Empowering People Through a Shared Culture of Belonging

At Hillebrand Gori, people are the foundation of everything, and no one understands that better than Laura Montilla, Global Head of Culture & Engagement. With over 25 years of experience in the company, including roles like Country Manager in Argentina & Chile and CEO Latin America, Laura has seen firsthand how the right culture can empower people, elevate performance and create consistency for customers.

Following the formation of Hillebrand Gori in March 2022, colleagues across the business expressed concerns about losing identity and company culture. Results from cultural surveys in 2022 and 2023 showed some resistance to change, a lack of connection and hesitation about what the new brand meant for day-to-day work.

How do you build a global workplace culture while preserving local strengths?

In a global business with over 2,000 employees, it’s natural to have differences in ways of working, communication styles and values. But it’s also essential to have shared principles that unite everyone.

The challenge was to create a culture that connected all regions and functions without imposing uniformity. This was so we could create a consistent experience for customers, no matter which office or country they interacted with.

Why does workplace culture matter for employees and customers?

According to Harvard research, a positive workplace culture improves employee happiness, productivity, retention and overall business performance (source). Laura’s work to co-create and deliver a shared cultural foundation at Hillebrand Gori demonstrates the business value of strong internal engagement.

What is the Welcome to My Company (WTMC) culture integration program?

Laura spearheaded the creation of the 'Welcome to My Company' (WTMC) cultural integration module. To do so, Laura engaged the people closest to the business, collecting input from over 200 colleagues across functions and countries to shape the experience.

18 in-house facilitators were trained, and senior leaders, including ExCom members, led the Strategy sessions in each region. From storytelling to delivery, the entire project was shaped to reinforce that culture is not a top-down mandate, but a shared responsibility.

According to McKinsey, the most effective culture transformations involve leadership role modelling, employee involvement, and consistent reinforcement through systems and tools (source). WTMC followed this exact path.

What are the results of the WTMC cultural integration program?

In a bit more than one year, 110 WTMC sessions were delivered in 25 countries, reaching 100% of the employee base. A post-module survey showed dramatic improvements in how people felt about working at Hillebrand Gori. With notable positive feedback in these sections:

• We work in one way across the company.
• How Hillebrand Gori benefits customers.
• This is a great company to work for.

These scores reflect a more unified approach to business, one where every customer interaction is consistent in quality, even if the local teams bring their own regional expertise and personality.

In the 2025 GPTW (Great Place to Work) survey, pilot countries also reported a 22% increase in positive perception of learning and development offerings. This confirmed that employees feel more supported, seen, and invested in.

People-first, always

Laura’s leadership shows how investing in culture drives performance. It enhances the customer experience, reduces inefficiencies and strengthens the company from the inside out. Through a unified, not uniform approach, Hillebrand Gori employees worldwide are better equipped to deliver reliable, personalised service to beverage importers everywhere.

A shared culture helps create a shared standard. And that means every customer, no matter where they are, feels the value of working with a team that’s aligned, engaged and ready to support them.

Laura is just one of the amazing people we have working behind the process.