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Bringing people together

With operations in four countries, Tata Chemicals is a strong believer in the power of a common language in bringing together people from different cultures
When Tata Chemicals (TCL) kicked off its rebranding exercise a couple of years back, there was one decision that required much discussion the rebranding of its operations in Kenya. The others were simple enough: the operations in the United Kingdom (formerly Brunner Mond) was renamed Tata Chemicals UK and the operations in Wyoming, US (formerly General Chemicals Industrial Products), was renamed Tata Chemicals North America. After much deliberation, the name for the Kenyan unit was agreed upon. Tata Chemicals Magadi it would be. So why would a company with global aspirations attach the name of a town to itself rather than that of a continent or a country? The answer, to put it in the simplest term, is 'inclusivity'. It was a decision largely driven by the people factor and the recognition of the deep emotional connection that the people of the Kenyan town have with the name 'Magadi'. The rebranding of Magadi Soda Company was a process that saw the company engaging extensively with the local community and employees. We sought feedback from local stakeholders. We had focus groups with the local communities and employees at Magadi. We realised that they were very attached to the name 'Magadi' and that they very much wanted the name to be retained. So it was a decision based on inclusiveness, says R Nanda, vice-president, corporate HR, TCL. At the heart of the matter was a deep respect for the culture and identity of Magadi and its people. It was a truly peoplefocused campaign and this inclusivity actually helped the rebranding process, adds Sujit Patil, head of corporate communications, TCL.

With operations in four locations India, the US, the UK and Kenya cultural diversity is a way of life and work at Tata Chemicals, but company officials say it is not a huge challenge as yet owing to the fact that only the chemicals business, which is largely a B2B, manufacturingdriven business, has gone global right now. Here, too, the movement of people has so far been fairly limited and need-based. Ever since TCL started its acquisitions outside India, there has been a small movement of people from one location to another for the purpose of skill transfer. These are usually time-bound assignments, wherein both the person moving to a specific location and the existing team at that location are clearly aware of the purpose and period of that movement. According to Mr Nanda, such clarity is very important to make the move easy as well as productive. Moving from one culture to another can lead to some level of frustration if not handled properly. Usually such movements are more successful if the person has had some interaction with other cultures before being sent on an assignment, he says, adding companies often offer such exposure to employees by placing them in cross-cultural teams and by sending them on short assignments to other locations. After all that, there will still be some apprehension; the only way to manage that is through effective communication and involvement of the local HR team. Samir Shah, part of the internal audit team at TCL, moved from Mumbai to Magadi in January 2010 and his preparation for the African adventure involved a lot of interaction with colleagues who had been to Magadi before him. Prior to coming to Magadi, we met colleagues who were deputed at Magadi. That gave us a fair idea of the systems at Magadi. Since English was the common medium of communication, that was never an issue. If there was any (other) problem, I just walked into the office of the HR director and discussed it with him. Keeping communication lines open, then, seems to be the simplest and most effective way to manage the challenges thrown up in a culturally-diverse work environment. That, and a genuine respect for the various cultures and cultural nuances that one encounters in such a workplace. Taking care of social and workplace etiquette is also extremely important. Thus, while it is routine for Indian managers to call up colleagues after work hours and on holidays to discuss work, most other cultures dont take kindly to such a practice. Its a definite no-no to call up a colleague on Christmas Eve and discuss business. Managers need to understand and be sensitive to these differences, says Mr Nanda. With its managers located in various continents and time zones, managing time to suit everyone is a constant challenge at TCL. One solution was agreeing on a commonly convenient time to schedule conference calls: 6pm IST, which is the earlier part of the day in the US, the UK and Africa, and not too late for India. A serious focus on punctuality and adhering to deadlines and commitments, especially with time management, does help in managing meeting etiquettes of a diverse workplace, points out Mr Patil. We need to visibly demonstrate respect for the local culture as well as the culture of the organisation. This helps in gaining acceptance. Having done that, if we find scope for

improvement in doing certain things, we can discuss with our colleagues and implement change in a gradual manner. But the starting point has to be respect for local culture, says Mr Shah. A culturally-diverse workplace environment also implies an ongoing process of dialogue and discussion, even if it may not be overt at all times. Its a process that eventually leads to a greater understanding and appreciation of the cultural 'other'. In the early days of TCLs acquisition phase, the company flew down employees from various locations to Mumbai for an extensive workshop that aimed at teaching cultural diversity and nuances of a multicultural workforce, apart from the business processes. We wanted to create a common language where people said 'we' and not 'I', says Mr Patil. The underlying message was that despite the differences in culture, language and nationality, TCL employees had a shared vision and a common goal. TCL is a strong believer in the power of a common language in helping companies overcome the problems posed by cultural diversity. The company, along with its employees, has co-created a framework that defines the four 'cultural pillars' proactive cost focus, agile execution, inclusive collaboration and enduring care that are easily communicated and understood by employees, no matter where they are located. As Mr Patil points out, in an organisation that has employees from various cultural backgrounds, speaking different languages, it is important to have something that binds them all together. Unity in diversity, as they say.

Serving society through science

Tata Chemicals Limited is a global company with interests in businesses that focus on LIFE: Living, Industry and Farm Essentials. The story of the company is about harnessing the fruits of science for goals that go beyond business. This story began in Mithapur, Gujarat in western India with the creation of a plant that would raise a wealth of marine chemicals from the ocean, with the potential to touch human lives in many ways. From these humble beginnings a market-leading international business has been created, with operations across four continents. Through its living essentials portfolio the company has positively impacted the lives of millions of Indians. Tata Chemicals is the pioneer and market leader in Indias branded Iodised salt segment. With the introduction of an innovative, low-cost, nanotechnology-based water purifier, it is providing affordable, safe drinking water to the masses. Tata Chemicals is the worlds second largest producer of soda ash with manufacturing facilities in Asia, Europe, Africa and North America. The companys industry essentials product range provides key ingredients to some of the worlds largest manufacturers of glass, detergents and other industrial products.

With its farm essentials portfolio the company has carved a niche in India as a crop nutrients provider. It is a leading manufacturer of urea and phosphatic fertilisers and, through its subsidiary, Rallis, has a strong position in the crop protection business. The Tata Chemicals Innovation Centre is home to world-class R&D capabilities in the emerging areas of nanotechnology and biotechnology. The companys Centre for Agri-Solutions and Technology provides advice on farming solutions and crop nutrition practices. The company has also entered into a JV with Singapores Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory (Joil) to develop jatropha seedlings to enable bio fuels capability. In line with its mission, serving society through science, the company is applying its expertise in sciences, to develop high-tech and sustainable products. Science for sustainability Tata Chemicals Mission, Vision and Values are deeply rooted in the principles of sustainability. For the company, sustainability encompasses stakeholder engagement, environmental stewardship, creating economic value, promoting human rights and building social capital. Tata Chemicals supports the UN Global Compact and is committed to reporting its sustainability performance in accordance with GRI guidelines. The company actively works towards improving its eco-footprint with a policy of avoid, reduce and reuse. Resource optimisation, alternative sources of fuel and raw materials, and maximising reuse and recycling are key drivers in operations. The company has been recognised for its clear commitments to sustainability and its good environmental management practices. Community links In 1980, Tata Chemicals set up a non-governmental organisation Tata Chemicals Society for Rural Development (TCSRD) that works towards holistic community development, including managing water, land and other natural resources, encouraging enterprise development, and promoting health and education. TCSRD's activities have been recognised at a national level. Tata Chemicals Europe (formerly Brunner Mond) is a major sponsor of the Lion Salt Works Trust, a local heritage project in Cheshire, UK and of the Weaver Valley Initiative, part of the path-breaking Mersey River clean up campaign. In Kenya, Tata Chemicals Magadi supports local health care facilities and works to provide education, water and employment opportunities. Tata Chemicals is also involved in efforts to preserve the biodiversity of land along the Gujarat coastline and the nesting sites of migratory birds. TCL and Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) have signed an MoU for a conservation project that will create awareness and undertake research to save the endangered species of whale shark that visits the coastal shores of Gujarat.

Business system and organization

Tata Chemicals bags awards at Fertiliser Association of India (FAI) Awards
New Delhi, Dec 12 (IBNS): Tata Chemicals Limited, which is a part of the over US$ 100 billion Tata Group, has bagged awards across three categories at 'Fertiliser Association of India (FAI) Golden Jubilee Awards' held on Wednesday in New Delhi. The company was conferred with awards across three categories - Transfer of Improved Farm Technologies, Excellence in Safety and Environmental Protection. Tata Chemicals' won the FAI Award for 'Transfer of Improved Farm Technologies' for its farmer-centric loyalty programme-Tata Kisan Parivar Membership programme and range of advanced technical services such as Soil Testing, Krishi Grahak Seva, Hello Krishi and Smart Krishi targeted at informing, engaging and partnering with farmers for augmenting the farm income. Tata Chemicals along with Pradeep Phospate Ltd. were joint recipients of this award. The company's Babrala plant was awarded with 'Excellence in Safety' FAI Award for maintaining high standards in safety management systems and having the best safety performance during the assessment period FY 12-13. Tata Chemicals were declared joint winners and shared this award with Shriram Fertilisers. Tata Chemicals Haldia plant was the recipient of the 'Environmental Protection' FAI Award. The plant was conferred with this award for being the most environmentally efficient SSP plant in the country. At the Haldia plant, Tata Chemicals have installed a 4-stage scrubbing system which ensures total recycle of scrubber liquor back into the system. Expressing his gratitude, R Mukundan, MD Tata Chemicals, said 'Tata Chemicals is delighted to receive the prestigious FAI Awards. These awards are a testament to Tata Chemicals commitment to conduct business practices which are employee and environment friendly." "Tata Chemicals is focused to integrate innovative measures in its operations which not only improve quality of the produce but also ensures plant and employee safety. Apart from this, directed approach towards transfer of improved farm technologies to farmers is key in enhancing farm productivity across the market. I take this opportunity to thank all the employees and trade partners for their continued efforts to ensure quality and safety across the value chain," he said.