MIKEL AZCÁRATE: “COMPANIES HAVE A CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY TO CHANGE THE WORLD”

“Companies have to be committed to people and should feel obligated to try and change society”, declared Mikel Azcárate, CEO at SEINSA upon collecting the 2nd Arizmendiarrieta Saria Award given by the Foundation and the Government of Navarra last night in a public event. The award recognizes the implementation of a participatory and inclusive business model in the industrial and service sector in the region. 

The event took place at the Public University of Navarra and Mikel Irujo, Minister for Economic and Business Development in Navarra, handed over the award to Mikel Azcárate, who declared that “the humanistic values of the great Arizmendiarrieta are and will always be our values”.   

SEINSA Corporation has created a disruptive and dynamic model grounded on various integration and inclusion tools. “We have implemented a Participation Forum for the employees meant to be an inclusive place of understanding and transparency where all the areas of the company are represented. In this forum we communicate our projects and we seek consensus from the different teams involved in the decision making”, states Mikel Azcárate. In this respect, the Spanish company from Navarra reaffirms a much-needed cohesion between employer and employees, as well as the need of implementing a remuneration model linked to results as a key formula to foster motivation and a sense of belonging.  

On the other hand, the key for success in India lies in “the principle of equality, working on equal terms with the people of India from the very first moment, based on respect and empathy”, claims Ander Azcárate, CEO at SEINSA India. Focusing on the differentiation from competitors has proved to be crucial to drive growth for SEINSA in India: higher salaries, creating a Women’s Committee, and promoting children’s education (SEINSA is taking care of all schooling expenses for the children of the company’s employees in the country). “My mother, Mentxu Etxaniz, has been the main promoter of women’s rights within the company, both in Navarra and in the Chennai production plant”, he concludes.   

This year, 2022, the Group is undertaking the challenge of sustainability in the automotive spare parts industry. Determined to achieve this goal, an ambitious investment and development plan has been designed based on automation, digitization and artificial intelligence to guarantee growth and foster the industry 4.0. model. Another goal set by the Company is to reach €40 million turnover before the end of the year thanks to an increase in export sales to the US and Mexico, as well as increasing the sales volume in India.

2nd Arizmendiarrieta Saria Awards

The Arizmendiarrieta Saria Award is promoted by the Entrepreneurial and Economic Development Department of the Arizmendiarrieta Foundation recognising companies operating in Navarra within the industrial and service sector that stand out for their values and management practices as recommended by an inclusive and participatory business model.

Sustainable Growth

SEINSA Corporation has increased yearly sales volume surpassing the figure of 30 million euros in 2021, despite the foresight of the automobile sector in general. 98% of the company’s sales are exports to 85 countries. 

 The company has become stablished as Spain’s pioneer in the development of the European model of business excellence, and it makes its anti-crisis management method available for the entire auto industry sector. 

  In 2020 SEINSA becomes one of the most innovative companies recognised by the Basque Innovation Agency, INNOBASQUE.