Vestas' mission, Failure is not an option, expresses the organisation's commitment to constantly seeking improvements and to consistently following up on and rectifying errors in a structured manner. The mission also mirrors Vestas' uncompromising stance on safety, which is given top priority no matter what the context.
The ambition to attain a 6 Sigma quality level throughout the value chain no later than in 2015 underlines this commitment to constant improvement. At the end of 2008, Vestas and the vast majority of its suppliers had reached 4 Sigma. The target for the end of 2010 is 5 Sigma. The improvements are to be achieved through massive investments in training and facilities for the development and testing of wind turbines and components.
Vestas therefore works closely with all suppliers to deliver optimum quality and reliability to its customers and, by extension, the lowest Cost of Energy and highest Business Case Certainty. Owing to Vestas' systematic approach to risk management relative to customers and suppliers, all identified risks are costed, and decisions are made on the basis of facts.
As a result of the dedicated effort by many suppliers, the quality and ability to supply has been significantly improved in recent years. However, customer returns and Vestas' reputation continue to suffer under unsatisfactory quality management by a few suppliers. As a result, quality-enhancing endeavours are being scaled up through the establishment of a group staff function in charge of Vestas' quality measures.
