Roche: Empowering every employee to contribute to the group's CSR pillars
Roche is one of the world's largest biotechnology companies and the leading provider of in vitro diagnostics. Roche innovates in major disease areas, including oncology, neurology, infectious diseases, and ophthalmology, and has partnered with many forward-thinking and committed stakeholders who share one thing in common: the belief that science and technology can improve human health. Supported by Komeet since 2021, the company has made solidarity-based engagement a pillar of its corporate culture.
593 employees
French subsidiary of a Swiss group
Pharmaceutical and medical diagnostics industry (biotechnology, in vitro diagnostics)
Allowing every employee to dedicate one day of their time to solidarity initiatives
At Roche, societal engagement is part of a structured approach aligned with the group's CSR pillars. Every employee can dedicate one day per year to solidarity initiatives focused on four major areas: fighting poverty, reducing environmental impact, improving patient care pathways, and promoting better digital access. This clear framework gives meaning to every commitment and creates a direct link to Roche's professional expertise.
In practice, this translates into skills-based volunteering missions, such as breast cancer screening awareness workshops conducted with the French Red Cross and Les Restos du Cœur. Other employees participate in mentoring sessions, where they listen to people affected by illness and help them regain confidence in returning to work, in partnership with Cancer@Work.
Structuring engagement to serve the company's 4 CSR priorities
Engagement embodied and supported by leadership
- The Executive Committee drives the initiative with conviction: leaders regularly speak out to reiterate the importance of the program and do not hesitate to participate in missions themselves;
- Engagement goals are set annually and integrated into profit-sharing criteria;
- From their first day, new employees are introduced to the program through a dedicated CSR session;
Strong local coordination driven by a network of ambassadors
- Around 30 CSR ambassadors are active across various departments to bring the program to life every day;
- Missions are available for both teams and individuals, allowing for collective engagement or the flexibility to contribute at your own pace;
- Stories of engagement are regularly highlighted to inspire others and showcase the impact of the actions taken;
Support and logistics that make it easy to get involved
- A dedicated CSR officer supports employees on a daily basis, helping them identify suitable missions and streamlining the process;
- She acts as a liaison between teams, the Komeet platform, and partner organizations, ensuring alignment between field needs and available opportunities
- Completed engagements are shared and celebrated via the Komeet platform and a dedicated internal chat channel.
Feedback
“Since 2021, beyond our partnership with KOMEET and the initiative that allows every employee to take a day to dedicate their time and skills to others, Roche has implemented a governance structure that facilitates employee participation in this day of solidarity. This includes: around 30 CSR ambassadors, a CSR-based incentive criterion, and onboarding information for all new hires.”
- Marie Husset,
CSR Manager
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