Quality, HSE and sustainability: Culture, people and improvement in practice
A working day at Thermotech can begin in many ways. For KHMS and Sustainability Manager Ingrid Kongsvik Rommetveit, it usually starts in the office, but an important part of the work is visiting employees on the projects.
– I try to be out with our people when I have the opportunity. That's what I'm here for. To succeed in my job, I have to understand both the complexity of the tasks and the people who perform them. Culture is built primarily in the field and through good relationships, not behind a screen, she says.
When well-being yields results
Ingrid is a trained HSE engineer and has many years of experience in working in the workplace. But what really drives her is people.
– I think it's great fun to work with motivation and well-being. The question I ask myself is: How can we get good professionals to thrive and have a good time at work? Because when we do that, productivity also increases. The work environment and the bottom line go hand in hand. It's a win-win for both employees and the company.
Systems and culture go hand in hand
As an engineer, Ingrid has a sense of systematicity, but she is clear that routines and forms alone do not create results.
– I like building good systems and flow, and that is one of the cornerstones of HSE and quality work. But the most important thing is the culture and that people actually want to contribute. That they report things we can do better, and experience that it makes sense to use their voice. Improvement and learning must be something we own together, she says.
When something happens, whether positive or negative, we use the experience as a basis for development. It's not just about correcting mistakes, but about building an organization that is constantly learning, improving and becoming stronger.
Sustainability in practice
– Sustainability is a word that can often seem abstract, but for us at Thermotech this is about how we work internally, in the local community and in our projects, with the goal of reducing the climate footprint for both ourselves and our customers through a focus on circularity and the environment.
Internally, this means investing in sustainable solutions within energy use, transport, logistics, purchasing, facility management and waste management. We also work systematically to increase the quality of data that enables us to identify new improvements. At least as important is creating a sustainable working environment – through profitable operations, well-being and engagement.
In the local community, we want to contribute to sustainability by supporting initiatives that preserve nature and the environment. This year, for example, we have supported the Outdoor Council West in their important work for outdoor life and nature in the local area.
In our projects, sustainability is about helping customers achieve their own goals. Here, Thermotech has a unique role: With our mobile solutions for machining and leak sealing, we can help our customers repair and maintain instead of replace. When we can extend the life of critical equipment, it means less waste, lower resource use and reduced emissions. Our customers get both better operations and a stronger environmental balance sheet. That is circularity and sustainability in practice, she says.
Challenges and opportunities
The industry is characterized by a high pace and many parallel processes, which places extra demands on quality, HSE and sustainability.
– It is a challenge to keep up with the changes when the pace is so fast. It places high demands on the entire organization, but also provides exciting and eventful days.
We are fortunate to have strong support from our owners in Indutrade, who both motivate and actively contribute to our sustainability efforts. Especially in relation to reducing our CO2 footprint and collecting sustainability data, it is often about making small adjustments that create change over time. Although development may feel slow, it is motivating to see that many small measures together produce results and that we are constantly moving in the right direction.
Value for customers
For Thermotech's customers, one thing is important: Trust.
“Our customers must be able to trust that we deliver goods and services that are safe, sustainable and of high quality – and that we have good control over the supply chain. This is precisely why they choose us,” explains Ingrid.
Our work on HSE and sustainability is therefore not just an internal matter, but part of the value customers actually experience from the services we deliver. It is about solutions that last longer, reduce risk and are more sustainable – both financially and environmentally.
A living culture
– We are fortunate to have skilled professionals with strong professional pride. This allows us to build on an already good culture, where both employees and management take joint responsibility for safety, quality and sustainability. At the same time, it gives us a solid foundation for continuous improvement.
All employees have helped define our values – flexibility, quality and unity. We actively use these values, and they help create a culture where everyone feels ownership of our common project: to deliver great services to our customers and to create the world's best workplace.
When asked what she appreciates most about working at Thermotech, she answers without hesitation: – It’s being part of this team. Our values reflect the culture, characterized by professional pride, innovation, collaboration and a strong desire to do a good job. I feel that everyone is pulling in the same direction. The team at Thermotech is open, positive, committed and professional. It gives both a sense of accomplishment and motivation – and it allows us to build a culture and a practice that lasts together.
