Our differences are our strengths: Women in Tech

At Boehringer Ingelheim, we’re incredibly proud of our thriving Women in Tech community, offering mentorship, allyship and support. So, we asked one of its founders, UX Designer Markus Santner, and one of its earliest members, Principal System Engineer Guadalupe Borsa, to tell us more about their experiences.

Before the 15 years spent working within our company, Guadalupe recalls a very different working world. “I was one of 15-20% of women in any working group I was in,” she remembers, “and programming, like other ‘hard’ IT functions, was still very male-heavy. There was always something in the background: assumptions about emotionality, or irrationality. I wanted a world where my children wouldn't have to face that.”

Markus Santner confirms his impressions. “There was a refusal to talk about it industry-wide, or even acknowledge there was a bias. But we know that there is a bias in IT; at university, my class was almost exclusively male. Today, diversity of thought makes for innovation – but also a different and better atmosphere, with better communication and mutual support. It isn't just words: we wouldn't have a Women in Tech community here if management hadn't fully supported it. Working here, you feel that the human behind the employee counts.”

Markus’ work with data also illustrates how crucial this diversity can be for the business. “I was talking to a friend recently about a book on medical research, which points out that the default data is always for men. We are missing historical data on half the world! But half of our data scientists here at Boehringer Ingelheim are women. Having their perspective on data and research makes a huge difference to the medicines we create.” 

Change perspectives, change results

Guadalupe recounts her own experiences with Boehringer Ingelheim. “Our IT hub here in Argentina is a great mix of the three G’s: gender, generations, and geography. There’s a family atmosphere, where people are there when you need them. In the past, [women] were invisible because we were always there – but in the background. Now, women are making the same things happen, but it is a lot more visible. Boehringer Ingelheim is playing its part in that, with Women in Tech.”

As an ally, Markus shares a pivotal moment in his journey with gender equality. “For me, it's a privilege to be a part of the Women in Tech community, and it affected my perspective. For example, at the European Women in Tech conference I found myself in a minority – a weird experience at first for a man in IT! Everyone was so welcoming – surprised, but welcoming. Imagine, though, if the environment was not like that; imagine there's nowhere to hide. It showed me I have to be careful of my own biases. It helps to listen and recognize the challenges, to hear diverse voices and experiences.”

Guadalupe sees wider, practical benefits to the kind of world she wanted for her own family. “Opening our minds to other perspectives helps us to grow – not just as individuals, but as a company. If we take a moment to think, instead of reacting instinctively, we can improve what we do for patients and customers. We have to keep learning, because everything changes so fast – both in IT and in the wider world.”

“Remove biases, build diversity, and almost anything is possible.” Markus Santner

Markus continues, “The next step is opening the door even more: by making leadership more inclusive to amplify the impact of the community with a closer look at the data and the lessons we can learn from it, we can make our Women in Tech efforts even more effective.”

For Guadalupe, the next steps include a deep dive into topics from earlier gatherings and sessions. “It’s a great point of reference for the development of my career path,” she says. “I was paired with a great mentor, and I'm still in contact with a connection I made in early sessions on transformative leadership. I love hearing from speakers telling stories that make it easier to share your own; we all need spaces to see other people and understand that they are people with their own vulnerabilities.”

A growing Women in Tech community

Markus is focused on moving the community forward and growing their offerings: “This year it grew 20%, and we weren’t even focused on growth – next year, we will be! The core team takes a strategic approach to reaching people by finding topics and themes that matter to them. There are more exciting new ideas coming … so, watch this space!”

Guadalupe, too, is looking to the future – keen to grow her network and understanding. “Almost everything I know about gender inclusivity; I learned from my daughter. The next generation can lift us out of our comfort zone. They’re the ones asking, ’But why is it like this? But what if we tried it this way?’ We can all grow, help each other and – ultimately, make the company more diverse, creating better solutions for our customers.”

A perfect encapsulation of Boehringer Ingelheim’s dedication to progress and creating a culture that knows our differences are our strengths – boldly brought to life by our thriving Women in Tech community.