I had the privilege of co-sponsoring Pfizer’s 2023 Equity in Action Summit where we discussed the theme, Unleash Your Power of Belonging. This event focused on promoting equity and inclusion in Pfizer’s Legal and Compliance Divisions, which are two of our company’s core values, and ensuring our colleagues have an environment in which they can succeed. The Summit brought together over 350 legal and compliance professionals, attorneys and our outside law firm partners to identify actions individuals and organizations can take to increase equality and empower diverse professionals to reach their full potential. During the Summit, we held a discussion with amazing leaders in the law, including former US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Preet Bharara. We also had an excellent interactive workshop with Michelle Silverthorn and Valeria Aloe, leading voices on diversity. We heard from the formidable Francesca Martinez, a comedian, actress, and disability advocate with cerebral palsy, and finally our own colleagues including Ramcess Jean-Louis. Here a few key takeaways I plan to keep top of mind: - Being a diverse and inclusive company helps us better serve patients. A resounding theme from our speakers was that diversity and sense of belonging directly affect productivity. Data shows companies with greater diversity in leadership deliver stronger results. Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla has said, “It’s the right thing to do, period. We must continue to serve all patients equitably. And to serve all patients, we must have a workforce that represents the diversity of the patients we serve.” - Creating an inclusive culture must be intentional. Leaders as well as peers need to be deliberate and purposeful in making sure diverse colleague voices are heard and create a place where everyone feels they belong and can contribute. As an ally, I advocate for colleagues to help them grow and develop as professionals and seek to create access and advancement for all colleagues equitably. We need to ensure all colleagues are included in the conversation, whether it be one on one or in a meeting room. - We must acknowledge and combat implicit bias. We sometimes fail the colleagues in our organizations due to implicit or unconscious biases. Francesca Martinez shared a great insight about perceptions that people have about her due to her physical limitations. Rather than seeing the intelligent, funny and immensely talented person that she is, many people have been too quick to dismiss her capabilities due to her disability. Combating implicit bias is key to creating a level playing field for all colleagues and creating an atmosphere of belonging. -We have more work to do. We will continue to advance our diversion, equity, and inclusion efforts. We need to continue to go forward until every voice is heard, everyone feels included and everyone feels like they belong. #Equity
Erica Cline Reading
10mo
Thank you for your support, Rady! This was a wonderful event and we are so thankful for the support of senior leadership.
Chief Medical Officer/ Board Member/ CNS, Oncology, Rare Disease Drug Development/ DEI Advisor/ Corporate Governance/ ELC
10moIt’s great to see after all these years, you are still dedicated to what’s important and what is fair! Critical for global and human success!