“As a learning organization we do take heed of the criticism made of us. This is one way of translating Hydro’s values into action. Such situations test us on whether we really are an organization that learns,” she says.

She points out that Hydro’s values, also referred to as The Hydro Way, are meant to incorporate everything Hydro stands for.

Values are our compass

“Our values give us a common language and provide a compass for us as we discuss how we go forward. The values themselves don’t always give us clear answers, but by using them and communicating them actively to all our employees, we improve our ability to tackle dilemmas,” explains Harris.

“Hydro has more than a century-long history, encompassing a wide range of  business activities and contacts with all corners of the globe. Our historical experiences are also built into the compass we use for navigation. We have plenty of  experience of taking difficult decisions and actively practicing social responsibility. Both the good examples – and those that aren’t so good – count here,” she says. 

Receptive to other viewpoints

”We’ve got some very able employees in a wide range of specialist areas, but that’s not something that prevents us from being receptive to other viewpoints from people outside the company. Transparency and humility are important qualities that we want to identify with.”

Harris also points out that corporate directives and procedures are important instruments of control, and adds that Hydro employs modern training methods to help employees translate theory into practice.

Training to deal with dilemmas

“Directives and procedures are not just something 'we’ve got to have’," says Harris.

"They are valuable tools we use actively for in-house training, and they help us – leaders and all our other employees – to deal with dilemmas.”