Sanofi has launched ‘Cancer & Work: Acting Together’, a program which covers all Sanofi employees in the world if they are diagnosed with cancer or critical illnesses1. It provides social, emotional and financial support and secures the job, salary and benefits of any employee for up to twelve months, no matter the role or geographical location.
It will allow employees to incorporate further flexible work arrangements to better navigate cancer and work and will have access to a network of volunteer colleagues trained to help them navigate from initial diagnosis through the treatment journey and return to work. The program is also designed to better equip managers to support members of their team who are affected by cancer. Throughout 2024, Sanofi also intends to implement coverage of miscellaneous non-medical expenses. Moreover, Sanofi permanent employees will become eligible for an unpaid caregiver leave which allows them to carry out caregiving duties for their close family member suffering from a critical illness1.
In 2017, several volunteer employees in France, with complementary expert skills and experience as patients, caregivers or managers, started the initiative. The program has since grown to a network of 27 partner teams with one team at each Sanofi site in France, with 150 members who share feedback and best practice. More than 350 employees have benefited (42% sick employees, 30% caregivers, 28% managers).
The program “Cancer & Work” has started to roll out globally in early 2024 and is part of our programs supporting health and wellbeing in the workplace. This complements other initiatives already launched for employees such as the gender-neutral parental leave, allowing all new parents 14 weeks of paid leave to welcome a new child into their lives.
- Specific criteria identifying the conditions and circumstances that are eligible for coverage under this program might be governed by the terms and conditions of country-specific policies or legal requirements.