Vertex celebrates ‘Catalysts for Change’ as company doubles in size

Human Resources: In celebration of Vertex’s annual Inclusion, Diversity & Equity (ID&E) Week, from 31 October – 4 November this year, Vertex in Australia will see its growing team of 30 employees complete the SBS Inclusion Program to promote a safe, inclusive and positive workplace. This year’s ID&E Week theme is ‘Catalysts for Change’ — a moment to ignite actionable change and continue to progress ID&E at Vertex.

For the past six years, Vertex has used this time to ‘press pause’ on daily routines and engage, connect and share unique experiences with one another. This event has embedded a commitment to inclusion, diversity and equity — dedicated to fostering a culture that values the diversity of its people and embraces each other’s differences. This has been critical during the last few years, when the number of employees in Australia has increased by 50%.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Australia Senior Country Manager Sabrina Barbic said Vertex understands the importance of creating and maintaining a safe, inclusive and positive workplace for all its employees.

“Team growth is an exciting opportunity to embrace as an organisation. When done well, through ensuring a diverse and inclusive working environment, the benefits of team cohesion and overall workplace happiness can result in increased business performance. With our recent growth, we have prioritised our culture to create a sense of belonging and to support both new and existing team members,” said Sabrina.

Embedded within Vertex is an understanding that each member plays a role in upholding an inclusive culture. The SBS Inclusion Program is a highly regarded national diversity and inclusion course offering a deep dive into how and why many dimensions of diversity are important to create an inclusive environment, with each course topic delivered in collaboration with key partners and experts in each subject area.

The Program is designed to promote core skills and knowledge around inclusion and diversity including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, LGBTIQ+, gender, disability, culture and age. The interactive and engaging online series of courses showcases lived experiences and storytelling to make complex information digestible and provides practical things we can all do.

“A sense of belonging is core to our culture at Vertex. Upskilling opportunities like this ensures we keep strengthening our understanding of inclusion and gives us the chance to celebrate the dimensions of diversity that make our team special,” added Sabrina.