Investing in NextGen healthcare leaders

Published on: September 8, 2023

Sanofi employees: Scott, Nadilah and Rie in the U.S., France and Japan.

We believe in a healthcare system where all communities feel heard, respected and understood. That is why we launched the Sanofi NextGen Scholarship – our pioneering program to bring more young people from marginalized groups into the healthcare profession. And we are delighted to announce the new academic partners who will help bring this world-first vision to life.

The Sanofi NextGen Scholarship

Now live in five countries (the U.S, the UK, Brazil, France and Japan) the Sanofi NextGen Scholarship will support young people from under-represented groups to become healthcare leaders.

Why is this important? Our survey found that 75% of people from under-represented communities have suffered a negative healthcare experience which damaged their trust. From facing discrimination to simply not being listened to, these experiences are likely preventing the most marginalized people from seeking medical help when they need it. And one of the ways respondents said they would be more likely to trust healthcare was if they had access to more diverse healthcare professionals.

Our Scholarship will invite applications from ethnic minorities, women, people who identify as LGBTQ+, people with disabilities and those from lower socio-economic backgrounds. Successful scholars will benefit from financial support, mentorship opportunities, leadership training and an open door to future career opportunities at Sanofi.

They will also belong to a worldwide network of diverse young leaders committed to building a more inclusive and equitable healthcare system – becoming part of a much-needed change.

In Sanofi’s exclusive study, we asked under-represented communities to share their views on healthcare

75%

of people from under-represented groups said they had suffered trust-damaging healthcare experiences.

59%

of patients from underrepresented communities said they would like access to providers from diverse backgrounds

Our Scholarship partners

In Brazil, we’re proud to partner with Universidade Zumbi dos Palmares, where we will support young women from under-represented ethnic groups.

In France, we have formed partnerships with SupBiotech, ESSEC, and ENSTBB, schools specialized in business and bio-technology. Together we will assist students with socio-economic challenges and disabilities.

In Japan, we are collaborating with several prestigious institutions. Together, we will focus on supporting women who are eager to be the leaders in healthcare industry.

We have joined forces with Imperial College in the UK to launch a scholarship program for students who are under-represented or disadvantaged financially. Imperial is an institution renowned globally for its excellence in STEM subjects, and its White City Campus has a well-established program that nurtures future scientists and innovators from diverse backgrounds.

In the U.S., we are pleased to partner with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF), an organization that transforms the lives of college students from minority ethnic groups. We are also working with the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy at Rutgers University in New Jersey, providing Scholarships to students from under-represented backgrounds.

By working together, we hope to make significant progress towards building a more inclusive and equitable healthcare system.

Raj Verma

Chief Diversity, Culture and Employee Experience

“If we want to build trust with patients of all backgrounds, we must develop and empower the next generation of healthcare leaders from all backgrounds. That’s why we are proud to partner with so many prestigious institutions around the world to support young people on their career journey with the NextGen Scholarship. By working together, we hope to make significant progress towards building a more inclusive and equitable healthcare system”, says Raj.

A Million Conversations

The Sanofi NextGen Scholarship is a key part of our eight-year, global initiative to build trust in healthcare – A Million Conversations.

This €50 million initiative will also amplify the voices of the under-represented through a series of dialogue events. More than 5,000 Sanofians (what we call Sanofi employees) attended one of these events during the first half of 2023. We have also teamed up with diverse partners to hold events within local communities, from amplifying ethnic minority voices in the U.S. to immersing ourselves in LGBTQ+ stories during Pride Month in Japan.

Whether by joining forces with academic institutions to promote our NextGen Scholarship, or by building coalitions with key organizations to foster inclusivity across the healthcare industry - together we can start to close the trust gap.