On International Women’s Day, We’re Embracing Equity

By Marie Mount, Sr. Director, Women’s Health Marketing

Today is International Women’s Day! Celebrated annually on March 8 to honor the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women, the event is more than a century old, with the very first events taking place in the early 1900s to promote women’s rights. Here at Myriad Genetics we celebrate women (and women’s health) every day, and we are enthusiastic supporters of International Women’s Day each year.

Myriad Genetics got its start three decades ago with a push to use genetic testing to improve women’s health. We began testing for breast cancer risk, and today our offerings in women’s health have expanded to assess risk for 11 different types of cancer and also cover reproductive needs such as carrier screening and prenatal testing. We believe genetic testing can help reduce health disparities and improve health outcomes, which is why we’ve worked so hard to ensure that our genetic tests provide accurate results to all women, regardless of ancestry, BMI, or other traits.

That’s why the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day really resonates with us: Embrace Equity. What does achieving gender equity mean? The way we see it, gender equity involves having respect for everyone no matter their gender, and striving to overcome the gender inequalities that exist today.

Gender equity isn’t just about recognizing individuals, although that’s an important element of it. Diversity and equity have been demonstrated to improve the performance of companies; organizations without these valuable assets are more likely to underperform. At Myriad Genetics, we understand that embracing equity goes well beyond talk. We are committed to the long-term changes required to affect systems and cultures. We believe the systemic change needed to achieve gender equity — among other forms of equity for all of our team members — will make us a better, stronger, and more effective organization.

That’s no easy task, but we have already made significant strides. More than half of our team members are women, and our team is comprised of women at senior-level positions. We actively provide mentorship opportunities to help women rise up through our organization. As we strive for equity at Myriad Genetics, we are constantly on the lookout for how we can provide all employees with access to the tools and resources they need to be successful.

Still, there is more to do. We aim to effect lasting change by demonstrating equity and empathy, and by working together to support impact groups with powerful allies. We also want to empower every team member with the ability to create equity. That includes creating diverse hiring slates in our recruiting processes as well as supporting and promoting teammates to create a culture of belonging where everyone has an opportunity to contribute.

On this International Women’s Day, the whole Myriad Genetics team stands in solidarity with our sisters around the world. We see you, we hear you, and we support you!

[1] See https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/diversity-and-inclusion/diversity-wins-how-inclusion-matters#/.