Inclusion, diversity
and equity

group photos of diverse employees


Inclusion, diversity and equity (ID&E) are core to Vertex’s ability to create and deliver transformative medicines for people with serious diseases. We believe in ID&E not only because it’s the right thing to do, and it is, but also because our business depends on it. We are the most innovative, make the best decisions for patients and attract the highest caliber of talent when we have an inclusive, diverse and equitable workforce and culture. Learn more about our ID&E journey, progress and priorities.

Volunteers from Vertex working on a community project

Inclusion

Our Priority: Fostering a culture where each employee has a strong sense of belonging because they feel, and are, valued for sharing their perspectives and challenging ideas across differences

Our Approach: Equip all Vertexians with the skills and resources to activate and live ID&E in their daily interactions and decisions

diverse group of employees

Diversity

Our Priority: Ensuring that our workplaces reflect the rich diversity of our communities, recognizing that each of us is different based on our life experiences, identities, backgrounds and cultures

Our Approach: Invest to address gaps in representation in our talent pipeline, with a focus on racial, ethnic, cultural and
gender equity

Two Vertex employees sitting by a window having a discussion

Equity

Our Priority: Promoting balanced representation and fair treatment by providing the opportunities, information and resources needed so each of our employees can grow and thrive

Our Approach: Embed inclusive and equitable practices throughout the employee experience

We have a longstanding commitment to ID&E

Our formal ID&E efforts began in 2014 with the opening of our first Learning Lab and our support of STEAM education in the community.

Soon after, we launched our Employee Resource Networks (ERNs), which strengthen community and belonging within Vertex across functions and levels; provide employees with access to peer and executive mentors and professional development; and amplify the voices, insights and experiences of colleagues from traditionally underrepresented groups.


Our Global Employee Resource Networks (ERNs)

 

 

ID&E Week

We launched our inaugural ID&E week in 2017 to provide an opportunity for Vertexians to connect and explore the important role ID&E plays in our business, culture and communities. While we recognize that ID&E must be activated and sustained every day throughout the year, this week provides a chance for Vertexians to step back from our daily routines, reflect on recent world events and take a holistic look at how we work together and the ways in which we can improve. Our sixth ID&E week in 2022 focused on the theme of 'Catalysts for Change' — a call to action for Vertexians to advance ID&E, be inclusive team members and leaders, and accelerate their own growth.

An image of a crowd sitting in blue and purple chairs while listening to five female panelists talking

 

 

Ongoing Learning

In 2019 we began formal ID&E learning for our senior leaders and in 2020, we developed and released a training to all employees on unconscious bias in the workplace. In 2021 we introduced the LIVE ID&E Learning Portfolio, a comprehensive learning portfolio to provide employees with resources to listen, learn and advance their fundamental understanding of what it means to LIVE ID&E at Vertex. Through this portfolio, employees Learn key concepts, are provided with tools to Implement the concepts in their daily interactions, Validate what works, and Embed ID&E in our systems and processes.

An image of three Vertexians looking a laptop screen while smiling


We have focused efforts to increase the diversity of our candidate pools and hires


 

A group photo outside of Vertex Pharmaceuticals interns

Our career growth programs are critical to nurturing a diverse pipeline of talent. We have robust summer internship, co-op and industrial placement programs and have established several flagship programs such as: Vertex Fellows, Physician Investigators, PharmD Fellows and MBA Summer Associates. We're intentional about ensuring these programs provide equitable access to individuals from communities that have been traditionally underrepresented in biotech. 

We know we can’t do this work alone; we partner with organizations that allow us to drive equity across the entire educational and career journeys of students and young people in our communities.


Our partner organizations
 

We invest beyond our four walls to promote equity and justice in our communities


 

Our efforts in ID&E go beyond the workplace. In 2020, Vertex and the Vertex Foundation committed $4 million over three years to fight racism and injustice around the world. This commitment includes:

  • $1.5 million commitment from the Vertex Foundation to help establish the Boston University Center for Antiracist Research. The Center represents a collaborative, multidisciplinary research and education effort in pursuit of social justice and equity.

  • The Vertex Foundation was one of the first funders of the New Commonwealth Racial Equity and Social Justice Fund, a coalition of Black and Brown executives in Massachusetts who have come together to leverage their individual and collective power to eliminate systemic racism and racial inequity throughout Massachusetts.

  • Vertex expanded support to long-time partners, including the Boston Private Industry Council, Bottom Line and the Biomedical Science Careers Program, while the Vertex Foundation increased its commitments to City Year and Equal Justice Works.

An image of Chiruza Muhimuzi, Vertex Science Leader Scholar and student at the University of Massachusetts, speaking at Bottom Line’s annual Rise Up Gala


Chiruza Muhimuzi, Vertex Science Leader Scholar and student at the University of Massachusetts, speaks at Bottom Line’s annual Rise Up Gala.


We're proud to be recognized for our efforts in ID&E


 

Forbes Best Employers for Diversity award logo
Forbes
America's Best Employers for Diversity
Fortune Magazine Best Workplaces for Women 2022 award logo
Fortune
Best Workplaces for Women
Seramount 100 Best Company logo
Seramount
100 Best Companies and Best Companies for Dads
 
Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index 2022 logo
Human Rights Campaign
Corporate Equality Index
 
Women Engineer magazine Top 50 Employers for Women Engineers
Women Engineer magazine
Top 50 Employers for Women Engineers
 


 


Employee and board of director demographics

  • Global gender diversity

  • U.S. Racial/Ethnic Diversity

  • Board of Directors


Promoting gender equity

We have made progress and recognize that achieving true excellence in ID&E takes a sustained push. We are committed to doing even more to promote gender equity throughout our organization. 

Data as of December 31, 2022


Investing to address gaps in representation 

We have made progress and recognize that achieving true excellence in ID&E takes a sustained push. We are committed to doing even more to address gaps in representation, with a focus on racial, ethnic and cultural equity. 

Data as of December 31, 2022

 

Advancing ID&E with our leadership 

The diverse perspectives of our board, combined with decades of experience, is critical to the guidance and stability they provide to help us execute on our mission.

Data Transparency

We have been committed to ID&E for years, and we measure and hold ourselves accountable to progress across our key focus areas for inclusion, diversity and equity. We’re continuing to focus on intentionally embedding ID&E throughout our global organization and across all of the work that we do. We invite you to learn more about our ID&E journey, progress and priorities

We are committed to greater data transparency, and that’s why we are sharing our Federal Employer Information Report, known as EEO-1. These data are based on U.S. federal government requirements that categorizes roles into 10 job categories, each with seven race/ethnicity categories and two gender categories. While this is important data to collect and share, it does not fully reflect all of Vertex’s job levels and titles and is not inclusive of all races, ethnicities and genders. 

View our previous ID&E fact sheet.