How Being Part of the HBA’s Gender Parity Collaborative Changed the Way Sanofi’s Chris Nuss Leads

Christopher Nuss , lead HR business partner at Sanofi and one of the company’s representatives in HBA’s Gender Parity Collaborative (GPC), wants us to reconsider what we mean by “taking risks” with talent.

Once upon a time, a manager told Nuss that he was “taking a risk on him.” The language stuck, and Nuss himself developed a habit of referring to “taking risks on talent” when talking about getting more diverse candidates into leadership roles. Then, during a candid conversation at a GPC meeting, someone pointed out to him that traditionally underestimated people, such as women and people of color, may not appreciate being considered a “risk.” It was an “aha!” moment for him.

“The person who gave me that feedback did so in a very impactful way,” Nuss recalls, noting that these days, instead of talking about “taking risks on talent,” he talks about seizing the moment and really pursuing talent that will make a difference.

?“The Think Tank is great because it’s a safe space to talk about things we wouldn’t normally talk about with our competitors,” Nuss observes. He praises fellow members for being inviting and for welcoming discussion of diverse ideas. “The conversations are so rich,” he says, recalling, for instance, recent conversations about AI and data-driven DE&I. After each meeting, he and Sanofi’s other representative, share learnings with fellow leaders at Sanofi.

?“Being part of the GPC has given me more passion for advancing women in leadership,” Nuss says. He shares just a handful of initiatives Sanofi has underway to do just that, such as efforts to attract diverse talent early in the pipeline, so that they can develop the expertise needed for more senior roles down the line; this includes taking a hard look at who has access to education and considering degree requirements tied to open positions — and, more broadly, reconsidering what makes someone an “expert.”

“Some people think, ‘I know the expert for this role,’” Nuss says, “but then they spend a year trying to fill the position. What if we thought differently? Do we really need someone with a PhD? What about someone who’s a better leader, who will do the work differently?”

Reflecting on his experience being part of the GPC, Nuss says, “Knowing that challenges are similar at other companies helps me feel comfortable saying we could be doing better. Our programs may differ, but we also have a lot in common.” And, he notes, knowing that fellow Collaborative members are always looking for new ways to push equity forward keeps him focused on innovating, too.

Christopher Nuss is an HR Business Partner with experience in driving people strategy, leading organizational change initiatives, strengthening talent capabilities and leading global teams. His goal is to drive change by improving management capabilities, strengthening internal talent and providing new opportunities for development and organizational evolution.