Novartis Malaysia Takes the Lead in Empowering Women
- Esteemed women from various backgrounds highlight the role of women in shaping the future of healthcare and, thus, the need to close the gender gap in STEM education and professions.
- Male STEM graduates are being hired at higher rates than women despite a higher percentage of female STEM graduates from local tertiary institutionsi.
- Empowering women in healthcare and STEM requires collaboration between individuals, organizations, and society.
Petaling Jaya, March 30, 2024 – In honor of International Women’s Day, Novartis Malaysia took the opportunity to stress the importance of gender parity in fostering a generation of women leaders in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) industries. An event focusing on “Women in Healthcare: Empowering Others to Pay it Forward” was held to recognize the contributions of women in the healthcare sector.
It featured a panel of distinguished speakers that included Dr Mastura Md Yusof, Head of Oncology Services at Pantai Hospital; Grace Tam, Senior Member and Organisation Partner at the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS); Elsie Chang, Head of Novartis Corporate Center KL, and Sheena Fong, Therapeutic Area Head, Oncology, Novartis Malaysia. Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) – a strongly embedded framework within Novartis – was one of the key topics.
This is a timely emphasis. Despite surpassing men in university enrollment, women remain a minority in STEM education and careers. A 2022 United Nations report revealed that women account for only about 35% of students pursuing STEM degrees globallyi.
Reflecting on the broader societal impact, the panelists underscored the significance of motivating and empowering the youth, especially in pursuing STEM education and professions. This is important given The World Health Organization’s forecast of shortfall of 10 million healthcare workers by 2030, primarily impacting low- and lower-middle-income nationsii.
Dr. Mastura Md Yusof, a renowned female oncologist and academician, shared:
“At the beginning of my career, there were very few female oncologists. Pursuing this field required trainees to commit to various career and study activities, and it was challenging for women to balance household responsibilities and manage a growing family. I was even discouraged by a more senior colleague from joining the field.
“Fortunately, we have seen a notable rise in female oncologists in recent years as the program became more accessible. However, women must actively drive change. Once, I was the sole female oncologist invited to an advisory board. I challenged this by urging more female representation, and efforts such as these are crucial for progress in healthcare and STEM.”
Adding to the conversation, Grace, a resilient survivor of advanced breast cancer (aBC) who exemplifies living life to the fullest, shared:
“As an aBC survivor for over three years, access to STEM innovations allows me to persist in pursuing my passions while dismantling societal and medical barriers. Reflecting on Dr. Mastura’s sharing, I feel empowered to see the strides we are making in advocating inclusion.
This stresses the importance of providing more exposure to female mentors and tailored programs to ignite young women’s passion for STEM, which are some of WAGGGS’ strategic imperatives.”
Elsie Chang, Head of Novartis Corporate Center, and Sheena Fong, Therapeutic Area Head of Oncology at Novartis Malaysia, offered their perspectives as professionals within a global healthcare company. Elsie shared:
“As we work towards our cultural aspirations, our focus is to foster an inclusive and respectful environment for all associates, regardless of gender. We are proud of the progress we have made in achieving gender diversity and pay equity through our EPIC Pledge.
Our initiatives include removing historical salary data during compensation offers, conducting annual pay equity analyses, making necessary adjustments, and transparently communicating individuals' pay positions compared to benchmarks. Our commitment is to providing associates with equal growth opportunities, which serves as a foundation for achieving a more diverse female workforce and equity in healthcare.”
Sheena Fong, Therapeutic Area Head, Oncology, Novartis Malaysia, added on Elsie’s sharing, stating:
“At Novartis, we have taken steps to ensure gender equality in caregiving responsibilities. We have enhanced our policies to offer our male colleagues 14 weeks of paternity leave. This initiative fosters equal partnership in fatherhood responsibilities, providing crucial support to their spouses and nurturing a more holistic family dynamic.”
Mohamed Elwakil, Country President for Novartis Malaysia, highlights:
“When it comes to empowering others to pay it forward, we need an active role from multiple avenues, including the healthcare industry and educational institutions. At Novartis Malaysia, 67% of our associates are female, with approximately 55% occupying leadership positions. We are committed to the training and development of women in STEM. It is a testament to an organization that not only attracts dynamic, high calibre women from STEM fields– but also a demonstration of our dedication to nurture and grow female talents in those areas.
Our sustained effort in promoting DEI plays a role in attracting exceptional women associates and gaining recognition as a Top Employer in Malaysia for five consecutive years.”
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About Novartis Malaysia
Novartis had a long heritage and legacy in Malaysia. Established in 1971, we are a leading multinational company employing close to 600 associates who work in the Novartis International division and Novartis Corporate Center, Kuala Lumpur. Through our over 50-year presence in Malaysia, Novartis Malaysia continues to deliver on its corporate purpose of reimagining medicine to improve and extend the lives of over 32 million Malaysians.
In 2022, Novartis Malaysia was recognized as Sponsor of the Year by Clinical Research Malaysia for initiating 24 new clinical trials. We also have a proven track record of expanding access to our innovative medicines in private or public via collaborations with the Ministry of Health Malaysia. Through these collaborations, Novartis has succeeded in touching the lives of more than 1.2 million Malaysian patients.
Novartis Malaysia’s office is located in the new cutting-edge building called Plaza Imazium in Damansara Utama, Petaling Jaya. Novartis Malaysia occupies 2 floors and was one of 20 offices in Malaysia to be LEED Gold certified and the first office to be WELL Silver certified.
About Novartis Corporate Center Kuala Lumpur
In 2015, Kuala Lumpur was selected as one of the six Novartis Corporate Centers, which is responsible for providing a broad range of services to the Novartis group of companies worldwide. It brings together expert capabilities and talent across functionalities and is an innovation hub that drives the business forward. It is home to over 400 associates who work to deliver on the Novartis purpose of reimagining medicine to improve and extend people’s lives.
References
1. Knowledge Resources Institute. (2023). Gender Gap in STEM. Retrieved from https://www.krinstitute.org/assets/contentMS/img/template/editor/2303%20Gender%20Gap%20in%20STEM.pdf
2. World Health Organization. (n.d.). Health workforce. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/health-topics/health-workforce#tab=tab_1
Novartis Media Relations
Abby Lu
Communications and Engagement