ummins Inc. is a global leader in the design, manufacture, distribution and service of diesel and natural gas engines, electric power generation systems and engine-related component products, and is implementing its Global Driver Safety Program through Corporate Health & Safety across all its different business units.

Implementing a global road safety program is a complex process, not least because of tremendous country and inter-country variations. In order to be successful Cummins identified early on that it would have to manage and work across cultures effectively and gain buy-in from all stakeholders involved. The current economic conditions proved to be a challenge; however, Cummins persisted with its commitment to improving the safety of all employees and other road users. Other barriers successfully managed were the level of cultural change required, privacy, legal and HR issues in several of the countries. This was achieved by a stepped-strategy for global implementation of its road safety program.

Step 1:

  • Priorities and achievements were detailed using actionable plans.
  • Data-driven approach adopted to build a risk profile for road safety that scaled from the enterprise to a single driver to help prioritise and allocate resources.
  • Plan created with support and buy-in at all levels of the organisation.

Step 2:

  • Benchmarked with its partners to facilitate an on-line driver risk assessment, monitoring and improvement process, in more than 15 different languages, supported by appropriate behind the wheel or classroom-based training.
  • Applied a scaleable rollout strategy including piloting each stage of the process and incorporating any feedback into the overall strategy.

Step 3:

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) developed.

  • Stakeholder objectives, expectations and accountabilities set to deliver the program.
  • Monthly reporting system and risk data-warehouse implemented for managers to review progress.
  • Lessons learned from each step of the process fed back into the program.

The program, includes the follow modules and covers company-owned and leased, rental, private and others vehicles:

  • Module 1 Privacy Notice, Safety Pledge, procedure and Risk Foundation.
  • Module 2 Risk Assessment (RoadRISK Profile and Defensive Driving)
  • Module 3 Awareness training (Defensive Driving)
  • Module 4 One-on-one
  • Module 5 RiskCOACH (Once per quarter)

This included running a range of events and activities to raise awareness of road safety among drivers across the world, including simulator demonstrations. Cummins has worked hard to develop and implement a global driver safety policy supported by regular driver safety communications and Virtual Risk Manager activity to reinforce organisation rules of the road and defensive driving good practice. The result so far is a 25% reduction in incidents / collisions in the first 2 years.