Sanofi’s Philippe Nicolas on passion, purpose, and Pride
In partnership with myGwork
Philippe Nicolas spoke to myGwork about his career journey, his personal connection to the LGBTQ+ community, and Sanofi’s commitment to inclusivity.
Hi Philippe! Could you tell me a bit about your background and career journey leading up to your current position at Sanofi?
I’m truly honoured to be sharing my journey with Attitude magazine. I grew up in Brittany, France, where I always harboured a deep desire to help people and pursue a career with a meaningful purpose. After completing my Master of Science in Biology and an MBA in Marketing and Supply Chain, I was drawn to Sanofi because improving people’s lives resonates profoundly with my personal values. Within Supply Chain, which is part of the Manufacturing activities at Sanofi, we shoulder the vital responsibility of ensuring medicines are consistently available to the patients and communities we serve—a mission I find immensely fulfilling.
Can you share your personal journey with the LGBTQ+ community?
Would you believe it all began with an article I read in Attitude? Back in 1998, whilst in the USA, I stumbled upon a piece about the Gay Games in Amsterdam. It highlighted Paris Aquatique, a group of gay swimmers who delivered a spectacular show for the Pink Flamingo closing ceremony.
Upon returning to Paris a few months later, as a swimmer myself relocating to the city, I eagerly joined the team. It was during one of my first competitions that I witnessed firsthand how openly gay and lesbian athletes were stigmatised—other teams would deliberately leave conspicuous gaps between us in the waiting areas! When Paris decided to host the International Gay and Lesbian Aquatics World Championship in 2000, I felt compelled to step up, taking the lead as a board member of the Organization Committee.
For the following decade, I remained on the club’s board of directors, before my journey took me to the Czech Republic.
What has been a standout moment in your career so far?
As I mentioned earlier, I’ve spent the majority of my career in various manufacturing roles across Europe. Being part of the LGBTQ+ community can be particularly challenging in factory environments; however, at Sanofi, I’ve always received unwavering support to lead the Pride+ EBRG—first for six years in France, and now at a global level.
In 2020, I was deeply touched to be named an LGBT+ Role Model by L’autre Cercle, the French NGO working for LGBT+ inclusion in the workplace. This recognition acknowledged my previous contributions, but it also bestowed upon me a tremendous responsibility to maintain high standards and serve as an example to others. Most importantly, it opened doors and helped me build bridges. This platform empowered me to engage Sanofi in signing the LGBT+ Engagement Charter and subsequently deploy a network of ambassadors across every Sanofi location in France. These ambassadors were tasked with facilitating LGBT+ inclusion by engaging with their site leaders, organising events with colleagues, and inviting external LGBT+ speakers to share their powerful stories.
Then in 2022, I was profoundly moved to receive the first Grand Prix Diversité et Inclusion from AFL Diversity, celebrating Sanofi’s achievements for the LGBT+ community. Following the renewal of the LGBT+ Engagement Charter by our current Head of Public Affairs in 2023, I felt ready to embrace a new challenge—and here I am as Global Pride+ Leader.
Looking back at Pride Month 2025, what initiative are you most proud of, and why? Can you share a specific example of how it made a difference for employees?
Having championed LGBTQIA+ advocacy for more than 25 years, I’ve learnt that the most powerful messages come from people with whom you can personally identify. Whilst bringing in professional external speakers certainly introduces fresh concepts and ideas to leaders, our “Voices of Inclusion” conference—which closed Pride Month—proved to be our most impactful initiative.
I invited Sanofi colleagues to share their authentic experiences: what it means to be the mother of a transgender person, what it’s like working in Hungary, and how we’re ensuring the LGBT+ community is included in clinical trials. It was with heartfelt emotion that Stephanie from Canada shared her journey as a mother supporting every step of her teenage daughter’s transition. Her testimony resonated most deeply with our audience, as it reflected a journey that could potentially become anyone’s reality—making the abstract personal and the distant immediate.
What were the primary goals you set for the Global EBRG’s Pride Month activities, and to what extent do you feel those goals were achieved?
I wanted Pride Month to be genuinely authentic and to spotlight local achievements across different countries—a novel approach, as local chapters rarely get the opportunity to showcase their successes.
We launched Pride Month with an intimate listening session featuring our ExCom Sponsor, Madeleine Roach, Head of Business Operations, alongside a poignant “letter to my younger self” from a colleague in Switzerland.
This year, Sanofi has gone far beyond the usual symbolic gestures like flying rainbow flags at our sites or on social media. At a time when we’ve witnessed companies hesitating or even withdrawing from events, Sanofi and Sanofians—the people who make up our company—have chosen to stand proudly alongside the LGBTQ+ community, partnering with World Pride in Washington D.C. and officially participating in the Marche des Fiertés (Paris Pride).
Sanofi continues its commitment through the “A Million Conversations” initiative to support “Closing Healthcare’s Trust Gap” publishing its first report “is a call to action to rebuild trust in healthcare, especially with communities that have historically been underserved”.
Perhaps the most striking and unexpected outcome, however, has emerged from our colleagues in Japan, who led a group of pharmaceutical industries and met with the ministry of health. One of the key takeaways from the submission of the proposal was the successful collaboration among multiple companies in the pharmaceutical industry. Additionally, involving LGBTQ advocacy groups in the initiative significantly enhanced the credibility and value of the proposal’s content.
Beyond Pride Month, how does Sanofi strive for inclusivity and provide an open space for LGBTQ+ employees?
Sanofi offers numerous opportunities to ensure everyone truly belongs. For LGBTQ+ employees, they can join local EBRGs and participate in various events. When they feel ready, they can take the initiative to organise activities ranging from casual after-work gatherings to conferences featuring diverse panellists.
Regarding talent management, Sanofi enforces a zero-discrimination policy regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or characteristics. Should anyone feel discriminated against, we have two robust programs in place: first, the Ombuds, who act as confidential counsellors; and for more sensitive matters, our “Speak Up” platform, which triggers an official investigation. To guarantee that everyone feels safe to report concerns, anonymous submissions are accepted and treated with equal seriousness and attention.
What immediate improvements would you like to see being made for LGBTQ+ equality in the future – both in the workplace, and wider society?
In 2021, as a member of L’Autre Cercle, I led a workstream of the Project called “Odyssey for Equality” for the European Council, envisioning what life might be like for LGBTQ+ people in 2031.
I recall our initial, perhaps naïve response was to suggest that we—as staunch advocates for equal rights and LGBTQ+ inclusion—would no longer be needed by then.
Five years on, we must reconsider those conclusions and continue advocating for workplace equality, ensuring everyone experiences a genuine sense of belonging. This ranges from small but meaningful gestures from colleagues, such as wearing rainbow lanyards or badges, to the inclusion of specific needs in facility management and parental policies that apply regardless of how a child is conceived or adopted, or the gender of the parents.
In our Western world, many of these principles are taken for granted, but we’ve also seen that nothing is permanently secured. Simone de Beauvoir’s famous quote resonates profoundly for the LGBTQ+ community: “Never forget that it only takes a political, economic or religious crisis for women’s rights to be called into question. These rights are never acquired. You must remain vigilant your whole life.”
Is there anything we haven’t discussed already that you would like to include?
Yes, perhaps one final thought. I’m pessimistic by nature—I tend to anticipate challenges and prepare for the worst. This drives me to tirelessly seek solutions and improvements; I never settle or accept the status quo. Yet paradoxically, when I reflect on the journey we’ve travelled together, I find myself genuinely enthusiastic about what lies ahead. It’s this tension between vigilance and hope that fuels my commitment to creating a more inclusive world for all.
Sanofi is a proud partner of myGwork, the LGBTQ+ business community. Find out more about LGBTQ+-friendly job opportunities at Sanofi.