Sika is a specialty chemicals company with a leading position in the development and production of systems and products for bonding, sealing, damping, reinforcing, and protecting in the building sector and motor vehicle industry. Sika has subsidiaries in 101 countries around the world and manufactures in over 200 factories. Its more than 20,000 employees generated annual sales of CHF 7.09 billion in 2018.
Five Management Principles
The future success of Sika is not only dependent on pursuing the right strategy, but is just as much based on the trust and dedication of all employees. The Sika journey to global leadership is founded on the company's entrepreneurial philosophy and the Sika Spirit.
The Sika Spirit is a synonym of the strong set of values and principles which makes up the DNA of the company. Five management principles are expressing the corporate culture and are the foundation of future success:
Customer First
Sika is dedicated to provide and maintain highest quality standards with its products and services. The commitment to innovation enables Sika to not only satisfy current demands, but also anticipate future expectations. All Sika solutions are designed with the customers’ success in mind and to build long lasting and mutually beneficial relationships rather than focus on short-term business. This attitude is emphasized by the corporate claim: Building Trust. Sika is proud and grateful that its commitment to fulfill the promise of the brand every day has led the Sika triangle, the 100 year old visual symbol, to become synonymous with performance, quality, reliability and service worldwide.
Courage for Innovation
Sika’s success and reputation is based on its long lasting tradition of innovation. Accordingly, the core of the business is innovation management and focus on developing quality products and the best solutions for customers. Sika has institutionalized the Sika Product Creation Process with its strong focus on consistently developing new products, systems and solutions for bonding, sealing, reinforcing, strengthening and protecting in the defined target markets. By investing in Sika's established technology centers and laboratories across the globe, the company profits from a worldwide network of partners, suppliers and scientists, while fulfilling its promise to be close to the customers everywhere.
Sustainability & Integrity
Sika takes a long-term perspective on the development of the business and acts with respect and responsibility towards its customers, stakeholders and employees. Sika operates with a strong focus on safety, quality, environment, fair treatment, social involvement, responsible growth, and value creation.
Sustainability is a key component of the company's innovation drive. For buildings as well as for industrial applications Sika aims to enhance durability and improve both energy and material efficiency. The company keeps making every effort to contribute to reducing resource consumption both within the company as well as for its partners who trust in Sika's products. Sika's initiatives and progress are organized along the Global Reporting Initiative.
Throughout all this, Sika puts safety first. The well-being and health of the employees and partners is a prerequisite to Sika's success. Creating safe work environments is always a top priority.
Sika enhances social and economic progress in all countries and communities it operates in. Sika is actively supporting social projects in local communities. As a member of the UN Global Compact the company is committed to global sustainable development.
Sika does not compromise on integrity and apply high ethical standards to its work. Sika’s “Code of Conduct” defines the standards and rules of behavior for the company and all its employees.
Empowerment & Respect
Sika believes in the competence and the entrepreneurial spirit of its employees. Sika fosters trustful and respectful working relationships and doesn’t exercise authority in purely formal ways. Sika's employees enjoy working in close partnership with each other and with the customers, suppliers and stakeholders.
The working climate is one of aspiration and inspiration. Sika empowers its people to develop and propose new ideas. Sika delegates decisions and responsibilities to the level of competence.
Sika aims to implement the organizational units as decentralized as possible and to establishes flat organizations with broad spans of control. Training and development of employees is given high priority. Sika aims to develop its leaders for tomorrow and focuses on internal candidates for promotions.
Manage for Results
Sika aims for success and takes pride in continuously achieving outstanding results and outperforming its markets. The company pursues the vision and targets with persistency and a long-term view.
Sika believes in individual responsibilities. Functions and projects will be clearly assigned. The overall profit and loss responsibility lies with the General Manager. Sika has transparent benchmarks for financial performance following a defined strategy. Performance evaluation is based on market share, sales growth, profitability and capital efficiency.