Our Commitment to Anti-Racism
At Horizon, we stand firmly against inequality in all forms, including racism, hate, religious intolerance and discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation. We recognize that these issues are not new: they are deeply rooted in history and have permeated global society and the organizations and communities in which we live and work for far too long.
While the institution of racism, hate, discrimination, religious intolerance and inequality require a collective transformation on a profound scale, we know that it starts with each of us – and what we can do every day to create the change we’d like to see. As a company, we also understand that effectively eradicating racism, hate and discrimination directed at any one community means going above and beyond to support all diverse communities.
Inclusion at Horizon is driven by our approach to allyship and centers on supporting people beyond our own background, culture, religion or experience. To us, allyship means speaking up and out against bias and groupthink while listening to and learning from each voice in our community. It means fostering an environment in which we are ready and willing to have uncomfortable conversations when we need to, helping us understand what those directly impacted by discrimination may be feeling – whether those individuals are colleagues or those we serve – the healthcare community, scientific community, caregivers and patients. It also means being accountable. We must hear those who courageously challenge the status quo and support the tangible solutions they offer to combat systemic racism, hate and discrimination – barriers that prevent equity, stifle innovation and cripple society’s potential.
Horizon stands in solidarity with all BIPOC communities experiencing racism and condemns all forms of hate. We pledge to be part of the solution through education and action and affirm our peers and other organizations who continue driving this important work forward alongside us every day.
Our Commitment
We recognize that true change will only come when we do more than speak – we must act and commit to investing in long-term, sustainable initiatives.
We are proud to work with multiple organizations to support equity and inclusion, including the National Urban League, a historic civil rights organization dedicated to economic empowerment, equality and social justice, and CEO Action for Racial Equity, a coalition focused on advancing racial equity, specifically aimed at improving the lives of more than 47 million Black people in America through advocating for public policy change. We have also joined 100+ companies in signing the CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion pledge. Since 2020, we have nominated four Horizon employees to join the annual CEO Action for Racial Equity Fellowship program. The fellowship requires participants to commit to a one-year, full-time role to advance racial and health equity. It includes learning sessions and coaching to support the development of an action plan. Each fellow's plan identifies, develops and promotes scalable and sustainable public policies and corporate engagement strategies to address systemic racism and social injustice, as well as improve societal well-being.
As Horizon continues to invest in and elevate the talent of people of color within our organization, we’re promoting and developing inclusive leadership behaviors as well as hiring and developing more diverse talent to reflect the communities in which we live and work. To support our investment, we’ve launched a sponsorship program to develop key pipeline talent that focuses on under-represented ethnic minority employees to increase their visibility within the organization to increase the representation of ethnic minority groups at the most senior levels of the company over time.
We understand that real change comes from bringing people from different backgrounds and life experiences together. That’s why we remain responsive to the diverse communities in which we live, work and serve. We’ve started internally at Horizon, where we welcome and promote diverse people, thoughts and experiences. We’re proud of the inclusive culture we’ve built where employees feel welcome, and we support this commitment each and every day.
Dr. Martin Luther King once famously said, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” At Horizon, we’re in it for the long haul and we are committed to doing the work.