Pharma, medtech and biotech companies honoured on Best Workplaces for Women List

Human Resources: In a resounding endorsement of their commitment to gender equity and inclusivity AbbVie, BeiGene, Boston Scientific, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Sandoz have secured coveted spots on the Great Places to Work Best Workplaces for Women List for 2023. This prestigious accolade acknowledges the pivotal role that women play in shaping the direction and success of these Australian corporations. These recognitions are the result of a rigorous selection process, combining data-driven analytics and confidential feedback from employees.

“The Best Workplaces for Women list is based on data representative of over 40,000 employee voices from women in Great Place to Work Certified organisations across Australia,” explained Mr Roland Wee, Managing Director of Great Place To Work Australia.

Among the celebrated honourees, AbbVie stands out for its second consecutive year on the prestigious list. Nathalie McNeil, Vice President and General Manager of AbbVie, Australia and New Zealand, expressed her delight, saying, “Being recognised as one of the best workplaces for women is not just an award; it’s a validation of our commitment to creating an inclusive and empowering environment for all our employees.”

She further emphasised the distinguishing factors that make AbbVie a standout in fostering gender equity. She explained “What sets AbbVie apart and makes us a great place to work is our culture that promotes true gender equity and fosters a sense of belonging and inclusivity. We work hard to create a workplace where our people feel empowered to ensure that AbbVie is a place where everyone can thrive.”

Lisa Johnston, Bristol Myers Squibb Australia/New Zealand (BSMA) Human Resources Director, affirmed the company’s dedication to fostering diversity and inclusion. “At BMS, we understand that every individual is unique. We value the individuality of all our colleagues and realise that we need all voices present to ensure our vision of transforming patients’ lives.”

BMSA is also celebrating its second consecutive year on the prestigious list. The company has made gender equity a cornerstone of its inclusion and diversity strategy, with a strong emphasis on female representation and advancement. Female employees make up 73% of the BMSA workforce, with 60% representation on the local leadership team. To support the career progression of women, the company provides targeted development, coaching, mentoring, and sponsorship programs. BMSA’s commitment to gender equity extends to all employees, ensuring equal opportunities for growth.

Recognising the importance of gender-neutral policies, BMSA has introduced initiatives like paid parental leave and miscarriage leave for both parents, fostering an inclusive approach. These policy updates aim to eliminate barriers and enable shared care between parents.

Supporting employees through personal challenges, BMSA offers gender-inclusive miscarriage leave, providing paid time off for employees to care for themselves or their partner during a deeply personal and challenging time.

Furthermore, BMSA is addressing the gender gap in retirement savings by offering paid super contributions to parents during parental leave, a move aimed at rectifying the 42% gender gap in Australian women’s retirement savings.

Lauree Price, a BMSA employee from Queensland, praised the company’s parental leave policy, stating, “The BMSA parental leave policy enabled myself and my family to bring new life into the world without facing financial stress and ensuring confidence that my position would be available when I am ready to return.”

She added, “Having additional support means everything to our family. It means that my husband can spend a little more time at home with the newborn, and we can all enjoy the newborn bubble without the stress of worrying how we can pay the bills, especially with the rising cost of living.”

Clint Holland, General Manager Sandoz ANZ, said “Over the last 10 months, we’ve focused on implementing various initiatives to support the professional growth and development of women within our organisation. Women make up 70% of our workforce, 65% of our people leaders, 50% of our Senior Leadership team and less than 2% of our annual turnover for 2023.

“We’ve focused on increasing our benefit and flexibility offers for our team that enable everyone, especially women who often have expected caregiving responsibilities, to thrive at Sandoz. Our Paid Parental leave is 14 weeks for new parents regardless of gender, we supply 20 days paid leave to those experiencing Domestic and Family Violence, we have embedded our hybrid and flexible working arrangements into policy, and we provide professional paid support, such as wellbeing and financial coaching, to holistically support all our team members.”

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