DE&I Pledge Spotlight: Marsh McLennan Agency

Marsh McLennan Agency, our endorsed Purchasing Group supplier of employee health benefits and insurance solutions, signed our DE&I Member Pledge in June 2021. During the pandemic, Latinx employees at the company created a new colleague resource group, COLORES (Community of Latinx Organizers Rising for Education and Solidarity). Joanna Tapia, client service executive and MMA West regional chair for COLORES, said the group came together to provide a safe space for employees to discuss topics that impact the community and celebrate their diverse heritage. 

Members of COLORES also use their platform to share the importance of inclusivity with colleagues across the country. During National Hispanic Heritage Month this year, Tapia said the group focused on uplifting colleagues’ voices and sharing their stories. MMA employees in regions outside of California had discussions around the different terminology used within the community and hosted potlucks with various foods. In San Diego, the company had an end of Latine/Hispanic Heritage Month celebration. Tapia said that it’s important for companies to support their employees when they have interest in creating a colleague or employee resource group. “Creating a group can seem overwhelming, however if leadership is there to support throughout the journey, it will make it rewarding for all involved,” she said. “It is important for employees to feel heard and seen. Only then will they feel as though they belong.”

Fifth Annual Life Science Industry Symposium

Biocom California Institute is thrilled to announce its Life Science Industry Symposium on October 27. This virtual event is specifically for veterans, first-generation college graduates, and graduates from historically underrepresented groups to learn about the life science industry. We’d like to thank these Biocom California member companies for their generous support and participation: Fisher Scientific, Illumina, Quidel, Hologic, Mirati, Travere, SDG&E, Trefoil, Bristol Myers Squibb, Vertex, Poseida, Lineage Cell, Longfellow Real Estate, Bayer and BioMed Realty.

How Genomics Can Support Employers’ DE&I Initiatives

Health equity aims to ensure everyone can access healthcare services and medical advancements, and efforts to achieve that goal need to include people with genetic disorders as well. Racial and ethnic minority populations with predispositions to genetic conditions may face challenges accessing medical-grade genetic testing for screening, diagnosis, and treatments. Healthcare is also often inconvenient or inaccessible to low-income employees who may lack paid time off or transportation to visit the doctor. Addressing health inequities requires new access opportunities, such as employers offering genetic testing as a benefit, supporting their population health initiatives, and reaching underserved populations in their workforce.

Genomic Life, a Biocom California member based in San Diego, accelerates access to genomics for everyone. They partner with employers to close the inequity gap with a novel benefit that facilitates lifetime access to genetic insights, optimizing health and well-being. The genome benefit management program includes a suite of genomic-based solutions to prevent disease through genetic screening, diagnose disease accurately, and tailor clinical support resources for those with cancer, which is a genetic disease.