The CEO Pledge for a More Equitable & Inclusive Life Sciences Industry

Our country is in the middle of a significant and overdue reckoning about centuries-long racism toward Black Americans and its powerful role in our nation’s inequity. This extends within Massachusetts’ life sciences sector where Black, Brown, and Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) are significantly underrepresented and do not have equal levels of access to the industry or equal opportunities to succeed.

Together as CEOs, the signers of this letter recognize that racial inequity exists in our industry and in our companies, and we must take responsibility to fix that injustice through comprehensive equity, diversity, and inclusion initiatives that are broad in scope, specific in action, and measurable in results. Recognizing that there is not a one-size-fits-all solution, we commit ourselves to addressing the following areas through measurable action as soon as feasible for our companies.

For more information, please contact inclusion@massbio.org


I Pledge To:

Leadership & Executive Culture

1. Engage, interact, and listen to BIPOC to better my knowledge of the political, socioeconomic, and historical barriers that BIPOC face, and to better understand their experiences in my company and beyond

I will also commit to at least one of the following:

  • Expand C-Suite circles and networking opportunities for BIPOC
  • Ensure that all leadership team members are aligned and committed to championing equity, diversity, and inclusion at all levels of the company
  • Adopt a “Not on My Watch” attitude and inspire this throughout the organization
  • Use my voice, influence, and network to advocate for change at the policy level to address systemic discrimination and improve conditions for communities of color and underserved populations
Inclusive Company Culture

2. Use engagement surveys and data analytics to assess how employees are faring

I will also commit to at least one of the following:

  • Create a workplace where nobody feels or has the impression that they need to conform to succeed
  • Investigate, address, and solve toxic culture to ensure all employees are empowered and truly believe they are supported by the company
  • Encourage employees to self-educate on racism and to contribute to the race dialogue
  • Support employee giving, volunteerism, and civic engagement
  • Ensure transparency and accuracy of reporting on instances of microaggressions and/or overt racism, and hold leaders accountable to appropriate response
Recruitment

3. Conduct a diversity audit on current hiring processes to determine biases and gaps; and, identify target metrics to improve diversity hiring

I will also commit to at least one of the following:

  • Partner with external professional groups that represent diverse communities to expand talent pools, pipelines, funnels, and access points
  • Focus on hiring to increase diversity of teams and the overall organization; look for cultural add vs. cultural fit and build time into the recruitment process to allow for diversity sourcing, creation of diverse candidate slates, and inclusive selection practices
Retention & Development

4. Implement official sponsorship programs and enable explorational role switching and reskilling that could assist with career advancement

I will also commit to at least one of the following:

  • Identify potential for biases when evaluating employee performance and advancement potential; provide tools and processes that challenge leaders to consider the value of diversity and its impact on problem-solving and innovation when making talent and succession decisions
  • Create a process where all employees can self-nominate for promotion; and, create a framework where decisions for/against promotion are openly and constructively communicated
  • Grant employees unrestricted access to their own information so that they can also keep track of goals, course corrections, and contributions to the success of the team and the organization
Accountability & Sustainability

5. Implement diversity dashboards and scoreboards to track and report diverse hiring, promoting, attrition rates, and representation at all levels including on executive teams and board of directors. Commit to sharing information company-wide and/or publicly

I will also commit to at least one of the following:

  • Commit financial and company resources to support STEM education and directly support the development of a workforce pipeline from urban and marginalized communities
  • Include organizational DEI initiatives as part of executive performance reviews and tie DEI outcomes to compensation decisions
Supplier Diversity
  1. Implement/scale a supplier diversity program to increase the percentage of company goods and services procured from Minority Business Enterprises

MassBio’s Pledge

In response to your Pledge, MassBio pledges to provide you the tools and resources to be successful, including meeting with you and your team one-on-one, at your request, to develop, scale, and/or strengthen your DEI initiative, provide introductions, and facilitate relationships. We will help small companies identify scalable solutions to address the actions in the Pledge so they can develop systems and tools to grow with them. We will hold you and your organization accountable through regular check-ins, and by publicly highlighting companies that are fulfilling the pledge.


Open Letter 2.0 Signers

AbcamAlanHirzelCEO
Acceleron PharmaHabibDableCEO
Accent TherapeuticsShaktiNarayanCEO
AddgeneJoanneKamensExecutive Director
Agios PharmaceuticalsJackieFouseCEO
AkiliEddieMartucciPresident & CEO
Aldeyra TherapeuticsToddBradyPresident & CEO
Aleta BiotherapeuticsMarkLeuchtenbergerExecutive Chairman
AlexionLudwigHantsonCEO
AlkermesRichardPopsChairman & CEO
Ally TherapeuticsTinaLiuCEO
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc.YvonneGreenstreet, MBChBCEO
ALS Therapy Development InstituteFernandoVieiraCEO
Altucell BioGary HarlemCEO
AN2 TherapeuticsEricEasomPresident & CEO
Anelixis TherapeuticsStevenPerrinCEO
Anika TherapeuticsCheryl BlanchardPresident & CEO
AnokionJohnHohnekerPresident & CEO
Apellis PharmaceuticalsCedricFrancoisCEO
Aphios CorporationTrevorCastorCEO
Arrakis TherapueticsMichaelGilmanCEO
Arranta BioMarkBamforthPresident & CEO
ArthrosurfaceStevenEkCo-Founder
Astria TherapeuticsJillMilneCEO
Atalanta TherapeuticsAliciaSecorPresident & CEO
Aviceda TherapeuticsMohamedGeneadCEO & Co-Founder
AVROBIOGeoffMackayCEO
AxcellaWilliamHinshawPresident & CEO
AxoSimLowryCurleyCEO
Bayer U.S. LLCPhilipBlakePresident
BeiGeneJohnOylerChairman, Co-Founder & CEO
Bench InternationalDeniseDeManChairman & CEO
BigBio CommunicationsTiltonLittleCEO
Binx HealthJeffLuberCEO
BioAgilytixJimDatinCEO
BiogenMichelVounatsosCEO
BioLabsJohannesFruehaufPresident & CEO
Biotech Vendor Services, Inc.PamelaGardnerPresident & CEO
Black Diamond TherapeuticsDavidEpsteinPresident & CEO
Bluebird bioNickLeschlyCEO
Blueprint MedicinesJeffAlbersCEO
Boston PharmaceuticalsRobArmstrongCEO
C4 TherapeuticsAndrewHirschPresident & CEO
CairnSurgical, Inc.DavidDanielsonCEO
Captivate BioTanyaPotcovaFounder & CEO
CasmaKeithDionneCEO
Catamaran BioAlvinShihPresident & CEO
Celdara Medical, LLCJakeRederPresident & CEO
Cellanyx GuyFishCEO
CellinoNabihaSaklayenCEO & Co-Founder
Cend Therapeutics, Inc.DavidSlackPresident & CEO
Cerevel TherapeuticsTonyColesChairman & CEO
ChiasmaRajKannanCEO
Cohere Business StrategiesJeffreyKiplingerOwner & Principal
ConcertAIJeffEltonCEO
Corealis Pharma Inc.YvesRoyPresident
Cullinan OncologyNadimAhmedPresident & CEO
Cyclerion TherapeuticsPeterHechtCEO
Danforth AdvisorsChrisConnorsPresident
Decibel TherapeuticsLaurenceReidCEO
Deciphera PharmaceuticalsSteveHoerterCEO
Disc Medicine, Inc.JohnQuiselPresident & CEO
Dogodan Therapeutics, Inc. (DTI)ThomasTibbittsCEO
Duluth MedicalRuchiDanaPresident
eClinical Solutions LLCRajIndupuriCEO
eGenesisPaulSekhriPresident & CEO
EMD SeronoRehanVerjeePresident – EMD Serono
EmpirikoPamRandhawaCEO
EmulateJimCorbettCEO
Entasis TherapeuticsManosPerrosPresident & CEO
Epizyme, IncGrantBoglePresident and CEO
Entera BioAdamGridleyCEO
EQRx, Inc.AlexisBorisyFounder, Chairman & CEO
ÉquilibreSamuelWaskalChairman & CEO
EuMentis TherapeuticsMarkTepperCEO
Evelo BiosciencesSimbaGillCEO
EyePoint PharmaceuticalsNancyLurkerPresident & CEO
FerGeneDavidMeekCEO
Finch TherapeuticsMarkSmithCEO
Flexion TherapeuticsMichaelClaymanCEO
FOG Pharmaceuticals, Inc.GregVerdineChairman & CEO
Forma TherapeuticsFrankLeeCEO
Foundation Medicine CindyPerettieCEO
Frequency TherapeuticsDavidLucchinoPresident & CEO
G&L ScientificStephenLoughreyCEO
g.Root Biomedical Services, Inc.ChesleyChanCEO
GelMEDIXJeffBehrensCEO
Gamida Cell TherapiesJulianAdamsCEO
GenentechAlexanderHardyCEO
Generation BioGeoffreyMcDonoughCEO
Genuity ScienceRobBraininCEO
German Accelerator Life SciencesMarcFilermanCEO
Global Bio FundIpshitaMandal-JohnsonManaging Partner
GraticuleDanielPoscoverCEO
GreenLight BiosciencesAndreyZarurCEO
Gritstone OncologyAndrewAllenCEO
Groupe Axiomatech JoseeDufourCEO
Halloran Consulting GroupLaurieHalloranPresident & CEO
Harbinger HealthStephen HahnCEO
Harbor ClinicalAnnConnerPresident
HealthScape LifeSciences LLCHeleneClayton-JeterFounder & CEO
Hiller Life Sciences Strategies, LLCArthurHillerOwner and Principal
Holobiome, Inc.PhilipStrandwitzCEO & Co-Founder
Homology MedicinesArthurTzianabosCEO
Ikena OncologyMarkManfrediCEO
ImmunoGenMarkEnyedyPresident & CEO
InCarda TherapeuticsGraceColonCEO & President
InnoGenomics Technologies, LLCSudhirSinhaCEO
Institute for Protein InnovationAlexBurginCEO
InvicroMattSilvaCEO
Ionis PharmaceuticalsBrettMoniaCEO
IpsenRichardPaulsonCEO, Ipsen North America
Jnana TherapeuticsJoanneKotzCEO
JOGO Hleath Inc.SivaNadarajahPresident & Co-Founder
Karuna TherapeuticsStevePaulChairman, President & CEO
Kiniksa PharmaceuticalsSanjPatelChairman & CEO
Kymera TherapeuticsNelloMainolfiFounder, President & CEO
LabCentralJohannesFruehaufPresident & Executive Director
LaVoieHealthScienceDonnaLaVoieCEO
Life Biosciences Inc.MehmoodKhanCEO
Life Science CaresSarahMacDonaldExecutive Director
LifeMine TherapeuticsGregVerdinePresident & CEO
LSCP Life Sciences Consulting PartnersRuedi F.BlattmannManaging Partner
Lyndra TherapeuticsPatriciaHurterPresident & CEO
MacDougall AdvisorsKariWatsonCo-Founder & Managing Partner
Massachusetts Life Sciences CenterKennTurnerPresident & CEO
Matrisome BioNoor JailkhaniCo-Founder & CEO
Mersana TherapeuticsAnnaProtopapasPresident & CEO
MilliporeSigmaChrisRossSector Head, MilliporeSigma, the life science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
MOBILion Systems Inc.MelissaShermanCEO
MOMA TherapeuticsReidHuberCEO
Monte Rosa TherapeuticsMarkusWarmuthCEO
Morphic TherapeuticPraveenTipirneniPresident & CEO
MorphoSysJean-PaulKressCEO
Navitor PharmaceuticalsTomHughesCEO
Nimbus TherapeuticsJebKeiperCEO
North Shore InnoVenturesChristopherIlsleyCEO & President
Novartis Institutes for BioMedical ResearchJayBradnerPresident
NuritasNoraKhaldiFounder & CEO
Obatala Sciences, IncTriviaFrazierPresident & CEO
Obsidian TherapeuticsPaulWottonCEO
Ocular TherapeutixAnthonyMattessichCEO
OncorusTedAshburnPresident & CEO
Ophthalmic Therapeutic InnovationTina GuantingQiuPrincipal
Orchard TherapeuticsBobbyGasparCo-Founder & CEO
Panorama MedicineMingfuZhuCEO
PfizerAlbertBourlaChairman & CEO
PhageProMinminYenCEO & Co-Founder
PHASTARKevinKaneCEO & Founder
Pieris PharmaceuticalsStephenYoderPresident & CEO
PlateletBioSamRastyPresident & CEO
Precision Theranostics Inc.NeerajVijCEO
PureTech HealthDaphneZoharCEO & Founder
Q32 Bio, IncMichaelBroxsonCEO
QurAlisKasperRoetCEO
QuanterixKevinHrusovskyChairman and CEO
Relay TherapeuticsSanjivPatelCEO
ReNetX BioErikaSmithCEO
Rheos MedicinesBarbaraFoxCEO
Ribon TherapeuticsVictoriaRichonPresident & CEO
ROME TherapeuticsRosanaKapellerPresident & CEO
Rubix LSReginaldSwiftFounder & CEO
SanionaRamiLevinPresident & CEO
SanofiBillSiboldPresident, Sanofi, North America
Sarepta TherapeuticsDouglasIngramPresident & CEO
Scholar RockTonyKingsleyPresident & CEO
scPharmaJohnTuckerCEO
Seeding LabsMelissaWuCEO
Seres TherapeuticsEricShaffPresident & CEO
Servier Pharmaceuticals LLCDavidLeeCEO
Sherlock BiosciencesBryanDecharioCEO
Sigilon TherapeuticsRogerioVivaldiPresident & CEO
SmartPharm TherapeuticsJoséTrevejoCEO & Co-Founder
SobiDuaneBarnesPresident & Head of Sobi N.A.
Society for Participatory MedicineDanielSandsCo-Chair and Co-Founder
Solid BiosciencesIlanGanotCEO
Spero TherapeuticsAnkitMahadeviaCEO
STEIN+PARTNERSAliceSteinPresident & Founder
STEMCELL TechnologiesAllenEavesPresident & CEO
Stoke TherapeuticsEdwardKayeCEO & Director
Surface OncologyJeffGoaterPresident & CEO
Synlogic TherapeuticsAoifeBrennanPresident & CEO
SyrosNancySimonianPresident & CEO
Takeda Pharmaceuticals CompanyRamonaSequeiraPresident, US Business Unit & Global Portfolio Commercialization
Talaria Antibodies IncShawnaWicksCEO
Talaris TherapeuticsScottRequadtCEO
Tango TherapeuticsBarbaraWeberPresident & CEO
TCR2 Therapeutics Inc.GarryMenzelPresident & CEO
Ten Bridge CommunicationsDanQuinnCEO
The BioPharma HubSteveWoitExecutive Director
The Lab ProjectStevenMillerExecutive Director & Founder
The M1 Project, LLCJimMurphyPresident
The NemetzGroup LLCSusanNemetzCEO & Founder
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.MarcCasperChairman, President & CEO
Theseus PharmaceuticalsTimClacksonCEO
Third Rock VenturesAbbieCelnikerPartner
TMS BioScience LabsPleasantHooperPresident
Trapelo HealthClyntTaylorCEO
Triplet TherapeuticsNessanBerminghamCEO
Tunnell ConsultingMaryannGallivanPresident & CEO
UCBJean-ChristopheTellierCEO
UltragenyxEmilKakkisPresident & CEO
uniQureMattKapustaCEO
Unum Therapeutics Inc. ChuckWilsonPresident & CEO
Upshift InnovationTravisMcCreadyFounder & Principal
USH Consulting LLCSimoneAzevedoFounder & CEO
Vedanta BiosciencesBernatOlleCEO
Verve TherapeuticsSekarKathiresanCEO
Vigil Neuroscience, Inc.IvanaMagovcevic-LiebischPresident & CEO
Vir BiotechnologyGeorgeScangosCEO
Vor BiopharmaRobertAngCEO
Voyager TherapeuticsAndreTurenneCEO
Women in the Enterprise of Science and Technology (WEST)MeenaSubramanyamPresident
X4 PharmaceuticalsPaulaRaganCEO
X-Biotix Therapeutics, Inc.RamaniVaranasiPresident & CEO
Xilio TherapeuticsReneRussoCEO
XontogenyChrisGarabedianCEO
Yumanity TherapeuticsRichardPetersCEO
Zealand PharmaEmmanuelDulacPresident & CEO


For more information, please contact inclusion@massbio.org