Our people
Our people strategy has two core elements - sustained succession management and effective Human Resources (HR) organisation and systems. The emphasis is on maximising the contribution of people to the overall business, in an empowering, positive and safe working environment.
Sustained succession management
This focuses on ensuring that Glanbia has the right people and skills in place to deliver its growth and strategic objectives.
Phase I of the sustained succession management programme focuses on strong performance and career management through building and rolling out a consistent process for annual performance and development potential assessment. Detailed action plans are agreed from these reviews. High performers, depending on their roles and experience, have the opportunity to participate in Glanbia's Senior Leadership Programme (SLP) or the Group Management Development Programme (GMDP).
Both are customised programmes, with the SLP focusing on the strategic challenges facing the Group and its key operating divisions. The GMDP provides learning, support and awareness to high performing managers of what is required to be successful at the next level. It focuses on the skills required to become a business leader and strategic partner in the business. Both programmes also crucially provide an invaluable forum for collaboration and sharing of ideas among managers across the Group. The overall goal is for people to become more effective in their roles and to increase their contribution to Glanbia.
Phase II concentrates on strengthening the Group's development programmes to include coaching/mentoring, peer and colleague reviews, individual stretch objectives and the opportunity to participate in key projects, which are independent from day-to-day activities.
Another pillar of sustained succession management is Glanbia's Graduate Programme (GP). This is designed to hire and develop 'the managers of the future' and is a two-year programme that offers graduates the chance to work in three or four business units, in a number of different countries. In essence, their career journey starts here and they have the prospect of refining and honing their academic skills in key disciplines such as science, finance, marketing, and engineering. Such is the success of this programme that each year Glanbia receives in excess of 600 applications for 10 places on the GP.
Effective HR organisation and systems
Glanbia's people strategy is based on a simple proposition. The Group gives an individual opportunity, development and reward for performance. This is 'our investment in you'. In return Glanbia gets accountability, delivery and commitment, which is 'your investment in us'Group HR's remit is to deal with cross business unit issues and HR issues that have group-wide implications. It is also involved in setting Group HR strategy policy and in managing the performance and development programme for Glanbia's senior managers.
Other key responsibilities include the Group's health and safety forum. Across Glanbia, there are HR managers in business units who interact with Group HR to ensure a unified and consistent approach to key Group HR policies and programmes.
A significant part of creating an effective HR organisation and systems is 'Project Perform' which is ongoing since May 2008. This is being rolled out from the end of quarter one of 2009, for all salaried staff. This is a SAP-based HR system with key workflows embedded to deal with all aspects of an employee's life-cycle, such as compensation and benefits, performance management and development, leave and absenteeism. The objective is to empower HR and business unit managers through providing real time information, measuring key HR performance indicators and linking individual performance directly to Group performance.
Food Ingredients USA In the 10 years since joining Glanbia from the Coca-Cola business in Siberia, I have held positions as Financial Controller of Consumer Foods and Group Financial Controller before moving to head up the finance function of the Group's US cheese operations based in Idaho. My Glanbia career has been one of many challenges and rewarding opportunities. My personal development has been further enhanced during 2008 through participation in the Glanbia Senior Leadership Programme.
Southwest Cheese USA I joined Glanbia on the Graduate Programme in 2004 and after six months in Ireland, I got the opportunity to move to Idaho. I spent five months there between the three Glanbia production facilities. Then I had the opportunity to be part of the start-up at Southwest Cheese in New Mexico which has been a great learning experience. During the last year I became the Environmental Manager here and also took part in the Glanbia Management Development Programme which was a great opportunity to meet with co-workers from other divisions. I am now the Quality Assurance Team Lead and appreciate the wealth of opportunities that has been offered to me in the short time since I started with Glanbia.
Consumer Foods Ireland Given the dynamic market environment and the challenges and opportunities that this presents for the Consumer Foods business, the company places a strong emphasis on performance development. I recently participated in the Senior Leadership Programme and found the content and sharing of experiences with fellow senior managers across the Group to be informative and helpful. I am applying new thinking on growth and innovation to our business and expect this to improve our ability to compete in the months and years ahead.
Nutritionals USA I joined Glanbia in 1998 after completing a PhD in Nutrition and Food Science at the University of Minnesota. Glanbia has provided opportunities for me to develop my professional career and manage the development of innovative, science-based nutritional solutions for global applications. In 2006, I enjoyed attending Glanbia's Management Development Programme at the Irish Management Institute in Dublin.
Nutritionals China I studied in Massey University in New Zealand for a Masters in Dairy Science and Technology and later completed an M.Sc Food Science at the Wuxi Institute in China. I joined Glanbia three years ago and as Commercial Sales Manager for China I am now responsible for the sale of both dairy ingredients and vitamin and mineral premix. I am glad to have taken every opportunity to advance my career at Glanbia and in 2008 I enjoyed particular success promoting the sales of Glanbia's Trucal® milk mineral product in China.
Agribusiness Ireland Having graduated from University of Limerick with an honours degree in Business Studies, I joined the Glanbia Graduate Programme in November 1997. During my 11 years with the company I have had the opportunity to work in a variety of HR roles in Group IT, Consumer Foods and Agribusiness. My development has been supported by participation in the Glanbia Management Development Programme and my recent role as HR lead of Project Perform.