CUTTING-EDGE THINKING IN THE WORKPLACE
dimensions of diversity. “Diversity and inclusion are a way of life for us at Thermo Fisher,” Casper said. The company’s leaders are proactive in making sure they have a diverse candidate pool, particularly for the most senior 300 positions. In the general management function, the leadership is putting enhanced emphasis at the vice president and general manager level to ensure a strong pipeline of diversity. In tracking progress, the company’s annual Employee Involvement Survey includes an "Inclusion Index," which provides insight into how the business is progressing toward its D&I objectives. “We have increased our score year-over-year, signaling to me that we are making progress on our journey,” Casper said. The company also recently launched a pilot training program for developing leaders. In this instance, the focus is on high-potential women to enable them to find positions where they will have clear paths for career advancement. “Our focus is on
THERMO FISHER SCIENTIFIC Headquarters: Waltham, MA Business: Life Sciences Employees: 50,000 Website: thermofisher.com
growing and developing our people internally and not just looking to the outside for talent,” he added. CREATING VALUE WITH INCLUSION FIRST Thermo Fisher’s primary D&I goal is to ensure it’s building a sustainable, inclusive culture in which employees feel empowered and involved. “This is leading to a highly valued, diverse organization that understands the need for involvement to drive growth,” Casper said. The company has six global employee resource groups (ERGs) and more than 60 local ERG chapters in various cities, regions and countries to provide employees the opportunity to get involved. Casper developed a diversity and inclusion company statement back in 2012 that’s communicated on the company intranet, on posters at its facilities, and through its D&I and executive communications to employees, customers and suppliers. The statement reads: “I believe we strengthen our culture by ensuring
that everyone participates. We all play a role in making our work environment a more inclusive one and in making it more comfortable for all views and perspectives to be heard and valued. This in turn makes our business more successful.” ACHIEVING A VISION Casper says the focus is creating an inclusive environment and fostering a culture in which more views and perspectives are shared and encouraged. The company’s Vision is predicated on building this kind of culture. “We are well on our way toward achieving our Vision and we have made significant progress, but I look at it as a journey that we will continue to pursue. We strive to get better and better, and there is really no end point,” Casper said. Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is the world leader in serving science with revenues of $17 billion and more than 50,000 employees spanning 50 countries.
Ruth Hawk - Editor PDJ
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