Astellas is proud to be featured on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s (HRC) annual Corporate Equality Index (CEI) for its continued support of the LGBTQ+ community within the workplace. Established in 2002, the Index represents the nation’s foremost benchmarking survey and report measuring corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ+ workplace equality including domestic partner benefits, non-discrimination workplace protections, competency programs, transgender-inclusive health care benefits and public engagement with the LGBTQ+ community. From 319 participating businesses in its first year to over 1,300 businesses represented in this year’s iteration, the Index continues to serve as a successful indicator of inclusion best practices in the U.S.

CEI scoring criteria was updated this year by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation in an effort to keep focus on the latest emerging best practices in the LGBTQ+ workplace and meet the needs of the LGBTQ+ community over time.

Criteria for being featured in the Index rates falls under four central pillars:

• Non-discrimination policies across business entities;
• Equitable benefits for LGBTQ+ workers and their families;
• Supporting an inclusive culture; and,
• Corporate social responsibility.

This year, Astellas received an aggregate score of 80 – a clear reflection of the extent to which Astellas values and prioritizes equity and inclusion in the workplace. We’re proud of all that we’ve accomplished in making Astellas a more equitable and inclusive workplace, and we are eager to continue the important work in the coming months and years to create an Astellas for all.

Benefits Suite Further Supports LGBTQ+ Employees
Astellas offers a comprehensive suite of gender-neutral benefits to support all employees in caring for themselves and the needs of their children and aging family members. The Astellas StarLife program covers fertility benefits of all paths to parenthood — adoption, surrogacy, fertility treatments, pregnancy, and more, including virtual visits with family-forming experts, including those with dedicated expertise in LGBTQ+ family-forming. In addition, Astellas provides employer-sponsored funds to help pay for care, additional gender-neutral paid time off for Parental Leave to allow for more baby bonding, and higher adoption reimbursements.

Together as One (TAO) Employee Impact Group
Our LGBTQ+ Employee Impact Group (EIG), known as Together As One (TAO) is one of our seven active EIGs. Employee Impact Groups and their ally networks bolster our culture of inclusion and help to gather insights that allow us to better serve patients and our communities. Also, Together as One annually organizes Astellas’ Ally Week, which encourages colleagues to support the LGBTQ+ community by taking an Ally Pledge and attending an informational Allyship webinar.

TAO also partnered with Astellas to develop Gender Transition Guidelines, which provide guidance and benefits information for employees who are transitioning. They also equip managers with information on how to best support employees as they are transitioning and serve as champions to the LGBTQ+ community.

Notably in 2023, TAO expanded beyond its US remit to global activation as one of our first global resource groups. The EIG helped raise up awareness, resources and training, including a Reverse Mentoring Program to connect an executive leader and an employee mentor in which the employee mentor helps fill in possible gaps in the more experienced leaders’ knowledge around LGBTQ+ experiences and issues at work, piloting the program both in the US and Japan. In addition, Astellas participated for the first time in the Tokyo Rainbow Pride Parade, adding to our existing annual participation in the Chicago and London Pride Parades.

At Astellas, we prioritize cultivating a culture that embraces diverse beliefs, backgrounds and ideas to foster innovative health solutions. Our inclusive workplace is designed to demonstrate respect and encouragement for all employees to build a foundation where everybody can succeed. We believe that continued focus on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion drives a stronger, more successful business. That’s what being an ally is about.

To learn more about Astellas’ LGBTQ+ initiatives, visit https://astellascareers.jobs/lgbtq/.