Women in Pharma/Biotech
While female leadership has remained low in the Pharmaceutical and Biotech arena, now is a powerful time to be a woman in the industry. The global nonprofit organization, Catalyst found that Fortune 500 companies that had the best gender representation on their boards generated a higher return on sales and equity than those companies that had fewer women onboard. To further the initiative to increase the number of women in leadership positions the BIO’s WDDI Committee has set a 2025 goal of increasing the percentage of women on boards to 30%. There have never been more resources and opportunities for networking, board training and mentorships for women in Pharma/Biotech than today.
Below we highlight several communities geared to support women in the Pharmaceutical and Biotech industry.
ISPE Women in Pharma
The International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE) has developed the Women in Pharma community with toolkits, online forums, mentor programs as well as activities and sessions at ISPE events. By joining WIP, participants can connect and collaborate with other women in the field and have access to networking opportunities.
At a recent chapter event, the ISPE Chesapeake Bay Area chapter invited five successful women in Pharma to speak on a panel. They discussed work/ life balance, professional success and the importance of networking.
Women in Bio
Since 2002, Women in Bio (WIB) has been supporting women in the bioscience-related field with 13 chapters in North America led by volunteers. WIB hosts events throughout the year welcoming women to collaborate and network with other women in their field or geographic area. With a philosophy of “Women helping Women” WIB focuses on the value of successful role models and mentors.
Women in Bio hosts several opportunities for advancing careers including professional development events, social networking events, an Annual Celebration featuring keynote speakers, their mentoring program MAPS and the opportunity for all chapters to come together. WIB also provides a Young Women in Bio program aimed at female students.
Women in Pharma Careers
Women in Pharma Careers is an online community offering resources such as toolkits, articles and an online network for professional women in the Pharma industry. The site gives honest and relatable advice for women at all levels of their careers and stages of life. Some recent posts include topics such as work-life integration, working with recruiters and outsourcing.
Women of Color in Pharma
Women of Color in Pharma (WOCIP) is a growing community supporting women of color in their professional and personal development. They offer events, annual conferences, newsletters, and social media networking to their members.
The Healthcare Technology Report recently published a list of the top 25 women leaders in biotech of 2019. The list includes some of the most impressive female leaders in the biotech industry today whose contributions and leadership are driving advancements in their field.
PharmaOut, a full-service global consulting, business process outsourcing, and staffing firm specialize in the pharmaceutical, biotech, medical device, and CRO industries. Established in 2008 as a women-run organization, PharmaOut aims to support all women in the Pharma and Biotech industries with their personal and professional development. At PharmaOut, we encourage mothers to reenter the workforce and promote work/life balance by offering our employees support and flexible/remote work options. Visit our list of current openings or submit your resume and one of our recruiters will connect with you to discuss how PharmaOut can assist with your career goals.