52 TWENTYFOURSEVENBIOPHARMA Issue 1 / March 2025 According to the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry’s (ABPI) 2021 Workforce Diversity Survey, 54.2% of the pharma workforce in England is made up of women. Statistics vary from country to country, but the overarching trend is positive, indicating a relative gender balance in entry-level roles in the sector. The story changes at management level, however, when the number of women drops off significantly. According to the World Economic Forum, women make up less than 30 per cent of senior management in the pharmaceutical industry, despite the fact that there’s now a relatively equal number of women and men entering the workforce with degrees in life sciences and medicine. There is clearly work to be done when it comes to retaining and promoting women in the industry, and it is imperative for pharmaceutical organisations of all sizes to focus on building diverse workforces, which better represent our world. Engaging and empowering women associates I firmly believe that the emphasis should be on collaboration - empowering women and allowing them to learn, advance and thrive in pharma. The words ‘progressive’, ‘supportive’ and ‘caring’ should all be top of mind as we encourage greater levels of inclusivity and diversity within our industry. This is a journey we must all take together, and the process of engaging women associates in visioning and shaping the community should be embraced by all. When addressing an associate’s life cycle within a company, it is important to take into consideration how every stage is effectively managed – from identifying talent to the hiring process, onboarding, performance management, engagement and well-being through to talent management and retirement. At all times, the goal should be to create more efficient and effective workplaces by capitalising on diverse perspectives and cultural knowledge, and removing inefficiencies caused by prejudice and discrimination. To facilitate change over time, businesses need to give women leaders the space to learn from their peers. Creating a safe community where they can ask and field questions and be mentored by colleagues without fear of judgement or repercussions will help pave the way for women leaders to grow and thrive. WOMEN IN SCIENCE
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