal working life” could come in for a few hours to help out and make a little money.
My small Product Development shack was right across from this day center, and seeing some of the people that came and went was always a unique experience.
Other assignments were outsourced to a local prison.
I will never forget my first meeting with Johnny Carlsen, who was head of the production. He recently retired after an impressive 50 years of service. The Beatles were at the top of their game when Johnny started. We talked for a while, and I quickly understood, that he was more interested in getting to know the person in front of him, than hearing about my new design, I was pushing.
Our meeting was interupted, and I got a glimpse in to his world. It was 10 in the morning and a man popped his head through the door and said “Good morning” in a shaky voice. The man, lokked like an alcoholic at some level, he had dark red cheeks and his hands where shaking slightly. Johnny smiled at him and asked, why he had not shown up on time. The man looked at the ground and replied: “Well Johnny, I have to wake up, before I can get here!”
Any other company, I have worked at, this man would have been fired, and probably would not live long on the outside. In Pressalit he was employed with a small grant from the local government. They and Pressalit both realize, that he will be better off doing simple tasks at a factory, than on the street.
Johnny laughed at my shocked expression and took me for a walk through his production. He explained that key positions were manned by skilled people with no dissabilities, but most of his crew had problems at some level. Dicease, alcohol, physical handicaps, mental problems.
Simple repetitive work was done by these individuals or outsourced to an on-site day center, were people who were not able to function in a “normal working life” could come in for a few hours to help out and make a little money.
My small Product Development shack was right across from this day center, and seeing some of the people that came and went was always a unique experience.
Other assignments were outsourced to a local prison.
Like any other Danish company in this era, Pressalit tried moving production to Asia for cost-cutting purposes. But unlike most other places, the factory in Thailand was not a success compared to Denmark. I believe it was the mix of strong and skilled (expensive) employees and people of less skill with dissabilities (and much cheaper) that made the danish factory succesful. The salery cost was kept at a healthy level, far below the average Danish factory.
The factory in Thailand closed and the jobs remained on danish soil. A great solution for the company and both the local and global environment. The company were able to keep manufacturing knowledge close to the headquarters and Product Development, Marketing, Finance and Sales for improved synergy and cooperation.
Globally, the company does not have to ship its product as far as many competitors with production in Asia. The main markets are in Northern Europe, so a production plant in Denmark could not be better located logistically.
The local society has a really strong player in Pressalit. A player, that helps them improve the lives of some of the most troubled souls of our community. People that otherwise would sit at home withering away, or stay at an expensive public nursing home, or on the street or local bar.
Most people that work with or for this company take part in sharing their story. We are proud to know them and we serve as voluntary ambassadors. The company is in no way perfect in terms of CSR, and I could mention examples to discredit them slightly, but I would rather promote them for the things, that they do much better than most other medium sized or large Danish companies. They take care of the weakest members of their local community, and make a good business out of it.
That is a story worth sharing.
The factory in Thailand closed and the jobs remained on danish soil. A great solution for the company and both the local and global environment. The company were able to keep manufacturing knowledge close to the headquarters and Product Development, Marketing, Finance and Sales for improved synergy and cooperation.
Globally, the company does not have to ship its product as far as many competitors with production in Asia. The main markets are in Northern Europe, so a production plant in Denmark could not be better located logistically.
The local society has a really strong player in Pressalit. A player, that helps them improve the lives of some of the most troubled souls of our community. People that otherwise would sit at home withering away, or stay at an expensive public nursing home, or on the street or local bar.
Most people that work with or for this company take part in sharing their story. We are proud to know them and we serve as voluntary ambassadors. The company is in no way perfect in terms of CSR, and I could mention examples to discredit them slightly, but I would rather promote them for the things, that they do much better than most other medium sized or large Danish companies. They take care of the weakest members of their local community, and make a good business out of it.
That is a story worth sharing.