It is no wonder that Bala V Sathyanarayanan is one of the most inspiring business personalities to watch. His journey into the dynamic ecosystem of human resources and leadership within the industry began with his roles at notable companies such as Xerox Corporation, Hewlett-Packard Inc., Avaya Inc., Coca-Cola Inc., and United Technologies Inc.
His career, which started in Asia before transitioning to the United States, has been marked by significant contributions to the field of human resources, earning him recognition for his leadership.
At Greif, Bala serves as the Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, where he has been instrumental in nurturing a world-class, diverse, and engaged workforce. His approach to leadership is centered on serving others and helping them achieve greater things, emphasizing the importance of resilience, adaptability, and the ability to pivot and grow from challenges. This mindset has been particularly relevant in times of crisis, fostering an agile workforce.
Bala’s motivation stems from a deep commitment to driving strategic priorities forward, delivering sustainable value throughout the organization, and leading change management initiatives to build agile, customer-centric organizations. He has worked closely with the CEO, the Executive Leadership Team and the board of directors to lead a culture transformation at Greif, which aims to deliver on the company’s vision of becoming the best-performing industrial packaging firm.
A Servant Leader
Bala’s philosophy of servant leadership, innovation, strategic vision for growth, and emphasis on fostering a culture of inclusion highlight their dedication to personal career goals and the broader objectives of the organizations he serves.
*Servant Leadership: Bala’s approach is deeply rooted in servant leadership, focusing on the well-being and growth of team members. This philosophy enhances colleague (at Greif, every employee is called and treated as a colleague!) satisfaction and leads to better customer care, creating a supportive and collaborative work environment.
*Innovative Strategies: They have implemented innovative compensation strategies that are fair, equitable and competitive, effectively attracting, retaining, and rewarding talent. This approach aligns with The Greif Way, emphasizing recognizing and valuing colleague contributions.
*Leadership Development and Succession Planning: Bala emphasizes leadership development and succession planning. They believe in empowering leaders through intentional development, which is crucial for executing the company’s business strategy and ensuring an engaged workforce.
*Strategic Vision for Growth: They have planned initiatives to build a core DNA of growth within Greif, including organic growth, inorganic growth, and geographic expansion. This strategic vision sets up the company for future long term success.
*One-Greif Initiative: Bala has been instrumental in leading the transition to ‘One-Greif,’ a concept that promotes alignment, connectedness, and the demonstration of One-Greif behaviors across the organization. This initiative fosters a unified corporate culture and enhances operational efficiency.
These elements of Bala’s leadership style drive Greif’s achievements and foster a culture of learning, engagement, and innovation within the company.
A Perfectionist Philosophy
As part of its global operations, Greif’s transformation across the globe is driven by a philosophy emphasizing sustainability, innovation, operational excellence, and customer service. The guiding principles that have propelled Greif include:
~Sustainability: Greif is focused on creating packaging solutions that support the circular economy. This is evident in their high-end barrier technology that aims for lower weight and recyclable mono-material packaging solutions. They also incorporate a high percentage of Post-Consumer Recycled content in their UN-certified containers, contributing to reduced carbon emissions.
~Innovation: The company minimizes customer risk with UN-certified packaging that ensures safe handling and offers environment-friendly solutions. Their Advanced In-Mold Fluorination (A-IMF) Technology is a testament to their commitment to innovation, providing a bi-directional barrier to chemical migration, which ensures product integrity and purity.
~Operational Excellence: Greif strives for consistent, high-quality, on-time, in-full (OTIF) supply. This operational excellence contributes to the best-in-class total cost of ownership of its solutions.
~Customer Service: Greif’s vision is to be the best customer service company in the world. Through technology, they aim to provide transparent and easy 24/7 service and maintain a strong commitment to customer satisfaction, as reflected in their high Net Promoter Score (NPS).
A Firm Focus
Greif is strategically positioned as a transformational company in its sector, focusing on sustainability, customer-centric innovation, and a strong commitment to community and environmental responsibility. Here are some key aspects that highlight Greif’s unique selling propositions (USPs) and its positioning:
*Sustainability and Environmental Responsibility: Greif supports a circular economy by developing innovative products and processes that reduce environmental impact. This commitment is evident in their efforts to embrace a low-carbon future, improve energy efficiency, and minimize raw material usage.
*Customer-Centric Innovation: Greif strongly emphasizes understanding and meeting its customers’ specific needs. This approach is supported by its global experience and technical expertise, which allows it to deliver tailored and innovative solutions that enhance customer value and satisfaction.
*Community and Colleague Engagement: Greif is committed to creating a workplace that values safety, inclusivity, and engagement. They aim to build a sense of community and belonging where employees feel valued and respected. This approach enhances internal morale and strengthens their relationships with the communities they operate in.
*Financial Stability and Strategic Investment: Greif maintains a solid financial foundation, which enables strategic investments in facilities, technology, and innovations that support their customers’ objectives. This financial robustness also ensures long-term sustainability and growth.
*Legendary Customer Service: Greif is dedicated to exceeding expectations and providing exceptional service, ensuring that its solutions are not only effective but also delivered efficiently and reliably.
These elements collectively position Greif as a leader in industrial packaging, emphasizing their role as a transformational company committed to innovation, sustainability, and superior customer service.
The Essence of Future Transformation
It lies in innovation, disruptions, and enhancing the end-user experience. Greif balances operational efficiency and customer satisfaction by continuously investing in technology and processes that improve productivity while maintaining high-quality standards. They prioritize innovation and adaptability, ensuring that internal operations and customer needs are effectively met. This approach allows Greif to respond swiftly to market changes and customer feedback, maintaining a competitive edge in the industry.
Greif actively integrates digitalization and technological advancements into its core operations to shape a technologically innovative future. The company’s strategic approach includes a comprehensive digital ambition and strategy. This strategy focuses on selecting business-aligned technologies and implementing a roadmap incorporating performance and business feedback loops to mitigate risks and enhance operational efficiency.
Key elements of Greif’s digital transformation include:
~Enhanced Customer Experience: Greif is leveraging digital tools to provide better service, including automated ordering systems, shorter lead times, and AI-driven support, significantly improving customer interaction and service delivery.
~Advanced Manufacturing: The integration of automation and robotics is central to Greif’s strategy. It enhances manufacturing efficiency and allows for greater product customization.
~Digital Transformation: Greif utilizes real-time analytics and digital capabilities to achieve manufacturing excellence and optimize supply chain management. This transformation is crucial for maintaining competitiveness and adapting to market demands.
~Sustainability Innovations: Greif’s commitment to sustainability includes the development of eco-friendly materials and reusable systems, which meet rising consumer demands and regulatory requirements.
~Smart Packaging: Integrating sensors and IoT technology in packaging solutions enhances tracking, safety, and consumer interaction, aligning with the global trend towards smarter and more connected products.
These initiatives are part of Greif’s broader goal to establish an Operating Model North Star for 2030. Through this technology selection process, Greif will guide thousands of colleagues in exploring innovative future working methods. This strategic alignment ensures that Greif adapts to the evolving industrial ecosystem and leads in technological innovation and sustainability.
Fostering Team-Work-Force
Ardently believing that the workforce is the cornerstone of every successful organization, Bala ensures Greif is deeply committed to fostering a culture of growth, skill development, and empowerment among its colleagues s, as evidenced by several strategic initiatives and frameworks.
*Build to Last Strategy: This strategy encompasses four missions: Creating Thriving Communities, Delivering Legendary Customer Service, Protecting Our Future, and Ensuring Financial Strength. Each mission is designed to promote a safe, engaging, and inclusive work environment that is recognized globally. This strategy is crucial in driving all activities at Greif, aiming to achieve zero harm and deliver continuous high-margin growth.
*Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Framework: The cornerstone of Greif’s DE&I Strategy is called the LEAD framework. The LEAD framework (Listen, Engage, Act, and Develop) aligns with the Greif Way and core values, focusing primarily on leading with inclusion. This framework intends to foster a world-class, diverse, and engaged workforce, which reflects the global communities in which Greif operates.
*Colleague Engagement Survey: Conducted annually in partnership with Gallup, this survey assesses colleagues’ ‘ engagement levels, providing insights into areas of strength and opportunities for improvement. The survey includes questions measuring psychological commitment and emotional connection to their roles, which are critical for fostering employees’ sense of belonging and purpose.
*Greif Competency Framework Guide: This guide outlines behaviours and skills within specific competency areas, emphasizing a culture of critical thinking, collaboration, and continuous learning. It encourages employees to develop solution-oriented approaches, think creatively, and express new ideas, all essential for personal and organizational growth.
*Leadership and Development: Greif’s global internal University called the Greif University, accelerates colleague development. Greif strongly emphasizes coaching, developing, and supporting teams to foster top performance and promote internal growth. This includes committing to succession planning and reinforcing Greif values, ensuring that employees are well-equipped to take on leadership roles and contribute effectively to the organization’s goals.
Outsmarting Obstacles
Challenges are inevitable. It is how you encounter them that decides your future. Bala shares one notable instance of resilience and ingenuity demonstrated by Greif’s Global HR team during the COVID-19 pandemic. The team faced the significant challenge of maintaining operations and ensuring colleague safety across global locations. They swiftly adapted by implementing remote working technologies, enhancing communication channels, and introducing flexible work arrangements. Additionally, the HR team played a crucial role in developing and enforcing health protocols to safeguard colleagues in manufacturing and operational sites, ensuring that Greif could continue its essential services without major disruptions. This period highlighted the team’s ability to quickly respond to unprecedented challenges and maintain operational continuity in the face of global adversity.
A Strategic Advice
Businesses are a way for the industry to pace up its economic potential and capacity. Bala advises budding entrepreneurs and young professionals aspiring to succeed in the startup space. He emphasizes the importance of hard work and awareness of macro-environment trends that affect the business and socio-political landscape.
Bala also advises building a robust network inside and outside one’s firm and stresses the importance of having mentors, a sponsor, and a coach.
Additionally, he highlights the need for a growth mindset, encouraging risk-taking, experimentation, and creativity to discover and improve areas of knowledge and business operations.
These insights are aimed at helping aspiring entrepreneurs navigate the challenges and opportunities in the startup ecosystem effectively.
Looking Ahead: A Futuristic Vision
Bala’s vision for Greif is centred around fostering a culture of collaboration, inclusion, and continuous learning to drive the company’s strategic direction towards becoming the best-performing industrial packaging firm. They emphasize the importance of developing a strong culture that guides employees’ discretionary behaviour in ways that benefit the company’s growth and direction. This includes initiatives like the ‘One-Greif’ concept, which promotes alignment and connectedness across the organization.
Regarding their aspirations to significantly impact India’s transformational future landscape, Bala has a history of leading change management initiatives and building customer-centric organizations that execute business strategy while delivering cost savings. His past roles have involved significant contributions to operations in India and across the globe, such as improving employee engagement and developing leadership programs that build a pipeline of future talent.
These experiences reflect their capability and intent to influence positive transformations within Greif’s operations across the globe.
