Quality Products, Processes and People
Colgate’s commitment to producing the highest-quality products shows respect for the consumers we serve. The high-quality standards we have established define our performance expectations for operations and drive compliance. We firmly stand behind each and every product sold. To help our employees achieve the highest quality, we offer a comprehensive training program for all departments and levels that drives quality improvements throughout our organization.
To drive effectiveness and efficiency, a worldwide plan to expand our SAP software has been implemented to support quality monitoring, compliance and data analysis. We believe that quality is everyone’s responsibility. To reinforce this, we have launched a Global Rewards and Recognition program that recognizes top practices for promoting quality and communicates them throughout the company. Examples are present throughout the Colgate world: in Brazil, we exhibit samples of consumer complaints in the plant for the purposes of employee learning. In Italy, we have invented an effective method for sampling powders from storage silos in the plant; while in South Africa, we have formed a line cleaning and sanitization schedule for the plant floor, which greatly improves productivity.
In 2006, we initiated a number of global initiatives to connect quality assessments to consumer experience and feedback, including in-store quality audits and global tracking of consumer complaints.
We monitor the progress of all manufacturing facilities and technology centers through a global quality auditing program. Audit teams of experts across many functions including quality, manufacturing, product development, microbiology and analytical have responsibility for these reviews. Each manufacturing facility and technology center conducts an annual internal audit while Colgate’s Corporate Global Quality team conducts approximately 20 audits a year at various sites around the globe. Each site receives a corporate evaluation approximately every three years and develops a clearly defined forward action plan for continuous improvement. When audits are conducted, best practices are noted and shared with other facilities.
