What responsibility means to us...

As of December 31, 2012, Shire employed more than 5,300 talented people with operations in 29 countries.  Our success has been, and continues to be, delivered by this diverse employee talent around the world.  As an Equal Opportunity employer, we strive to ensure that there is no discrimination against anyone applying for a job or in employment for reasons related to race, religion, national origin, disability or any other personal characteristics.  We embrace and value both genders, all ages, cultures, experiences and backgrounds as we build and grow our global organization.

However, just having a diverse workforce is only half the equation – the benefit to our employees, our patients, our business, and society comes from the respect, consideration and inclusion of these different views into our work every day.  Our growing global reach gives us the opportunity to bring to our business, and to the benefit of our patients, greater depth of experiences and capabilities.  Beyond our immediate workforce, we also have a Supplier Diversity Program in place in the US which provides opportunities for minority or disabled and veteran-owned businesses. Nearly 16% of Shire’s total 2012 US spend was in support of these businesses.

We do not have diversity targets or quotas or focus exclusively on one group of employees over and above any other group of employees.  What we do focus on very strongly, however, is fostering our Brave culture, which aims to provide all our employees with a supportive work environment that values diverse opinions and experiences, and enables individual, group and organizational success.

Age Breakdown

Shire has a multigenerational workforce which requires understanding of generational differences and flexible leadership approaches. It also provides Shire with a wealth of varied and experienced talent.

Ethnic Diversity

We are currently only able to track and report ethnic diversity in the US, and we do this by using the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) definition.  Ethnic minorities accounted for 20% of our US employee population in 2011.

• Developed a diversity and inclusion philosophy statement which has been tested within the organization and will be broadly communicated in 2013. It sets forth our belief in the power of our collective differences in which all people are valued, everyone’s voice is heard, and as a result – innovation thrives.  
• Introduced a web-based cultural awareness tool designed to help Shire colleagues build and leverage their cultural competence and global business skills.  
• Our Vice President, Global Procurement was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC), a leading corporate membership organization which provides increased procurement and business opportunities for minority businesses of all sizes.
• Partnered with Business in the Community (BITC) in the UK to pilot a program aimed at providing employment support to disadvantaged young people, leaving the care system.

• Measure and report on diversity and inclusion as part of our global, biennial employee engagement survey which will take place in 2013.
• Communicate – our diversity and inclusion philosophy statement and practical approaches to ensure a common understanding of diversity and inclusion at Shire, the importance to our business, and how employees can utilize these approaches every day for better business outcomes.