How Domtar answered the question: How do you keep learning when fewer things go wrong?
Background
Since 2013, Domtar, a leading provider of paper-related products across North America, has been on a journey to evolve how it approaches safety, performance, and learning. In 2014, Domtar initiated a series of Human Performance Improvement training sessions aligned with the Department of Energy's HPI guide documents. Over 500 employees across various facilities were introduced to foundational principles.
Initially, the focus was on improving investigations and enhancing reactive learning. As incident rates declined across the business, leaders recognized a critical gap: how do you continue learning and improving when fewer things go wrong?
Domtar began exploring more proactive methods. Many providers of HPI and HOP training focused heavily on concepts and philosophy. What was missing were hands-on tools that supervisors and managers could apply directly in the field.
From pilots to practice
Domtar launched pilots across four selected sites. Psychology Applied delivered Mindset Shifter workshops for leadership teams and one-day Context Finder sessions for frontline supervisors. A group of employees from various mills joined the Competency Pathway, building deeper skills to act as internal coaches and champions. An additional day-long workshop was delivered for the executive team.
One of the most engaging safety trainings I have ever attended.
Very helpful in being successful eliminating risks before they become incidents.
As the tools were applied, sites began uncovering challenges and opportunities that existing systems had missed. These insights came directly from engaging with frontline workers, insights that could only be revealed by listening to those closest to the work.
Structuring the implementation
With training underway and early results coming through, Domtar turned its attention to the question that often determines whether a new approach takes hold or fades: how do you build it into the way a site actually operates?
Paper mills worked through a structured implementation planning process covering eleven key areas:
- Selecting which proactive tools to use, and how often
- Defining how findings are recorded and acted on
- Updating existing processes and templates
- Setting up channels for workers to report error traps at any time
- Recognizing contributors
- Building competency across all levels
- Establishing metrics
- Integrating into onboarding and existing safety processes
- Planning rollout communication
- Ensuring ongoing coaching and support
- Putting governance in place
At Domtar's Hawesville Mill, the leadership team worked through each area in a planning workshop, assigning clear owners and timelines. Tools like PATH and Walk-Through Talk-Through were selected for immediate use, with specific triggers, frequencies, and recording mechanisms agreed upon. Existing processes that no longer served their purpose were retired, and new metrics were defined to track both activity and impact.
Client snapshot
- Organization
- Domtar
- Industry
- Paper and pulp
- Scope
- 4 pilot mills, North America
- Program
- Mindset Shifter, Context Finder, Competency Pathway, executive workshop, e-learning
- Key factor
- Union involvement and structured 11-area implementation planning
