ETHICS, INTEGRITY, PERFORMANCE
Business Harvard Review, April 2018
Article by Pasquale Forte
ELDOR IS A MULTINATIONAL that operates in the Automotive sector, a partner of the world’s leading automotive companies (over 180 million vehicles in the world travel with our products). Thanks to our research and development centers in Italy and to our innovative production technology, we are leaders in the research, development and production of ignition systems, electronic control units and systems for hybrid and electric vehicles. Currently, we are focusing on the principlescipali macro trends in the Automotive sector: vehicle electrification, robotics, smart materials, clean energy, defect free factory. Eldor has 3,000 employees all over the world and is present in Italy, Germany, USA, China, Brazil, Turkey, Japan and South Korea. We have always taken special care to our people, which are expressed in small details attentions that lead to significant results, reported in our sustainability report (prepared in accordance with the GRI reporting standards – Global Reporting Initiative). I do not like to call my employees “employees”, I prefer to talk about “collaborators”, people who work together for a common goal and for whom a beautiful, safe and sustainable working environment has been created. The headquarter in Italy has an elegant venue, which, thanks to the wide spaces, the materials used and the harmony of the architectural lines, satisfies everyone’s needs. I am convinced that the optimization of productivity is combined with the pleasantness of the spaces and the comfort of those who work there. Beauty helps to think, work and relate better. For this reason, in the Headquarter, a project of wall decorations has been realized that gives voice to great personalities of the past (models of scientific and ethical progress) and shapes the virtues that lead to success. A set of words and forms that inspire the work and personal life of all the people involved. Also at the welfare level we are doing a lot, through the activation of initiatives that operate in different areas. From the prevention and promotion of health, to the emphasis placed on the importance of proper nutrition, for which lectures were organized and natural menus were introduced in the company restaurant, as well as healthy snacks in vending machines. Particular attention was then paid to pregnant women, who have the opportunity to take advantage of a parking in the office, painted pink for the occasion. In 2016, internal well-being was also recognized outside. Eldor has in fact received the “Champion” award and has been nominated National Champion of Federmeccanica for the Quality of Internal Relations.
Training is the key to growth
Training is the key to the growth of Eldor’s laboratories. In this regard, “Eldor Academy” was created, the Eldor Group Corporate School through which all employees have the opportunity to take advantage of at least 64 hours of training per year, organized as courses, conventions, workshops and seminars. . A very interesting initiative is the Graduate Program, which has been active since 2018. Thanks to it, brilliant recent graduates who want to make the most of their inclinations and skills, will have the opportunity to access the program in a highly innovative context. The path will allow new employees to collaborate with different functions, in the research centers and centers, and to accumulate experience on different projects, facilitating the development of knowledge and transversal skills. We also decided to activate a specific pro- gram that would allow the first 100
managers, located in various parts of the world, to work in depth on our pyramid of values. We needed something unique, which would go to the root of the problems that most assure all companies. All this includes a special per-course, the “know yourself” dated 2500 years ago, at the time of Socrates.
The results of our commitment
I start from the premise that working with ethics and integrity also translates into better performances, so the goal is to raise the participants’ awareness through unique experiences, so that they are more responsible and happy people in all the areas of their existence. I felt the need and the pleasure of giving this opportunity to people working in the company across the board and, in collaboration with Francesca Del Nero’s School For Dreamers, we created a program that is very popular with all participants and strong impact on working life, so that negative business dynamics, which unfortunately afflict the entire corporate world, dissolve in favor of a successful business for all.
We are also studying solutions that can bring the whole organization to be aligned, so that the participants (today 100) can be facilitated to be agents of change and evolution for all: this obviously means that the whole company it will come out more compact, united and strong. It is also clear that this is not a short-term investment. But the mere fact that latent conflict arises and that real collaboration is a first result, which gives me the certainty of having made a good choice. For all that is beautiful and lasting it takes patience and perseverance and I do not miss either one or the other. The Declaration of Independence of the United States of America has sanctioned the right to happiness on July 4, 1776, I think it is time for companies to take on this responsibility so that the development and success of each business happens in a harmonious way.
Pasquale Forte is President, CEO and Founder of Eldor.