Vitaco - The Ingredients for a Thriving Safety Culture
For over a century, Vitaco has been at the forefront of health and wellness, crafting some of Australasia’s most trusted health supplements, sports nutrition, and food products. From humble beginnings to becoming an industry leader, their focus has always been on empowering healthier lives, not just for their customers but for their people too.
“Coming to work, producing products that are going to help other people's health and well-being is really key,” reflects COO Roger Scott.
This shared purpose is woven into the culture at Vitaco, where employee wellbeing is as much a priority as the products they create.
Navigating Complexity in a Fast-Moving Industry
The food industry is fast-paced and multifaceted, with large-scale logistics, heavy machinery, and diverse worksites. Managing safety across multiple locations presents unique challenges.
“We have a lot of traffic management requirements, a lot of people movements in the food industry,” explains Scott.
Recognising these complexities, Vitaco has embraced a proactive approach to fostering a strong safety culture where employees feel empowered to identify and address potential risks.
Cultural Change Driving Tangible Results
A focus on building engagement and a robust safety culture has delivered remarkable results, a 15% year-on-year increase in safety observations and a 28% reduction in investigation-to-closeout times.
“It’s not just one person doing it; the whole team is doing it,” shares Warehouse Storeperson Akash Kadam. This collective accountability has been pivotal in creating a workplace where openness, trust, and shared responsibility are the norm.
Safety & Sustainability Manager Leeza Aldworth agrees; “Making sure you’ve got that culture right is critical because it encourages employees to feel comfortable raising issues and working collaboratively to address them.”
Streamlining Safety for the Long Term
The shift from paper-based systems to centralised digital tools has been transformational for Vitaco. Accessible dashboards now provide clear visibility into safety processes, enabling teams to track progress, uncover trends, and address risks effectively.
“I like the fact that I can find anything I want in one central place rather than having to switch and change and go to different spreadsheets,” Aldworth explains. The simplicity empowers teams to focus on solutions rather than administration.
Another breakthrough has been in aligning safety metrics across all levels of the organisation. “The beauty is, right from our teams on the floor all the way to the board, we can share common and simple metrics,” says Aldworth. This transparency ensures leaders can identify open actions, understand where support is needed, and ensure nothing slips through the cracks.
“For me, as a production manager, it’s about looking after my team,” shares Production Manager, Mara Watson. “That means my team is safer every time we close one of those actions properly.”
The Role of Technology in Cultural Transformation
With the right tools in place, Vitaco has unlocked new levels of efficiency and safety. As Aldworth puts it, “What ecoPortal has enabled us to do is create a really strong safety culture. That’s the most important piece, making sure the culture is right so people feel comfortable to raise issues and work through them.”
Building the Future of Safety Together
For a company that’s spent over 100 years empowering healthier lives, it’s only fitting that they bring the same care and commitment to their team.
Vitaco’s partnership with ecoPortal has been instrumental in enabling this transformation. The platform provides the tools and insights needed to proactively manage risk, creating a safe, supportive environment where their people can thrive.
Together, Vitaco and ecoPortal are proving that safety isn’t just a priority—it’s the foundation for innovation, growth, and lasting impact.
When you’re ready to plan the right health and safety software for your business, you can try a demo or get in touch with the team at ecoPortal.
