To recognize and promote significant development efforts and achievements, each year colleagues within the Group are awarded with the Husqvarna Group Excellence Award for their contributions. The awards are handed out in three categories; Innovation Excellence, Business Excellence and Continues Improvement Excellence.
The applications for this year’s Excellence Awards were not only an impressive number but also overall of very high quality, the applications in general exemplified the Group's Core Purpose and the Group Strategy. New for 2017 was an addition evaluating criteria based on the Group’s Sustainability strategy, which means that the applicants were assessed on how they addressed sustainability in their respective areas.
For 2017, the Innovation Excellence Award was given to the team behind the Husqvarna Fleet Services with the following motivation
“The Husqvarna Fleet Service helps commercial customers to increase their productivity through data-driven decision making. It reduces environmental impact through fleet optimization and is an important enabler to expand into the vital Commercial Lawn and Garden market. Key success factors have been cross-functional collaboration and involvement of customers and end-users. The team behind Husqvarna Fleet Service developed a first in the industry solution that has built a foundation for a new business model and has acted as pioneers on the digitization journey for the Group. For that they have been awarded the Innovation Excellence Award.”
The Business Excellence Award was given for the Battery Acceleration Go to Market Initiative with the following motivation
“The team behind the "Battery Acceleration Go to Market Initiative" strategy has demonstrated cross-functional and collaborative efforts to successfully drive the Petrol to Battery shift in the global marketplace. The strategy was to provide local markets with the tools needed to confidently approach dealers, retailers and end users. Key success factors were tailored launch programs, enhanced training, tailored launch programs and incentives together with effective marketing material, solid pricing and distribution models connected to an aggressive sales plan.
These efforts led to results that outpaced the market growth and supported our sustainability agenda with environmentally friendly products. Looking into the near future this strategic battery initiative provides a solid basis for growth towards market leadership. That's why the team behind this Battery success is awarded this year's Business Excellence Award.”
The Continuous Improvement Excellence Award was given to the manufacturing facility in Xiamen, China with the following motivation
“In 2010 the Xiamen manufacturing team began a lean transformation with the Husqvarna Operating System, HOS, creating a performance culture based on Key Behaviors. They have significantly and consistently improved safety, quality, delivery, cost, employee satisfaction and sustainability over the last 6 years. Employee involvement and collaboration were essential to success. Activities such as Kaizen workshops, HOS certification, Key Behavior training, recognition and teamwork beyond daily work including social events and community engagement resulted in substantially increased employee satisfaction. For this systematic and sustained work Xiamen Manufacturing is awarded the Continuous Improvement Excellence Award.”
About the awards
Any individual or team employed by the Group including subsidiaries may submit an application for the Husqvarna Group Excellence Awards. Applications are judged by a nomination committee who select the finalists. In the second step of the application process, the finalists submit additional details through a supplementary application. Group Management then select the final winners from the group of finalists.
Award ceremony in Jönköping
The award ceremony was held during the Annual General Meeting on Tuesday April 4, in Jönköping, Sweden. President and CEO Kai Wärn started the award ceremony by showing a film of this year's winners.