Mar 12, 2024

Driving Diversity And Inclusion Solidify Novartis Malaysia Top Employer Position

  • Novartis Malaysia achieves Top Employer Malaysia 2024 for Excellence in Employee Conditions for five consecutive years
  • Novartis Malaysia strengthened employee policies aimed at bolstering excellence in employee condition
  • Certification from global human resources organisation reaffirms the company’s position as one of the top 20 organizations to work for in Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur, 12 March 2024 – Novartis Malaysia’s commitment to be at the forefront of implementing employee-centric policies have contributed to the company being recognised as Top Employer for the fifth consecutive year. The leading multinational company, which employs close to 600 associates in Malaysia, revealed that these policies include parental leave of 14 weeks in total as well as extending its maternity benefits to include employees’ spouse.

In addition, Novartis Malaysia is also actively inculcating an ‘unbossed’ culture within its workspace by introducing a hybrid work guideline that allows its employees the flexibility of working out of the office once he or she has fulfilled a 12 in-office work-day per month criteria.

Novartis Malaysia stated that its steadfastness to consistently introduce progressive and innovative workplace policies that recognises diversity, equity and prioritises inclusivity was a key factor that recognised Novartis as a Top Employer in Malaysia for Excellence in Employee Conditions by the Top Employers Institute recently.

This marked the fifth consecutive year that the company had received this accolade, which has been underpinned by its outstanding human resources management strategy and people practices that are tailored to enrich people in the workplace. The certification also validates Novartis Malaysia’s commitment towards embracing a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace to support its purpose of reimagining medicine to improve and extend people’s lives.

Mohamed Elwakil, Country President of Novartis Malaysia said:

“We are honoured to be recognised as a Top Employer for the fifth consecutive year. People centricity is at the core of our business strategies, where we create an inclusive working environment, embrace diversity and continuously develop a dynamic workforce. Through our associates, we believe we can drive innovation, performance, and reputation in line with our culture to be more Inspired, Curious and Unbossed.”

“This strategy certainly plays a role in growing our presence as a leading innovative medicines company that helps to extend and improve the lives of over 32 million Malaysians.”

Elsie Chang, Head of Novartis Corporate Centre Kuala Lumpur (NOCC KL) said:

"We are thrilled to be recognized as the Top Employer for five consecutive years. This prestigious award underscores our unwavering commitment to our employees and their overall wellbeing. At Novartis, we believe that our greatest asset is our people, and we strive to create an inclusive and dynamic workplace that fosters growth, innovation, and collaboration."

Anne Heng, Country Head, of People and Organization for Novartis Malaysia said:

“This certification is not only an achievement but a strategy that has contributed to Novartis’s sustained success. This underscores Novartis’s commitment to providing an excellent working environment for our employees. The company’s continued investment in organic talent development, focus on upskilling, and innovative training methods have resulted in industry-leading outcomes, which have reinforced our position as a leading force in the healthcare industry.”

“The Top Employer Institute repeatedly sets high standards and the demands on modern HR work are constantly growing. This recognition is a real team effort and shows that we not only offer excellent working conditions, but have also created an attractive and future-oriented environment for our people.”

About Top Employers Institute

Top Employers Institute is a global independent organization that recognizes excellence in human resource practices and offerings. In 2024, The programme certified and recognised over 2,300 Top Employers in 121 countries/regions across five continents and positively impacted the lives of over 12 million employees globally.

The Top Employers Institute programme certifies the organizations based on the participation and results of their HR Best Practices Survey. This survey covers six HR domains consisting of 20 topics including People Strategy, Work Environment, Talent Acquisition, Learning, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Wellbeing, and more.

Top Employers Institute CEO David Plink says: “Exceptional times bring out the best in people and organizations. And we have witnessed this in our Top Employers Certification Programme this year: exceptional performance from the certified Top Employers 2024. These employers have always shown that they care for the development and well-being of their people. By doing so, they collectively enrich the world of work. We are proud to announce and celebrate this year’s group of leading people-oriented employers: the Top Employers 2024.”

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About Novartis Malaysia

Novartis had a long heritage and legacy in Malaysia. Established in 1971, we are a leading multinational company employing close to 600 associates who work in the Novartis International division and Novartis Corporate Center, Kuala Lumpur. Through our over 50-year presence in Malaysia, Novartis Malaysia continues to deliver on its corporate purpose of reimagining medicine to improve and extend the lives of over 32 million Malaysians.

In 2022, Novartis Malaysia was recognized as Sponsor of the Year by Clinical Research Malaysia for initiating 24 new clinical trials. We also have a proven track record of expanding access to our innovative medicines in private or public via collaborations with the Ministry of Health Malaysia. Through these collaborations, Novartis has succeeded in touching the lives of more than 1.2 million Malaysian patients.

Starting March 7, 2022, Novartis Malaysia’s office is located in the new cutting-edge building called Plaza Imazium in Damansara Utama, Petaling Jaya. Novartis Malaysia occupies 2 floors and was one of 20 offices in Malaysia to be LEED Gold certified and the first office to be WELL Silver certified.

About Novartis Corporate Center Kuala Lumpur

In 2015, Kuala Lumpur was selected as one of the six Novartis Corporate Centers, which is responsible for providing a broad range of services to the Novartis group of companies worldwide. It brings together expert capabilities and talent across functionalities and is an innovation hub that drives the business forward. It is home to over 400 associates who work to deliver on the Novartis purpose of reimagining medicine to improve and extend people’s lives.

Novartis Media Relations

Abby Lu

Communications and Engagement 

 [email protected]