How to Build Inclusive Cultures

From Awareness to Action: Building Truly Inclusive Cultures in Modern Life Science Organisations

Why Inclusive Cultures Matter More Than Ever

In life science organisations, the conversation about diversity and inclusion has moved far beyond compliance – it’s now about innovation, empathy, and long-term business success. Research backs this up: a Boston Consulting Group study of 1,700 companies found that organisations with more diverse management teams generated 45% of their total revenue from recent innovations, compared with just 26% for companies with less-diverse leadership – a striking 19-percentage-point advantage.

Yet despite growing awareness of these benefits, many leaders still struggle with practical steps to make inclusion real in day-to-day decisions: from hiring and promotion to leadership development.

To advance the conversation on diversity, Skills Alliance brought together business and HR leaders from SMEs to large life science organisations for a focused panel discussion. We explored how bias shows up, how to challenge it, and how to prepare teams and leadership for diversity to thrive. What emerged were powerful insights and tangible actions that any organisation can put into practice.

1. Recognising Bias: The First Step Toward Inclusion

Bias often starts where comfort begins. One panellist noted how easy it is to build teams of people “just like us” – similar education, communication style, or background. While unintentional, this creates an echo chamber where innovation slows and new ideas are missed.

In her team, a pattern had emerged: hiring people who fit well but shared similar experiences. The result was a cohesive yet homogenous team. She reflected, “It’s great that we’ve given women space to grow – but we have to be mindful that diversity also means diversity of thought.”

Key takeaway: Recognising bias isn’t about guilt – it’s about awareness. Teams that challenge themselves to invite different voices and perspectives are stronger, faster, and more creative.

2. Turning Awareness Into Action: Practical Ways to Build Inclusive Cultures

Leaders emphasised that inclusion doesn’t happen by accident. It requires deliberate structures and continuous effort.

Examples included:

• Graduate leadership and rotational programmes to open opportunities beyond traditional backgrounds.
• Employee resource groups (ERGs) – such as disability inclusion networks – to support neurodiverse employees and raise awareness.
• Company-wide training for managers on topics like accessibility, invisible disabilities, and how to support disclosure with empathy.

Key takeaway: These programmes not only widen the talent pipeline but also normalise conversations about difference. As one leader explained, “It’s about creating an environment where people feel safe to say, ‘This is who I am, and this is what I need to thrive.’”

3. From Bias to Balance: How Personal Experience Shapes Inclusive Hiring

Another panellist shared how her early experiences as a woman in tech shaped her leadership approach. Despite facing bias, she ultimately found that her perspective was sought after – companies wanted diversity to strengthen teams.

She and her co-founder deliberately built a multicultural, multidisciplinary start up team, embracing differences in communication, background, and problem-solving style. Today, their seven-person team represents five countries and diverse educational paths — not by ticking boxes, but by valuing unique contribution.

Another participant reflected on her own “affinity bias” – realising that she had built an all-female team by hiring people she felt most comfortable with. The lesson? Inclusion starts with self-awareness and honest reflection.

Key takeaway: Inclusive hiring means balancing comfort with challenge – asking not “who is like me?” but “who brings something new we need?”

4. Stepping Out of the Comfort Zone: Hiring Beyond “Like-Minded”

When leaders recognise bias in their hiring, the next step is to act differently. One panellist described a simple but effective method:

“Before every hire, I make a list – not of who I want, but what the role actually needs.”

Rather than relying on gut instinct or résumé impressions, she evaluates candidates by the role’s real requirements – skills, mindset, and cultural contribution. Importantly, she asks herself not, “Do I like this person?” but “Can this person do the job and help the team grow?”

This approach helps avoid affinity bias and encourages the inclusion of candidates with different experiences, ages, and working styles.

Key takeaway: Structured, criteria-based hiring removes the “comfort filter” and leads to more capable, diverse teams.

5. Preparing Leadership Teams for Diversity: Building Mindset and Trust

True inclusion requires leadership alignment. Panellists agreed that diversity can’t flourish without leaders who trust the process. One executive described how her organisation developed leaders through rotational programmes, internal mobility, and job swaps – allowing them to see the value of diverse experience first hand.

For example, a market access director and a commercial lead swapped roles for several months. The experience deepened mutual respect, broke down silos, and created empathy for what different teams face.

She also highlighted how internal rotations reduce perceived “risk” – leaders are more comfortable giving growth opportunities to existing employees who already understand company culture.

However, she acknowledged that risk tolerance varies by country. “In the UK, it’s easier to experiment. In France or Spain, employment laws make it harder to take those leaps – but it’s still possible with the right structure and mindset.”

Key takeaway: Preparing leadership for diversity means creating safe conditions for experimentation – through cross-functional moves, leadership development, and trust-building.

6. From Risk to Reward: Creating Conditions for Talent to Thrive

Every participant agreed that inclusion is not about taking risks – it’s about creating conditions where talent thrives. Whether through mentorship, job swapping, or structured learning pathways, inclusive leaders empower others by removing barriers, not lowering standards.

As one panellist put it, “When you create the conditions for talent to thrive, the risk becomes much smaller than you think.”

The goal, ultimately, is to make diversity a natural part of how business operates, not a separate initiative. When teams reflect the diversity of the world around them, innovation happens faster, decisions are stronger, and people feel seen.

Final Thoughts: Inclusion as a Leadership Practice

Building inclusive cultures starts with awareness but succeeds through action, accountability, and empathy. It’s not just HR’s responsibility – it’s every leader’s. Research reinforces this: McKinsey’s global analyses have consistently shown that organisations with more diverse leadership teams outperform their peers – with companies in the top quartile for gender diversity 21% more likely to achieve above-average profitability, and those with high ethnic and cultural diversity 33% more likely to outperform financially.

The future of work belongs to organisations that understand that inclusion drives performance, creativity, and trust. Diversity isn’t just about who you hire – it’s about how you lead.