Novo Nordisk ranks fourth among world's top 20 science employers

Novo Nordisk ranked fourth on the Science 2012 Top Employer list, up from the ninth place last year, the company said in a statement yesterday.
The company's social responsibility, respect for employees and ability to inspire loyalty among its employees as key drivers of this impressive global ranking, according to the statement.
“We're proud to have jumped to the top five in this widely-recognised ranking of the world's best science employers. Our excellent researchers around the world are the main source of this company's strong innovation," said Mads Krogsgaard Thomsen, chief science officer and executive vice president at Novo Nordisk.
"The fact that they feel respected and take pride in working for a company that operates in a sustainable way is great to see. In the battle to recruit the best researchers, there's nothing more powerful than peer-to-peer communication,” Thomsen added.
R&D professionals at Novo Nordisk comprise experts in the engineering, expression, formulation and delivery of therapeutic proteins, as well as in the development of compounds into safe, effective and convenient treatment options for people living with chronic conditions like diabetes, haemophilia and rheumatoid arthritis.
More than 4,000 employees work in Novo Nordisk R&D in Denmark, US, China and India.
“This positive evaluation of Novo Nordisk resonates well with my own personal experience as a diabetes researcher in the company for the past 21 years,” says Erica Nishimura, scientific director of Diabetes Biology at Novo Nordisk.
In the Science 2012 survey, 4,276 employees working in the biotechnology, biopharmaceutical, pharmaceutical and related industries were asked to rank the 20 best employers based on 23 characteristics, including research-driven environment and financial strength.