How to enhance HSE practices in the supply chain?
Collaborating with suppliers and contractors is critical part in securing safety in Valmet’s operations. We believe that effective planning, commitment to common goals and rules, clear responsibilities, good coordination and open communication are key to making sure everyone goes home healthy and safe.
As health, safety and environment practices (HSE) are a fundamental part of Valmet’s operations, it is natural that the practices have been integrated to our supply chain operations as well.
HSE practices in China and global Valmet level
In China, Valmet has done many activities to enhance HSE practices in the supply chain. We have for example enhanced safety awareness in the supply chain daily operations by organizing HSE trainings and safety walks. We have set up personal targets toward our goal of zero harm for our own employees working in the supply chain, and we encourage them to make HSE observation reports from both own and supplier workshops. It is also very important that we are all good role models, for example always wearing our personal protective equipment (PPE) and keeping HSE a part of all supplier conversations.
This summer we also successfully organized a Supplier HSE Day in China together with Valmet’s HSE China team. The aim of the Supplier HSE Day was to share good HSE practices with Valmet’s key suppliers in China. It also supports us in reaching the common goal of zero harm in our suppliers’ workshops, too.
On global Valmet level, we have conducted supplier sustainability audits globally every year since 2015 with a strong HSE focus. Our global key supplier sustainability program supports our key suppliers very concretely in enhancing sustainability in their operations by promoting the positive impacts of a sustainable way of working on business, the environment and people. We provide hands-on training and practical support for suppliers to develop their safety and environmental management practices.
Ensuring that health, safety and environment come first is everyone’s duty
Valmet’s strength in enhancing HSE practices in the supply chain is the systemic way of training in HSE issues. We have received very positive feedback on all of our efforts from the suppliers, but especially from the trainings. According to our suppliers, Valmet HSE trainings are very specific with lots of fundamental HSE knowledge.
Of course, we have also met some challenges in enhancing HSE practices in the supply chain. I have noticed, however, that a good dialogue and closer working with suppliers solves many issues in finding the common safety mindset and understanding.
In the future, our plan is to strengthen HSE as one of the personal KPIs for our employees working in the supply chain and continue boosting the Supplier HSE roadshow events.
Ensuring that health, safety and environment come first is everyone’s duty, and we have been building the HSE culture into all Valmet’s processes.