42 | Westland Milk Products T T Richard Loader Campaign focuses on people, culture Amy Moore, GM People and Culture, returned to Westland Milk Products after several years away working at senior levels for a range of global employers both in and outside of the dairy industry. T Tto page 44 REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Championed by the company’s executive team, for the last eighteen months Westland Milk Products has been on a courageous journey, that has focused on its people and culture as a key driver of meaningful business performance. Embracing a leadership programme aimed at leaders of all levels within the business; a Grow our Own campaign focused on retaining and developing talent internally; individual development programmes for all staff; and attracting new talent to the business, Westland’s journey has been about clearing the runway, enabling people to succeed. The feedback received at all levels of the business has been overwhelmingly encouraging, with people having the courage to step up not just within their own zones of comfort, but at cross functional levels too. Located on the eastern edge of Hokitika township, Westland Milk Products (Westland) is the Coast’s biggest private sector employer, with a team of 467, another 92 in its Rolleston plant and 96 in Hornby’s warehouse and administrative office. A little over three years ago Westland Co-operative Dairy Company was purchased by Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Company Ltd, (Yili), forming Westland Milk Products. Westland’s milk processing plant in Hokitika is iconic. As large mass of buildings and stainless steel with a constant stream of milk tankers entering the facility, it has an air of mystery akin to Willy Wonker’s Chocolate Factory. There is a lot to see, not only from a stainless steel perspective but also the sense of the scale of what lies behind those gates. One of the key proponents of the change within Westland is Amy Moore, GM People and Culture. Amy returned to Westland after several years away working at senior levels for a range of global employers both in and outside of the dairy industry. She says returning to Westland there was a real sense of purpose because it is a company that has a real soul to it in terms of community contribution, and the people really care about the results the company gets for the community. “There are a lot of intergenerational families working in Westland. The beauty of that is that you have some inbuilt accountability framework where when you are in a community where everybody knows everybody, you are very accountable for how you deliver at work or elsewhere in the community. So Westland is definitely iconic, and certainly aspirational. “We have been very fortunate over the last eighteen months, since the new CEO, Richard Wyeth, has been in the role in that a lot of people were very aware that change within the business was necessary. “ Because people are so proud of the business and its place in the community, people really wanted it to work. So there was a level of hunger for innovation and change, with people willing to step up with ideas. “One of the parts of my role, having worked elsewhere for the last twelve years, has been to reinvigorate the brand of Westland as an employer.” Aratuna Freighters proudly supports Westland Milk Products. 03 769 9081 freight@aratuna.co.nz www.aratunafreighters.co.nz
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