Lean transformationin a pharmaceutical company

No textbook Lean. No Japanese terminology. No management jargon.

From the very beginning it was clear that many employees could not relate to classic Lean terminology. If Lean was going to work here, it had to be culturally anchored and clearly understood by everyone. This required strong change management with a deep focus on people and culture.

We deliberately chose an unconventional path.
Instead of importing standard Lean language, we developed company-specific terms that emerged from the organization itself. Words that people immediately understood and identified with.

Lean no longer felt foreign. It became their own system.

At the same time, the pharmaceutical context introduced a critical requirement: GMP compliance.
As a certified GMP compliance manager, I was able to design the Lean system in a way that was fully compliant, audit-proof and aligned with regulatory standards.

Lean and GMP did not conflict – they reinforced each other.

To anchor Lean sustainably, we followed a structured rollout approach:

Point:
Selected lighthouse projects demonstrated the potential of Lean quickly and convincingly.

Line:
Lean was then expanded into adjacent areas, especially manufacturing, where the impact was particularly strong.

Area:
Finally, Lean was rolled out across the entire organization – from marketing and HR to quality management, laboratories, accounting and production.

Lean was no longer a project.
It became part of the company’s identity.

A key success factor was the introduction of a core Lean team.
Employees from different departments dedicated 20 percent of their working time to process improvement – operationally, independently and highly motivated.

Over a period of more than 15 years, around ten employees were qualified every year.
In total, 150 Lean experts were developed who did not just understand Lean – they lived it.

What made this especially powerful:
Many members of the core team advanced into leadership roles, including team leads, department heads, senior managers and even executive positions. Lean became a career accelerator and the organization evolved into a self-learning system.

This transformation went far beyond process optimization.
A Lean culture emerged that is understood and supported from top management to the shopfloor.

A culture that works without Lean jargon – yet fully embodies its principles:
continuous improvement
shared learning
courage to change
clear responsibility
tangible relief in everyday work

Today, the company is a strong example of how Lean can thrive in a highly regulated industry like pharmaceuticals when it is implemented with cultural sensitivity and strategic clarity.

Because it shows that Lean does not depend on terminology – it depends on understanding and ownership.
And that real transformation does not happen overnight, but through consistent steps, smart empowerment and a culture that celebrates improvement instead of fearing it.