Astellas always works to achieve our VISION to stand "on the forefront of healthcare change to turn innovative science into VALUE for patients". Utilizing the power of people is key to delivering this VALUE to patients around the world. We established new Organizational Health Goals in the Corporate Strategic Plan 2021 (CSP2021) and explained how we will step forward to maximize each person's abilities more than ever.

Katsuyoshi Sugita has been involved in HR management at global companies for many years and was appointed Head of Astellas' HR division in May 2021. He discusses our HR system, our people, and how we can create an environment where people can maximize their abilities.

"Place the right person in the right position" on a global scale and optimize the talent potential

What was your impression of Astellas when you were appointed the Head of the HR Division?

When I joined Astellas in May 2021 as the Head of the HR division, the company was much more globalized than I had assumed. Objectively speaking, not many Japanese companies have achieved such steady globalization in terms of sales, employee composition ratios, organizational structure, awareness and mindset of senior leaders, and various HR systems and support systems for employees.

The globalization of Astellas' business has been accelerating since around 2015. We bolstered our R&D capability to produce new drugs by proactively incorporating external resources or making acquisitions under our "3B Strategy," which calls for us to go where the most advanced science is (Best Science), working with the world's top people (Best Talent), and conducting R&D activities in the optimal environment (Best Place). The globalization of divisions within the company has accelerated as well, so it is only natural that we need global HR policies and operations to support this.

Many Japanese companies that are expanding their business globally have split their HR divisions between domestic and international-the underlying idea, I think, is that business is business and HR is HR. However, HR is a key function that contributes to the business, and I've always felt that countless companies fail to properly link the two. In contrast, Astellas' motto regarding HR is "place the right person in the right position." We find the right person for the job, making sure we align abilities and aspirations with the positions.

What kind of HR system is needed to realize "place the right person in the right position"?

We choose the most qualified people throughout the organization-regardless of nationality, gender, age, or any other factors other than ability-to key positions that oversee global operations. There are no restrictions as long as they meet the requirements for a particular position. In fact, Astellas has appointed talented people from various countries to division head positions, making our company an extremely transparent and competency-oriented operation.

*1 Established Markets: Europe, Canada, Australia
*2 Grater China: China, Hong Kong, Taiwan
*3 International Markets: Russia, Latin America, Middle East, Africa, South East Asia, South Asia, Korea, etc.

We must also make sure to place the right person in the right position continuously. To this end, we devise succession plans for certain grades and positions globally, and identify and develop talents who meet the requirements for those positions.
Regarding job evaluation, the grading system is standardized globally, and the job evaluation criteria is also standardized globally. We have a consistent and well controlled process in devising a globally common format and system for objective setting and performance appraisal. On top of that, we set goals to ensure that our strategies are executed and our contributions are recognized, with fair appraisals based on roles and performance and market-competitive compensation.

What kind of systems are applied to optimize the talent potential?

We provide individuals with opportunities to develop their careers according to their aspiration, abilities, and aptitudes. In 2020, we introduced a new global job posting system for internal recruitment that allows all employees to browse positions around the world and apply for the ones they are interested in. Employees can now visualize their careers from a broader perspective. This system also includes a job description for each position and makes the skills and abilities required clear, allowing employees to envision their careers and identify the skills and abilities they need to possess.

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Astellas Pharma Inc. published this content on 02 March 2022 and is solely responsible for the information contained therein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 02 March 2022 01:09:15 UTC.