The Scoop – Building on Momentum Established at the End of 2022
As we complete the first quarter of 2023 and chart our path for the remainder of the year , I first want to look back at the past several months and acknowledge the momentum you all have created that has me optimistic about the months ahead .
During a 2022 safety performance that ended up being the company ’ s worst in nearly 10 years , we asked for your help in eliminating distractions and focusing on the fundamentals of safe production .
There were some uncomfortable conversations and a lot of reprioritizing . That work is paying off , as the number of safety incidents decreased during the last quarter of 2022 . Don ’ t get me wrong ; the work isn ’ t finished by any stretch of the imagination . Too many people still are getting hurt on the job , and we simply can ’ t accept any incidents .
In my visits to the sites , I received feedback from leadership and our frontline people that providing clarity about prioritizing our work to focus on safe production above all else has freed people to act and do things differently . At the sites , they call it clearing the deck .
For example , meeting-free zones from 7 to 10 every morning have helped enable site leadership to be with their employees more , building relationships and establishing communications channels so critical to a safe work culture . These small changes can have a big impact .
Unfortunately , the pandemic and the actions we took to preserve the health of our workforce also trained us to work in a way that had unintended consequences . People got comfortable behind a screen or not going out into the field to maintain social distancing . We lost some of our ability to interact and have normal conversations that are so important . I am grateful the current work environment is allowing us to engage more in person , and I encourage everyone to look for opportunities to connect with your colleagues . I believe the company and all of us individually will be better for it .
This leads to our priority for the year . As no surprise , safety is the focus above all else . Our single strategic objective is to stay laser-focused on achieving our safe production plans . In support of the single strategic objective , we have four supporting pillars : maintenance and reliability , Leach to the Last Drop , development of frontline employees and supervisors , and attracting , hiring and retaining to meet the needs of the plan .
You will read more in this issue of The Miner about each of those objectives , and I hope you are inspired to think about the possibilities for Freeport and the potential for your own career . I know I am excited about the year ahead .
Thank you again for your continued commitment to driving safe production . The entire leadership team appreciates your efforts .
Wishing you all a safe and successful 2023 .
Josh Olmsted President and Chief Operating Officer-Americas