The Future of Horticulture

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The Future of Horticulture in Australia.
Simon J. Costa Costa Group of Companies
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• Costa family represent the largest fresh produce
  growing, packing, marketing, distribution and
  exporting company in Australia.
• Privately owned family business
• 10,000 employees / responsible for 15,000 acres
  of planted farms
• Business operations in three continents.
• Recently recognised as Australias Leading
  Agribusiness Organisation, Australias Leading
  Logistics and Supply Chain Company, Victorian
  Logistics and Transport Achievement Award, South
  Australian Premiers Workforce Development Award,
  Australian Family Business of the Year and
  Australian Employer of Choice.

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• We could have spent time today discussing the
• Increasing demands on growers/ suppliers to add
  value
• The need to create more resilient supply chains
• (and the economic impact of supply chain
  disruptions - lost revenues, higher costs,
• service impacts, credibility loss etc.)
• New business models for serving large
  supermarket chains.
• - all critical in the future of horticulture in
  Australia.

However, none of this can be achieved without
also developing the right culture within your
business!!
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The critical importance of culture within the
changing commercial structures (of both your
business and your customers!!
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I disagree strongly with the concept that
people are your companies most important
assets...
The RIGHT people are your most important assets
(the wrong people will ruin your business every
time!!)
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• Dealing with constant change and striving for
  significant business improvements is a huge
  challenge...
• but aligning values across a business is even
  more difficult, regardless of scale (especially
  where you have the added complexity of different
  races and cultures.)
• Possible to achieve extraordinary service
  outcomes by maintaining a disproportionate focus
  on your people (education, reinforcement of
  values, consistency of leadership)
• gt increased business value / decreased business
  risk / increased business profit
• Critical investment in the Human Factor
• (everything depends on your people, but often
  the area
• which gets the least amount of time and
  investment!)

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Adopting a different perspective

• Reversing the traditional model of
  Systems, Processes and People.
  
• Consistently achieving extraordinary service
  levels through developing quality people, with
  strong customer focus and shared (stretch)
  targets.
• Delivering quantum improvements in output quality
  (without increasing costs)

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• Character based recruiting (establishing a team)
• Hiring for character, training for skill
• Interviews / Selection / Inductions

• Character based training (developing a team)
• Education session every month with every member
  of staff (x 10,000!)
• Strong reinforcement of the benefits of great
  character

• Character based discipline (shaping a team)
• Educational session every month with every member
  of staff
• Character based discipline

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At some point in time, we all experience
challenges in our business
Service Failures Workplace Anger Poor
Productivity Sexual Harassment Theft Poor
Morale Absenteeism Lack of Commitment Lack of
Enthusiasm Resistance to Change Poor
Communication etc
Every one of these challenges can be directly
attributed to character failings by one or more
members of your team.
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In addition to great workplace morale and great
customer service, consider the commercial
benefits to your business of

• High productivity levels
• Low absenteeism
• Low staff turnover
• High workplace efficiencies (no re-work)
• Minimal property damage
• Zero theft
• Zero industrial relations issues (for decades!)

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Establishing the right culture is arguably the
most important area of leadership, vision and
innovation in your organisation!
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• We have very little influence over the behaviour
  and culture within other organisations, but
  enormous influence over the culture we allow to
  develop in our own.
• As an industry leader and responsible
  participant in shaping the future of horticulture
  in Australia, we take very seriously the need to
  lead by example (in terms of our consistency of
  behaviour and standard of service.)
• The only possible way of influencing the
  behaviour of those you do business with is to
  ensure your people consistently behave in the
  desired manner.
• Character based leadership supports this.

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• If you need further convincing?
• Empirical research shows (Cotter, USA)
• Companies who manage culture vs. those who dont?
  
• Revenue up 682 Vs up 166
• Stock Price up 901 Vs up 74
• Net Income up 756 Vs up 1
• Job Growth up 286 Vs up 36

10 year period
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• Ask yourself
• Is it right for your customer?
• Is it right for your company?
• Is it ethical?
• Is it something you are willing to be accountable
  for?
• Is it consistent with your companys basic
  beliefs?
• If your answer is yes to these questions, dont
  hesitate, just do it!!

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When nature, technology and great character come
together something unique is created
Thank-you.