Greater Toronto's Top Employers (2025) Magazine - Flipbook - Page 72
72
( 2025 )
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Henkel fosters an environment for employees to thrive
S
ara Saloojee pauses for a
few seconds when asked
if she can recall the first
time she realized Henkel
Canada was an excellent
employer.
“It’s really hard to dial it down
to one moment, because I feel like
it’s a buildup of so many things
that reassure me,” says Saloojee,
marketing manager, consumer
brands – hair professional. “But
I feel like a standout moment in
my journey was going through the
pandemic with Henkel.”
Saloojee had moved into
Henkel’s hair professional division
in March 2020 just as the impact
of the pandemic began shutting down the hair salons that
buy Henkel’s professional hair
products. She says the company
moved quickly to offer employees
support, setting up calls about
how to adjust to the new normal
and prioritize their mental health,
and reassuring them their jobs
were safe – while also gifting
products to the struggling salons.
“That was a real shining
moment,” Saloojee says. “It told
me Henkel is with me through the
good and the tough.”
Mississauga, Ont.-based Henkel
Canada is a unit of the German
adhesives and consumer products
giant, which has divisions and
operations around the world.
Saloojee says Henkel’s size,
structure and business approach
give employees access to multiple
opportunities to advance their
careers. “We’re a lean team,”
Saloojee says of the Mississauga
office. “Because of that, we get
many opportunities to work in
different businesses or projects.”
In addition to working in a
variety of positions and getting
added responsibilities in her seven
years at Henkel, Saloojee also has
been able to spend time at Henkel
offices in the United States. And
recently, she and two other senior
marketers travelled to global headquarters in Dusseldorf to take part
in an advanced marketing course.
Saloojee credits her managers’
responsiveness to employee needs.
“I really feel that when I speak up,
Photo goes here
Earth Squad members at Henkel participate in a local park clean up sponsored by the organization.
or put my hand up, I am able to
get access to new opportunities,”
she says.
Pierre Dupuis, general manager
for consumer brands in Canada,
says Henkel invests a lot of time
and effort in its employees’
experience.
“We can move, we can be
nimble, we can be fast. And
when you have people with
that mindset, who are really
looking to drive change, it
rapidly multiplies across
the organization.”
— Pierre Dupuis
General Manager,
Consumer Brands Canada
“It’s really important to foster an
environment for people to shine,”
says Dupuis, who has been at
Henkel for 14 years. “And when
you’re a small group, everyone
contributes, and everyone’s part of
our success.”
He says Henkel’s interest in
developing employees begins with
its internship program, which
gives participants the opportunity
to do meaningful work across
the businesses. When hired,
employees go through a global onboarding program that includes a
personalized plan and an assigned
buddy. Full-time employees
have access to an extensive set of
internal and external courses and
programs they can use to improve
their skills or learn new ones.
Dupuis also says Henkel is
strong in recognizing exceptional
employee performance through
its leadership commitment awards
