Originally published at sanofi.us. Sanofi U.S. ranked No. 27 on The Fair360, formerly DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity list in 2021.
May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, in which the diverse cultures, accomplishments and contributions of the AAPI community are celebrated. This month and every month, we celebrate our AAPI community. Hear from some of our leaders on why this month is important to them, below.
“Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month is a great way to recognize the contributions that Asian Americans have made to the US. As an immigrant from China, this means a great deal to me as it shows that Asian Americans are embraced by American society and not perpetual foreigners. It also brings up the awareness of Asian culture and improves the acceptance of Asian ethnicity by the society.”
— Jiang Lin, Principal Counsel, Global Patent Litigation
“We live in a global village, and every flavor adds to the beauty that we all enjoy. Being of Asian origin, I hope I bring a flavor to enrich Sanofi culture. It is humbling to see the rich, diversity-enriched culture we have and are building at Sanofi, and Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month is an integral part of that effort.”
— Deepak Rajpal, Head, Translational Sciences, US
“Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month means a lot to me. As an immigrant who came to the US in my 20s, I experienced the language barrier and culture shock. As a minority in the society and workplace, I truly feel the importance and power of diversity and inclusion. During this month, we take time to celebrate and recognize the history, culture and achievements of Asian Americans. It helps more people to know the Asian culture and history so helps to create a more inclusive environment.”
— Canghai Lu, Global Head, Upstream, Specialty Care MSAT- Drug Substance
“I was born in Seoul, S. Korea, and was adopted and brought to the United States as an infant. As a result, my cultural identity does not align with my ethnic identity. AAPI Heritage Month gives me the opportunity to celebrate and learn more about the traditions, customs and values of the country where I was born. In the past it felt like I was wearing someone else’s identity. Even though it was all I knew, I couldn’t see myself, or anyone that looked like me, in the family photos and history that I grew up with. Now that I have a family of my own, it is more important to me than ever to understand and establish my own identity so I can pass it down to my children.”
— Tracey Walsh, Head, U.S. Patient Support Services
