Any company that truly lives its quality management system will tell you that you must innovate to get ahead. Employees at GNP Co., the chicken processor formerly known as Gold’n Plump, live by a commitment to quality, innovation, and continuous improvement— all hallmarks of a culture built on the value of peoples’ ideas.

If you think those are the words of some idealistic mission statement, think again. In 2010 alone, nearly 1,000 employee suggestions were received, more than 18 per week. More than a third were acted on, resulting in $267,884 in savings for the company and more than $34,000 in bonuses for the employees. “Employees are responsible for participating in at least one continuous improvement process each year,” says Jill Stuber, the quality assurance manager at GNP. She’s been at GNP for eight years and estimates that she spends nearly 50 percent of her time either leading or supporting a continuous improvement effort.

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