People & Leadership
Brambles’ strategic focus on People & Leadership refers to attracting, developing and retaining the right individuals and teams that can enhance our culture and bring the required capability for sustainable success. This focus is imperative to delivering on all aspects of our strategy, and to driving the levels of innovation, quality and service our customers require. It is an integral part of our focus on creating long-term sustainable value for shareholders.
CEDEP partnership
Brambles believes in continually investing in developing its people. An example is our relationship with CEDEP (the European Centre for Executive Development, based at the INSEAD business school campus at Fontainebleau, France). Building on previous development programs the company has run with CEDEP, in the 2012 financial year we developed and ran a program to support our growth efforts in emerging markets. Some 35 executives from around the Group attended the initial workshop, with the objective of sharing best practice and learning from subject matter experts from other companies and academia.
Pooling Solutions structure
The formation in October 2011 of a new organisation structure in Pooling Solutions created dedicated operating segments for Pallets, RPCs and Containers. The new structure enables the company to focus on the specific growth and development needs across the three segments. The appointment of the company’s first Group President in the Containers segment in May 2012, Jason Rabbino, was a key step in the strategy of delivering centralised leadership in that sector. Jason joins Brambles after a successful career with the US Navy, McKinsey & Co and Tyco Corporation.
Diversity Policy
Brambles made progress in the 2012 financial year with the implementation of the Diversity Policy adopted in 2011, under which the company has set targets for the number of women to be employed in managerial positions. The company was pleased to announce during the period the appointment of Tahira Hassan to the Board as a Non-executive Director, and of Jean Holley to the Executive Leadership Team (ELT) as Chief Information Officer. Tahira joins the Board following a 26-year career with Nestlé, while Jean’s ELT role follows a career that has to date included working for a number of US companies including USG Corporation and Waste Management Inc.


Worldwide Responsibility
Brambles’ people and leadership focus includes its efforts in the areas of sustainability and corporate social responsibility. The Worldwide Responsibility initiative operated by the IFCO business, which Brambles acquired in March 2011, is an example of how the Group can share its logistics expertise for the good of the communities in which it operates. IFCO became aware that the disposal of used, non-returnable packaging was a cost-intensive and problematic issue for food banks, which collect unused or unsold food and vegetable products from growers and retailers for distribution to those in need. Since then IFCO has donated more than 55,000 RPCs to more than 50 food banks in Europe, North America and South America, to be used to collect and move fruit and vegetables from retailers to a food bank warehouse and then on to charities. IFCO has also coordinated the financing of 28 refrigerated delivery vehicles to date to ensure the goods remain fresh within the food bank’s network. The latest food bank to receive IFCO RPCs is Foodshare, a Connecticut, USA-based charity. Its regional market project manager Stephen Slipchinsky says: “The IFCO Reusable Plastic Crates (RPCs) will help us improve the effectiveness of our delivery process, ensuring the right produce and groceries get to needy families and individuals in the Hartford community in good condition when they need them. We’re also moving to a more environmentally-friendly system by replacing corrugate boxes with RPCs.” The food bank concept of collecting food that cannot be sold then redistributing it to charities began in the USA in the 1960s. Today, there are thousands of food banks on six continents and IFCO is looking to expand its support on a global scale. “For us, sustainable social responsibility as part of the Worldwide Responsibility initiative is a matter of great concern,” says Brambles President, RPCs, Karl Pohler. “The job of the food banks – logistically optimised transport from producer to end-user – is the same as our original business field. IFCO and the food banks are perfect partners.”