Pfizer Animal Health wins major National Australia Bank award

Thursday November 11, 2010

Pfizer Animal Health has won the prestigious Employer of Choice Award at the NAB (National Australia Bank) Agribusiness Awards for Excellence held in Melbourne last week.

NAB Agribusiness, in association with Monash University, invites leaders from the private and public sectors to submit nominations for the awards, which started 15 years ago. They are now widely recognised as the premier awards event for corporate and individual achievement within the agribusiness, food, fibre and beverage sectors.

Pfizer Animal Health edged out impressive competition in the Employer of Choice category, including beef/cattle specialist AAco, project management and implementation organisation GRM International, the Pegela Pastoral Company and agribusiness research and technology specialist Syngenta.

According to NAB Agribusiness, Pfizer Animal Health, "has dedicated learning and development resources for employees and conducts a year-long 'Colleague Development Program' offering employees the opportunity to expand their skills, develop competencies, stretch themselves in their job roles and make a financial impact with a project that adds incremental value to the business."

Business Unit Head, Mike van Blommestein, said the award is no accident and has been a direct result of Pfizer Animal Health's successful ability to recruit and retain quality people with its investment in a comprehensive Colleague Development Program.

"We have low colleague turnover, coupled to a high calibre, high performing team, driving the success of the Australian business," said Mr van Blommestein.

"Our colleague development strategies make Pfizer Animal Health a great place to work and we offer terrific career and personal growth opportunities for colleagues, and this is what differentiates us from the other companies in this category.

Pfizer Animal Health's Colleague Development Program focuses on "stretching individuals in their current roles", according to Mr van Blommestein, "while also providing them with the skills and training to better execute current roles; and also develop for future career progression, ensuring there is a ready talent pool."

"A critical element of the Colleague Development Program is a tailored 'Yellow Belt' training, which is based on the Six Sigma program. Our Yellow Belt program provides individuals with not only continuous improvement and but also the ability to deploy the Yellow Belt training to a specific project," explained Mr van Blommestein.

"The program enhances leadership, the ability to manage people and communication skills ensuring we have a motivated and engaged team."