Search Menu Diversity & Inclusion Equity We will create a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment that treats all associates with dignity and respect. At Novartis, we’re striving to build an inclusive and equitable workplace that empowers all of our associates to achieve their full potential. That’s why we’ve publicly committed to achieving gender balance in management by 2023 and ensuring pay equity and transparency for all of our associates globally. Pay equity and transparency Pay equity is a fundamental principle of our employment policies and is reflected in our commitment to treating all employees fairly and respectfully, as outlined in our Code of Ethics. Our commitment to pay equity and transparency led us to join the Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC)(link is external) in 2018. Learn more about our commitments. We have established a multi-year program to implement global principles and processes to ensure pay equity and transparency across all our countries of operation by 2023. Our key actions include: use of objective internal and external benchmarking data to remove possible bias, removal of the use of historical salary data, annual pay equity analysis and adjustments, where appropriate, and transparent communication of individual pay position compared to internal and/or external benchmark data. Gender balance in management An overall gender pay gap is often caused by unequal representation of one gender in traditionally higher paid skill sectors and/or senior leadership levels. By focusing on achieving gender balance in management by 2023, we aim to positively influence the overall gender pay gap. We know we have more work to do but we are making progress. Women currently make up 50% of our overall workforce, with 45% women in management and 25% women on our Board of Directors. Globally, Novartis currently has a negative median pay gap of -3.1% and a global mean pay gap of 3.6%. Additional steps we are taking toward gender balance include the use of balanced slates and interview panels in our recruitment practices and gender-neutral parental leave, as well as significantly expanding our flexible working opportunities through Choice with Responsibility. We have established a Novartis gender strategy with tools to help leadership teams across the organization track their gender representation in both external applicants and current management population to help us work toward our aspiration for gender balance. 50 / 50% Women and Men in the workplace 45 / 55% Women and Men in management 149 Nationalities 25 / 75% Women and Men in the Board of Directors LGBTQI Equity As an organization, we actively promote Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans, Queer & Intersex (LGBTQI) equity and awareness at work and in our wider society. We want everyone to be free, to be their best and true selves at work without fear of discrimination. That’s why we were the first global pharmaceutical company to support the United Nations Standards of Conduct for Business, tackling discrimination against LGBTI People(link is external). Learn More We have 20 LGBTQI Employee Resource Groups in 14 countries. We recognize that senior champions play a crucial role in setting an example for culture, behaviors and inclusion at Novartis. That is why we have established a senior leadership team who are active allies and advocate for LGBTQI equality globally. View < > 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Disability equity Novartis is a member of the ILO Global Business and Disability Network(link is external), which promotes the inclusion of people with disabilities in workplaces around the world. We also work in collaboration with the Center for Disability Integration at the University of St Gallen(link is external), to identify and develop best practice solutions to enable people with disabilities to participate as equal members of our organization. We are also proud to be a member of the Valuable 500(link is external), supporting a global movement to drive systemic change and innovate together for disability inclusion. Our culture is built on strong values and behaviors, underpinned by our Code of Ethics, that are designed to ensure our people feel safe, and are seen, heard and valued for who they are. We work to address all forms of discrimination or harassment, and provide our people with a safe and confidential process to report any misconduct. Contact our SpeakUp Office(link is external). Read our Code of Ethics. In this section LGBTQI Equity Our EPIC Commitments Novartis Navigate Topics Explore Companies © 2021 Novartis AG Terms of Use Privacy Contacts Cookie Settings Site Map Novartis Site Directory This site is intended for a global audience Your privacy is important for us. We use cookies to enhance your experience when visiting our websites: performance cookies show us how you use this website, functional cookies remember your preferences and targeting cookies help us to share content relevant to you. Select “Accept all” for giving your consent to all cookies, select “Cookie settings” for managing the different cookies or select “Reject all” for using only strictly necessary cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any point of time by pressing the cookie settings link on the website. Cookie Settings Reject all Accept all