Biopharma Organizations Leading the Way in Supporting the LGBTQ+ Community
For Pride Month, we are highlighting companies and organizations that have had a major impact in making biopharma a more accepting and welcoming space for individuals who identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community.
Recently in our article ‘The Women of HPNE Group Celebrates Women’s History Month’, we discussed the importance of integrating employee resource groups (ERG’s) in your organization. They provide a safe space for like-minded individuals to get together to discuss shared experiences, and to network.
Creating impactful ERG’s is one of the many ways we have seen companies in the biotech and biopharma space create a more inclusive environment for their LGBTQ+ employees and stakeholders. Below, we discuss how some organizations have gone above and beyond ERG’s to create some of the best inclusive work environments.
OUTbio
Founded in 2015, OUTbio is one of the largest LGBTQ professional groups in biotech. It was incorporated as a non-profit in 2019, and has over 1,200 members. Their overall mission is to empower LGBTQ+ professionals working in drug development, and their main strategies to accomplish that goal includes networking, advocacy, professional development, peer support, and education. The company was founded by clinical and regulatory operational professional Ray Johnson and has regular monthly meet-ups.
Spearheading Policy Changes
Although ERG’s and community groups create an undeniable positive impact, some organizations are taking it a step further and making policy changes. One great example is Genentech, who in 1994 extended their benefits package coverage to same-sex domestic partners. In addition, all of their health plans now have access to LGBTQIA+ friendly physicians, and gender-affirming coverage.
Another company taking their commitment to an inclusive work environment a step further is Eli Lilly, who has created a reverse mentorship program. This program allows sets of employees to pair up with a senior manager with the goal of educating them about diversity issues. Ultimately, the hope of the program is that leaders walk away with changes they could make on their teams and beyond to improve inclusion in the workplace. All employees at Eli Lilly additionally take a mandatory cultural literacy education training program surrounding LGBTQ+ issues.
Ways You Can Incorporate Inclusion at Your Organization
Sometimes the hardest part of shifting your organization to a more inclusive environment is knowing where to start. There are a variety of resources we believe are a great jumping off point to get conversation started and get to the root of what your employees need to feel confident and safe in the workplace.
Paradigm provides training and educational resources on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) including blended learning, live workshops, harassment prevention treatment, and more. They also provide a helpful list of DEI topics if you are unsure where to start.
If you are looking to bring training course options to the attention of your leadership, the Human Rights Campaign has a list of vetted and approved training courses.
For more general information on Pride Month, visit the article from the Library of Congress which details the history.
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About HPNE
As the industry needs grow, High Purity New England, Inc. continues to supply the biopharmaceutical industry with a range of innovative products, from drug discovery and development to fill-finish, including their flagship product, custom single-use assemblies, as well as pumps, sensors, bioreactor systems, storage and handling solutions and other single-use solutions. Along with their own manufactured products for the global market, they are also a distributor for more than 18 brands in North America.
