Client Case
Abacus Medicine Group’s journey to a strong Employer Brand
In the ever-evolving world of pharmaceuticals, the Abacus Medicine Group has established itself as a key player, committed to improving access to medicine. With a rapidly growing workforce of 1300 employees and sales to more than a dozen European markets, the company has become a leader in critical and life-changing medicines, such as chemotherapy and immunosuppressive drugs. This growth has been driven by a strong change mindset and a dedication to broadening access to healthcare, all while maintaining a human-centered approach.
Abacus Medicine, a leading player in the pharmaceutical industry, has built its reputation on enhancing access to essential medicines through parallel import and distribution within the European Union. Founded with the mission to bring greater competition to the Danish pharmaceutical market, Abacus Medicine has rapidly expanded across Europe.
However, this rapid expansion brought challenges, prompting the need to redefine its identity and develop a strong, values-driven employer brand that truly reflects its core principles. Abacus Medicine Group recognized the importance of creating a workplace where employees are not only empowered but also play an active role in moving the industry forward.
At the heart of the Abacus Medicine Group lies a clear and ambitious mission: to provide better access to better healthcare. Their dedicated team works tirelessly to deliver medicine to millions, primarily in Europe but with an expanding global footprint. Abacus Medicine Group is at the belief that when their people grow, the company grows. This philosophy has shaped a workplace culture where opportunities for career development, role expansion, and personal growth are abundant. The company fosters a friendly, inclusive, and supportive community where employees thrive, move one another, and make a direct impact on driving meaningful change.
Jacob Mittun
Constança Pinto Moura
Carl Emil Zacho Böye
Situation
Abacus Medicine Group experienced rapid growth, expanding its workforce to 1300 employees and extending its presence to over a dozen countries. This swift expansion necessitated a re-evaluation of the company’s identity to maintain cohesion and align with its mission of providing better access to better healthcare.
Challenge
Abacus Medicine Group needed to bridge cultural differences and create a unified organizational identity. Additionally, in a competitive talent market, a strong employer brand was crucial for attracting and retaining top talent.
Solution
Abacus Medicine Group embarked on a strategic journey to redefine its employer brand. They conducted a comprehensive culture analysis, gathered data through internal and external surveys, and engaged employees in a collaborative process to develop a new brand identity. This resulted in the creation of the slogan “Moving Healthcare. Moving You,” emphasizing career growth, community, and societal impact. The new employer brand was integrated into all aspects of the company’s operations, ensuring it became a living, breathing part of the organization, balancing pride in their commercial achievements with the profound difference they make in people’s lives by improving access to life-changing medicines.
A PERIOD OF RAPID GROWTH
Building a unified culture with local heart
In the midst of this rapid expansion, Abacus Medicine Group recognized the need to clearly define and communicate its evolving identity and values. Employees and potential recruits needed a compelling, human-centered reason to connect with and be inspired by the company’s mission. The goal was to cultivate a strong, cohesive culture that resonated globally, yet allowed for local expressions, all while strengthening the employer brand in a highly competitive talent market.
Founded
2004
Yearly Revenue
1,210 EURm
Human beings
1,324
Vision
We improve global healthcare through better access to medicine.
STRATEGIC INTERNAL EFFORTS
Comprehensive culture analysis
Recognizing these challenges, Abacus Medicine Group embarked on a comprehensive and strategic approach to navigate this complex landscape.
The first step involved a thorough culture analysis to understand the existing company culture across different geographies. Ole Lindhardt, the Global Communications and Marketing Manager, explained, “We found ourselves wondering, who are we actually now? We had grown so much and so fast that we needed to find out who we are today and who we want to be in the future.”
To ensure their approach was robust, Abacus Medicine Group gathered extensive data through internal and external surveys. They tested the employer brand’s wording with both current employees and potential candidates. “Everything we’ve done has been built on a strong data foundation, ensuring the choices we made were data-driven,” Lindhardt noted.
Collaboration was at the heart of their strategy. The Employer Brandingx team worked closely with employees at all levels, engaging them in discussions and writing sessions to refine the brand’s messaging. This inclusive process ensured that the new employer brand resonated deeply within the organization. “We needed to put our identity into words so that everyone could see it and work with it in our daily routines,” said Lindhardt.
The employer brand of Abacus Medicine Group emphasizes personal and professional growth, offering opportunities for new roles, responsibilities, and locations within the organization. The concept of “moving” reflects not only career progression but also the supportive environment where colleagues uplift each other. It also serves as a recruitment call to action, inviting candidates to join the Group. The use of “You” makes the brand message personal and direct, engaging each individual and reinforcing the Group’s commitment to their development and well-being.
The culmination of these efforts was the creation of a new employer brand encapsulated in the slogan “Moving Healthcare, Moving You,” emphasizing both the company’s impact on healthcare and its commitment to employee growth. This brand rested on three pillars: Realize Your Opportunities, Enter a Caring Community, and Drive Meaningful Change. These pillars highlighted the company’s focus on providing career growth opportunities, fostering a supportive community, and driving meaningful societal change through improved access to life-changing medicines.
Abacus Medicine Group integrated this new employer brand into all aspects of their operations. This included internal communication, learning and development programs, and managerial training. By doing so, they ensured that the brand was not just a slogan but a lived experience within the company. “Embedding the employer brand into the company’s operations is an ongoing process. Continuous efforts are being made to ensure that the brand remains a living, breathing part of the organization,” Lindhardt emphasized.
BRINGING THE HUMAN ELEMENT TO LIFE
Building trust
The journey of redefining the employer brand was not just about strategic initiatives; it was about people.
Understanding that each employee’s experience was unique, the Employer Branding team made empathy a cornerstone of their approach. They listened to employees’ stories, concerns, and aspirations, ensuring that the new brand truly reflected their collective voice. “We found that our company culture was surprisingly similar across different geographies, which was a pleasant surprise,” Lindhardt shared.
By involving employees in the brand development process, Abacus Medicine fostered a sense of ownership and trust. Employees felt valued and heard, which significantly boosted morale and engagement. “It was important for us that the process does not end with just a PowerPoint deck and a town hall,” Lindhardt emphasized. “We are in the midst of rolling it out and implementing it into the organization, which will continue for a long time.”
The Employer Branding team embraced the diverse cultural backgrounds within the company. They highlighted stories from different regions, celebrating the unique contributions of each team. This not only unified the workforce but also showcased the inclusive spirit of Abacus Medicine. “We were fortunate to have a relatively homogenous culture, but we also celebrated the differences that made each team unique,” Lindhardt explained.
Recognizing that growth and learning are vital, the Employer Branding team embedded the new employer brand into learning and development programs. Managers were trained to live the company’s values in their daily leadership, reinforcing the brand’s message consistently. “Our managers are crucial in bringing our values to life in their daily interactions with their teams,” Lindhardt noted.
“We embarked on an archeological journey to unearth who we truly are as a company”
Ole Lindhardt
Head of Communication & Marketing
AN ARCHEOLOGICAL JOURNEY
Finding our collective voice
Embedding the employer brand into the company’s operations is an ongoing process. Continuous efforts are being made to ensure that the brand remains a living, breathing part of the organization. This includes ongoing training for managers, integrating the brand into learning and development opportunities, and continuously communicating the brand’s values.
Abacus Medicine’s journey of redefining its employer brand highlights the transformative power of a well-defined and strategically implemented identity. By leveraging comprehensive culture analysis, collaborative development, and strategic communication, Abacus Medicine has successfully redefined its identity and is better positioned to attract and retain top talent. This journey of transformation exemplifies how a strong employer brand can drive organizational success and foster a vibrant, cohesive company culture. In the competitive pharmaceutical industry, Abacus Medicine stands as a testament to the enduring power of purpose, community, and growth. For Employer Branding professionals, this story underscores the importance of empathy, trust, and collaboration in building a meaningful and impactful employer brand.