How Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals are doing responsible business

Jeppe Theisen, Corporate Vice President & General Manager, Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals speaks to Rachel Bevans, Managing Director of The Healthy Brand Company to explain how they’re responsible across four key themes.

Responsibility goes across the organisation to create long-term value for all stakeholders 

It’s at the top of our agenda, and it’s something that is shared globally. We’ve worked for many years on the triple bottom line: taking care of our shareholders – we have financial performance to deliver on – but just as importantly we have an environmental and social bottom line, we work to deliver on and work to improve. When we do well, we change the lives for the better for more people. To further drive that, we created an ambition to improve more lives in Oceania. This ambition is at the centre of what we do, and it has united us together.

Purpose and values drive strategic direction and responsible business decisions

We have a clear purpose and that differentiates us from our competitors in Pharma and other industries. It’s at the core of our culture and it unites our people around a common goal to do better. One of the big differences we can make is to improve lives in countries where you do not have equal access to medicine like we see in the Pacific Islands.

Being responsible impacts customers, brand reputation and trust

For the people we work with, mainly healthcare professionals, we have a strong brand. They know our purpose and commitment. We’re a 99-year-old company and we are focussed on our strengths: diabetes and adjacent areas. We’ve stayed committed to our stakeholders through thick and thin. This commitment and dedication to improving lives gives us gravitas with our stakeholders – that we’re not just here when it’s easy. We’re also here when it’s tough, that’s what you can always believe in. We’re here with innovations and solutions above and beyond medicine. We can of course always get better, really listening to the outside world, instead of just inside, on how we can improve the solutions around the medicine to help more people to better lives.

A responsible business is a great place to work for employees, trains and trusts employees to be responsible

We’ve just been certified as a Great Place to Work. We scored 98% on purpose. We’re super proud about that, we want people to be committed about that purpose in making a difference in people’s lives. Right now, the labour market is challenging and retention and attraction is key – and we can see that it’s not just about salary or bonus to attract or retain people. Newer generations are even more so looking towards having a purpose with what they do, it’s not just about the pay check. We have something unique to offer with our purpose and that excites us across Oceania.

HAVE YOUR SAY!

How is your organisation stepping up to responsible business? 

Post a comment on First 5000 – Have your Say on LinkedIn today or email editor@first5000.com.au with your story.

Read more about responsible Business here.