The Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers of India (OPPI) organised the annual HR summit on ‘Imperatives for Organisational Sustainability’. The topics discussed were diversity and inclusion, compliance and growth and employee value proposition (EVP).

At the summit, distinguished speakers addressed the HR challenges faced by the pharmaceutical industry and drew upon experiences from other industries to provide likely solutions to these challenges.

In his inaugural address, Dr Shailesh Ayyangar, President, OPPI and Managing Director, India & Vice President, South Asia, Sanofi, said, “The Indian pharmaceutical industry has been evolving over the last few decades.

Today, there is a need to build an innovative, collaborative and patient-centric workforce. The industry should focus on developing robust HR strategies that provide sustainable solutions for developing and retaining talent.”

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The key note by Dr Mukund Rajan, Member – Group Executive Council & Brand Custodian, Tata Sons Limited, in his key note address highlighted, “There is a need for a well-defined sense of mission and purpose which forms the basis of a good organisation and defines the organisational culture. Further, this influences behavior of employees and ultimately the performance of the company.”

Addressing the audience in a special session on diversity and inclusion, Harsha Bhogle, cricket commentator and media personality, said, “Diversity of skill and work ethics strengthens teams. It brings together people of different cultures and allows them to learn and grow from each other. Today, in corporate India, women play increasingly important roles and we need an inclusive eco-system which recognises and rewards their capabilities.”

According to the to the National Skill Development Corporation data of 2015, Human Resource requirement in India’s healthcare sector is estimated to touch 74 lakhs by 2022. The Indian pharmaceutical industry has been growing at a steady pace.

This growth has fuelled employment opportunities across functions including research and development, sales and marketing, finance, project management and supply chain. To ensure a competent and competitive workforce it is imperative to show a demonstrative commitment towards organizational sustainability and growth.

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