Scott M. Northcutt
Senior Vice President, Human Resources
Bacardi Limited
What does the word ‘Bacardi’ mean to you?
“When you hear the word ‘Bacardi’ it immediately makes you smile. Bacardi is about making good times great but also drinking responsibly. Social and corporate responsibility is very important to us, and our people take great pride in this.”
Passion and commitment among its employees are just two of the qualities which set Bacardi apart, according to Scott Northcutt.
“Everyone you meet at Bacardi, there’s a kind of pixie dust you pick up on, because everyone is just so enthusiastic,” he said.
Mr. Northcutt, Senior Vice President of Human Resources, joined Bacardi Limited in 2009 after 20 years of key leadership positions in international companies such as Walmart and DHL Express.
He is now responsible for the career development and management of Bacardi staff. And, as the company celebrates its 150th anniversary, it already has an eye on the future and shaping the next generation of leaders.
“Bacardi has a great heritage of taking care of people, and celebrating 150 years is an amazing feat. But how we make sure we have the leaders for tomorrow is high on the agenda,” said Mr Northcutt.
Bacardi’s 2015 strategy aims to progress its staff so that eight out of every 10 managers progress from within the company.
Staff will be able to take part in three programmes: Step Up, which gives them experience of the next role up from their current position; Talent Exchange, involving “a geographical or portfolio switch”; and Excelerator, which provides opportunities for growth.
Mr Northcutt, from Kentucky, U.S., said: “We have 6,000 people but one of our goals is to be the world’s most personable company.
“Our heritage brings us together. People at all levels relate to, and are part of, our heritage and family.
“The fact that the company is private, and family-owned rather than by private equity, is one of the reasons why Bacardi has been around for 150 years.
“It is that focus on quality. The Bacardí family name is on the bottle, and so it is not a company interested in short-term results, it is building brands for the long-term.
“We also take care of our people.”
Mr. Northcutt said 12 per cent of Bacardi staff have more than 20 years’ service.
“The culture of the company ties in with the heritage,” he said.
“Bacardi’s history shows a long and steady commitment of taking care of its employees, and the level of long-term serving employees is evidence of that.”
In addition to Caring, the company Values of Passion, Excellence and Trust are also what makes Bacardi people who they are.
“In my role I meet as many of our employees as I can, so I spend a lot of time on an airplane, but wherever I go I see these values coming to life,” said Mr Northcutt.
“The other part of our purpose is ‘Spirit for Life’. We want each person to define what their ‘spirit for life’ is, in terms of their purpose for being.
“If we can make someone understand their ‘purpose’ and then relate that to Bacardi, then we will make the company even more successful.”