If you have visited our establishment, you may recall a very clean and white environment with a central piece of artwork made of nine colorful elements, each of which lists one of our company values.* Every time I pass by, I read them and like to think that those are the principles we use to guide our decisions and actions on a daily basis.
Awareness, Diversity, Efficiency, Innovation, Integrity, Quality, Respect, Safety and Wellness.
But is that the case? If we do not live and work by our values, it is and will remain a simple list. So, how do we ensure that we successfully employ these values each and every day?
I am very blessed to say that my family taught me the importance of having values early on. We never really discussed values, I just saw them guide my parents’ lives day in and day out. I saw the integrity it took to get up at 5:00 a.m. every morning to make sure the gelato was of the highest quality. My mom greeted and smiled at every single person who entered the store, respecting and acknowledging their presence no matter what. “Smile from within your heart, and they will smile back,” she always said. I am very lucky that my parents were able to demonstrate such simple ways to showcase their values.
No matter what your background, the formula for a value-driven life appears to be relatively easy to follow. Apply your values in everything you do, constantly. Use them as a map to your destination. Start with the little things and make your way up to the bigger things in life. You will realize how easy it is to make decisions and navigate through challenges. If you are able to be honest with yourself and what you believe in, you will be able to be honest with others, and your credibility will flourish.
I realize that PreGel AMERICA has all the requisites to become a value-guided company and showcase our unwavering commitment to those nine words. We are not fully there. We still have instances in which we do not live up to your, and our, expectations. For that, I apologize. But rest assured that we are learning and improving every day.
And we are even doing more than that. I would like to add an unofficial value to the list: “Promise.”
Our promise is to always listen to your thoughts, concerns and complaints, hopefully some compliments as well, and to humbly use them to become a better partner–a partner you can trust.
Because in the end, these values should be more than art on the wall–they should be our culture.
*A good friend of mine and very talented artist, David, did an incredible job in converting our original vision into a displayable reality. Thank you.
Marco Casol,
President and CEO