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January 5, 2010
Senn Delaney congratulates Reckitt Benckiser for winning The Economist's 2009 Corporate Use of Innovation Award. One of the world's biggest manufacturers of household, health and personal care products, Reckitt Benckiser earned the “Oscars of innovation” award for demonstrating strong sales and profit growth, even during the recession, thanks to the strength of its innovative and entrepreneurial corporate culture.
With a workforce of 23,000 employees from across the globe and an executive committee comprising six nationalities, the company champions diversity and drives innovation by encouraging staff to outperform, promoting team spirit at all levels and allowing daring ideas to thrive.
In accepting the award at The Economist's Eighth Annual Innovation Awards Ceremony in London, Reckitt Benckiser Executive Vice President Rakesh Kapoor credited the company's culture for allowing innovation to flourish. “Innovation is not just about great ideas, but also the passion with which we put those ideas to work. Innovation is also about being constantly inquisitive, asking ourselves and the consumers what improvements will be really worthwhile, what will really make a difference! And the reason we are good at this is that we also breed a culture of entrepreneurship where it really does not matter where the idea comes from, as long as it makes sense for the consumer and our brands. This is the ideology that drives us and brings to market a faster acting pain pill with Nurofen or a more-sparkle automatic dishwash detergent with Finish.”
“The strength of Reckitt Benckiser's innovative and entrepreneurial corporate culture, which encourages controversy and 'bottom-up' opinion, is the key driver of their success,” said Sir Andrew Cahn, Chief Executive, UK Trade & Investment, award sponsor and presenter. “It underpins their position as one of the top-ranking companies listed on the UK stock exchange and their strong sales and profit growth, even in the current climate.”
Senn Delaney Partner and Executive Vice President Mike Marino said the award is well deserved recognition for Reckitt Benckiser's hard work in recent years with Senn Delaney's guidance to create a culture where everyone lives the values of change, commitment, entrepreneurship, team work and achievement.
Marino noted that during a recent measurement of how well essential behaviors are being lived across the company, 96 percent of respondents agreed there is an environment where people are self starters with initiative and 88 percent agreed there is a bias for action and urgency to move forward. More than 80 percent agreed there was a clear understanding of the mission, vision and goals, and that people are highly accountable for their actions and results.
“One of the guiding principles that people at Reckitt Benckiser live by is entrepreneurship, which they define as having the conviction and courage to support, nurture and develop ideas into winning solutions, making innovation a priority, encouraging and demonstrating creativity, unconventional thinking and a willingness to take risks.”