Keeping diversity and inclusion in the spotlight

Keeping diversity and inclusion in the spotlight

Pride month just ended, and having taken part in a full day virtual diversity and inclusion summit with European leaders at Teva this week, it was a great reminder to keep the subject in the spotlight all year round, no matter who or where you are.

At Teva, inclusion and diversity are an integral part of our ESG strategy and critical to our growth, yet we know we need to do better. It’s a high priority on the agenda of many companies and governments across the globe. We have a way to go both in creating the environment but also delivering the tangible results we want to see, and we are not the only ones: according to a PWC European Benchmarking Survey, D&I is a stated value or priority area for 76% of organizations, yet 36% of respondents feel diversity is still a barrier to employee progression.

I believe acknowledging our gaps is the first step in addressing the problem, while we continue to educate ourselves about the challenges faced by minority groups and our own unconscious biases

Why does it matter?

As a father to two daughters, partner of a?brilliant Pharmacist, and also as a leader of the organization, I am constantly reminded of the challenges we face in creating more diverse and inclusive environments. I’m also aware of the differences in opportunities, forms of discrimination and unconscious bias encountered on a daily basis. When I hear the experiences of those around me, including the microaggressions that my daughters explain to me they face on a regular basis I’m inspired to do more.

In the workplace let’s not forget that while D&I is about representation and equal opportunities, it’s also about diversity in ways of thinking, working and expression. Put into the context of the hiring process, it’s about challenging ourselves to look for someone that isn’t an exact copy of every other member of the team. Someone who can bring a fresh perspective to the group, maybe even an “outlier”.

Think about it: how similar are the personalities and people on your team, in all aspects? Could you benefit from diversity?

I can imagine that for some this topic might still feel a bit “fluffy” but Increased diversity and inclusion has business benefits - it’s not just a soft skill. The people we interact with: physicians, customers, suppliers, advocacy groups and indeed new recruits all expect to see themselves reflected in their professional partners and employers. If we want to be leaders we need to evolve, it’s clichéd to speak of a win-win but this really is the case!

The more people are represented and feel included, the more they speak up, go the extra mile, and collaborate — all of which ultimately lifts organizational performance, innovation and growth.

Including at Teva

As an industry leader we have a responsibility to create an environment that is supportive and respects each and every one of us, as well as to contribute to better and more inclusive societies.

We can only make a difference if we are all in it together as one Teva, joining our forces to create not only a better, more diverse environment for all our employees but also an inclusive one where people feel like they can move forward, taking those positive risks.

I am encouraged by the progress we are making for example with our European Mentoring Program, our anti-bias training and clear Governance that ensures we continue to do what we say we will. It was also encouraging to be with 200 of our European leaders in our D&I day, seeing how thought provoking it was for all of us. It’s a testimony to our commitment to the topic and reaching the goals we’ve set.

Talking about diversity often can end up with the many boxes we would like to address, but if we keep talking in terms of quotas and statistics, we still end up excluding people since diversity touches many characteristics. This doesn’t mean that we can’t make progress on important topics but there is a bigger story to tell.

The bottom line is that if someone knocks on our Teva door, we want them to see themselves reflected –invited.?And it starts with us as leaders, to set the example.

What is your WHY for advocating for inclusion in the workplace?

yossef fridman

CNC programmer AND Mastercam

3 年

why are people live longer can't remember anything no quality of life For the family too

回复
yossef fridman

CNC programmer AND Mastercam

3 年

Teva Pharmaceuticals closing Haverstraw plant

回复
K???? ?? V?????????

| ????????? GMP ??????? | QMS | Q?????? A????s | C?s? ????????? | V?????????s | T??????? | CSV | 6σ | P?????? ??s?????? | D???????????? | ?GMP ??????????????s | C??????? A????s |

3 年

Thank you for sharing

回复
Dr Michelle Penelope King Chartered FCIPD

Inequality & Culture Expert | LinkedIn Top Voice for Equity | Author: The Fix and How Work Works

3 年

Thanks very much! London Speaker Bureau

Janis Meiksans

Independent Consultant / Seasoned Chair of Boards and CEO

3 年

Fully agree. It was one of the best events in Teva EU this year.

要查看或添加评论,请登录

社区洞察

其他会员也浏览了