A Million Conversations is Sanofi’s global initiative to rebuild trust in healthcare with the underrepresented. Specifically with Black and ethnic minority groups, women, people with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ communities.
Over the next eight years we will deploy our expertise, networks and a €50M investment to empower people from marginalized communities to speak directly to the healthcare industry, and to grow a pipeline of diverse healthcare professionals.
It all starts with A Million Conversations. So let’s start talking.
The Trust Gap
Sanofi’s A Million Conversation launched following the results of our global survey. Our survey asked more than 11,500 people in five countries (Brazil, France, Japan, UK, the U.S.) about their healthcare experiences.
It revealed that an alarming number of people from marginalized communities have had their trust in healthcare eroded by past negative experiences. We call this the ‘trust gap’.
What is A Million Conversations?
Sanofi NextGen Scholarship
In partnership with leading higher education institutions, the Sanofi NextGen Scholarship offers students from marginalized communities a holistic program with financial support, mentorship, leadership training and future career opportunities.
Inclusive Dialogues
To change policy and attitudes within the industry, we will run hundreds of dialogue events with people who have experienced discrimination in healthcare, representatives from local health organizations, and Sanofi employees.
Influence the System
In coalition with nonprofits, activists, businesses and governments, we will to research the causes of the ‘trust gap’ and publish an annual Trust and Inclusion Report. This will track trust levels over time and provide policy recommendations.
1. The next generation of healthcare professionals
Patients of all backgrounds need providers from all backgrounds. Our new global scholarship fund wants to encourage individuals from diverse communities to pursue a healthcare-related career.
In partnership with leading higher education institutions across the world, the Sanofi NextGen Scholarship will identify up to 100 new students from marginalized communities each year.
Selected Scholars will be awarded funding to cover partial university fees and living costs. Supporting them on their journey to becoming healthcare leaders, they will also receive mentorship, leadership training, internship opportunities and future career opportunities at Sanofi.
We are also partnering with online certification experts Coursera to offer 20,000 training licenses to its Career Academy for people from diverse and lower socioeconomic backgrounds.
2. Listening and acting on what we hear
If we are going to begin to close the ‘trust gap’, the healthcare industry must first learn to listen better.
We will run hundreds of dialogue events in the heart of communities with the aim of changing policy and attitudes within the industry. The events will convene three groups: people who have experienced discrimination in healthcare, representatives from local health organizations and Sanofi employees. Events will initially be run in Brazil, France, Japan, the UK and the U.S., with additional countries added as the initiative develops.
3. From paying attention to accelerating action
Changing the system will take research and action from many institutions and decision-makers. That’s why we’re building a coalition of nonprofits, activists, businesses and governments to research causes of the ‘trust gap’.
Together they will publish an annual Trust and Inclusion Report, drawing on the experiences shared in the dialogue events. Not only will this provide policy recommendations to inspire global action, it will track trust levels over time.
Rebuilding trust in healthcare will not be quick or easy. But with A Million Conversations, together we can move towards a more inclusive and healthier world for all.
As an innovative global healthcare company, we have a role to play in responding to the destabilizing situation underrepresented populations are in when they need care. We aim to help build the next generation of diverse healthcare leaders. By also working to build trust through conversation and dialogue between underrepresented communities and healthcare stakeholders, we can help improve engagement and health outcomes for all.
Paul Hudson
Chief Executive Officer, Sanofi
Explore more
Why healthcare must build trust with the LGBTQ+ community
A Million Conversations: How we’re bridging the healthcare ‘trust gap’ with marginalized communities
