The Gender Parity Collaborative is a unique think tank of healthcare and life-sciences companies. Together, they are dedicated to accelerating gender parity by addressing systemic and environmental issues hampering gender parity progress in our industry. They commit to take an active role in defining strategies, measuring performance, creating change and inspiring others.
The Collaborative revolves around three key building blocks, which are interdependent: Industry benchmarking, a leadership council for strategy, and solutions marketplace. These three components are included in the Collaborative agreement.
- Benchmarking: collection and analysis of company data and employee perceptions which feed industry and company performance and tracking; early work done through McKinsey & Company.
- Global Council: closed-door meeting with member leaders to define strategic priorities to transform the industry towards gender parity faster
- Solutions Summits: exclusive forums for committed leaders from all Collaborative member companies where best practices and challenges are shared, and proven solutions are presented, discussed and evaluated for company specific decision-making
The HBA does not have a formal numerical definition of gender parity at this time. Today, we believe gender parity is “a balanced representation of men and women” at all levels of leadership. The think tank may decide on a definition along the journey.
- Executive engagement: C-suite participation at the Global Council – our yearly strategic and prioritization meeting; and appropriate senior delegation to participate in Solutions Summits
- Data sharing: provide company’s HR/gender-related information for benchmarking and tracking; processed renowned research organizations like McKinsey & Company and their renowned Women in the Workplace study
- Action: active think tank participation; sharing, selecting and implementing solutions
- Communication: participate and publicize participation and commitment
For more than 46 years, the HBA has been relentlessly working alongside prominent organizations to further the advancement and impact of women in the business of healthcare. The Gender Parity Collaborative is a complementary offering addressing systemic and environmental barriers hampering gender parity. While HBA “legacy” offerings provide solutions for the talent pipeline, the Collaborative offers solutions to transform the environment we operate in at the company and/or industry level.
Focusing on the transformation of the healthcare and life-science industry towards gender parity, the Collaborative goes beyond a promise or a declaration; we are creating a distinct, results-oriented operating culture with accountability for results:
- The initiative is data-based, thanks to our initial collaboration with McKinsey & Company, a global management consulting firm and leader in gender parity research through the renowned Women in the Workplace study.
- Our members are expected to actively participate in the discussion, debate, and prioritization of actions to drive change. This is a forum of industry relevant knowledge sharing and proven solutions.
- Our members are accountable: For actions in their company, across the industry and for measurable progress.
The main focus of the 2019 Women in the Workplace study is from U.S. and Canada companies. The Collaborative is discussing piloting pipeline data in Europe with further expansion in the years to come.
Any healthcare or life-sciences company committed to advancing gender parity, regardless of their affiliation with the HBA. Companies do not need to be an HBA corporate partner or a sponsor to join the Collaborative. Please contact our team at GenderParity@HBAnet.org to join.
No, the Collaborative is not just for “big pharma”. The Collaborative’s mission is to accelerate our industry’s transformation towards gender parity at all levels of leadership, and to fuel the business benefits including accelerated innovation, employee satisfaction and improved financial results. Our industry, the healthcare/life-sciences industry, consists of a large variety of companies ranging from research, manufacturing, payer, provider, communications and consulting organizations — small, large and mega in size. The Collaborative welcomes, and will benefit from, participation from a broad representation of these market players willing to step forward.
Participation in the Collaborative offers value for companies who are doing well as much as it does for those seeking to do better on the gender parity front. For those “doing well” and/or satisfied with their KPIs and progress toward gender parity, there is discussion, debate and learnings regarding how to sustain the current state, how to prevent slipping backward, and how to keep the focus on the business value of gender parity front and center. Institutionalizing and sustaining the specific dimensions of the operational and cultural environment fueling gender diversity requires ongoing diligence, measurement and tracking. Companies “doing well” can also share their practices and policies with other Collaborative companies supporting our collective mission to accelerate gender parity across the industry and gain recognition for being best-in-class among their peers. Recognition for excellence benefits those that have achieved it.
No, the Collaborative is open to any healthcare or life-sciences company regardless of their current relationship with the HBA.
Not at the moment. For now, only companies can join the initiative.
Please contact us at GenderParity@HBAnet.org