Richard Taylor, Operations Director at Ceylon Tobacco Company (CTC) shares insights into the company’s initiatives for operational effectiveness and environmental responsibility. His contributions highlight the commitment to continuous improvement, innovation, and fostering a culture that aligns with global standards in environmental management.
1. How can a feedback culture support learning and personal development, both for individual employees and the organization as a whole?
Embracing a robust feedback culture is more than just a process—it’s a catalyst for individual and organizational evolution. The power lies in the valuable insights it provides—like a mirror reflecting strengths, weaknesses, and the often-overlooked blind spots. Such self-awareness becomes the cornerstone for personal and professional growth. In the ebbs of success, individuals might inadvertently become stagnant, and resistant to change. Yet, a growth mindset is crucial at every life stage. This is where constructive feedback, when woven into the cultural fabric of psychological safety, from mentors, line managers and peers, becomes a transformative force. It encourages open, honest conversations, facilitating realignment and skill honing.
Acting upon feedback isn’t just about refinement; it’s a pathway to acquiring new skills. It sets the stage for realistic goal-setting, allowing constant assessments and adjustments. Beyond individual growth, a feedback-rich culture nurtures mentoring and coaching relationships within the organization. Discussions become more than evaluative—they morph into opportunities for seasoned individuals to guide and mentor others, fostering a culture of leadership and talent development. It’s a reciprocal environment where employees embrace feedback with openness, recognizing its intrinsic value, while employers cultivate an environment rich in psychological safety. This synergy creates a space where continuous learning, growth, and thriving become the norm. Here at CTC, we highly encourage and support the discussion of development areas with constructive feedback, as this allows every individual to reassess and recalibrate accordingly which drives personal and professional growth.
2.How do you balance the need for efficiency with the growing emphasis on sustainability in today’s business environment? Are there specific initiatives you’ve implemented to enhance operational effectiveness and environmental responsibility?
Balancing the need for efficiency with the growing emphasis on sustainability involves careful consideration of resource utilization and adopting various eco-friendly practices that align with the broader organisational goals without significantly affecting productivity or cost. In navigating the balance between efficiency and sustainability, BAT as a Group, has championed a commitment to circular economy principles.
At CTC, we’ve placed particular emphasis on water recycling and waste reduction, not only as an environmental responsibility but also as a driver for cost reduction. CTC has been certified as carbon neutral in scopes 1 and 2 for two consecutive years. We’ve taken significant strides to achieve this feat. This journey involved a meticulous approach to energy usage, wherein we’ve incorporated solar energy, resulting in a remarkable 50% reduction in our grid dependency. Additionally, we’ve adopted more energy-efficient machinery to further curtail our total energy requirements.
Sustainability isn’t a static goal but a continuous journey, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement and innovation is integral. We actively encourage our employees to contribute and participate in ideas that promote sustainable practices while simultaneously enhancing operational efficiency. Campaigns centred around important dates and events, such as World Environment Day, serve as crucial platforms for driving awareness and educating our employees on their role in contributing to a sustainable future.
At CTC, our commitment to sustainability and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors is unwavering. We align our sustainability agenda at the core of our business, aiming to create shared value for all stakeholders.