All Hands on Safety

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Sylvamo safety leaders know building a resilient safety culture is a journey. For the world's paper company, it began almost five years ago at the company's inception.

"Culture change takes time." said Lindsay Macaulay, global director of health and safety. "No matter how long it takes, if it keeps everyone safe, it's worth the time."

It also takes commitment from leadership, investment in tools and trainings and, most importantly, buy-in from all hands.

In 2025, that last part took a literal turn.

Through data collection, employee feedback and events like safety standdowns, Sylvamo identified hand safety as a primary focus area for 2025. Forty percent of recordable injuries at Sylvamo facilities in 2024 were related to hand safety and most injuries were associated with employees' routine or daily tasks.

The root causes? Opportunities to strengthen layers of protection and improve pre-job planning.

To fully grasp the challenge, Sylvamo created hand safety teams to discuss injuries, identify risks in their workplaces and recommend solutions. At global meetings, teams shared progress, ideas and improvements that could be implemented in other Sylvamo facilities.

Safety leaders also asked all employees to consider what a serious hand injury would mean for them personally.

"It's not just about doing your job. It's about the things that bring you joy: playing guitar, cooking, holding your child's hand," said Macaulay. "When you think about safety in terms of your own life, your own passions, it becomes a personal responsibility."

Sylvamo's core message on safety is people before paper-always. That motto is embodied by its employees around the world, who work continuously to improve safety tools, procedures and communications in their facilities.

The company's ultimate safety goal? To wave goodbye to all serious injuries in the workplace.

"There was a time in our industry when the focus appeared to be solely on production," said Macaulay. "Sylvamo's most important responsibility is to ensure everyone returns home safe and well each day. By choosing to put people before paper, we're building a culture that values safety, care and long-term success."