As Bunzl Asia Pacific’s Director of HR, Jennifer Tiffin is committed to driving change in multi-site environments by working with employee groups and partners to deliver on the commitments Bunzl has made to support reconciliation with our First Nations people. She sat down with us for the latest edition of Flair Magazine to share how she got to where she is now – and what she’s looking forward to in the future.
Tell us about your role at Bunzl.
I’m the Human Resources Director for Bunzl’s Asia Pacific (APAC) region, which encompasses all aspects of people support ‘from hire to retire’. I also work in the areas of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Workplace Health & Safety and Community Engagement.
In my current role, I love that I get to work with a team that is genuine in doing what’s right – and by that I mean what’s right for our employees, customers and the larger community. Our role is to help people be – and achieve – the best that they can.
Has there been anything particularly surprising about your role?
I had never heard of Bunzl before joining the company over 6 years ago and we were not well recognised. Very quickly, I learnt firsthand the genuine values that drive the organisation as a whole and have loved being able to tell that story so that others can experience the great workplace that it is.
The most surprising thing though is being trusted for my knowledge and experience and being allowed to drive actions that truly make a difference in the community. I’ve been able to develop our young talent programs, champion diversity and all abilities employment, as well as grow our Indigenous engagement. None of which would be possible if the company wasn’t genuine in wanting to make a real difference.
What do you think is most important when it comes to your role?
To keep an open mind, listen to what is happening around you and to adjust to the needs of your stakeholders. HR practitioners traditionally have not had a good understanding of the commercial elements of running a business so the most important thing is being able to understand and influence real business outcomes, whilst ensuring that everything the organisation does is what’s right.
What are some major highlights in your career?
I have had some fantastic mentors in my career that have all encouraged and supported me. I’ve had the chance to see many people who have worked for me be promoted and had the privilege of spending time in Papa New Guinea and seeing the real difference a company can make when investing in local communities.
What are you excited to see more of in the future?
I believe that there is seismic movements occurring where CSR commitments and actions are not being made in order to meet board commitments or public perception, but instead are being driven by a real and genuine interest in sustainable change being made. Organisations know and believe that these these are the right things to do. They are seeing the power that they have as industry leaders to make meaningful changes for the greater good and I am so proud to be doing my part to support this.
