Inclusion Strategy
AI & Biotech
Global Organisation
Embedding Inclusion Across a Global AI-Biotech Organisation
How we helped Owkin transform DEI intent into measurable impact through research-led strategy and practical action planning.
107
Survey Respondants
3
Countries
5
Diagnostic Dimensions
3mo
Action Plan
Case Study
THE CONTEXT
A Mission Driven Company At A Crossroads
As a fast-scaling, French–American AI-biotech organisation operating across France, the UK, and the US, Owkin is built on scientific excellence, innovation, and global collaboration.
Scientific Excellence
Leadership recognised that sustaining innovation at scale requires more than technical capability.
Culture Of Inclusion
It depends on a culture where people feel included, trusted, and able to contribute fully.
Global Challenge
Employee feedback signalled uneven experiences of inclusion and belonging, particularly between headquarters and international or remote teams.
While leaders were committed to equity and fairness, they sought objective, data-led insight into how inclusion was actually being experienced across the business, and what actions would deliver meaningful change in the short term while informing a longer-term strategy.
THE CHALLENGE
Moving Beyond Assumption
Owkin's leadership team wanted to gain a clear, evidence-based understanding of cultural strengths, risks, and gaps.
Leadership Perception Gap
Differences between executive intent and employees’ lived experiences
Equity Concerns
Under-representation of women in leadership and lack of transparency in promotion pathways
Cultural Centralisation
A predominantly French-oriented culture that unintentionally excluded some global colleagues
Psychological Safety
Limited awareness of reporting mechanisms and inconsistent confidence in how issues were handled
Sustainability Risks
High-pressure working norms affecting wellbeing, development access, and retention
THE CORE QUESTION
"How do we protect innovation, performance, and trust while building a genuinely inclusive global culture?"
We partnered with Owkin to deliver a credible, independent, and action-oriented DEI diagnostic, designed to centre employee voice while supporting decisive leadership action.
A Research-Led, Action-Oriented Process
OUR APPROACH01
Independent DEI Sentiment Survey
Anonymous survey completed by 107 employees across France, the UK, and the US. Measured belonging, psychological safety, equity, leadership accountability, allyship, and DEI awareness.
Quantative data analysis
Open-text response capture
Cross-regional comparison
02
Executive & Employee Interviews
Confidential one-to-one conversations with ExCom members, people managers, and individual contributors.
Day-to-day experience exploration
Intent vs impact analysis
Leadership perspective alignment
03
Data Synthesis & Thematic Analysis
Insights were analysed across five critical dimensions of organisational health.
Inclusion & belonging
Gender & racial equity
Psychological safety
Workload & wellbeing
Inclusive leadership
04
Leadership Validation & Co-Design
Findings were presented through an interactive workshop with ExCom and HR leaders.
Challenge & reflection space
Ownership building
Priority co-creation
05
Short-Term Action Planning
Insights informed a focused three-month action plan anchored around key priorities.
Communication & transparency
Psychological safety & trust
Allyship & inclusive leadership
Key Insights from the Research
WHAT THE DATA REVEALED
Our comprehensive analysis surfaced critical patterns across the organisation's culture and employee experience.
Inclusion & Belonging
Global and remote employees felt less connected to the organisation's core culture
Culture & Communication
Language norms and cultural assumptions created unintended barriers for some colleagues, including neurodivergent employees
Workload & Growth
Intense work demands restricted access to development and equitable career progression
Equity & Representation
Limited visibility of women in leadership roles and unclear promotion processes affected trust
Psychological Safety
Over half of respondents reported witnessing or experiencing discrimination, with limited confidence in allyship behaviours
Manager Impact
Where managers demonstrated inclusive behaviours, employee trust and belonging were markedly higher
Overall Insight
Employees were deeply committed to Owkin's mission, but closing the gap between values and lived experience was essential to sustaining engagement, performance, and retention.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Leadership Actions
Our recommendations focused on immediate, actionable steps to create meaningful change.
Communication & Transparancy
Executive listening circles to close perception gaps
Inclusive Language Guidance to support respectful, global communication
Internal storytelling to reinforce inclusive leadership in practice
Psychological Safety & Trust
Anonymous reporting mechanisms for bias and discrimination
HR and DEI office hours to normalise early intervention
Facilitated learning experiences to build empathy and shared understanding
Allyship & Inclusive Leadership
Practical allyship training for leaders and managers
Inclusive meeting facilitation skills to amplify diverse voices
Cross-functional mentoring to strengthen collaboration and progression
Measurement & Sustainability
Regular pulse surveys and participation metrics
Leadership reflection and accountability checkpoints
Embedding DEI into performance, policy review, and governance structures
THE IMPACT
Measurable Outcomes
As a result of this engagement, Owkin achieved:
A clear, credible picture of employee experience across regions
Early improvements in leadership visibility, communication, and psychological safety
A prioritised, time-bound DEI action plan aligned to business risk and opportunity
Strong foundations for a co-created, long-term inclusion strategy
"With Communicate Inclusively's guidance, we've taken meaningful steps toward embedding DEI into our culture. Their approach helped us listen with empathy, act with purpose, and build practical tools that will sustain inclusion as we grow."
Owkin Leadership Team
Considering A Similar Approach?
We support organisations to move from good intent to measurable inclusion, using research, facilitation, and practical strategy design.
If you‘re a senior leader looking to:
Understand real employee experience
De-risk growth, engagement, and retention
Build leadership capability for inclusive cultures