CULTURE OF SAFETY IN INNOVATION: AN ANALYSIS FROM THE PULP AND PAPER INDUSTRY

Abstract

This article aims to assess the influence of safety culture practices on innovation. The research is characterized by being quantitative and descriptive whose method used for the treatment and analysis of data was canonical correlation analysis. The sample consisted of 198 respondents, belonging to the pulp and paper segment, from a survey, being collected for accessibility and convenience. The research showed that safety culture practices and innovation are correlated, as the strength of association between the dimensions showed a high and significant coefficient variation (0.749 - p-value of 0.000), a canonical R² of 0.5610 considerable and a Wilks's Lambda (0.341) close to zero. It was also observed, in a more expressive way, that the lesser the participation of employees in safety culture practices, the less innovative the organization. The use of a single company and market segment considering a transversal view can be considered a limitation of the study, as the data may not express the results that would be obtained if analyzed in different companies and market segments. The study allows managers from different areas to understand which safety culture practices should be prioritized to influence innovation, thus contributing to the creation of safer and healthier environments, for a lasting innovation development process. This study allows organizations to measure practices of excellence and those that should be improved in the management of the safety culture, building a framework for the development of strategies aimed at innovation.