Looking ahead

To further our diversity and inclusion efforts, we continue to pursue innovative strategies by collaborating with thought leaders and groups focused on diversity and inclusion, employee engagement and talent management.

Creating a Culture of Sponsorship

Research by the Center for Talent Innovation shows that companies who both foster sponsorship mentor women employees gain a competitive advantage in talent markets. In 2011, we began sharing our sponsorship strategy with select employee groups.

Researching the “Hidden Brain Drain”

In 2011, the Center for Talent Innovation invited Genentech to join an impressive roster of companies — including American Express, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Cisco Systems, General Electric, Intel and Johnson & Johnson — in sponsoring the center’s Athena Factor 2.0 research initiative. The initiative studies the career trajectories of women with science, engineering and technology (SET) credentials working in the private sector. Using this study as inspiration, we are set to conduct our own pilot study of the Athena Factor to see how we stack up against the SET industry.

Tackling Hidden Bias

In 2011, our Diversity & Inclusion team presented research by Harvard University’s Mahzarin R. Banaji, Ph.D., that shows how hidden or unconscious biases affect hiring and succession planning. Genentech will the insights from this research into leadership development programs and the Genentech learning and development curriculum in order to advance women and people of color in our organization.

Workplace Flexibility

The nature of work is changing. New technologies, and competitive pressures are resulting in significant changes in the workforce and in worker needs and expectations. There is a growing desire among the four generations now in the workforce for flexibility and choice in how people integrate professional and personal aspects of their lives.

As a company, we're committed to creating an exceptional workplace that enables employees to manage competing demands for their time, via informal and formal flexible work arrangements.