7/30/2019 Pfizer Supply Chain Academy Success Story

1/2

Client profilePfizer Inc. is a diversified global health carecompany, with a portfolio including humanand animal biologic and small moleculemedicines and vaccines, nutritional products,and many of the worlds best-knownconsumer products. In late 2009, Pfizeracquired Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, creating oneof the most diversified organizations in the

pharmaceutical industry.

Business challengePrior to its acquisition by Pfizer, Wyeth hadchosen Accenture Supply Chain Academy toplay a central role in its ongoing cultivationof differentiated supply chain capabilities,particularly among a subset of employeesacross its European, the Middle East, andAfrica regions, and selected global supply chainteams. This advanced supply chain learningsolution gave Wyeth access to a powerful

combination of online courses, live webinars,and proven frameworks and tools, throughwhich the company was able to keep its vitalsupply chain capabilities in top form.

For instance, Wyeth derived substantial valuefrom the Supply Chain Academys competencyframework for key supply chain roles, andits training programs targeted at closingcompetency gaps among employees, whichboth enhanced employee skills and increased

job satisfaction.

These assets proved valuable indeed to Wyethin the fast-paced, dynamic and competitiveglobal health care market, boosting theconsistency and effectiveness of its supplychain function in key geographies. Infact, when Wyeth was acquired by Pfizerin early 2009, the acquiring companyquickly took notice of the value beinggenerated by the Supply Chain Academy,and formed a plan to leverage that valueacross the newly formed organization.

As stated by Lisa Brown, Pfizers Director ofSupply Chain Capability, The goal was to takethe best of the best from both organizationsand create new opportunities. The Supply ChainAcademy quickly came to the surface becauseof its unique value. At the time, Pfizer did nothave such an online supply chain professionaldevelopment tool that would allow our peoplearound the globe to develop themselves.

Pfizer was especially eager to take advantage

of the Supply Chain Academys potential toaccelerate and enhance the transformationof its global supply chain function into asource of sustainable value and increasedagility. The company also sought to build acommon foundation of knowledge across themany moving parts involved in its acquisitionof Wyeth and other, smaller companies. Inlight of the successful deployment of theSupply Chain Academy in leading businessesacross industries and geographies, Pfizer wasconfident this resource would help it achievethese goals quickly.

A formula for success:Implementing Accenture Supply

Chain Academy at Pfizer

7/30/2019 Pfizer Supply Chain Academy Success Story

2/2

How Accenture helped

Collaborating closely with Pfizer, Accenturelaunched a customized implementation ofthe Supply Chain Academy that would imbuethe companys supply chain with the broadset of skills it would need to maintain marketleadership for years to come.Brown noted, Our initial goal was to provideour market leaders with the professional

education they needed to function in thebroader supply chain functions.

Pfizers initial target employees included itsglobal market leaders, as well as numerousdemand planners and logistics leaders.Working together, Accenture and Pfizerdesigned a customized curriculum for theseemployees that would boost their workingknowledge of the end-to-end supply chain. Aswell and based on Pfizers needs, additionaltopics are being added to the developmentschedule for instance, in such areas as supplychain security and cold chain.

Pfizers supply chain transformation alsowould entail the creation of new roles, andthe subsequent need to provide key employeeswith new and enhanced skills related to thoseroles. Accenture worked closely with Pfizer tomap its content to Pfizers new organizationaldesign and ensure the right employees wouldparticipate in the right courses. As part of thisprocess, Accenture helped Pf izer develop acomprehensive Curriculum Builder based onapproved Pfizer roles. The intention of thistool is to allow its users to rate themselvesagainst a number of competencies associated

with their role, identify gaps and designan individualized curriculum. Accenturefurther enhanced the value of this tool bytailoring it to Pfizers supply chain roles, corecompetencies and desired proficiency levels.Accenture also helped Pfizer establish theSupply Chain Academy metrics, frameworksand dashboards it would need to measure theimpact of those courses on the achievement ofits goals and adjust its approach accordingly.

With this groundwork in place, Accenture andPfizer have developed powerful, multi-channelcommunications campaigns to publicize

the value of the Supply Chain Academy toPfizer employees and encourage enrollmentamong a broader pool of supply chain staff.From banners and postcards to intranetpages, these materials have been designedto maximize Pfizers return on its investmentin the Supply Chain Academy as quickly aspossible. Accenture and Pfizers Manager ofSupply Chain Capability, Mona Abdellall, haveteamed up to deliver a series of webinarsthat teach global supply chain employeesthe intricacies of using the Supply ChainAcademy, including site navigation, course

selection, and the importance of adheringto individual development plans. The SCAwebinar initiative along with Pfizer web portalpromotional messages was key to the launchand early adoption of Supply Chain Academy.The Accenture team was there to supportPfizer every step of the way, said Mona. ThePfizer led global webinars attracted morethan 500 colleagues from all over the worlddue to the attractive features SCA offers .

Courses in different languages, recent articlesfrom popular magazines, live webinars and anabundance of online courses that they couldcomplete on their own time offered a new andinnovative way of learning in Pfizers GlobalSupply Chain Network.

High performance delivered

In just a few short months, hundreds ofsatisified Pfizer supply chain employeesacross the companies global footprint havetaken advantage of Supply Chain Academy.The professional growth enabled by the

Supply Chain Academy has earned ravereviews among Pfizer employees, as has itsflexibility and inherent suitability to Pfizersglobal supply chain organization. Peopleare enthusiastic about the SCA trainingopportunities and attendance is high,said Brown.

Also, the promotional campaigns have beensuccessful: monthly course completionsincreased by a factor of 2.5 between Mayand July 2011. In fact, with demand fortraining on the rise, Pfizer recently switchedfrom a license-based model to one based on

consumption. This new model will provide amuch larger group of employees with accessto the Supply Chain Academy. In effect,every supply chain employeeregardless oftheir role or locationnow has access to thetraining they need to further their individualdevelopment plans. While this is a powerfulbenefit for employees, perhaps the greatestvalue to Pfizer is the enhanced agility andresponsiveness that such a leading-edgesupply chain capability supports.

Just as important, the implementationhas been fast and predictable throughout,blending customized and existingcomponents to boost Pfizers supply chainskills. The speed and certainty with whichAccenture has been able to implementthe Supply Chain Academy derives bothfrom the solutions tested tools, processesand content as well as Accentures deepexperience in pharmaceuticals and supplychain management. In short, by applying itsvaluable knowledge and expertise to Pfizersspecific goals and challenges, Accenturehas been able to support the companysongoing drive toward high performance.

About AccentureSupply Chain Academy

Accenture Supply Chain Academy is aninnovative and flexible online learningenvironment, delivering rich contentdesigned to rapidly improve the skills,knowledge and performance of theworkforce. We help companies to drivebetter execution across the global supply

chain and develop a more agile andresponsive business. For more information,visit www.supplychainacademy.com.

About Accenture SupplyChain Management

The Accenture Supply Chain Managementservice line works with clients across abroad range of industries to develop andexecute operational strategies that enableprofitable growth in new and existingmarkets. Committed to helping clients

achieve high performance through supplychain mastery, we combine global industryexpertise and skills in supply chain strategy,sourcing and procurement, supply chainplanning, manufacturing and design,fulfillment, and service management tohelp organizations transform their supplychain capabilities. We collaborate withclients to implement innovative consultingand outsourcing solutions that alignoperating models to support businessstrategies, optimize global operations, enableprofitable product launches, and enhancethe skills and capabilities of the supply

chain workforce. For more information,visit www.accenture.com/supplychain.

About Accenture

Accenture is a global management consulting,technology services and outsourcing company,with more than 244,000 people servingclients in more than 120 countries. Combiningunparalleled experience, comprehensivecapabilities across all industries andbusiness functions, and extensive researchon the worlds most successful companies,Accenture collaborates with clients to

help them become high-performancebusinesses and governments. The companygenerated net revenues of US$25.5 billionfor the f iscal year ended Aug. 31, 2011.Its home page is www.accenture.com.

11-2926 / 11-4503

Copyright 2012 AccentureAll rights reserved.

Accenture, its logo, andHigh Performance Deliveredare trademarks of Accenture.