Consumers may be writing the rules when it comes to product development, but at Grupo Bimbo, the people inside the company are of the utmost importance … and the basis for the Associates pillar, one of the bakery’s four pillars of sustainability, which includes Planet, Wellbeing and Community.

“I work for Grupo Bimbo because it has a very unique humanistic philosophy,” said Juan Muldoon, chief people officer and sponsor of the Associates pillar at Grupo Bimbo. “It’s a company that places the person at the center and never the means, and that humanistic approach to the business is what makes us special.”

At its core, Grupo Bimbo creates an environment for learning, growing, and developing professionally and personally to execute more sweeping change.

“If we focus on making the work experience the best it can be, then we will have a positive multiplier effect in society,” Mr. Muldoon suggested.

For example, every meeting that includes five or more people — no matter where it is in the world — begins with two “shorts,” one cultural short and one safety short.

“In these shorts, we are providing small snippets of wisdom to all our associates,” he said. “When you think of 140,000 associates around the world who are being taught these things about safety and values, and they share them with their family and friends, that positive outcome will multiply and spread.”

For him, the associates are the source of sustainability for the business, and he emphasized that those in Grupo Bimbo leadership walk with their associates to behave in a manner consistent with the values of the company.

From a corporate culture perspective, Grupo Bimbo recognized the challenges that come with its size and reach. Part of Mr. Muldoon’s role is to protect this pillar from becoming diluted, a task for which he is well suited, considering his background with the company. Mr. Muldoon also spent several years incorporating Grupo Bimbo’s culture into acquired companies such as Sara Lee, Mrs Baird’s and Weston Foods, just to name a few.

As Grupo Bimbo further broadens its global reach, the goal is to be an accurate representation of the cultures and communities where it does business while also functioning as an open and welcoming employer.

“We don’t look at diversity from the standpoint of only gender,” Mr. Muldoon said. “And it’s not a numbers game. It’s about making sure our companies are an accurate reflection of the societies in which we operate.”

Editor’s Note: This is the final installment of a four-part series exploring Grupo Bimbo’s sustainability strategy. Click here to read about the company's Wellbeing pillar Planet pillar and Community pillar.