Aspeya: How a shared DNA created a united force

As we build on the foundations of our successful business and look at the long term, we are establishing pathways into the wellness sector—an area that leverages our scientific capabilities and consumer insights. Achieving our ambition requires not only scientific and commercial innovation, but also strong alignment on values, behaviors, and ways of working across our organization. In this context, culture remains a critical enabler of change.

Our shared starting point

When Aspeya became PMI’s dedicated wellness business unit, it brought together people from different organizations based across Denmark, Canada, Switzerland, India, the U.K., Singapore, Malaysia, and the U.S., each with its own legacy, scientific and operational backgrounds, and cultural values.

Aspeya’s ambition is bold: To make a positive difference to the lives of patients and consumers through science, insight, and innovation. It is on a journey to empower healthier lifestyles and target specific unmet needs. It does this by being innovative, optimizing formulas, and applying rigorous scientific standards. This is the philosophy that guides Aspeya’s approach and the choices it makes. As Aspeya moved forward in its journey, it became evident that capabilities alone would not create the cohesive, high-performing organization needed to drive it forward. What Aspeya needed was a cultural foundation to propel its ambition—something that could strengthen, unify, and help employees feel connected to a larger shared purpose. This created a natural opportunity to align around the PMI “DNA,” our recently launched cultural framework, which defines how we work to deliver our ambition.

PMI DNA: A shared cultural foundation

Built around three themes—We Care, We Are Better Together, and We Are Game Changers—PMI DNA brings together shared values and behaviors that guide everyday decisions and collaboration across our organization. At its core, it emphasizes integrity, inclusion, teamwork and a willingness to challenge the status quo in pursuit of better outcomes.

Aspeya, powered by PMI’s DNA, became a shared compass for how the business uses its diversity to shape an environment where everyone can thrive, understand how to win together, and have a clear sense of how their work contributes toward the development and commercialization of a pipeline of wellness products and brands.

“The introduction of our DNA was not just a poster on the wall; it marked a turning point,” says Laurent Martenet, Chief People & Culture Officer, Aspeya. “Suddenly, a common language began to take shape.”

Through leadership activations, workshops with senior leaders, building the capabilities of people managers, integrating performance values and onboarding, and everyday storytelling, our DNA is gradually moving from slides into conversations, and from conversations into everyday behaviors.

The strongest proof of this alignment came from the voices of employees themselves.

In the 2025 Employee Engagement Survey, more than 1,000 colleagues—81 percent of the Aspeya workforce—shared their experiences and expectations, offering more than 1,600 comments. Their message was remarkably consistent.

In total, 87 percent said they understood the values and behaviors of our DNA, and 79 percent agreed that these values were essential for Aspeya’s future. The storyline that emerged was unmistakable: Our DNA was resonating, and people recognized its relevance in their day-to-day reality.

Meanwhile, 86 percent of employees said they clearly understood how their work contributes to empowering healthy lifestyles—a direct reflection of how purpose and culture were reinforcing one another.

Engagement reached 78 percent, an eight-point increase from the previous year, with employees expressing pride, motivation, and confidence in Aspeya’s journey. Many noted that they felt part of something that was not just science but also culturally intentional: A workplace where the ambition to make a positive difference was matched by a genuine commitment to people and culture.

“The story these results tell is simple and powerful,” explains Laurent.

Today, Aspeya continues to evolve as an organization, defining its unique identity, powered by the PMI DNA, and reinforced by the belief that every employee contributes to a mission that matters. As the business continues to grow—building new capabilities, innovating in its field, and entering new markets—this cultural foundation remains its greatest strength.

The next chapter will focus on deepening this alignment even further: Continuing to integrate DNA behaviors into processes and rituals, enabling leaders to steward culture with intention, and ensuring that every employee feels connected to both the mission and each other. But the story so far is clear and inspiring.

“We began as many. We became one,” says Laurent. “And through our shared DNA, we are building the Aspeya of the future, together.”