Excellence in Corporate Communications – Internal Stakeholders

Summary of work

The establishment of its Patient Centricity Division in 2019 kick-started Astellas’ patient-centric culture shift, however an employee survey highlighted an awareness gap – 46% did not feel they had a good understanding of patients’ needs; just 52% were aware of Astellas’ patient-centric initiatives; 87% wanted to learn more.

Our strategy was to create a recognisable visual identity for the Patient Centricity Division, launched with impactful content during Astellas’ first ever Global Patient Centricity (PC) Month in 2021, then used by any team to identify their own patient-centric initiatives moving forwards, driving lasting awareness. Global PC Month was the largest ever internal campaign to proactively inspire a culture shift, requiring unprecedented collaboration across regions and teams, and placing patient-centricity as the top priority for Astellas in 2021.

Patients and patient groups shared their experiences with employees, and 77 senior leaders across the business spoke about what being patient-centric means to them and their teams.

As a result, 80% of employees reported improved understanding of how Astellas partners with patient groups, 72% gained deeper understanding of patients’ experiences and 77% reported improved understanding of the value their work creates for patients.

Judges' comments

The judges felt that this campaign by Astellas and 90TEN was built on a genuine corporate interest. It had great benchmarks, demonstrated great geo reach and had clear, worldwide engagement. The creative elements were good, it was comprehensive with a clear understanding of the need to invest.