Alan Nevel
Thermo Fisher Scientific, Vice President, Global Diversity and Inclusion
Thermo Fisher Scientific
Headquarters: Waltham, Massachusetts
Business: Scientific R&D
CEO: Marc Casper
Employees: 50,000
Website: www.thermofisher.com
HARNESSING THE POWER OF INCLUSION
By taking a broad approach to diversity, Thermo Fisher Scientific, the world leader in serving science, is successfully harnessing the power of inclusion to improve the company’s business outcomes.
“There’s power in ‘inclusion first’ thinking, and it’s driving new behaviors that are leading to better business results,” said Alan Nevel, vice president of global diversity and inclusion at Thermo Fisher Scientific.
Under Nevel’s direction, the company is harnessing its diverse talent, backgrounds and experiences to drive speed, productivity, innovation and growth. Nevel says that building a more inclusive culture begins where the “rubber meets the road,” which he sees as the intersection between manager and employee.
According to Nevel, the company takes a broader approach to traditional diversity initiatives by focusing on less visible elements of diversity, including communication, working style, and conflict resolution techniques. “This allows our employees to fully engage in their work and helps to spark the innovative thinking that we need to fulfill our mission: to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer,” Nevel said.
VALUE IN CAPITALIZING ON DIVERSITY & INCLUSION
“Companies with longer histories of diversity and inclusion programming now consult us for support and advice as they move from a focus on ‘the numbers’ of underrepresented groups to a true cultural change that embraces diverse perspectives to improve business results,” Nevel added.
The goal of D&I is to improve performance, increase productivity, drive innovation and maximize employee engagement across the company’s 50,000-person workforce. “We’re doing this by building on our D&I educational assets and facilitating high-impact employee resource groups that partner with our corporate social responsibility team at the local level to add value in the communities where we live and work,” Nevel said.
In terms of business growth, over the past year the D&I team assisted some of the company’s largest customers by building stronger relationships from a supplier diversity perspective. “This has led to new opportunities for many small, women, minority, veteran and disabled-owned businesses,” he said.
EMPLOYEE RESOURCE GROUP OUTREACH
The company has a variety of employee resource groups (ERGs). Nevel shared some examples of what a few of them are doing. The Veteran’s ERG has pledged commitment to the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve. The possAbilities (disability) ERG is active with the United States Business Leadership Network and local affiliates throughout the country. And the African Heritage ERG has combined its efforts with the supplier diversity program.
The company’s Office of Global Diversity and Inclusion has four team members directly involved in D&I work and more than 500 employees who are indirectly involved. Among them are employee resource group co-chairs, steering committees, executive sponsors, D&I facilitators, and D&I advocates throughout the company.
“Our goal is to become one of the world’s most admired companies. One in which all of our employees can grow, thrive, develop and perform at their highest level of ability. And, equally important, a company where employees are empowered to bring their whole selves to work,” Nevel said.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THERMO FISHER SCIENTIFIC’S RECENT D&I RECOGNITIONS INCLUDE:
- Profiles in Diversity Journal – Diversity Leader Award
- Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index – 100 percent perfect score “Best Places to Work for LGBT Equality”
- Lithuania’s Ministry of Social Security and Labor – Employer of the Year
- Peking University’s Research Center for Corporate Social Responsibility and Employer Brand Communication – Top 30 Employers in Shanghai, China
- Pacific Southwest Minority Supplier Development Council – Corporate Advocate of the Year
