Emergent BioSolutions

Transforming Compliance into a Culture of Quality and Pride

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Emergent BioSolutions, a multinational biopharmaceutical company, produced Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccines at one of its plants; however, this was marked by contamination and other production issues, and millions of doses of vaccine had to be discarded.

With the company’s stock prices dropping rapidly and the attrition of highly passionate and loyal employees, Emergent’s new Quality and Compliance team asked ID to help them develop a new Code of Conduct that would respond to employee concerns and better support the evolving brand.

Emergent BioSolutions turned to Incognito Design to help reimagine one of its most critical cultural and compliance assets: the Code of Conduct. Following a period of intense public scrutiny, Emergent’s leadership sought to build trust, reinforce ethical decision-making, and create a new foundation for a culture of compliance, ethics, and quality.

Our challenge: to transform the Code from a static, check-the-box document into an engaging, inspiring, and highly usable resource—one that employees could see as both a standard of professional conduct and a symbol of pride in Emergent’s mission to protect and enhance life.

Our Approach

We led a phased process that combined research, strategy, and design:

Research, Insights, and Recommendations Report

1. Listening to the Voice of Employees

ID conducted over 30 interviews with employees around the world, including CEO Bob Kramer, members of the Executive Management team, senior leadership, middle management and employees in Emergent’s manufacturing sites.

  • Pride in the mission: safeguarding public health and serving on the front lines of biodefense.
  • Deep appreciation for colleagues: describing each other as “caring,” “dedicated,” and “smart.”
  • Aspirations for change: a desire to elevate ethics, integrity, compliance, and quality from functional requirements to celebrated values.

This research revealed gaps between current perceptions of compliance (“policing,” “check-the-box”) and the aspiration for a more empowering, people-first culture.

Brand Love Mark Exploration

2. Building a Strategy for Engagement

Using employee insights, we developed a content and communications strategy to make the Code approachable, inspirational, and memorable. In terms of the code of conduct rewrite, we recommended a “bite, snack, meal” structure—allowing employees to engage at different levels of depth:

  • Bite: A one-page credo capturing core principles.
  • Snack: Inspirational summaries and guiding principles.
  • Meal: Full details for those seeking deeper understanding.

In addition to the Code of Conduct itself we also designed communication and internal marketing tools to drive awareness, including email campaigns, leadership talking points, and launch collateral.

Code of Conduct Content Pages Exploration (Covers and Interior Spreads)
Code of Conduct Content Pages Exploration (Poster and Credo)

3. Designing “Our Code”

We renamed Emergent’s refreshed Code “Our Code” with the tagline “For the lives we protect and enhance”—reinforcing shared responsibility and collective pride.

We also created a unifying brand identity for the code itself:

The MY CODE Shield – A “love mark” symbol, built from Emergent’s brand stripes, representing protection and empowerment.

Blue color palette extension – visually distinctive, yet aligned with Emergent’s brand.

Interactive & dynamic PDF format – searchable, linked to resources, and designed for both desktop and mobile use.

Pattern Exploration

The result is a flagship cultural asset: one that is accessible, employee-centered, and capable of setting a new standard for compliance communications across the organization.

Final Code of Conduct Page Examples

Communications Plan & Internal Marketing Collateral

To ensure adoption and visibility, we designed a launch campaign and communications framework:

  • Email Campaigns – to announce and promote the new Code.
  • Leadership Toolkit – talking points and presentation materials for managers to introduce “Our Code” to their teams.
  • Visual Collateral – including posters, digital signage, and branded templates to reinforce messaging.
  • Roadshow Strategy – a framework for Compliance and Quality leaders to activate the Code in ongoing training, mentorship, and cultural initiatives.
Code of Conduct Ephemera Exploration (Poster and Credo)

Impact

The reimagined “Our Code” has become more than a compliance document—it is now a cultural cornerstone. It provides employees with clarity, usability, and a sense of ownership while reinforcing Emergent’s mission-driven pride. By pairing strong design with employee insights, we helped Emergent transform compliance from a regulatory necessity into a living expression of purpose, quality, and integrity.

Services Provided:

  • Research & Employee Insights
  • Strategy & Content Development
  • Naming & Identity Design
  • Complete Code Rewrite and Design
  • Dynamic PDF Code of Conduct
  • Launch Communications Plan
  • Internal Marketing Collateral