SAO PAULO, Sept. 16, 2020 (Press Release) -“Although uncertainty remains as the prevailing feeling around the world, we have at least the clear certainty of living the most relevant critical event of modern times, simultaneously and practically equally intense for all humanity”, claimed the CEO of CMPC, Francisco Ruiz-Tagle.
On a letter sent to the entire organization entitled: “It is time to get involved and lead the future”, the executive said that the result of the current health and economic crisis that impacts the world cannot be indifferent for the different actors in a society.
“The result of this situation cannot, of course, be harmless or trivial. The first and most serious impacts are human, social and economic. We must not only regret the loss of valuable human lives, but also experience the decline in the quality of life of millions of people, exposing, again, the gaps in our development”, he noted.
Also, he added that “other effects associated with behavioral changes, increased technological absorption by people, geopolitical movements and corporate restructuring, to mention a few areas, are also evident. To this, we should add so many impacts that we still do not scale but that they will certainly shape a reality that is very different from what we met before entering this complex and challenging phase of global pandemic”.
In this context, he expressed his conviction that “CMPC, due to its capacity, size, relevance and impact in the territories where it operates, must play a leading role in anticipating these changes. Moreover, it must be a change manager, identifying early opportunities, adapting our ways of working and understanding the world”.
He stated that “as heirs of a centennial company, we have the capabilities, relevance and obligation to project ourselves for another hundred years, being leaders in the structuring of this new reality”.
For this reason, the CEO pointed out that a participatory consultation process will be opened within the company, structured with specific deadlines to collect the experience of the collaborators, identify the changes and opportunities that have arisen and those that have yet to appear, to finally generate a roadmap towards a leading company in the construction of this new world.
“The leadership in building this new world, seems to me to have the greatest relevance, not only because of the opportunities that may exist, but also because we are already experiencing the high social expectation in the role of companies in this scenario and because we have learned that many social challenges remain that we must proactively address in the framework of a public-private effort”, said Ruiz-Tagle.
For the same reason, he said, “it is not risky to propose that people will not only expect us to make our utmost efforts to maintain endowments and salaries, pay suppliers up to date, and that it is the shareholders who will mainly bear the costs of the crisis. They will also expect us to be a leader in economic recovery, encouraging hiring and investment projects. But as if this was not enough, they will want us to do so in a socially responsible, inclusive and sustainable manner”.
Definitely, he added, “it will not only matter what we do, but how we do it and how we will become responsible for problems that, until now, many of us thought were, rather than a private priority, a responsibility of governments and their institutions. Or at best, from non-governmental organizations. What problems do I mean? For example, greater equity, inclusion and sustainability”.
The CEO of CMPC clarified that this extensive reflection is not only about a purely social concern. “I'm referring to the core of our business. What we seek to build is a company capable of lasting for another hundred years, which involves improving returns, efficiencies, financial capabilities, attracting and retaining customers and consumers, adding talent and quality in our operations”.
It is this excellence, he added, “that must also manifest itself in the face of our environment and, more importantly, become a factor of development that allows us to identify the challenges and opportunities in this new world that will emerge after the pandemic”.
Finally, he stated, “rather than a return to the "new normal," we will return to a "new reality". And in this new reality the spaces of growth, efficiency, integration and recognition are not mapped, but to be traced. And that will be achieved by those who get ahead of the facts.