Celebrating International Women's Day 

International Women's Day (March 8) is a global celebration honouring the achievements of women in various spheres of life. It is an opportunity to recognise and appreciate the contributions of women throughout history and in contemporary society. It also serves as a call to action for individuals, organisations and governments to work towards creating a more inclusive and equitable world, where all women and girls have the opportunity to thrive and fulfill their potential.

Here are three famous women scientists who have made significant impacts in their respective fields:

• Marie Curie (1867–1934): A pioneering physicist and chemist, Marie Curie was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize and remains one of only two people to have won Nobel Prizes in two different scientific fields (in her case, Physics in 1903 and Chemistry in 1911). Her groundbreaking research on radioactivity laid the foundation for advancements in nuclear physics and medicine.

• Janet Vaughan (1899–1993): A British haematologist and physiologist known for her research on blood coagulation and her work during World War II on blood transfusion. She was the first woman to be appointed as a professor of haematology in the United Kingdom.

• Polly Matzinger (born 1947): A French-born American immunologist known for her groundbreaking work on the role of dendritic cells in the immune system, Polly Matzinger proposed the "danger model" of immune activation, challenging the traditional understanding of how the immune system distinguishes between self and non-self.

These remarkable women scientists exemplify the power of curiosity, dedication and perseverance in driving scientific progress and innovation. Celebrating their achievements not only honours their legacy but also inspires future generations of women in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Celebrating inclusivity at Octapharma

To celebrate International Women’s Day this year, we interviewed a few women across Octapharma to explore how an inclusive environment that values unique and curious minds can inspire us all to innovate every day. Here are a selection of their responses:

Barbara Rangetiner, General Manager of the Vienna production site, was recently recognised by Austria’s leading manufacturing industry magazine, INDUSTRIEMAGAZIN, as being amongst their 200 most important women in business in Austria. Ranked 119th, Barbara appears alongside an impressive list of established and emerging female leaders in the country.

Barbara believes that fostering female talent is a cornerstone of Octapharma’s development strategy. In her opinion, it is very important to encourage women to take leading positions and motivate them to ensure they persevere, as well as further developing their leadership skills and resilience by providing them with a mentoring program.

“As in any profession, persistence, decisiveness, straightforward thinking and curiosity are imperatives. The road to a successful career is never a straight line and one has to be able to constantly find alternative ways to navigate through circumstances, which are very often beyond our control,” says Barbara. “There is no one particular female person that I have been inspired by, but I am always inspired by any woman’s special achievements, or by someone with a straightforward personality who does not allow herself to be dissuaded from her path.”

Sandrine Favre, Head of Corporate Fill & Finish, Deputy Head of Manufacturing Science and Technology, started her professional career in a 100% male team. “This was a challenge but was never really a blocking point,” she says. “Back then – and even today - I navigate situations through my own motivation, my willingness to learn and by developing skills, adaptability and getting results!”

In Sandrine’s view, for an organisation to create a more inclusive workplace for women, it needs to accept more flexibility between professional and personal lives, and also support gender equality by giving women the same visibility, empowerment and responsibilities.

However, while she believes that diversity in a team is key, competence should be considered first, and trust within a team is essential. “At different points in my professional life, I’ve had the good luck to meet key people who trusted me and became my mentors, who contributed a lot to my personal development and “pushed” me to take steps in my career,” she says.  “All of them have been men - the most important aspect is the human relationship above gender!”

Today, she feels encouraged and optimistic about the opportunities for women entering the industry. “If a young woman is interested in a job traditionally dominated by men, I would just say dare to do it and don’t limit yourself,” she says.

Sylvia Werner, Senior Director Clinical R&D, Haematology manages clinical studies worldwide and supports regulatory submissions with clinical data. She also, as she puts it, leads a team of five amazing, highly skilled and motivated women.

Although she acknowledges that society has made some progress in the gender pay gap, in her view it’s still difficult for women to navigate this issue and raise it with upper management. “Over the course of my career, I have seen men in similar or even lower positions receive higher salaries and receive faster promotions than women, despite having fewer responsibilities than their female colleagues.”

“Very often women in the workforce still manage the majority of responsibilities at home, including child or elder care, in addition to their responsibilities at work. I would love to see more programs specifically for women to accommodate their dual roles in our society by providing more flexibility in the workplace, such as working from home, part-time work, or offering child-care at work, for example.”

Sylvia hopes that young women aspiring to pursue careers in the scientific field will be inspired by other women around them who lead with compassion, kindness, and genuineness and without being afraid to speak about their struggles in life. She hopes they will be true to themselves and stand up for themselves, because, as she sees it, no one else will. “I still notice that women are hesitant to ask for promotions or better pay,” she says, adding: “Don’t ever be shy to demand what you think you deserve.”