Global Citizenship Report - John Deere

6
EMPLOYEE
DEVELOPMENT
At John Deere, we believe our success
depends on our ability to develop leaders at
all levels of the company who are passionate
and committed, and understand that their
first priority is to develop other employees.
To that end, we strive to provide a work
environment that helps attract and retain
employees capable of sustained high
performance. We offer career development
tools and leadership training for employees
while continually improving workplace health
and safety and fostering inclusive teamwork.
In 2011, the company launched a regional
virtual learning campus in South America.
The campus joins other regional campuses
to provide employees with easy access to
education and training resources wherever
they work.
The company also sponsors employee
resource groups, through which employees
with common interests work together to
develop their careers and contribute to the
business and their communities.
INCLUSIVE TEAMS
Through our Team Enrichment initiative,
employees learn to value and look for
diversity of experience, outlook, and
background among team members to add
depth and perspective in responding to
challenges and opportunities.
DEVELOPING LEADERS
Leaders at John Deere create and
manage the committed, aligned highperforming
teams that provide the energy
needed to succeed in our mission: helping
our customers provide the food, fiber,
fuel, shelter, and infrastructure for a
growing world.
In a rigorous succession-planning process,
we assess leadership potential and
development needs of high-performing
managers. We provide the coaching,
performance management, and challenging
work experiences to develop the leadership
characteristics needed to meet the
company’s business goals.
Some 450 volunteers created a life-size replica of the
new S-690 Combine at the John Deere Pavilion in
Moline, Illinois, using more than 300,000 cans of food.
The effort resulted in a Guinness World Record.
The canned food was later donated to a local food bank.
Jaydeep Kelkar, general manager-product line
marketing, India, was part of a leadership team that
worked alongside female small-holder farmers in
northwest India for four days last fall.
SHARING OUR TALENTS THROUGH
VOLUNTEERISM
It’s our global responsibility to support the
communities in which we live and work.
That means contributing funds, as well as
the time, talent, and passion of our
employees. Through a global volunteerism
initiative introduced in 2011, employees are
encouraged to take paid time off to improve
the quality of life in their communities.
The benefits are many. Employees can
fulfill their passions while gaining skills
and leadership opportunities. Thus,
the company gets more productive and
engaged employees while enhancing its
efforts to become an employer of choice.
Our communities benefit from the
expertise of employees.
Though individual business units establish
specific guidelines, employees are
encouraged to volunteer in the John Deere
Foundation’s focus areas of solutions for
world hunger, community betterment, and
education.