Only a couple of hours after Danish Crown opened the new ‘my workplace’ email address – minarbejdsplads@ danishcrown.dk – on 17 September, the first suggestions started trickling in from employees on how to realise the objectives outlined in the DC Future plan.

The flow of suggestions has continued, both from hourlypaid and salaried workers. Some of the proposals concern very local conditions, while others look at factors affecting the entire company. - I will be taking all the ideaswhich have been submitted with me to meetings with the liaison bodies, says CEO Kjeld Johannesen.

SATURDAY SLAUGHTERING
When we slaughter on Saturdays in connection with public holidays, it is inefficient that only two lines are operating and that we only work until noon. The facility needs to be started up and has to be cleaned, so it might as well be run at full speed and without breaks while production takes place.

MORE HEAD
If the head-cutting machine was removed and the pigs’ heads were instead cut off in the cutting department after they had been sawn in two, you would probably ‘earn’ about 100-300 grams per pig. That would add up to a lot of kilogrammes each week. When the meat sits on the fore-end, the price is different, and it would also save a vet per chain. The half heads would also be easier to pack.

CAREFUL CLEANING
Cleaning the slaughterhouse ruins a lot of electrical equipment because water is sprayed directly onto or very close to electrical installations. They are not waterproof, just splashproof. If people were slightly more careful, it would save a lot of money.

MONTHLY PAY
Pay wages once a month to all employees.

SAVE WATER
How about installing a water meter/ flow meter? With a digital display which can be read at washbasins, shoe and boot washes and many other places. Employees could then monitor how much they saved, both in terms of water volume and cost.