In 2021 the PM Society Diversity & Inclusion Interest Group decided to explore experiences of diversity and inclusion in pharma and healthcare agency organisations. The survey gave some valuable insights and brought up some interesting questions and the group decided to repeat the survey in 2024. The results have been compared to see how the situation has changed in the last 3 years.
The development and analysis of the survey was led by Ram Patel, Alexandra Moore and Rachel Farrow. The survey was publicised to the PM Society membership of pharma and agency organisations and respondents were self-selecting.
There were 112 responses (82% from agencies/non-pharma organisations and 18% from pharma. Almost 49% of respondents had over 15 years’ experience within their industry, with 33% having 5-15 years’ experience; so a wealth of experience to draw on.
To stay consistent with the 2021 survey, the 2024 survey referred to the same seven protected characteristics described in the Equality Act 2010 – age, disability, gender, pregnancy & maternity, ethnicity, religion or belief and sexual orientation. Over 50% of the participants identified with at least one of the protected characteristics.
The responses are from a relatively small number of people, yet the themes and lived experiences detailed are invaluable. There were hundreds of individual free text entries that described perceptions, real situations and gave more detail around the questions asked. We should use the results and the individual comments to better understand the state of play in our industry in 2024 and highlight areas that need work. There is clearly still much to do!
Part 1: Diversity of organisations & initiatives in place
1. Perceived diversity of organisations
- Overall, 53% see their organisation as being Very or Moderately diverse, compared to 47% who said it is only Slightly or Not at all diverse.
- It was noted that diversity at Leadership level is significantly lower than that at Below leadership level (Very or Moderately Diverse: at Leadership level – 31%, Below leadership level – 56%)
- These results were similar to those of the 2021 survey.
2. Diversity initiatives in place
- 60% of participants said their organisation has diversity and/or inclusion initiatives in place. This is an increase of approx. 8% on the 2021 diversity survey.
- 58% of Agency participants said Yes, which is similar to the 54% result in 2021.
- 70% of Pharma participants said Yes, which is significantly higher than 52% result in 2021.
- Diversity initiatives described broadly fell into the following four categories:
Internal Support and Inclusion Programs – Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) are frequently mentioned, highlighting different identities such as gender, LGBTQ+, ethnicity, and neurodiversity. Initiatives include safe spaces, support networks, and cultural heritage celebrations.
Training and Awareness Initiatives – Training programs are in place to raise awareness and educate staff on DE&I issues, including mentorship programs, leadership training for underrepresented groups, and mental health support.
Recruitment Policies – Recruitment policies to help attract and hire more diverse candidates with some companies blinding CVs during initial candidate shortlist selection. Also, setting diversity targets and ensuring diverse candidates are represented at the various rounds of the recruitment process.
Policies and Certification – Some organisations have formal DEI policies, certifications (e.g., Disability Confident), and anti-discrimination guidelines to reinforce their commitment to diversity.
External Partnerships and Community Engagement – Some companies partner with external organisations to enhance diversity and provide opportunities, such as internships for underrepresented youth or partnerships with DEI-focused groups.
3. Celebrating diversity
62% of survey respondents did not complete this question; however there were four main themes in the responses we did receive:
Events and Awareness Days are common practice to celebrate diversity, marking key dates such as Pride Week, Black History Month, and other cultural or religious observances. The events described are a mixture of lunch and learns, presentations, talks, and film screenings.
Support Networks and Employee Resource Groups foster community and support for people from diverse backgrounds, as well as organising events, discussions and training on diversity-related topics.
Regular Internal Communication and Training on channels like Slack, Yammer, or email to raise awareness and share information related to diversity. Some organisations offer training sessions and regular posts to promote inclusivity and understanding.
Mixed or Minimal Effort indicated by some respondents, citing limited or inconsistent efforts with diversity initiatives suggesting tokenism. A few organisations have little to no formal diversity celebrations, or only engage in minimal actions, such as putting up flags during Pride.
4. Disability
We asked, “Thinking specifically about people with disability, neurodivergence and chronic conditions, how well is your organisation set up to attract and support them?”
- Overall, 37% say that their organisations are set up to attract people with disabilities, neurodiversities and chronic conditions – that’s a 7% increase from 2021.
- There was an increase amongst Pharma respondents vs the survey in 2021. An increase from 19% in 2021 to 30% in 2024. (but numbers of pharma respondents is small)
5. Looking to increase diversity in the team
“Is your organisation actively looking to increase diversity in the team”?
- Over half the participants said their organisation is actively looking to increase diversity in their team.
- 59% Agency compared to 37% Pharma.
- This question had the same results as the 2021 survey.
Part 2: Perceived marginalisation/unfair treatment
6. Experience of marginalisation / unfair treatment in the workplace
- Over half the participants said they faced some form of marginalisation and/or unfair treatment in their workplace.
- The main reasons were Age (30%) – both “Too Young” and “Too Old”, Gender (20%), and Ethnicity (16%)
- Over 65% of Pharma / biotech participants and 56% of Agency / non-pharma have experienced some form of marginalisation and/or unfair treatment in their workplace.
7. Being held back
“Have you ever felt held back by something other than your skills, ability, knowledge, experience (e.g. your ethnicity, gender etc)”?
- 48% said they have felt held back by something other than their skills, ability, knowledge or experience (e.g. their ethnicity, gender or other protected characteristics). That is significantly higher than in 2021, when it was 34%.
- 46% of Agency participants said they have felt held back – this is also significantly higher than in 2021, when it was 28%.
- 55% of Pharma participants said they have felt held back – this is slightly higher than in 2021, when it was 48%.
For more information about the Diversity and Inclusion Interest Group, email Alexandra.moore@pmsociety.org.uk.