Building a strong safety culture is a continuous journey, not a destination. As a world-class company, we are relentless in our strive for continuous improvement in creating an environment that supports the holistic well-being of each team member.
This commitment was led by our refocus on everyone’s safety in 2025, spearheaded through a campaign that is now part of Plasman’s everyday culture. Safety is the foundation of every Plasman operation, rooted in our values and beliefs that a healthy, protected workforce is the true indicator of our success and team member well-being.
Proudly, our culture embodied these actions, which resulted in Plasman’s most successful annual safety performance to date in 2025. This accomplishment was achieved by our team members who fostered an environment where everyone feels secure, valued, and empowered to do their best work.
A Cultural Shift Was the Leading Cause
When the core value of Safety & Integrity was integrated into Plasman’s culture in 2025, they were not just words added to a mission statement. At Plasman, safety is the heartbeat of our culture. It is the unspoken promise made between team members every day that the right way is the only way, and that every person’s well-being is the highest priority. It is who we are as one team and One Driving ForceTM.
“Our commitment to safety is the ultimate expression of our integrity,” explained Rod Alward, President North America, Plasman. “Safety is not a checklist to be completed; it is an environment we create together. Above all, our 2025 success reflects a team that values people over pace, and we do not just say we care about our people – we prove it through every action we take on the floor.”
The Rhythm of Each Day: The 4 Pillars of Health & Safety
Our safety culture thrives through a shared mindset, and our 4 Pillars of Health & Safety, incorporated last year, serve as the chapters of daily operations, guiding every action and decision for all:
- Prepare: Work begins with intentions and practice in everything you do. Remember to take 5 seconds to stop, think, and observe before you proceed. No task is started without a clear understanding of the landscape, acknowledging that a moment of preparation protects a lifetime of dreams. This began with the launch of numerous safety assessments and audits, at the plant-level and beyond.
- Prevent: This is our culture in action. It is the “good catch” made when a team member spots a hazard and refuses to walk past it. Last year, Plasman team members’ vigilance resulted in a staggering improvement of 50% in recordables and a 44% reduction in lost time in 2025 versus 2024. The ending of the story is rewritten before a risk can become a reality.
- Protect: Respect is shown by ensuring everyone has the right gear, the right training, and the right support. Protecting one another is the ultimate act of integrity. In 2025, Windsor Tooling led the way as they celebrated ten years with zero lost time. Many other Plasman locations also reached two- and one-year milestones of zero lost time incidents.
- Participate: This is where our culture truly shines through collective action and leadership. In 2025, participation was strengthened through weekly review meetings between plant floor team members, EHS personnel, HR units, and Operations managers. Global collaboration reached new heights through the Global Safety Cross initiatives and active best practice sharing between regions. Furthermore, the standardization of safety communication boards and enhanced safety training ensured that every team member has the tools and knowledge to actively engage in our safety journey. It is the collective voice of the team – the freedom and courage to speak up, and the active role everyone plays in keeping our working community whole.
A Shared Pact and Mindset: The Non-Negotiables
Stefan Jensen, VP Operations, Plasman Europe, attributes progress made across all Plasman European locations to structure in processes. “Within our safety culture, there are lines that are never crossed,” explained Jensen. Integrity means corners are never turned away to avoid a difficult conversation. “Our non-negotiables of safety are the boundaries that protect every individual. Best practices and communication have been standardized so that ‘the right way’ is clear, consistent, and accessible to all team members, globally that is vital to our success.”
Transparency Through Communication
A culture that emulates initiative-taking safety awareness has everyone feeling engaged and included. This is why the commitment to being transparent with information is so vital. Successes are celebrated, but “near-misses” and lessons learned are also shared openly. Mistakes are not hidden; they are used as stepping stones to become better. By standardizing how information is communicated through communication boards, JHSC meetings, monthly safety tips, and more, the knowledge of one becomes the strength of many.
“Transparency is the bridge to trust,” stated Mark Sullivan, Chief Executive Officer, Plasman. “By sharing our data and our lessons learned openly, we empowered every Plasman team member to be a leader in safety. Our dedicated team members have transformed our safety culture with the mindset to be one percent better every day.”
Why this All Matters!
The results and data from 2025 tell an impressive and important story. We recorded our fewest reportable incidents in over twenty years, with a fifty percent improvement globally. “It is about the person working next to you, the families waiting at home, and the integrity of our company that puts human lives first,” concluded Alward.
We are not done. We understand our accomplishments in 2025 are just the starting point to building even greater consistency in our quest to ensure the well-being of our team members, customers, and partners. It is our top priority and at the forefront of all our actions.
“To every Plasman team member: thank you for your unwavering commitment to looking out for one another,” said Sullivan. “I am proud of the culture of wellness, health, and safety we have fostered together. I encourage everyone to maintain these high standards and continue making our workplace safer for all.”
About Plasman
Plasman is a leading global manufacturer in bumpers-fascias, grilles, exterior trim, and subsystem components. As One Driving Force™, our diverse team of talented employees in 10 countries is driven by a commitment to outperform in all areas from engineering design to state-of-the-art manufacturing processes. Plasman’s headquarters are in Oldcastle, Ontario. Further information about Plasman is available at Plasman.com or follow us on LinkedIn.