You can learn plenty by studying the early steps taken by successful companies like Kimberly Clark as they sought to establish their brand while marketing their first goods and services. Now headquartered in Texas, this personal care company was founded way back in 1872 in Neenah, Wisconsin. According to “The 50 Best Businesses,” this company is “on a roll.” That statement is intended to be a bit “tongue in cheek” since Kimberly-Clark was the “first company to put toilet paper on a roll.” The following decade, it introduced America to the paper towel.
Today, Kimberly-Clark has branched out and actually “maintains four business segments: personal care, consumer tissue, KC Professional (hygiene, safety and productivity solutions) and healthcare – along with its famed diapers (Huggies and Pull-Ups, in particular).” It sells more goods than many can imagine since it’s also the owner of such well-known brands as Kleenex, Cottonelle, Viva, Depend, and Scott. The odds are high that most Americans buy several of these brand name products every month.
Here are some other important facts about this company that seems to absolutely thrive on growth – while cleverly extending its market share in many different fields.
Important Corporate Decisions Are Being Made by Those Running Kimberly-Clark
- This company takes great pride in promoting a greatly diverse workforce. It maintains direct corporate ties with such groups as the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE); the Society of Women Engineers (SWE); and the National Black MBA Association. According to “The 50 Best Businesses,” this company recruits heavily among minorities. Kimberly-Clark is proud that at the end of 2012, it’s “percentage of women in management positions globally was 25% and the percentage of US ethnic minorities in management positions remained above 14 per cent;”
- The company keeps winning special workplace awards. In addition to promoting workplace diversity, KC knows that all good employers must treat their workers well. It has won such prized awards as: Best Employer for Healthy Lifestyles, a listing as one of the 100 Best Workplaces in Latin America, and has been named a Women on Boards top company;
- It saw the wisdom of advertising on TV many years ago. Kimberly-Clark’s competitors would probably not be surprised to learn that this well-known brand began establishing itself with consumers by running TV ads way back in the 1950s. This early outreach and advertising has definitely given KC a distinct “leg up” on the competition;
- The company has stayed ready to buy other important healthcare companies. During the year 2000, Kimberly-Clark bought Safeskin Corporation – a company greatly respected for its highly durable, disposable healthcare gloves.
While all of these management decisions have been quite savvy and timely, it’s the company’s determination to treat its employees fairly and with respect that seems to be the key to much of its success. Based upon online reviews of this company that are available online at www.glassdoor.com, Kimberly-Clark is an “amazing company, interested in employee development before the bottom line” and a place that offers a “great work environment, wonderful mentoring program [and an] excellent recruiting process.”
Every new start-up should definitely take note of Kimberly-Clark’s determination to select the best workers available – regardless of gender or ethnicity -- and to consistently support them as they grow.
To obtain help with handling all of your Georgia business planning needs, please contact Shane Smith Law today. You can schedule your free initial consultation with a knowledgeable Peachtree City estate planning attorney by calling: (980) 246-2656 .