Women have long defied boundaries and shattered gender stereotypes, embarking on journeys to seize control of their lives by navigating challenges and taking control of their destinies.
Cherishing a legacy of 45 years, Biocon group traces its roots to a brainchild of young and confident Ms Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw whose indomitable spirit led to the setting up of Biocon in the late 70s. Back then, women-led enterprises, especially in science, were rare and setting up a business meant working your way through bureaucratic red tape. Yet, she succeeded in building a globally recognized biopharmaceuticals enterprise that is making a difference to patients’ lives worldwide.
Making women equal participants in every aspect of life is an indispensable reality the world can ill afford to ignore any longer. A nation cannot progress as long as half its population is not made part of shaping its socio-economic development.
From Raman Parimala, E.K. Janaki Ammal, Archana Sharma, Bibha Chowdhuri, Asima Chatterjee, Soumya Swaminathan, Priya Abraham, Tessy Thomas, Indira Hinduja, Mangala Mani, Gagandeep Kang to the women-led Chandrayan Mission, India has come a long way in carving a niche for women in science. Late Kalpana Chawla, the first woman of Indian origin to journey into space, remains a timeless figure in our memories.
Promoting the Cause of Women in STEM
Biocon Biologics’ resolve to be a gender-equal enterprise by 2030 is driven by its commitment to encourage more women to choose STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics – as a career.
Given our legacy of being an innovation-led biopharmaceuticals company, our aspiration is to make science more reliable, representative, and relevant by empowering women through equal access to education and knowledge sharing.
Recently, we celebrated the ‘International Day of Women and Girls in Science’ at our headquarters in Bengaluru, acknowledging the transformative potential of women as agents of change in science.
“Both my grandmothers gave me the courage and push to do something different. They were inspirational in instilling the whole idea of a growth mindset in me and how one can contribute to the society.”
In her words, Biocon Biologics’ expertise in science is about benefitting patients by making high quality biosimilar drugs for diabetes and cancer more accessible and affordable.
“It takes a lot of science and smartness to improve yield (of drug substances) and manage the complexity of manufacturing these complex large molecule therapeutics and to deliver them to patients,” Duffy said.
“Within the 21st century that we are living in, we will see 20,000 years of development and that rate of exponential growth is unprecedented. It will require lot of perseverance, caring, empathy and communication and that’s where women come into the scene as they bring value to science,”
Rhonda Anne Duffy, Chief Operating Officer, Biocon Biologics.
COMMITTED TO GENDER DIVERSITY
Biocon Biologics is committed to creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive work environment where all employees feel valued and respected, regardless of their background, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, or any other personal characteristics.
As a Company with a difference, Biocon Biologics has made great strides in reaching towards the goal of gender equality and encouraging women in STEM jobs.
Our targeted efforts also align with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) #5 Gender Equality, #4 Quality Education, #8 Decent Work and Economic Growth as well as #10 Reduced Inequalities.
The results of our concerted Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts are reflected in improving gender ratios — 28% as against 25% from a year ago. We resolve to improve this further, targeting a gender ratio of 33% by 2025. With 190 women scientists purely engaged in Research & Development (R&D), Biocon Biologics’ diversity ratio in R&D is as high as 45%.
GAPS IN ACCESS TO EDUCATION AND CAREER IN STEM
Globally, the role and participation of women in STEM has been far less vis-à-vis men. STEM plays critical role in national economies of all the countries; however, women need to be brought at par with men in decision-making and policy framing.
According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2023, women remain significantly underrepresented in the STEM workforce. While women account for 49% of total employment across non-STEM occupations, their participation in STEM workforce stands at only 29%. A World Bank 2020 report has revealed that not only do fewer women take up a career in science they tend to exit their jobs earlier than the men.
Moreover, women in STEM publish less and are likely to be underpaid than males.
Besides, they often face biases, stereotypes, and systemic barriers, at home and workplaces. Thus, we must ensure that the female STEM graduates are retained in the workforce, ensuring their economic independence as well.
BRIDGING THE GAP
India’s sustained efforts like Right to Education (RTE), focus on elementary and higher education, dedicated policy interventions, scholarships and training programs and mentoring have been paying off well in bringing women at par with men.
Government initiated I-STEM (Indian Science, Technology and Engineering facilities Map) is a dynamic and interactive portal hosting various scientific programs aimed at supporting needy researchers and strengthening R&D ecosystem to fulfil country’s necessities.
The Department of Science and Technology has initiated dedicated programs such as Vigyan Jyoti Scheme, Gender Advancement for Transforming Institutions (GATI), and ‘Women in Science and Engineering-KIRAN (WISE-KIRAN)’ among others, to encourage more women in STEM.
A change in mindset towards women in science and the implementation of more targeted programs and schemes, both by the government and private bodies, can enhance their participation in science and technology and bridge the gender disparity in STEM-related jobs.
Our vision for a Viksit Bharat—a Developed India– by 2047 can be realized fully only by recognizing the pivotal role women play in a nation’s overall progress, as they are integral to advancing our cause for a progressive nation.
A Blog by Biocon 