Phil Riggins*: Christelle, first, congratulations to you and your team on winning this year’s Communications Excellence Award for the work you all did over the past few years with “A Million Conversations”, Sanofi’s global health equity initiative.
We didn’t have the opportunity at the EACD Summit in June to talk about the initiative, so I wanted to take some time now to find out more. I have a few questions that I’m sure our members will be interested in learning your answers to.

First, why this topic and what issue is it addressing?

Globally, Sanofi has long been committed to inclusion and diversity internally—we have employee resource groups, equitable access to jobs and benefits, and even work on diversity in clinical trials that began before AMC. But Sanofi isn’t society; creating a safe space inside our walls isn’t enough. We wanted to know if people from historically under- supported communities face barriers to healthcare—our core business.

So we conducted survey research in 10 countries that confirmed the gaps were huge. Some people had such negative experiences they’d lost trust in healthcare altogether, avoiding doctors and relying instead on friends and family. For a company dedicated to delivering innovative medicines, that’s a real problem—if people don’t engage with the healthcare system, they can’t benefit from our treatments. AMC was born from the need to bridge that gap.

Can you walk us through the main elements of AMC?

AMC has three critical pillars, each rooted in what we learned from those studies and real-world listening sessions. First, our Next Gen Scholarship Program supports students from historically under-supported groups to have opportunities to become leaders in the healthcare workforce. Secondly, we foster Dialogue and Awareness, creating safe spaces for candid conversations around discrimination, biases, and real-life healthcare experiences. This has included powerful internal discussions where employees have shared deeply personal and emotional stories, profoundly impacting their peers. Lastly, Systemic Change is crucial—we advocate for structural reforms at governmental levels to ensure access to health care for all, regardless of background or circumstance. It is a human right.

With so many important issues out there, why is Sanofi championing this one?

Sanofi’s mission is to chase the miracle of science, delivering life-changing treatments.
However, medical breakthroughs have limited impact if patients don’t trust the healthcare system enough to engage with it. We discovered that widespread distrust among historically under-supported populations creates a significant barrier, directly impacting our core business. By addressing these issues, we align directly with our purpose—ensuring that everyone, irrespective of background, benefits fully from our medical innovations.

How’s the initiative going so far? What’s been successful, and what have you had to adjust?

Many people, including at Sanofi, relate to AMC because they’ve faced language or communication barriers themselves—after illness, during hospital stays, or supporting a family member. In one internal dialogue on women’s health, a woman with cancer shared how her doctor spoke to her husband instead of her; another, a doctor from Eastern Europe, described the added challenge of an accent. These stories opened colleagues’ eyes to issues they hadn’t considered. The challenge is that many still think this affects only a small minority, when in fact it impacts far more people than they realize—and improving the situation benefits everyone.

As a large company, have you encountered cynicism or skepticism about Sanofi’s motives for running this campaign; what has the reception been?

We do get some skepticism, but only a few times. When it happens, it’s often from NGOs or advocacy groups. In one of the countries where we have launched the initiative for example, one Black community organization challenged us, saying money alone wouldn’t fix systemic issues. Another, an LGBT+ advocate, was very direct—if you want to help, give us more budget. There’s a perception that Sanofi may have unlimited resources to fund programs.

What I say in response is that we’re not a consumer brand—patients don’t choose our products because they align with our values. In most countries, you don’t choose your medicine, the doctor will decide on what is the best treatment for you. You just want effective treatment, and your doctor recommends what’s best in your situation. This is very different from Apple, Facebook, or Coca-Cola, where people can show support through purchases.

At the World Health Summit in Berlin, an African advocate told me, “You’re making a lot of money on people’s disease.” I said, yes—we do make money, and I’m glad we do. Without it, we couldn’t invest in developing treatments or producing medicines. For every one product that reaches the market, we test thousands, and the process takes about 10 years. Profits are what make that possible. She agreed—it’s not bad to make money; what matters is how you use it.

What would you consider success for “A Million Conversations?

Success means seeing tangible improvements in trust in the healthcare system, and better health outcomes for historically under-supported communities. For Sanofi, success means effectively bridging the gap between our scientific advancements and the persons who most need them.

What impact has the program had internally—on Sanofi employees, your team, and you personally?

For me personally, AMC is the reason I joined Sanofi. I wouldn’t have come just to work in a business unit promoting medicines—unless it was for a small or remote population where there was a clear social impact. This program’s focus on equity and under supported communities is what convinced me.

For employees, the feedback has been consistently strong, and sometimes surprisingly so. One of the earliest internal dialogues was in Brazil, focused on women’s health for women of color. About 25 women took part, sharing very personal experiences of navigating the healthcare system—stories that involved discrimination. The conversation was raw and emotional; at one point, everyone was crying. But what struck me most was what they said afterward. Many told us it was the first time they had ever felt truly heard on these issues, the first time they had a safe space to speak openly and be actively
listened to.

They were proud that Sanofi had created this space, proud that the company they work for was taking on these topics and trying to be a game-changer. For them, AMC wasn’t just about improving healthcare systems out there—it was about improving their own lived reality. That sense of pride and empowerment has been one of the clearest and most rewarding impacts of the program internally.

What’s next for A Million Conversations?

We’re looking to expand and deepen our engagements, building on country-specific initiatives such as training Community health workers in the US and continuing to support local Next Gen cohorts in markets from Brazil to India. Within the ten countries already participating, focusing particularly on specialized research and initiatives, such as prevalence of cardiovascular health in Black communities in the US. Moving forward, we aim to amplify systemic change, ensuring healthcare decision-makers truly represent and understand all the communities they serve.

Has the current political climate affected AMC? Have you needed to adjust your
approach?

Our initiative’s core objectives remain unchanged, we want everyone to have equal access to healthcare, and we will continue to build broad coalitions to advance this objective.

And what advice would you give communications professionals on running big campaigns like this?

Local adaptation is key. For social impact communications to work, they have to be driven locally. Local teams know their audiences, their culture, and the nuances that make messages resonate. Our role at the global level is to support them, maintain consistency across the overarching campaign, and give them real ownership—not dictate content.

I’ve seen firsthand why this matters. In Brazil, a simple, low-budget film created by the local team outperformed our polished global videos because it reflected local communication codes. In Japan, locally made content connects far more than a global video with Japanese subtitles. Even well-produced global assets can fall flat if people don’t see themselves in them. That’s why we adapt to each market, trusting local expertise to bring the campaign to life in a way that feels authentic and relevant.

Any last words?

I’m very proud to work on this campaign because it’s human-focused and has an impact far beyond Sanofi’s own sphere. Communication is essential—it’s what allows us to reach people who are often far from the system and out of reach through traditional means. That’s why we use every channel, from social media to conventional media, to connect with as many people as possible.

Thank you, Christelle!

*Phil Riggins is a Board Member and Treasurer of the EACD