Takeda is recognized as one of the best workplaces in Canada

Oakville-Based Pharmaceutical Company Awarded by Great Place to Work® Institute Canada

OAKVILLE, ON, April 10, 2013 /CNW/ - After a dynamic year of change for the newly combined organization, Takeda Canada is honoured to be ranked as one of the 'Best Workplaces in Canada', an annual list published by the Great Place to Work® Institute Canada.

After undergoing a rigorous and objective methodology involving detailed employee surveys, as well as an audit of corporate culture, 100 companies have made this year's list of best workplaces in Canada.

Takeda's appearance on this list is a testament to its employees. Part of why the company achieved its #21 ranking this year is the fact that Takeda brings together the best talent from two recently merged companies - Takeda and Nycomed - creating an unbeatable workforce and a vibrant local culture.

"Our success for inclusion on this year's list of 'Best Workplaces in Canada' has been made possible through the passion, efforts and talents of our employees," says Mike Egli, President & CEO of Takeda Canada.  "Takeda fosters a culture based on our strong values and an environment that is rewarding, challenging and balanced - making Takeda a place that people want to work at every day."

While this was a year of change, Takeda Canada built on the best of both legacy companies while constantly learning from both sides, and ensuring ongoing and transparent communications during the integration process.  Because of this, employees worked together as a team and trusted each other; the culture also remained strong by living the corporate values and celebrating successes.

"I'm proud to work for an organization that has a culture that strives for top-notch performance and encourages employees to be their very best," says Adele Zita, Vice President, Human Resources.  "Integrity is at the core of our corporate culture and it guides us through our day-to-day work, helps us navigate through times of change, difficulties or challenges, and helps us to stay focused on our mission of bringing better health for patients worldwide through leading innovation in medicine."

How 'Best Workplace' Rankings Are Achieved
This year, the judges for the Best Workplaces in Canada assessed a total of 57,000 employees from a variety of Canadian businesses ranging in size from 50 to >1,000 employees.  Two-thirds of a company's total score comes from employee responses to the 'Trust Index' survey (comprised of 59 scaled and two open-ended questions). The questions centre on the critical characteristics of credibility, respect, fairness, pride and camaraderie. The remaining third of the score comes from the evaluation of the culture audit submitted by each company.

The winners of the 2013 Best Workplaces in Canada were announced in a special national report published in The Globe & Mail.

About Great Place to Work® Institute Canada
The Great Place to Work® Institute Canada is dedicated to building a better society by helping companies transform their workplaces. The Institute's work is based on the major findings of more than 20 years of research - that trust between managers and employees is the primary defining characteristic of the best workplaces. The Institute offers services and tools to help companies build trust and become more effective organizations - www.greatplacetowork.ca.

About Takeda Canada
Takeda Canada, located in Oakville, Ontario, is Canada marketing's and sales organization of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited.

As the largest pharmaceutical company in Japan and a leader in the global industry, Takeda's mission is to strive toward better health for patients worldwide through leading innovation in medicine. It has a commercial presence covering around 70 countries, with particular strength in Asia, North America, Europe and fast-growing emerging markets including Latin America, Russia-CIS and China. Takeda is ranked 12th by global Rx sales, 14th in the BRIC countries and 18th in Europe. Areas of focus include cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, immunology and respiratory diseases, oncology and central nervous system diseases, among others. Through the integration of Millennium Pharmaceuticals and Nycomed, Takeda has been transforming itself, broadening its therapeutic expertise and geographic outreach.

Additional information about Takeda Canada is available through its website, http://www.takedacanada.com.

SOURCE: Takeda Canada, Inc.

For further information:

Jeanne Menard
[e-mail]