March 2023 • PharmaTimes Magazine • 32-33
// D&I //
We all stand together
PharmaTimes’ Editor John Pinching talks to AstraZeneca’s inspiring diversity and inclusion leader for Europe and Canada, Anna-Lena Engwall
Why is it important for pharma and wider healthcare to embrace and celebrate diversity and inclusion?
Inclusion and diversity is not only the right thing to do, but it is essential for companies like AstraZeneca – companies that have a science-led mission. It is well known that diverse teams drive higher levels of innovation and increased performance, while better representing the broad patient populations we serve.
Innovation will be integral to the reinvention of healthcare. Health systems need to evolve, become more sustainable and resilient to meet the needs of the future. For our industry, which is part of the wider healthcare system, it is essential that we promote diversity in the backgrounds, beliefs, perspectives and experiences of our workforce.
Make no mistake, however, diversity on its own won’t suffice. The most meaningful innovation comes from a workforce that feels empowered to be themselves and to challenge conventional thinking. That is why at AstraZeneca, we intentionally put ‘inclusion’ before ‘diversity’.
By putting a focus first on creating a culture of inclusion and belonging, we create an environment that attracts and retains a rich and diverse workforce that are empowered to create breakthroughs for the diverse patient populations that we serve.
Is pharma realising that having people of different ethnicities, backgrounds, gender identities and religions not only makes life more interesting but boosts company performance?
I would like to answer absolutely, but looking around our industry there is still so much more that needs to be done to embrace diversity. We are seeing a positive shift, but we must ensure the momentum continues.
At AstraZeneca, we have made inclusion and diversity a key priority in our overall company strategy. More than half of our workforce are female and 48% of our senior or middle management roles and above are held by women. Across Europe and Canada, our workforce now represent over 70 different nationalities.
We know that having an inclusive and diverse workforce is a must for us if we are to achieve our ambition to push the boundaries of science to deliver life-changing medicines to patients.
Diversity and inclusion have become the barometer by which companies are now judged – how has that unfolded at AstraZeneca?
Our global commitment to inclusion and diversity sits within our strategic priority of ‘People and Sustainability’. It reflects the totality of our commitment to ensuring AstraZeneca is a great place to work for the benefit of our employees, our business, society and the planet.
Inclusion and diversity are central to this, woven into the fabric of everything we do and reflected in our values and behaviours. For many years, we have challenged ourselves to set up clear objectives around inclusion and diversity with measurable outcomes, so we are able to track our progress and drive lasting systemic change for our organisation and for society.
Please provide some examples of how including different people has made a difference at AstraZeneca?
A concrete example is that we at AstraZeneca have established Employee Resource Groups (AZ ERGs) that are part of the fabric of our company and are fundamental to our progress. They are voluntary, employee-led groups formed based on shared experiences that raise diversity awareness and promote business and societal impact.
AZ ERGs help to create a sense of community and belonging, and empower employees to speak their minds and share their voices and perspectives, because they feel psychologically safe to do so. Globally, we have a total of 19 AZ ERGs that reflect various shared affinities, identities and experiences.
Our TH!NK Neurodiversity ERG is focused on employees with different kinds of neurodiversity, i.e. differences in how we think, learn, communicate and perceive the world around us.
‘We know that having an inclusive and diversive workforce is a must for us if we are to achieve our ambitions to push the boundaries of science’
This has resulted in a fundamental shift in how we view neurodiversity and we are now actively applying the learnings across our organisation. For example, we have changed the way we advertise for jobs, offering prospective candidates the opportunity to submit a video to apply for a role instead of a written application.
The pandemic proved that knowledge about different groups and communities is vital – will this make industry better prepared in the future?
We’ve learnt that recognising diversity is essential for effective pandemic preparedness, as well as all areas of healthcare design and provision. The most obvious area for us as an industry is to ensure that our clinical trials include diverse patient populations.
The pandemic, however, also proved something that, in a way, we already knew, that different communities may be disproportionately affected by disease – that pre-existing health conditions, older age, socioeconomic status and ethnicity also play a role.
Furthermore, different groups may have varying levels of access to healthcare and may respond differently to public health messaging and interventions.
I think there is a lot to learn from this, not only for pandemic preparedness but also when countries implement or enlarge national screening programmes, such as the EU Beating Cancer Plan. By understanding the barriers to health, and applying the lessons learned, the industry can ensure that medicines equitably reach diverse spectrums of patients.
What further leaps must we make before diversity and inclusion go beyond a ‘narrative’ and into something entirely natural?
I think it is about showing the concrete value that inclusivity and diversity can bring to our organisation, industry and to us all as individuals. We must ensure that inclusion and diversity are seen as an integral part of our business and healthcare as a whole – that they are central to achieving better results, more innovative ideas and attracting and retaining the best talent.
I also believe strongly in the importance of representation. Having great role models from under-represented groups is a manifestation that diversity and inclusion are possible, and will have a positive spillover effect on the industry.
What are the biggest rewards you get from your pioneering role?
A great thing about working in this area is that you get to collaborate with so many people with diverse backgrounds – especially in a global company like AstraZeneca. You really learn a lot, both as a leader and as a person, and it means I continue to challenge my own assumptions and prejudices.
What hopes do you have for the future of diversity and inclusion?
In the best of worlds, we wouldn’t need to have this conversation. I believe, however, that we are well on our way with the agenda of making sure inclusion and diversity are not only seen as a fundamental part of any business but embedded within a company’s priorities and values.
We must remember that diversity can be many things, and goes well beyond, for example gender and ethnicity, and that diversity can’t thrive without inclusion and a true sense of belonging.
PharmaTimes
PharmaTimes is the UK’s leading pharmaceutical magazine, tracking the trends and issues that affect the industry here in the UK, in Europe and across the world. We deliver independent, authoritative and trustworthy content through impartial, balanced and informed opinion and analysis.