Graeme Seymour

• Managing Director of Honda New Zealand
• Honda New Zealand was the winner of the “Business Ethics Award” for 2005 and the “Number 1 Customer Satisfaction Award” for 2004 and 2005.
• Honda is the 108th biggest company in New Zealand, but still only accounts for 0.8% of international Honda production.
• Mr. Seymour previously worked as a school teacher.

Most businesses run strictly on financial terms, however Honda New Zealand (HNZ) does not operate like this, but instead operates on the fundamental belief that respect must be shown for the individual. Mr. Seymour expressed that his company places value in the joy of operation, whether it is the joy of buying HNZ’s product, the joy of manufacturing the product, or the joy of selling the product.

HNZ won the Business Ethics Award because of their principles, price promise and respect to the environment. In fact, it was the change, in the early 1990’s, from a traditional financially-orientated structure to a more principle-based structure, where respect is shown to the individual, that led to a consistent rise in HNZ’s turnover. This was accompanied with an increase in HNZ’s awareness for the environment. In the automobile industry there is a significant responsibility for car companies to be aware of the environment, as the emissions from cars can pollute the air and the environment. Before 2000 there was a real concern about air pollution which led to the development and use of alternative fuels like ethanol. Now this aspect has subsided due to the current concern about global warming.

Mr. Seymour accredited his company’s recent success to their pricing policy. The consistency and reliability are the two key factors about their pricing policy. For HNZ pricing consistency is “an absolute religion.” He explained that the reason the Americans are losing their grip on the American car market is because of their inconsistent pricing policy.

Quotes:
“All companies in the automobile industry have a social duty to the preservation of the environment.”
“Corruption and unethical operations should be wiped out. The Commerce Commission should stamp this out.”
“We want to be a company that society wants to exist. It is an aspiration that should be common throughout all companies.”
“Always respect the individual, whether it is the customer, the manufacturer or the seller.”