According to Mondi, workplace safety is not treated as a checklist but as a living culture shaped by human behaviour, relationships and shared responsibility.
The Group’s strategy is rooted in the Social Psychology of Risk, reflecting an understanding that people respond to stories, habits and social norms as much as to formal rules and procedures. This human-centred approach is reshaping how safety is communicated and experienced across Mondi’s global operations.
Turning incidents into shared learning
At the Kalenobel plant in Türkiye, a response to workplace incidents has evolved into a powerful learning movement. For every incident or near-miss, teams create short videos showing two contrasting scenarios: the unsafe behaviour that led to risk and the safe method that prevents harm. Filmed on the shop floor with real equipment and aligned with Mondi’s Nine Safety Rules to Live By, the videos use no spoken words or captions, relying instead on simple movements and clear visual contrasts so they can be easily understood by all employees.
This format turns real events into shared learning rather than blame, making safety a collective responsibility. Employees see familiar situations and colleagues on screen, which helps normalise speaking up and reinforces why small behavioural choices matter. In this way, everyday work becomes a continuous source of insight and improvement.
Building trust and inclusion in Monterrey
At Mondi Monterrey in Mexico, safety culture is woven into daily routines and personal motivation. The “Your Reasons to Be Safe and Healthy” campaign features employees and their families on posters across the site, creating an emotional link between safe behaviours and the lives they protect. Mondi’s Nine Safety Rules to Live By are reinforced through weekly bulletins, internal videos with both management and operators, and Engagement Board sessions that encourage two-way dialogue.
Competence development is backed by a transparent Skill Matrix displayed on the shop floor, allowing employees to see their own and their colleagues’ qualifications and training paths. New hires wear green shirts marked “I am in training” during their first three months, signalling the need for guidance, while team shirts printed with “Watch my back” promote a mindset of mutual care across shifts and departments. Together, these practices build trust, vigilance and a sense of shared ownership for safety.
Leadership and continuous improvement
Cultural engagement is further strengthened by initiatives such as the SHE Formula 1 programme, where teams earn points for safety, health and environmental actions to encourage collaboration and continuous improvement. Open reporting systems, visible leadership walks and “Safe to Speak Up” messaging help create a psychologically safe environment where employees feel able to raise concerns and share ideas without fear of blame.
Leadership remains the anchor of Mondi’s safety journey, with managers expected to respect local traditions, ensure inclusive facilities and engage directly with teams on the shop floor. By balancing physical controls (Workspace), psychological factors (Headspace) and group dynamics (Groupspace), Mondi is moving safety beyond compliance to embed it in everyday behaviour, dialogue and decision-making. At Mondi, safety is not simply practised – it is lived, every day, by everyone.
Mondi is a global packaging and paper group with operations in more than 30 countries. The company produces sustainable paper and packaging solutions and places strong emphasis on safety, sustainability and operational excellence across its value chain.
Source: Mondi
