GOOD FOOD, EVERY DAYâ„¢ H.J. Heinz Company

22 | HEINZ Corporate Social Responsibility Report 2005
H.J. Heinz Company
Our Commitment
Heinz is a company of great people.
From the beginning, our founder,
Henry J. Heinz, understood that
employees deserve the highest regard
and encouragement. Henry treated
his employees as though they were
members of his family; paying his
employees top wages and ensuring
industry-leading working conditions.
The Foundation of our People
Strategy rests on a common footprint
consistent across all Heinz affiliates
and integrates our focus on:
Performance Management
Development, People and
Organizational Planning and
Annual Incentive Plan.
What has become common employer practice today, Henry Heinz pioneered.
At a time when employees were not often treated with respect, Henry Heinz
offered a unique philosophy on employer-employee relations. He considered
himself a fellow employee and firmly believed that employees’ workdays should
be happy. This, he felt, was also good for business, since a happier employee
was likely to be more productive.
He was among the first employers in the United States to offer employees dining
rooms, locker rooms and dressing rooms. Leading the industry, Henry also
insisted on cleanliness in every aspect of the business and backed up this policy
by providing clean clothes, indoor washing facilities and weekly manicures for
those who worked in the factory.
To ensure the health and wellness of employees, he created first aid stations,
offered a trained nurse and doctor and, later, hired a dentist. Henry was also one
of the first employers to introduce company-paid life insurance. As his business
expanded, Henry continued to focus on his employees’ well-being by building two
roof gardens, a gymnasium, swimming pool, library and an auditorium for
lectures and concerts.
He focused on creating a comfortable workplace and collegial culture. Paintings
were hung and flowers were plentiful. Henry also fostered the development of the
company’s annual employee picnic, employee social clubs, a monthly newsletter
and a holiday gift.