Inclusion and diversity
Our commitment
At AstraZeneca, our inclusion and diversity mission is to create an inclusive and equitable environment where people belong, using our diversity as a competitive advantage to push the boundaries of science and deliver life-changing medicines to patients.
Our global commitment to inclusion and diversity sits within our great place to work strategic priority. Inclusion and diversity is central to our commitment to being a great place to work for the benefit of our employees, our business and for society. Inclusion and diversity is woven into the fabric of everything we do, reflected in our values and the behaviours that underpin them.
Australian Workplace Equality Index
AstraZeneca Australia is committed to equality in the workplace. We are passionate about ensuring people feel comfortable to bring their whole selves to work – including their sexuality and gender identity. AstraZeneca believes that when we support people to live authentically, our workforce is stronger, more innovative, and a better reflection of the diverse communities we serve with our medicines.
We are proud to be recognised as a Gold Tier Employer within the Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI). This recognition is a reflection of years of deliberate effort to create a safer and more inclusive workplace.
AZPride Australia and New Zealand
AZ Pride Employee Reference Group: AZPride is a grass roots, employee led resource group that aims to ensure that all LGBTQIA+ people and their allies at AstraZeneca feel safe, included, and supported to bring their whole selves to work. AZPride provides an advisory service to all AstraZeneca employees including senior leadership and management on issues affecting our community.
Resources are provided for employees to excel through education, consultation, and personal connection. We actively participate in, and recognise and celebrate LGBTQIA+ days of significance throughout the calendar year and have permanent visible markers of support for the LGBTQIA+ on show, year-round.
The group is also actively involved in contributing to development of HR policy, including our recently published Gender Affirmation Policy. Whilst we continue our focus on all aspects of Inclusion & Diversity in the workplace, we also acknowledge the specific challenges faced by trans & gender diverse employees. As such, we have recently created additional policy support & employee guidance.
The new ANZ Gender Affirmation leave policy is a first within AZ globally & is the result of ongoing collaboration between HR, the AZPride Employee Reference Group & key internal stakeholders both locally & globally. This collaborative effort has led to the creation of employee conditions & supporting guidance that ensure we are building a safe & supportive environment for trans & gender diverse employees to affirm their gender within the workplace.
We support employees being addressed by their correct pronouns at work, and we encourage employees to include their pronouns in their email signatures. Employees are encouraged to use toilet facilities which align with their gender, and there are also non-gendered toilets available at all our sites. Where uniforms are required (for example at our manufacturing site), uniforms are not gendered, and where a dress code exists for their role, employees are encouraged to dress in alignment with their gender.
