Elevating Employer Branding: Insights & Best Practices for 2025

Kicking Off 2025 with Growth, Innovation & Impact!

This month, we’re thrilled to collaborate with STADA Group and STADA Emerging Markets highlighting their commitment to a Growth Culture, employee wellbeing, and innovation in Emerging Markets. A special thank you to Simone Berger , Chief People Officer, and Burcu E. , VP Culture & People Emerging Markets, for sharing their insights on fostering talent and workplace culture across global markets.

Let’s dive into 2025 with a mindset of growth, empowerment, and meaningful impact! ??

Employer Branding Excellence

Stada Group has been recognized as a Top Employer in Europe for four consecutive years. What key initiatives or cultural elements have been instrumental in achieving this recognition?

1. STADA’s unique Growth Culture is the framework for all employees to make an impact based on a self-empowered growth mindset. STADA recognizes Growth Culture and People as key drivers for business performance.
2. STADA introduced several global caring programs. Under the umbrella of #CaringForYou – Mental Health & Wellbeing, STADA launched its global mental health & wellbeing program, offering all employees and their families the opportunity to start their personal Mental Health & Wellbeing journey.
3. To celebrate STADA’s purpose and create a direct positive impact on people’s health, STADA introduced its yearly Caring Day. Focusing on blood donation as an essential part of healthcare systems, countless STADA employees demonstrated their support in wearing red on the STADA Caring Day.
4. STADA reinforced its Equal Pay Commitment: The company treats people as the foundation and ensures equal opportunities at all levels of the organization. Therefore, STADA is developing programs and establishing practices that enable diversity, uniqueness, and gender equity in our workplaces.

Alongside our purpose, STADA’s growth and competitive advantage is based on its unique culture, guided by the values of Integrity, Entrepreneurship, Agility and One STADA. The deep purpose-driven engagement of its employees makes STADA the place to be.

STADA is a testimony of Culture drives Performance. It is our ambition to continue building a sustainable environment in which our people grow and excel, today and tomorrow. I truly believe that a healthy, self-empowered orga nization translates to a strong growth culture that ultimately drives performance! Simone Berger Chief People Officer

Emerging Markets Focus

Burcu, as you lead emerging markets, what priorities or best practices would you like to highlight in terms of talent strategy and workplace culture?

STADA's Emerging Markets cover the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and Latin America regions, offering tremendous opportunities to be the growth engine for STADA globally. Growth Mindset is the key focus for Emerging Markets to embody our Growth Culture.

At STADA Emerging Markets, each and every one of us drives new ideas and actions, creating future growth and value, this has been translated into STADA+ Initiative; A platform where employees can propose innovative ideas by ‘thinking outside the box’ that could turn into tangible projects or additional revenue streams, directly contributing to EBITDA growth.

We have provided employees with access to continuous learning opportunities to enhance skills and knowledge through our E-Learning platforms. Through Mentorship and Coaching initiative, employees receive guidance and support to overcome challenges and achieve their career goals. Through regular feedback loops and self-assessment tools, our employees are encouraged to reflect on their progress and learn from setbacks, as evidenced by our 2024 Employee Survey where 93% of employees affirm their ability to learn and grow from experiences.

We also promote cross-functional teams and provide opportunities for networking events and seminars, facilitating the exchange of knowledge and diverse perspectives.

By Celebrating contributions and recognizing efforts in innovation and growth are integral to motivating our talented teams. At STADA Emerging Markets, we firmly believe that our culture drives performance, and our highly engaged teams prove the same. By providing opportunities and platforms for our employees to experience the Growth Mindset, we continue to cultivate an environment where everyone is equipped to contribute to future growth and value.??        

Our Founder Serap Zel, PhD met with Burcu E. and Simone Berger and discussed pharma trends in Emerging Markets, exploring growth opportunities, innovation, and best practices. We appreciate their valuable insights and contributions to this edition! ??

Previously on Uplift…

?? New Podcast Episode: Leading Healthcare Innovation with Dr. Fatih Mehmet Gul ???

In our latest episode of Uplifting Leaders, we sit down with Dr. Fatih Mehmet Gül, CEO of The View Hospital, to explore the future of connected care, the role of technology in patient engagement, and key leadership lessons from his experience across Turkey, Saudi Arabia, the UK, and beyond.

From launching NEOM’s first hospital to pioneering Saudi Arabia’s first civilian helicopter ambulance service, Dr. Gül shares invaluable insights on navigating complex healthcare challenges and leading innovation in a fast-evolving industry.

?? What does it take to transform patient care and lead in a competitive healthcare landscape? Tune in to find out!

?? Listen now on Spotify! ??Listen now on Apple Podcasts!

?? Missed Our Webinar? Watch the Full Recording Now!

In our latest webinar, we had an insightful conversation with Javeed Khan ?? (????? ???) , diving into AI-driven hiring strategies, data-driven recruitment, and adapting to generational shifts in talent acquisition. If you couldn't join us live, you can now watch the full session on YouTube!

?? Watch the webinar here!

Don't forget to share your thoughts in the comments—we’d love to hear your takeaways!

Looking ahead, we’re excited to keep bringing you the latest insights and strategies shaping the future of talent. If you have any inquiries or would like to connect, feel free to reach out. See you in the next edition! #upliftnewsletter