Culture-Driven Talent Acquisition: How Daiichi Sankyo Builds Teams

Culture is the Foundation of Our Teams

When I reflect on what makes Daiichi Sankyo special, I always come back to our culture. It’s not just a set of corporate values tucked away in an employee handbook. It’s something we live and breathe every day. Our Japanese heritage is woven into the fabric of our organization, manifesting in a culture built on respect, humility, transparency, collaboration, and a deep, shared purpose to serve patients. These principles shape every interaction, from candidate conversations to team-building decisions. 

As the Head of Global Talent Acquisition, I see how this culture influences everything we do, especially in how it drives our hiring practices. Respect is more than a word here, it’s an expectation. Our leaders are humble and approachable, and a spirit of collaboration runs through every team.

What stands out to me most is the sense of community. The people I work with are enthusiastic professionals with deep expertise in their fields. We support one another, exchange ideas and learn together. Our patient-centric mindset drives our decisions and unites us all, regardless of our roles. 

Relating Is My Craft: Human-Centered Hiring

Talent acquisition is about much more than matching resumes to job descriptions. My true craft is relating—building genuine, empathetic connections with candidates and hiring managers. This isn’t just about being personable, it’s about deeply understanding the needs, expectations and aspirations of both sides. 

When I speak with hiring managers, I look beyond the job description to grasp the unique challenges their teams face and the type of talent that will complement and enhance their departments. Similarly, I spend time with candidates to learn what motivates them, what they’re seeking in their next opportunity , and how our culture aligns with their values and working style. 

By relating to both sides, I can help identify the best person for the role. When a new hire says, “I’ve found my people,” or a manager tells me their team dynamic has never been stronger, I know we’ve succeeded

Empowering Candidates Through Transparency

At Daiichi Sankyo, we prioritize candidate care and take a distinctive approach to onboarding. One of the things I’m proud of is our transparency in the interview process. We provide candidates with interview questions in advance, something that’s still uncommon in our industry. We want candidates to feel prepared and confident, not caught off guard. We’re not trying to stump them. We’re assessing them, but they’re also assessing us—and that’s how it should be.

Our goal is to empower candidates with every opportunity to prepare, to understand what matters most to us, and show up as their most authentic selves. Panel interviews offer a unique window into our culture—where collaboration, respect and authenticity are more than values; they’re how we work together every day. Through these conversations, candidates can experience firsthand how we connect, communicate and thrive as a team.

The feedback we hear time and again is that our interviews feel like conversations, not interrogations. Candidates leave feeling they had a fair chance to highlight their strengths and learn about our organization. This two-way street ensures that when someone joins us, they’re confident in their choice and aligned with our mission. This level of transparency helps build trust and ensures alignment from day one.

Watch Suzanne Volkert in “Where Craft Meets”

At Daiichi Sankyo, we don’t just fill positions. We build teams that thrive together. Learn more about our approach to talent acquisition in Where Craft Meets with Suzanne Volkert.

Explore more videos in the “Where Craft Meets” series, featuring Daiichi Sankyo employees who embody shokunin kishitsu, or the craftsperson spirit.