“Johnson & Johnson has always been a leader in D&I and it’s rooted in our Credo: “We must provide an inclusive work environment where each person must be considered an individual”. D&I at Johnson & Johnson means – You Belong. Our mission is to make D&I our way of doing business. It’s about empowering others so they can be at their best. We must educate, empower and inspire all employees to step up and play an active part in creating an equal and inclusive environment for everyone. It’s simply the right thing to do. We continue to champion gender equality at J&J and that’s why we are proud to support the LEAD Network and its mission.”
Christa Brandstaetter
Diversity and Inclusion Leader
Johnson & Johnson
1.Can you tell us a bit about your organisation and your role?
At Johnson & Johnson Diversity & Inclusion have been key drivers of our business success since our founding over 130 years ago when half of the original employees were women. At Johnson & Johnson diverse perspectives and backgrounds fuel innovation and drive business impact. In my role, I am developing strategic insights and consulting with the business to ensure relevancy of our Enterprise D&I strategy. I am partnering closely with Senior leaders to help them embed the D&I strategy in their business strategy. We have built a strong network across the region with D&I Councils and Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) who bring our strategy to life, collaborating closely and sharing internal and external best practices.
2.Why is diversity, and specifically the advancement of women, so important to your organisation?
As mentioned earlier, half of J&J’s original employees in 1886 were women. We know that diverse perspectives and backgrounds fuel innovation and drive business impact. When our employees can be their authentic selves, they spark solutions that help us create a better, healthier world. In 2018, more than 50% of all new hires at J&J were women, over 50% of upward promotions across J&J’s global workforce elevated women, and 45% of management positions were held by women.
3. What diversity initiatives do you have in your organisation?
Our strategy focuses on three strategic pillars: Advance our Culture of Inclusion; Build a Diverse Workforce for the Future; and Enhance Business Results and Innovation. Our initiatives focus on these three pillars. To date, over 105.000 employees across the globe completed an unconscious bias training which was the grounding for the launch of our Enterprise D&I Strategy. We launched the D&I Honors this year, an Award Program which recognizes teams who drive business outcomes through D&I initiatives. We have also run an Acclerated Leadership Development Program called “Ascend” to advance high potential females in their careers for several years now. If you are interested to learn more, our D&I Impact Review youbelong.jnj.com shares our stories and showcases how the collective wisdom and power of 135.000 employees better serves the needs of our patients, consumers and customers every day.
4. What role does LEAD Network play in reaching your organization’s diversity goals?
The LEAD Network is a great partner for our Consumer Health business to learn from others across different industries and hear different perspectives. Attracting, hiring and retaining women is key focus area for us in J&J and the various opportunities the LEAD network offers through webinars and other materials are a great resource for us.
5. What would you like your employees to take away from the LEAD Network?
To be open to learn from others and think outside the box.
