Where Caring for Culture and Pets Nurtures Profits

If you still are challenged to believe core-values and corporate profits are compatible, look no further than the Nestle Purina PetCare Company. The 7,000-employee company is an outstanding example of values-driven leadership being the reason for—not the barrier to—market success.

Let’s look at Nestle Purina through two lenses: Financial and Values.

Financial

• Nestle Purina PetCare Company ranks first in market share for pet care products in North America, has approximately twice the market share of its closest competitor, and has grown its market share by almost 10 percent over 10 years. (Source: National Institute of Standards and Technology)
• Sales grew each year from 2004 to 2008 by at least 7 percent and as much as 15 percent.
• The company met its 2010 sales goal, despite the nation’s economic downturn.
• Compared to nine other major food companies, Nestle Purina ranked fourth in sales growth for 2005, ranked third in 2007, and was the benchmark in 2004, 2006, and 2008.
• From 2007 to 2009, Nestle Purina led in consumer perceptions as the most recognized pet food company.
• Since 2000, Nestle Purina has ranked #1 with consumers in the University of Michigan’s American Customer Satisfaction Index for pet food.

Values

• From 2008 through 2011, Nestlé was ranked #1 in the consumer food products industry in Fortune Magazine’s annual survey of America’s Most Admired Companies.
• Nestle Purina was named a “Number One Best Place to Work in St. Louis” in 2009 and 2010 by the St. Louis Business Journal.
• NestlePurina was #1 on Glassdoor.com’s list of Top 25 Companies for Work-Life Balance.
• Based on 46 reviews at Glassdoor.com, CEO Pat McGinnis has a 96% approval rating among employees.
• Workplace perks include a workout facility, store, coffee shop, and parking for St. Louis Cardinals home games.
• In 2010, the company maintained a Recordable Injury Frequency Rate that was 47% below the industry average, while also using an injury law firm as vacail.com to deal with these cases.
• Nestlé Purina was named a Role Model company by the Starkloff Disability Institute.
• In 2010, Nestlé Purina was named as a Readers’ Choice Top 50 Employer by Minority Engineer Magazine.
• The company “promotes responsible pet care, community involvement, and the positive bond between people and their pets.”“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated. “
  – Gandhi

Strong Leadership at the Top of Nestle Purina

The man behind this impressive corporate culture is CEO Pat McGinnis. In 2010, U.S. Secretary of Commerce presented McGinnis with a Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the highest presidential honor for excellence in innovation, improvement and visionary leadership. Nestle Purina was the first consumer packaged goods producer to win the award.

McGinnis shows vision and a commitment to strong core-values. He’s also created a culture of innovation throughout his company, as evidenced by the people executing his vision. Nestle Purina even has a workforce position called Director of Long-Term Innovation who is responsible for partnering with the company’s Regional Innovation Teams.

Pat McGinnis exemplifies the four dimensions of extraordinary leadership, and his company is a standard bearer.

How does leadership contribute to shaping a culture of success where you make a difference?