How we are becoming a more diverse and inclusive organisation
We're continually building on our approach to inclusion and diversity for our people, in the way we do business and in the communities in which we operate.
We’re working hard to become a more inclusive company in the way we do business, both through our clinical trials and the external companies we choose to work with. Internally, we want GSK to be a workplace where everyone can feel a sense of belonging and thrive.
As a company which has respect for people at its very core, we have an opportunity and an obligation to be a force for good in driving towards a more diverse and inclusive society.
We want GSK to be a workplace where everyone can feel a sense of belonging and can thrive. Being a diverse organisation at all levels also brings greater opportunity to create better health outcomes for the patients who rely on us.
We’re committed to being more proactive at all levels so that our workforce reflects the communities we work and hire in, and that our GSK leadership reflects our GSK workforce.
In the US: at least 30% ethnically diverse leaders in our VP and above roles by the end of 2025.
In the UK: at least 18% ethnically diverse leaders in our VP and above roles by the end of 2025.
At the end of 2021, we reported strong growth in the diversity of our leadership and were on track to achieve our aspirations. We are proud that 27.1% of senior leaders in the US were ethnically diverse (up from 23.2% in 2020) and in the UK 12.9% of senior leaders were ethnically diverse (up from 11.1% in 2020).
We have set appropriate and ambitious aspirations for ethnic diversity in our UK and US early talent programmes for apprentices and graduate trainees.
We have reviewed our recruitment processes and have worked with an external partner to ensure we're implementing best practices. This includes enhanced training for recruiting managers before the selection process starts, and a review of job postings and channels to make sure we’re reaching and attracting diverse candidates.
We strive to foster a culture of empathy and acceptance where we embrace each other's differences and identities, and we aim to be recognised in global LGBT+ indices to ensure best practice. We work with a number of groups on this including:
Our Spectrum Employee Resource Group in Australia empowers all our colleagues, regardless of their gender identity or sexuality, so that everyone who works at GSK feels safe, included and welcome. Everyday.
“Spectrum Employee Resource Group [expands] support for all our LGBT+ team members and continuing to foster an inclusive environment for all – regardless of gender identity of sexuality” - Nicholas Galanopoulos (GSK AU Spectrum Group Lead)
We are addressing gender equality at all levels within our organisation. With support from our Global Gender Council and our Women's Leadership Initiative (WLI) employee resource group, we are making great headway toward our aspiration of at least 45% female representation in senior roles by 2025. At the end of 2021, we reported strong growth in the diversity of our leadership and were on track overall to achieve our aspirations. 40% of senior roles were held by women (up from 38% in 2020); we are also proud that 50% of manager roles are held by women.
We have been recognised in the FTSE Women Leaders report, The Times Top 50 employers for women, named one of India’s best companies for women, and our colleagues have been recognised by the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association for their work to advance the impact and influence of women in healthcare.
With support from our Global Disability Council and our employee resource group, the Disability Confidence Network, we are working hard to create an inclusive workplace.
Since 2020, GSK has been an active member of the Valuable 500 pledge, a collection of 500 global companies all committed to placing disability inclusion on the leadership agenda. We are delivering on its objectives through our disability confidence plan.
We continue to invest in an accessible workplace, and our award-winning Workplace Adjustment Service is now available to over 50% of our people.
We educate our people on disability confidence as part of our long-term, measurable, strategic disability confidence plan.
We are members of the UK Government's Disability Confident Scheme and signatories to the UK Department for International Development's Charter for Change.
Equal pay
We have a long-standing commitment to fair and equal pay. We conduct country-based reviews and ensure all markets have clear guidance, tools and support to ensure pay equity. If unexplainable differences are detected, these are addressed through our compensation processes.
“GSK is a company where everyone can be themselves, and where diversity is embraced and celebrated. We each hold ourselves accountable for ensuring that respect and inclusivity are at the very heart of our culture as a company.”
Emma Walmsley, CEO
GSK is a company where everyone can be themselves, and where diversity is embraced and celebrated. We each hold ourselves accountable for ensuring that respect and inclusivity are at the very heart of our culture as a company.
Leading through action
Diseases and medicines can affect people differently depending on their race, ethnicity, sex or age, so it is vital that we represent the real-world disease population in our clinical trials to advance our understanding of new vaccines and medicines. We’re doing this by building demographic planning into our clinical trials, so they reflect the real-world population that’s affected by the disease we’re studying.
We have set targets for at least 75% of our Phase 3 trials in 2022 to include a demographics plan in their design.
We support communities around the world through our global health partnerships, local community investment, response to humanitarian emergencies and STEM education programmes for under-represented groups.
In the US, in 2020 we made a commitment of US$10 million over 10 years to help Black, Latinx and female students in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, overcome obstacles to their pursuit of careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics through the creation of the Philadelphia STEM Equity Collective. Find out more here.
Other community investments that support diverse communities include:
Related article: American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) Scholars Initiative
Through our supplier diversity programme, we seek to provide opportunities to under-represented groups, including women, ethnic minorities, members of the LGBT+ community, people with disabilities and military veterans.
These partnerships can also provide an economic boost to the wider community. So as well as measuring how much we're spending with diverse-owned suppliers, we’re also looking holistically at the positive economic benefit that GSK and our partner suppliers will bring to the communities that we all live and work in.
We’re also engaging with key advocacy organisations for diverse suppliers by speaking at their forums, joining their boards, and sponsoring appropriate conferences. These organisations include National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC), Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC), and Minority Supplier Development UK (MSDUK).
Employees driving change
Our Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) run events, workshops and initiatives where everyone is welcome to learn, contribute and feel connected. The lead volunteers meet regularly with our Global Diversity Councils and GSK Leadership Team members to share ideas, priorities and perspectives.
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Women's Leadership Initiative (WLI) |
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Spectrum (LGBT+) |
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Disability Confidence Network (DCN) |
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EMBRACE |
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Mosaic |
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Asia EMBRACE |
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Crece |
We're supported by the great work our Global Ethnicity, Gender, LGBT+ and Disability Councils provide. Each council is chaired by members of the GSK Leadership Team and includes senior leaders from across the company as well as representatives from our Employee Resource Groups.
