Creating Space for Idea Sharing

Kristel Zaman is the Head of Marketing & Product Management at Grundfos, where she is recognized for her ability to lead dynamic teams and drive positive, transformative change. With a strong track record in designing, developing, and implementing product-focused business strategies, Kristel is results-oriented and proactive in identifying opportunities for improvement. She is passionate about creating a culture of innovation and consistently delivers solutions to company-wide challenges. Her leadership has been instrumental in fostering a forward-thinking environment, making her a key player in shaping the company’s marketing and product management success. Kristel and Grundfos are the recipients of a 2024 Innovation Strategy award in the Culture of Innovation category.

1. What does innovation mean to you?

Since its inception, innovation has been woven into the very fabric of Grundfos. In 1945, founder Poul Due Jensen sought an inventive solution to help local farmers access the water they desperately needed. This led to the creation of the first water pump, affectionately known as “the pig.” Today, Grundfos continues this legacy with advanced technologies like solar-powered, remote-monitored pumps, consistently striving to protect the world’s most vital resources—water and energy—while enhancing the quality of life for people around the globe.

Mr. Jensen gave voice to the company’s guiding principle, which has withstood 80 years, when he said, “The world is full of problems that can be solved better.” As Grundfos has expanded its efforts around sustainability, its brand messaging has also evolved to encapsulate the company’s larger mission to provide safe water to people worldwide.
Grundfos redefined its brand message two years ago from "Be, Think, Innovate" to "Possibility in Every Drop." With “Possibility in Every Drop,” Grundfos demonstrates the company's evolution from the world’s largest water pump company to its larger purpose and belief that water can change the world. This new brand more accurately reflects Grundfos’ broader effort to focus more on the company's social and environmental impact as it commits to exploring new possibilities for more sustainable, efficient solutions.

Grundfos’ brand message consists of three promises reaffirming and strengthening its commitment to pioneering solutions to the world's water and climate challenges and improving people's quality of life.

1. We respect and take responsibility for water to benefit everybody on the planet.
2. We protect water wherever it exists from waste, shortage and inaccessibility.
3. We advance water through relentless innovation for the sake of efficiency, energy and the future.

Whether in product development, manufacturing, marketing, leadership or philanthropic endeavors, Grundfos will abide by these promises to respect, protect, and advance the flow of water. Grundfos’ brand message encapsulates its sense of duty and responsibility to people and the planet, committing the organization to apply its expertise in identifying new possibilities for innovations and solutions that are more efficient, save more energy, save more water, and help make the world a better place for future generations. It also renews Grundfos’ profound commitment to the UN Sustainability Development Goals, a commitment that underpins its core business strategy.

The channels through which Grundfos markets its solutions have also evolved significantly over the last few years. While the company still relies on brochures and in-person events, its marketing has evolved to rely heavily on digital video and e-commerce. The Grundfos YouTube channel has more than 26,000 subscribers and is home to 1,700 product service videos, tips and tricks, inspirational case stories, and behind-the-scenes content to show viewers what life is like at Grundfos.

One corporate campaign embraces Grundfos’ ambitious innovation, optimism about the future, and drive towards sustainability with the question, “What if?” One component of the inspirational campaign is a YouTube video that imagines a world where water could be delivered by the power of the sun, buildings could be heated without warming the planet, we could produce more food using less water, or all the water we used could be reused. The video illustrates Grundfos’ openness to asking questions and the power of working together to solve the world’s most pressing challenges. It closes with the brand promise: "When water flows, it has the power to change the world, and every drop contains infinite possibilities.”

2. How do you and your team generate new ideas?

As the channels through which Grundfos connects with customers have evolved, so has the marketing team. Grundfos has strategically assembled a marketing team with a wide range of backgrounds, drawing talent from the healthcare and engineering sectors alongside marketers from agencies with a broad skill set and extensive experience across multiple industries. This dynamic team brings fresh perspectives and innovative insights from outside the traditional water solutions industry, ensuring that Grundfos remains at the forefront of marketing excellence and customer engagement. Ideas at Grundfos emerge from both formal and informal channels, with some being as casual as a global Microsoft Teams chat. One such space is the “Keep on Dancing Through Grundfos” Teams chat, which connects around 200 employees worldwide.

This organically created channel serves as a hub for collaboration and innovation, where members share book recommendations, pose questions, and exchange thoughts on various topics of interest - all contributing to Grundfos' vibrant, innovative culture. This ongoing conversation helps foster a culture of curiosity and innovation that can then translate into new messaging and marketing approaches.

3. Can you share 1-3 unique innovation tactics your team relies on?

1. Bringing new technology to market demands a wide range of skills, knowledge, and innovative thinking. Grundfos prioritizes harnessing diverse perspectives to better address customer needs and drive the creative solutions necessary to overcome complex challenges. The Grundfos DE&I Council, composed of eight appointed leaders and two employee-elected members from across the organization, leads this critical initiative. Grundfos ensures the organization's diversity through a Diversity and Inclusion-friendly culture and hiring practices, including leading
the way toward a better gender balance by increasing the representation of women and strengthening the pipeline of female leaders. It also offers colleagues with physical, mental, cognitive, or sensory disabilities the tools and support to thrive at Grundfos, whether in its offices or at its production sites. Grundfos also created Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), which are employee-led forums offering colleagues a safe place to connect, learn and share openly about identities, stories and perspectives.

2. Grundfos fosters a culture that embraces risk-taking by providing a supportive environment for innovation and new ideas. Employees feel valued, respected, and encouraged to explore creative solutions in marketing and communications.

4. Do you have any specific rituals to reset creativity?

While new technologies have made remote work and virtual meetings more accessible, in-person collaboration remains Grundfos's most effective strategy to foster breakthroughs. Recognizing the unparalleled value of face-to-face interaction, Grundfos prioritizes and invests in travel for company events and workshops, creating opportunities for employees to come together, share insights, and learn from one another.

5. What resources do you use to spot trends and consumer insights?

The most effective way to envision the future of water safety and distribution is to stay closely connected to our customers and actively engage with their challenges through direct interactions and a variety of communication channels. In addition to boots-on-the-ground interaction and feedback, the Grundfos marketing organization also recently commissioned a brand tracker report, which helps them understand the effectiveness of the company’s current brand positioning and potential trajectory for the future.

Across our four divisions—Commercial Buildings, Residential Buildings, Industry, and Water Utility—Grundfos is engaged in industry and business conferences. Leaders from each division frequently speak at and attend these conferences to stay informed on the latest trends, meet with customers and industry leaders, and gain access to the latest white papers and other thought leadership materials.

Grundfos also has strong relationships with distributors, installers, and contractors within each division who work directly with customers and are valued partners with Grundfos. Their input, based on customer feedback, is essential to innovating based on customer needs and challenges.

Through memberships in numerous national, regional, and global organizations, the Grundfos teams actively discuss and improve solutions for water and climate issues across the globe. Grundfos is an active member of the Hydraulic Institute, International Facility Management Association, American Society for Health Care Engineering, North American Meat Institute, Water Mission, West Houston Association, Water Environment Federation, The Water Council, WateReuse and many more industry, non-profit and business associations.

Grundfos is also proud of its work with civil society, governments, and private sector partners in advocating for water’s important role in a world facing climate change. In 2023, Grundfos played a crucial role in promoting water on the climate agenda at the UN Water Conference in New York and COP28 in Dubai and strongly supported the efforts to build an intelligent water strategy in Europe – the EU Blue Deal.

6. Has there ever been an instance where another industry has inspired you/your company?

Grundfos is organized into four distinct divisions—Commercial Building Services, Domestic Building Services, Industry, and Water Utility—each with its own markets, teams, and functions. As Grundfos updated its brand messaging, it was imperative to develop a clear brand positioning framework across its different business divisions that communicated to its unique stakeholders.

Like Grundfos, Nike comprises distinct business divisions catering to unique customers and stakeholders. Nike’s brand positioning framework and application to its male, female, and kids divisions under the overarching "Just Do It" brand inspires Grundfos as it aims to make its messaging more tangible and relevant for different stakeholders.
Nike is also deeply tied to its values and ethos. Like Grundfos, it has successfully maintained its company values and culture of innovation as a core part of its brand.

7. What makes an innovative company culture? How do you create a culture of innovation?

Grundfos was founded on the spirit of relentlessly ambitious innovation and a sense of optimism when confronted with a challenge. The company remains committed to nurturing this innovative legacy, consistently implementing programs designed to preserve and enhance the forward-thinking, optimistic culture that has defined Grundfos from the beginning. At Grundfos, creating a safe and inclusive work environment is paramount. Employees are encouraged to take risks and bring their whole selves to work, free from fear of judgment. This culture of empowerment allows team members to envision possibilities where others might not, driven by the knowledge that their contributions have a tangible impact on millions of lives worldwide. This sense of purpose is a powerful motivator for thinking creatively and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.

As the company grew in terms of employees and product solutions, it became necessary to organize into four individual business units—Commercial Building Services, Domestic Building Services, Industry, and Water Utility—each with its own markets, teams, and functions. However, it is central to Grundfos’ brand promise that the divisions communicate and, where possible, collaborate on product solutions and marketing messages.

8. Looking to the future, how will you/your company continue to be a leader in innovation?

As it has for nearly 80 years, Grundfos will adhere to its core values of innovation and sustainability, always looking for the possibility in every challenge around water accessibility and energy efficiency. The marketing organization is tasked with evolving its messages to clearly communicate to all stakeholders involved in achieving the ambitious goals Grundfos sets forth.

The company will continue many of its successful initiatives, including nurturing a safe environment for sharing insights and creative thinking, close relationships with customers and partners to understand their challenges and work to create solutions, focus on the opportunity Grundfos has to make a significant impact Grundfos’ work has on the well-being of people globally. As former CEO Niels Due Jensen said, “Our journey continues to make things for mankind which we can be proud of.”