theceomagazine.com | 83“ It’s a great lesson –
how people really want
to belong to something
that they believe in.”
the importance of creating an environment
where people belonged. It’s one thing the
executive is proud of – the passion of its
employees. “It’s a great lesson – how
people really want to belong to something
that they believe in – and that has been
one of the highlights of the past three
and a half years since we demerged.”
Through Orora Live, the company
established a good cultural and brand
platform. The shift in company dictum
proved to be both challenging and
rewarding for Nigel, with him recalling
two highlights specifically. The first in
Los Angeles: “I remember two people
coming up to me. One was a gentleman
who was nearly 70. He had been working
for the business for nearly 50 years. He
came up and said, ‘Nigel, I just wanted to
give you some feedback. I really enjoyed
the presentation; I understand where we
are. I’ve worked for this business for a
long time and I want to tell you this: this
is the first time I feel like I really belong,’
and he had tears in his eyes when he was
saying that to me.”
The second involved one of the
company’s leading salesmen seeking Nigel’s
permission to bring his wife and children
along the next time so they would “knowthe type of company that I’m working
for”. Nigel believes this gives Orora its
point of difference. “Assets are one thing,
but it’s people who make a company and
it is people who make a difference.”
Orora has invested approximately
A$400 million in growth since listing on
the ASX in December 2013. With more
than 6,700 team members and 54,000
shareholders, it’s evidence of its success
so far. A fit balance sheet and healthy
cashflow mean Orora is well-positioned
for a period of accelerated innovation,
with ongoing enhancements to its core
business operations and calculated
investments to push future growth
for shareholders.
Its A$45-million global innovation
initiative saw it recently sell surplus
land to allocate money to the Orora
Global Innovation Fund. This move
sent a clear statement, internally and
externally, of delivering to its customers
and stakeholders while also reaffirming its
cultural journey. A further demonstration
of its cultural shift was the innovative
implementation of a crowd-sourcing
initiative inside the business. Nigel adds:
“It’s quite an innovative approach where
everybody can contribute. We had
collaboration across different countries and
business units where people could get on
board knowing they can make a difference.
By involving people in the process, they’re
part of the solution rather than being
threatened by change. This is a key part
of who we are and what we stand for.”
This ethos of engagement that has
now been established at Orora is what
Nigel is most proud of. “Which is why
we spell Orora with an O, because O
stands for ‘our’. It’s our company. It’s our
opportunity. It’s our future. It was named
by our people and it’s something that
I think everybody’s embraced.”Interview | INNOVATE