MSA SAFETY INCORPORATED

IDEASCALE

MSA Safety IncorporatedLighting the Way for the Next Hundred Years

Established in 1914, MSA is the global leader in the development, manufacture and supply of safety products that protect people and facility infrastructures. Many MSA products integrate a combination of electronics, mechanical systems and advanced materials to protect users against hazardous or life-threatening situations. The company's comprehensive line of products is used by workers around the world in a broad range of industries, including the fire service, the oil, gas and petrochemical industry, construction, mining and utilities, as well as the military.

The company’s impact on the world began with the dramaBc reducBon in U.S. mining fataliBes thanks to the development of the “flameless” Edison Electric Miners Cap Lamp. While the range of markets served by MSA has expanded greatly over the years, the founding philosophy of understanding customer safety needs and designing innovative safety equipment solutions that addresses those needs remains unchanged.

MSA has always had a vision for innovative risk management and a goal to continuously modernize. With the company’s first century behind us, we are inspired by our heritage, yet focused on the future – building a company that is embracing change and pursuing new opportunities. When examining current business pracBces and aLer carefully evaluaBng responses from an employee engagement survey, it became evident that MSA associates faced many process inefficiencies every day without the ability to quickly eliminate them. There was a clear opportunity to empower employees to solve problems and eliminate inefficiencies across functional group lines.

In order to challenge the status quo and change that standard, the project team introduced WTF@MSA? (that is, “What To Fix” at MSA?) – a social media-like community launched using IdeaScale technology. Employees were encouraged to submit their ideas for reducing bureaucracy,

eliminating “jams” (or simple everyday roadblocks) and streamlining processes to improve job

efficiency. The team wanted a simple and transparent tool, and IdeaScale offered just that. The

project team planned an exciting and disruptive marketing campaign designed to encourage

engagement across the organization.

With more than 700 pilot users, a staggering 693 parBcipated in the voBng period in some manner. What’s more, two out of every three associates who logged onto the IdeaScale tool

actively participated by voting, commenting or submitting ideas. In all, the program crowd-sourced 50 ideas, generated hundreds of insigh]ul comments, and recorded a notable 4,000 votes. The most exciting part of the program, however, was the open dialogue and conversation the

IdeaScale tool elicited. A number of connections were made using the tool and it created an

opportunity for instant training or solutions to some of the posted issues.

2IdeaScale Case Studies

3IdeaScale Case Studies

At the close of the four-week sourcing period, the top three most voted-on ideas were elevated to

MSA’s management team for immediate attention and evaluation. Those ideas included:

• Focus on revamping the annual performance management process, a key driver in becoming a high-performance culture. • InsBtuBng company-wide computer single sign on to impact efficiency and security. Technology’s ease of use is a key business driver for MSA’s professional workforce. • CreaBng a new engineering documentaBon process designed to get new products to market faster.

A number of other ideas beyond the “top three “were green-lighted for implementation. The original acronym of “WTF@MSA?” for the pilot campaign clearly took on a new meaning of “Wow, That’s Fantastic!” Following the close of the pilot program, a participant survey was launched to evaluate the impact of the program. The feedback illustrated that the concept and the IdeaScale tool were widely lauded and well received. Comments included:

• Very fun and a great way to engage. • This was a great venue for sharing ideas and comments. • I felt very comfortable with the setting. I appreciated the opportunity to speak candidly. • Easy to use. • It was very intui2ve. • I like the idea of What to Fix, I think the interac2ve nature of the tool added a collabora2ve feel

that older drop boxes just don’t give you. • I think MSA has been doing an excellent job over the past year with regard to fostering

innovation. I say keep up the good work and continue to leverage and expand these tools to promote increased communication across functions.

• I think WTF@ MSA was the best way we have ever asked our employees what needs changed. • Overall I thought the program was very well done. I like having an opportunity to vent about

red tape issues. The voting, the website, the whole thing worked great.

Douglas McClaine, Senior Vice President, Secretary and Chief Legal Officer at MSA commented, “at a Bme when we want to drive innovaBon and outside-the-box thinking throughout the organizaBon, IdeaScale gave us the opportunity and a means to empower our people to do just that.”

MSA plans to launch more IdeaScale campaigns in the future across the Company’s U.S. and internationally-based operations.

FOR MORE INFORMATION sales@ideascale.com

Global / Americas +1 800-549-9198

New Zealand +64-080-099-5088

Australia +61-02-9037-8414

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