AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca Greece is committed to creating a workplace where every employee feels they belong, are heard, supported, and empowered to grow authentically.

As part of this commitment, in 2025 the company implemented a comprehensive Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) strategy aimed at transforming inclusion from a series of standalone actions into an integral part of organizational operations and the everyday employee experience.

The core objective of the initiative was to build a culture where diversity is recognized as a source of value, innovation, and stronger collaboration.

The strategy was designed to cover the entire employee lifecycle, strengthening:

employee voice
employee experience and sense of belonging
access to equal opportunities
equity and representation

Through this holistic approach, AstraZeneca strengthened the connection between its DE&I strategy, leadership behaviors, talent development, and the creation of a modern, inclusive, high-performing organization.

The initiative is addressed to all AstraZeneca Greece employees, regardless of role, gender, age, experience, or function.

At the same time, it specifically engages:

leaders, who serve as role models for an inclusive culture
People Managers, who play a critical role in shaping everyday experiences of inclusion
job candidates, through more inclusive attraction and talent selection processes

An ongoing strategic initiative, with actions implemented throughout 2025.

AstraZeneca Greece designed and implemented a comprehensive Diversity, Equity & Inclusion strategy with the aim of creating a culture where every employee can express themselves freely, participate actively, and grow within an environment of equal opportunity.

The approach went beyond awareness-raising and embedded inclusion into core organizational mechanisms such as leadership communication, people development, talent acquisition, and the everyday employee experience.

The strategy was built around four interconnected pillars:

1. Voice – Strengthening employee voice

Through an integrated communication ecosystem, AstraZeneca’s Leadership Communication Program created more opportunities for interaction and enabled a two-way flow of information between leadership and employees, regardless of role or location.

These actions strengthened open communication, psychological safety, and employees’ ability to share opinions, ideas, and feedback.

2. Experience – Creating shared experiences and belonging

The company designed experiential initiatives that strengthened connection among employees and fostered a stronger sense of belonging.

A central example was the Sustainability & Well-Being Day, which served as a practical expression of inclusive culture through shared experiences, collaboration, and connection across diverse teams.

3. Access – Inclusive talent acquisition practices

AstraZeneca embedded inclusive practices into Talent Acquisition, with a particular focus on neurodiversity.

These practices aimed to create fairer selection processes, reduce potential bias, and broaden access to diverse talent.

4. Equity – Advancing gender equity and representation

Targeted actions were implemented to strengthen gender equity and representation, alongside a multidimensional DE&I agenda covering key dimensions of diversity including Gender Equality, LGBTQI+, Neurodiversity, Age & Intergenerational Collaboration through webinars, inspirational talks, and experiential interventions such as manager development and empowerment, leadership workshops, and the Umbrella Project.

Inclusion was not treated as a standalone initiative; instead, it was embedded into key organizational mechanisms — leadership communication, manager development, and the employee experience — contributing to the creation of an environment where every employee can express themselves, participate, and grow authentically.

The initiatives were primarily implemented through collaboration between the Human Resources team, the leadership team, and all business functions across AstraZeneca Greece. This cross-functional approach ensured that inclusion was treated as a shared responsibility rather than the mandate of a single function.

The DE&I agenda was implemented in collaboration with include.

Active employee participation was a key success factor of the initiative.

Employees engaged through:

learning initiatives
webinars and discussions
leadership dialogues
experiential activities
development and mentoring programs

This approach reinforced the understanding that inclusion is everyone’s responsibility and an integral part of everyday workplace culture.

AstraZeneca Greece

AstraZeneca Greece’s DE&I strategy led to a significant strengthening of engagement, trust, and organizational culture.

At the employee level:

a stronger environment of psychological safety was created
employees’ ability to express their views was enhanced
the sense of belonging was strengthened

At the leadership level:

accessibility and communication between leadership and employees improved
managers developed further as ambassadors of inclusive culture
decision-making was strengthened through the inclusion of diverse perspectives

At the organizational level:

a more cohesive employee experience was created
AstraZeneca’s attractiveness as an employer was strengthened
innovation was supported through the inclusion of diverse experiences and perspectives

Measured results

Voice – Leadership Communication

10 Senior Leadership Team Roadshows
3 Extended Leadership Team Meetings
4 Town Halls
+8-point increase in the statement: “I feel comfortable speaking up.”
+8-point increase in perceptions of communication and clarity of priorities
+4-point increase in perceptions of leadership commitment to DE&I

Experience – Belonging in Action

78% employee participation
Feedback score: 4.86/5
400 participants in experiential activities
participation from employees across different functions and levels

Access – Inclusive Talent Acquisition

implementation of more inclusive selection processes
increased manager awareness regarding neurodiversity and unconscious bias

Equity – Gender & Representation

implementation of mentoring programs to support women’s development
increased participation in development programs
support for work-life balance policies

The initiative strengthened AstraZeneca Greece as an organization where diversity is recognized as a source of value, innovation, and sustainable growth.

Key benefits include:

strengthening organizational culture
greater trust and collaboration among employees
development of inclusive leadership practices
improvement of the employee experience
creation of a stronger and more sustainable working environment

The strategy transformed inclusion from a theoretical value into an everyday practice, embedding it in the way people collaborate, communicate, and grow.