Unilab leads ASEAN employers in TIME’s latest ranking

Earning recognition among the Asia-Pacific region’s leading employers shows that homegrown companies may stand alongside major regional businesses not only in their respective fields, but also in building workplaces where people want to grow and stay.

Which is why it is a proud moment for the Philippine pharmaceutical industry as homegrown pharmaceutical company United Laboratories (Unilab) has earned a place among TIME magazine and Statista’s Top 500 Asia-Pacific Best Employers of 2027, recognizing its standing as an employer in a region filled with established businesses and major conglomerates.

Beyond developing and providing medicines that serve communities, Unilab’s achievement highlights the industry’s contribution as an employer, creating opportunities for Filipinos and demonstrating that local pharmaceutical companies may make a mark beyond the country’s borders.

Led by the Campos-Hess family, the Filipino pharmaceutical company scored 89.15 out of 100, outperforming other companies founded and headquartered in ASEAN, including some of Southeast Asia’s largest conglomerates. The recognition highlights not only the company’s presence in the pharmaceutical industry, but also its ability to build a workplace that earns the confidence and recommendation of its employees.

The achievement comes at a meaningful time for the homegrown company, which celebrated its 80th anniversary in 2025. Eight decades after its establishment, Unilab continues to be part of the country’s pharmaceutical landscape, making its inclusion in the regional employer rankings a milestone not just for the company, but also for the Philippine pharmaceutical industry.

The Asia-Pacific Best Employers 2027 list evaluated companies with at least 1,000 employees across the region and operations in at least two markets. The assessment focused on employee feedback, making workplace perception and willingness to recommend an employer key factors in determining the rankings.

For the survey, employees rated their willingness to recommend their company to family and friends on a scale of zero to 10, with zero as the lowest and 10 as the highest. Respondents also evaluated other companies within their respective industries, indicating whether they would recommend them or had no opinion.

Statista then combined these responses and converted the results into scores out of 100 to determine the final rankings. This approach placed considerable importance on how employees and industry peers perceive a company as an employer, rather than relying solely on its financial performance or business size.

Unilab’s inclusion reflects how a Filipino-founded company may earn recognition on a regional stage, proving that homegrown businesses may make their mark not only through the products and services they provide, but also through the products and services they provide, and through the workplaces they build. For the Philippine pharmaceutical industry, it is a milestone worth celebrating as local companies continue to demonstrate their capabilities beyond the domestic market.