Unparalleled commitment from the top | Best Practice by MSD Switzerland
At MSD, we strongly believe our people are our greatest asset. Our employees operate at the leading edge of science where medical breakthroughs have the potential to save and improve the lives of millions. To be innovative and serve our patients in the best possible way, we believe we should be as diverse as our patient base.
This best practice was first published in the Gender Intelligence Report 2020.
For more than 70 years now, MSD has been deeply committed to fostering an inclusive environment that embraces different perspectives and values the contributions of each individual. Having a globally and locally diverse workforce makes us a more innovative and agile company and one better attuned to the needs of our customers, health care providers and patients who ultimately
use our products.
Among the strongest promoters of gender balance are our leaders who believe gender equality is one of the components of diversity and inclusion that drives our business. Headed by our CEO, Ken Frazier, who publicly advocates for diversity and inclusion as a strategic business imperative, MSD has implemented numerous initiatives through the following commitments:
We engage with third-party organizations to advance the efforts of our diversity and inclusion commitments:
Business Unit Director at MSD Switzerland & Global Women’s Network Co-Lead
Human Resources Director at MSD Switzerland
EBRGs represent volunteer organizations of employees for different diversity constituencies aligned around supporting talent acquisition, sharing business insights and enhancing the company’s reputation in external events. EBRGs support the growth of employees by affording them development opportunities. The EBRGs also play an important role in cultivating talent to prepare them for leadership roles.
The Women’s Network is the largest ERBG with more than 9000 members, celebrating its 25th anniversary this year! It strives to create a community where women feel a sense of belonging, positively engage with each other, and foster an environment where men engage as allies. The Women’s Network empowers members to realize their full professional and personal potential within an environment of networking and mentoring. It strongly engages in the discussion around gender parity and has a seat on the company’s EBRG Executive Leadership Council, strengthening and diversifying the global leadership pipeline.
The Women’s Network is the largest ERBG with more than 9000 members, celebrating its 25th anniversary this year! It strives to create a community where women feel a sense of belonging, positively engage with each other, and foster an environment where men engage as allies. The Women’s Network empowers members to realize their full professional and personal potential within an environment of networking and mentoring. It strongly engages in the discussion around gender parity and has a seat on the company’s EBRG Executive Leadership Council, strengthening and diversifying the global leadership pipeline.
With 49 percent of our company’s workforce represented by women globally, full gender parity is within our reach. 41 percent of our company’s women hold senior management or management roles worldwide.
In addition, with gender parity in the Swiss Leadership Team, led by the first female Managing Director appointed in 2020 in Switzerland, we continue to focus on this area for ongoing progress and sustainability.
MSD is one of the world’s leading research-based biopharmaceutical companies, engaged in life science research for more than a century, developing drugs and vaccines for the most challenging diseases worldwide.
If you would like to learn more about MSD’s journey towards gender parity, read more on our diversity initiatives by scanning the QR Code or contact the authors judeke.frederiks@merck.com or ulrike.thull@merck.com.
This best practice was first published in the Gender Intelligence Report 2020.
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