Ethnic Equality Month 2022: “All the same, yet different”

Hear from Mohammed Samy, Human Pharma Marketing Team Lead from Amsterdam, how ethnic diversity creates collective strength and sustainable growth for Boehringer Ingelheim and which obstacles he sees that still need to be tackled.
 

Mohammed, you've lived in Poland, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and the Netherlands and experienced countless cultures. What, from your personal wealth of experiences, helps you in your day-to-day work?

Throughout my life, I have met so many individuals: People from different cultures, speaking different languages and practicing different religions. People of different genders, skin colors, and origins. People with and without disabilities, young and old ones, introverts and extroverts. What have I learned? We are all the same, yet different. We are all humans, but different experiences have shaped how we interact in private and business life. This is great because it enriches our society and our company. What I have perceived as particularly helpful is to always remain curious about the way others think and act. This curiosity, in turn, helps us communicate more effectively. Only if we meet each other with candor, we can talk as equals.

Equality is quickly said, but unfortunately not quickly achieved. Are we there yet?

Achieving equality is the holy grail. Are we there yet? No. Are we doing our best to get better every day? For sure, yes. One thing is crystal clear: It is a journey, and we will only be successful if everyone contributes within their abilities. I will give an example. Whenever I hire a new team member, I of course evaluate the skills and competencies they bring to the table. However, it is just as important for me to ask, how can this person best complement my team? Ethnic diversity means people have been socialized through different customs, beliefs, traditions, languages and experiences. This shapes the way they feel and behave. Leveraging these diverse perspectives as a company means, to better understand the needs of our customers and patients

Which hurdles do we still have to tackle?

I think the first step is to be conscious. Conscious about our individual biases, the stereotypes or the prejudices we may sometimes have about other individuals or groups of people, may it be because of their skin color, an accent, or their religion. Recognizing these thought patterns, requires that you look at yourself and think about what shapes your actions and decisions. This process can be exhausting as people need to question themselves - but it's worth it. I’m grateful that Boehringer Ingelheim already offers unconscious bias trainings for employees and leaders, definitely a major contribution with a great impact.

The purpose of Ethnic Equality Month is to recognize the similarities all people have, yet acknowledge and appreciate the differences. How can each individual contribute to greater equality?

Eliminate pre-judgment, stay curious, be open-minded, treat each other with respect, fairly and equally. And learn. Learn about yourself and others, it will enrich you and let you grow.

Short Profile:

Mohammed was born in Egypt and raised in Poland, lived and studied in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Since July 2017, The Netherlands is his adopted country. He leads a team of five people, coming from The Netherlands, Spain, Greece and Indonesia. Working in Amsterdam, he is contributing to one of Boehringer Ingelheim’s regional centers with responsibility for eight European countries. About himself, he says he is a great advocate of inclusion, believing in the added value of cultural and ethnic diversity to achieve equity.