When you work at KKNA, you’re part of a team that's committed to your success. Day in and
day out.
Four core values shape our culture and who we are
At KKNA, we see our culture and dedication to helping people with rare diseases as core to our success and growth.
Because when you combine collaboration, empowerment, and a focus on innovation – the results can be extraordinary. But culture doesn’t just happen at a company like ours. It is intentional.
We also follow 11 KABEGOE Principles that guide how we work, ensuring we focus on collaboration, inspiring others, taking personal ownership, agility, and a commitment to each other.
How we work is guided by the Japanese ideals of Wa and KABEGOE
Wa is a Japanese word and idea that means harmony in teamwork. And it is who we are. We talk a lot about Wa because it’s unique to us. But we also emphasize it because it is the core value that drives how we work every single day – together, in partnership, and always for patients.
We also embrace the idea of KABEGOE, which means breaking down barriers. As individuals and as a team, we believe that no wall is too high, no challenge too great. Ours is a “can do” mindset and culture.
When you walk into one of our offices, no matter where that is, there's a feeling of warmth that you get. It's just this environment where you actually feel like you can be yourself and that people around you enjoy what they're doing. And I think it's just that overwhelming sense of belonging.
I would say this culture here, this company is so unique. It, number one, is a very welcoming and inclusive environment, and I would say highly collaborative as well. We know we're always collaborating. We're always ready to help each other out, and we're always ready to uplift each other.
Since joining here, it's definitely met my expectations as far as people not just willing to work together, but they'd like to work together. They want to help you succeed, which I think is terrific.
Respect is a foundation in the Japanese culture. I think when you have respect, that you're feeling appreciated and I think that makes you work harder and want to be part of the team.
I've worked at a few other pharmaceutical companies and it's palpable, the culture and you can feel it.
There's never any hesitation, just the willingness to really support one another and really be, I feel like, really be a part of a team here.
I don't feel embarrassed to ask and to get the whole team on board and help me out or, or we help somebody out. So it's very inclusive, and the teamwork is amazing.
You know, when I reach out to colleagues for anything, whether, you know, I want to ask for a little bit of, you know, people's time, they're so willing to, you know, volunteer of themselves at any point.
No one here is shy to say hello. There's always ways to connect here, especially at the new office. We have these great cafes, great areas just to sit down and meet.
Regarding the culture of the company, over time we've obviously grown. And so, as you get more people, the culture changes. But what has been consistent, especially with our side in La Jolla, is the teamwork and collaborative spirit and the recognition that we're stronger when we work together.
And I think the beauty of the Japanese culture brings that harmony together while at the same time allowing us to innovate on behalf of patients.
There's an environment here where you feel people genuinely care about the work they're doing and for whom they're serving. Our patients and our communities.
You know, this is one of our core values, wanting to make our patients smile around the innovations that we create. And that's what makes this special.
I think we Kyo Kiran actually lives its values, which is sometimes rare for some, some companies. Everyone here, I feel like believes in, in the, in the values of Kyo Kiran and lives in and does science that way.
So I'm definitely proud to work for Kyo Kiran North America, because our culture is exactly as described.
Kyowa Kirin has four values that really drive and enable everything that we do within the company.
And those are innovation, integrity, commitment to life, which is really about doing the right thing for the patient always.
And then the forth is teamwork or Wa. The last value is really important because it underpins how we really work within the company.
It's about harmony and bringing people together, and we believe that bringing together different perspectives, different backgrounds really helps drives better solutions and everything that we do.
When you think about teamwork and working together, that may seem natural, but the aspect of harmony that I think is key here is that you as a group or a community are actually putting forward the needs of the broader organization or the issue at hand, the patient we're serving, not one's own individual needs.
And I think what's beautiful about that is that that it helps you focus on the right things, and you're operating as a community that really strives to work together as one.
We pride ourselves on putting patients first, but we also have a collaborative work environment where we interact internally between the commercial teams, the medical teams, and all the other teams that support all that we do.
It's one of the special parts of working in this organization.
So that collaboration and teamwork allows us to be better for the patients that we eventually serve.
So we really emphasize Wa as part of our culture, but it's more than that.
It's how we do business. We look for partners that we can collaborate with holistically and transparently and always looking for innovations to drive results for patients faster.
I've been in other organizations and it's always about teamwork and collaboration.
But there's something here and a feeling I get where it's even just so much more.
What may be different here is that it's, it's ingrained, it's intentional.
We, you know, this is one of our core values and all of our team members look towards working together, generating better solutions as we because we work, when we work together and share ideas, we come out with a more positive outcome.
The collaborative nature that we use in our company is, is so significant.
It's one of our secret sauces, certainly one of our greatest strengths from my perspective.
We think our Cultural Ambassador program really makes Kyowa Kirin a special place to work. We started the program to ensure that even as we're growing as a company, that we remain committed to a culture where employees collaborate, respect each other, and like working together.
This is a group that brings new ideas to the table and knows that we'll do our best to bring those ideas into reality.
And what's really cool, is the work that they do inspires other employees to do the same.
So, the impact that they've had over the years that I've been here is in policy trainings, culture, feedback into the senior leadership team on key issues.
We introduced new benefits and offerings based on feedback from our culture ambassadors.
So, this group is a huge touch point and pulse on the organization.
The culture ambassador program is absolutely novel and distinctive.
We have executive sponsors, myself and a Co leader. We have champions from the HR team as well as public affairs. We have close to 30 members.
So, I think that the fact in which not only do we have the membership, but we also have the structure and the governance around it to make sure that we are successful.
Being a cultural ambassador, we get to meet with some folks from other teams that we may not meet in our day-to-day, including some executive sponsors.
So that gives us an opportunity to learn more about them, learn from them and grow from what they have shared and actually help develop the company itself.
Being a cultural ambassador is a chance to have an opportunity to change the company.
What I'm hoping to accomplish is, people who especially who are new and people who aren't as social, just helping them feel more welcome and helping them feel included because I've, I've been there as well.
I've been the new person and what I would like to be for others.
I care about this company and I care about the people that work for our company.
And what, you know, I would like to bring to it is it's taking people's suggestions and feelings and what they like to see within the corporate world and their culture, diversity, and coming together.
I want to be able to create that community and bring us closer and tighter and further our our work that we do here.
It's really my passion.
We want to have the most engaged base of employees possible, employees who like working together, who understand the importance of working with one another and then who can contribute their ideas to advance the mission.
And our cultural ambassadors have just been a fantastic asset and a resource to our organization as we've gone through our growth journey.
I think it's important for Kyowa Kirin to have ERGs because diversity drives our core values, especially innovation and teamwork.
We have 3 Employee Resource Groups. We have EmBrace, we have WIN, which is Women's Initiative Network, and then we have PRIDE.
We organize, we strategize over how to educate the people around us so that they become more understanding, standing and familiar with the issues that LGBTQ plus members of that community face on a daily basis.
I started my journey in diversity, equity and inclusion and employee resource groups when I was with my former company. At that time, I was not comfortable in my own skin, and so I wanted to take on a bold step and get involved in the Pride group.
It allowed me to, you know, walk into a room and speak without reservation, to have more confidence in myself and really speak my mind to advance my opinions. And so, you know, it it, it helped a lot.
We're trying to show some of the employees who may be considered vulnerable or may not be used to being their authentic self that you can and that this is a company where you can do that.
I many times face gender based differences, challenges and barriers, but I'm happy to tell you that I could find ways to navigate those.
And in Women Initiative Network, we exactly do the same.
We are a group of employees who are very motivated to support this breaking such challenges or barriers which comes on our way based on gender.
As an Employee Resource Group lead, I wish that all employees here in Kyowa Kirin feel confident and a sense of belongingness at workplace.
Once you better understand the shoes that your colleague walks in, it helps in open one's awareness.
It helps bring more understanding and embracing of inclusivity, which is what we're trying to achieve as a part of the Embrace ERG.
It's important that we all work together and support one another, celebrate the differences, help and strive toward inclusivity and belonging within Kyowa Kirin, I will say from personal experience, since being here, I've never felt anything less than accepted for who I am.
All those experiences really helped shape me into the person that I am today.
We are relentlessly focused on improving patients’ lives
We are inspired by the patients we serve. Their courage, their strength, their support of one another in the rare disease community. In addition to working externally with patients and patient advocacy groups, we make a commitment to bringing them inside our walls, to meet with and speak with our teams so that we remember, every day, what drives us and pushes us to keep innovating for them.
Our commitment to helping others extends to the communities where we
live and work
Our company and our employees are committed to making a profound impact beyond what we do at work every day.
Kyowa Kirin supports all employees with 16 Volunteer Time Off hours, to enable them to give back without using vacation time. Our teams make volunteering part of their annual planning.
In addition, we organize in-office events that collect school supplies, personal items for community groups, food for soup kitchens, and gifts at the holidays. We also host blood drives and support current and former military personnel with cards, food, hygiene items, and clothing. And, we join walks, runs, and other events that fundraise for health issues of programs we are passionate about. Nearly every month, there is an activity that brings us together to help others.
In the office, we are committed to ensuring ours is an environment of learning
“I’ve not worked at a company so committed to helping every employee grow.”
We have an entire team devoted to upskilling and developing our workforce. From improving communication skills, fostering innovation and a deep understanding of our business, Kyowa Kirin is committed to enabling personal and professional growth.
We want every employee to be engaged and empowered
From day one, every employee is encouraged to help shape the company. What can we do better or differently? What can strengthen our culture? What else should we consider? Employees have a voice, and our leadership listens.
To help encourage feedback and well as reinforce our culture, we have a network of employee Culture Ambassadors who serve as a conduit for employee suggestions and concerns to the Executive Leadership Team. As an extension of our commitment to buildling a community of collaboration and belonging, our Employee Resource Groups conduct fun and informative events that promote inclusivity and showcase our cultural diversity.
There's like a there's a common respect for one another and when you have a common respect, you can work more efficiently and harder for the patients that are the most important people are accessible to you and you feel like you're part of I always feel like I'm part of here.
I never feel like I'm a cog in a wheel.
I feel like I'm part of, and that's really important for yourself worth and to feel fulfilled every day.
Receiving input from the colleagues around me, positive input or constructive criticisms even helps steer us.
You know, you always need the feedback, what worked, what didn't work.
And we want to make an impact.
And it just it gets you jazzed that you're making an impact.
Everybody checks their title when they come through the door and everybody's collaborative.
And it's not a perse a hierarchy and who's more important or a popularity contest.
It's about getting the work done.
And everybody rolls their sleeves up.
Everybody's input is, you know, needed.
How can we make things better, you know, across the board?
I would say, you know, this is a great place to work because not only are we like highly collaborative company, we are constantly lifting each other up.
But most importantly, I feel that the executive committee is very invested in employee development.
And so there are just so many opportunities to like move up to, to, to get promoted to, to develop yourself as you know, just as an individual.
Because ours is a company of growth, opportunities abound
We are Kyowa Kirin’s fastest growing global region, making it an exciting and high-energy place to be. Since 2019, we have more than doubled our employee base and our impact on patients. We also have doubled our operations, adding two new locations to our North American footprint, including a new manufacturing plant in North Carolina.
We now number more than 700 employees and account for more than 31% of global revenues, up from 13% in 2019.
There is unlimited potential for us in North America...It is our story to write.
Steve Schaefer, President, Kyowa Kirin North America
Don't take our word for it. See what our employees have to say:
The reason why I do science is to be able to help people and you can feel that everyone here has the same kind of passion for patients.”
Arvin Tam, Senior Research Scientist II
The people who work here have a common respect for one another. And when you have a common respect, you can work more efficiently and harder for the people that are the most important and hopefully the patients.”
Marla Zucker, Executive Administrator, Regulatory Affairs and ICT
The culture here is very helpful – the teamwork is tremendous. If you don’t know something, you don't feel embarrassed to ask and to get the whole team on board and help.”
Huma Booter, Bioanalytical Specialist, Translational Research
