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GO2025: a successful transformation journey for our Global Operations team
Last year, Global Operations (GO) successfully completed GO2025, its five-year strategic cycle that was launched in 2020. As part of this work, the team transformed from a fragmented group of specialised departments into a unified, high-performing organisation.
GO2025 marked a fundamental transformation of Grünenthal’s operations and end-to-end value chain worldwide. It significantly evolved and developed our core processes including manufacturing, quality, procurement and supply chain. We achieved this by applying a business system approach across six global functions, five manufacturing sites and 27 countries.
While systems and processes played a big part, the core of GO2025 focused on building excellence from within by developing our people and culture. We placed a clear emphasis on growing our talented, committed and highly diverse cross-functional workforce—from factory floor operators to scientists. And we invested heavily to develop capabilities and to build an engagement-driven culture.
Today, GO is a key contributor to Grünenthal’s overall strategy. It is strongly positioned to support and drive ongoing growth through acquisitions, while helping to maximise the profitability of established brands. GO also supports investments into research and development (R&D) and product innovation. At all times, it aims to accelerate Grünenthal’s pursuit of its vision of a World Free of Pain.
People: Our engine for progress
GO’s success is rooted in the dedication and capability of its teams. In recent years, GO has made tremendous progress to transform into a high-performing organisation that is also a cool place to work. Together, people from across GO teams worldwide have delivered strong results—supported by targeted training and leadership development.
- 80% of GO leaders enrolled in the GO Leadership Academy.
- 36% of GO leaders are women.
- 40% reduction in onboarding time via education and training programmes.
Process excellence: Raising the bar
Process excellence has become a hallmark of GO’s work. The implementation of the Global Operations Business System (GOBS) has standardised our way of working and improved right-first-time performance, while also reducing deviations and recalls.
- €26.2m delivered from integration synergies.
- 67% decrease in recordable accidents.
- 100% renewable electricity at all five sites.
Profitability improvements: Delivering results
GO2025 delivered tangible financial benefits for Grünenthal and has highlighted GO's central role in enabling our company’s growth and transformation.
- €110.8m contribution to Grünenthal’s EBITDA.
- €52.8m total sustainable savings from external spend optimisation optimisation.
- 15.6% annual return from M&A deals (European pharma industry benchmark is 7.4%).
