How we are becoming a more different and inclusive organisation
To be a successful business and deliver positive health impact at scale, we must meet patients’ needs with research that includes those impacted by the disease under study, attract and retain the best talent regardless of background, and support all GSK people to thrive.
We believe in the power of an inclusive culture and differing perspectives and experiences to unlock the full potential of the company. This helps attract and retain outstanding talent, develop innovative solutions, and drive better decision-making, supporting long-term performance and better health outcomes for patients.
Over recent years, we’ve focused on building a high-performing and inclusive organisation, delivering a step-change performance alongside creating a culture where differing perspectives and experiences help to unlock the full potential of the company.
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Different perspectives, equity and inclusion inside GSK
Challenging racial stereotypes and bias
We want GSK to be a workplace where everyone can feel a sense of belonging and can thrive. Being a diverse organization at all levels also brings greater opportunity to create better health outcomes for the patients who rely on us.
We’re committed to being more proactive at all levels so that our workforce reflects the communities we work and hire in, and that our GSK leadership reflects our GSK workforce.
Our ethnicity commitments:
In the US: at least 30% ethnically diverse leaders in our VP and above roles by the end of 2025.
In the UK: at least 18% ethnically diverse leaders in our VP and above roles by the end of 2025.
At the end of 2021, we reported strong growth in the diversity of our leadership and were on track to achieve our aspirations. We are proud that 27.1% of senior leaders in the US were ethnically diverse (up from 23.2% in 2020) and in the UK 12.9% of senior leaders were ethnically diverse (up from 11.1% in 2020).
We have set appropriate and ambitious aspirations for ethnic diversity in our UK and US early talent programmes for apprentices and graduate trainees.
We have reviewed our recruitment processes and have worked with an external partner to ensure we're implementing best practices. This includes enhanced training for recruiting managers before the selection process starts, and a review of job postings and channels to make sure we’re reaching and attracting diverse candidates.
We’re committed to being more proactive at all levels so that our workforce reflects the communities we work and hire in, and that our GSK leadership reflects our GSK workforce.
Gender equality
We are addressing gender equality at all levels within our organisation. With support from our Global Gender Council and our Women's Leadership Initiative (WLI) employee resource group, we are making great headway toward our aspiration of at least 45% female representation in senior roles by 2025. At the end of 2021, we reported strong growth in the diversity of our leadership and were on track overall to achieve our aspirations. 40% of senior roles were held by women (up from 38% in 2020); we are also proud that 50% of manager roles are held by women.
We have been recognised in the FTSE Women Leaders report, The Times Top 50 employers for women, named one of India’s best companies for women, and our colleagues have been recognised by the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association for their work to advance the impact and influence of women in healthcare.
Disability confidence: a workplace for all
With support from our Global Disability Council and our employee resource group, the Disability Confidence Network, we are working hard to create an inclusive workplace.
Since 2020, GSK has been an active member of the Valuable 500 pledge, a collection of 500 global companies all committed to placing disability inclusion on the leadership agenda. We are delivering on its objectives through our disability confidence plan.
We continue to invest in an accessible workplace, and our award-winning Workplace Adjustment Service is now available to over 50% of our people.
We educate our people on disability confidence as part of our long-term, measurable, strategic disability confidence plan.
We are members of the UK Government's Disability Confident Scheme and signatories to the UK Department for International Development's Charter for Change.
Reviewing the pay gap
We conduct country-based reviews and ensure all markets have clear guidance, tools and support to ensure pay equity. If unexplainable differences are detected, these are addressed through our compensation processes. Gender Pay Gap Statement
Leading through action
Ambitious for patients: representative clinical studies
Diseases and medicines can affect people differently depending on their ethnicity, sex, race and age so we need to make sure that our clinical trials include those affected by the disease under study. This supports our business performance by providing healthcare providers and the individuals who are prescribed our medicines and vaccines confidence in the safety and effectiveness of our products. Since 2022, all our phase III clinical trials have representation plans in place before commencing enrolment to reflect the people most impacted by a particular disease.
Now, our focus is on actual enrolment of participants impacted by the disease under study. 88% of phase III trials completing enrolment in 2024 met our enrolment thresholds needed so that trial participants represent the disease epidemiology under study.
Building a high-performing, inclusive organisation.
Over recent years, we’ve delivered a step-change in performance, and we believe in the power of an inclusive culture and differing perspectives and experiences to unlock the full potential of the company. This helps attract and retain outstanding talent, develop innovative solutions, and drive better decision-making, supporting long-term performance and better health outcomes for patients.
We want GSK to be a workplace where our employees can feel a sense of belonging, be themselves, and have their different perspectives and characteristics valued, because this helps everyone perform at their best. We measure employee sentiment on inclusion as part of our employee survey, which includes questions on employees feeling welcome and included, feeling able to be themselves, valuing different perspectives, and agreeing on ways of working that enable them to perform at their best. In 2024, our employee engagement was strong at 81% favourable. Our Employee Resource Groups are employee-led communities and are key partners to help us build an inclusive culture.
We are committed to equal employment opportunity, non-discrimination and merit-based decision making in the way we recruit manage and develop our people.
Fair and equal pay practices are crucial to create an environment where people feel welcome, valued, included and supported to thrive. We conduct country-based reviews and ensure all markets have clear guidance, tools and support to ensure pay fairness. If unexplained differences are detected, we address them through our compensation processes.
Employees driving change
Employee Resource Groups
Our Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) run events, workshops and initiatives where everyone is welcome to learn, contribute and feel connected. ERG membership and events are open to all employees.
Our ERGs include:
- Women’s Leadership Initiative (WLI)
- Disability Confidence Network (DCN)
- EMBRACE
- Mosaic
- Asia EMBRACE
- Crece
- FUSION
