Most operational excellence programs focus on the process. The best ones focus on the people running it. When Patrick Christie, CSP, EHS Director at Sealed Air, set out to change safety culture across three manufacturing facilities, he didn't launch another training program or tighten another procedure. He changed the reinforcement system — what got noticed, what got recognized, and what got repeated. Injuries dropped. Costs collapsed. Engagement went from nearly nonexistent to near-universal. The two-year result: over $5 million in documented savings. In this session, Christie and behavioral science expert Bill Sims break down the human variable that most operational excellence frameworks leave on the table: positive reinforcement. They'll show why sustained improvement requires more than optimized processes — it requires people who are genuinely committed to outcomes, not just compliant with procedures. And they'll demonstrate how a structured reinforcement system creates exactly that, at scale, on the plant floor. This session combines behavioral science with firsthand manufacturing results. Attendees will leave with a clear understanding of why improvement gains erode without behavioral sustainability — and a practical framework for building the people system that makes operational excellence stick.