Talent without barriers: CNX's inclusive recruitment programme with the Social Mobility Foundation

CNX's partnership with the Social Mobility Foundation (SMF) represents a significant new approach to pharmaceutical industry recruitment that addresses systemic barriers while delivering exceptional business outcomes. From planning in 2024 to execution in 2025, this initiative brought five exceptional interns from underrepresented backgrounds into business functions across Quality, Legal, Commercial, Data and People & Sustainability. For the 50-person company, this 10% workforce expansion demonstrates their commitment to social mobility. The company developed a values-based recruitment methodology that evaluates potential over privilege, removing unconscious bias through structured assessment processes while providing full employee benefits, LinkedIn Learning access and dedicated R&D budgets. The programme delivers transformational outcomes for individuals while strengthening CNX's capabilities, with the interns' company presentation receiving the highest rating across the three-day corporate event, proving that inclusive recruitment enhances rather than compromises excellence. Beyond direct participants, CNX's interns serve as industry ambassadors through school careers fairs and SMF outreach activities, inspiring countless young people to consider pharmaceutical careers while building essential professional networks. CNX has created a replicable framework that other pharmaceutical companies can adopt, sharing challenges and successes to accelerate industry-wide progress towards inclusive recruitment practices. The programme demonstrates authentic celebration of diversity, from comprehensive cultural integration to supporting initiatives like Khadijah's Ramadan reflection sharing, which educated colleagues while honoring personal traditions. This initiative represents pharmaceutical industry evolution - moving from exclusive, traditional recruitment to inclusive, values-based talent development that better serves diverse patient populations while building stronger, more innovative organizations. CNX's SMF partnership proves that doing good drives business success, creating a blueprint for pharmaceutical industry change that transforms individual lives, strengthens organizations and builds the diverse leadership the industry needs. This isn't just about five interns; it's about reimagining pharmaceutical recruitment for a better future.