Dr. Michael Riordan’s “On Board” Discussion With Each New Gilead Employee
1. Mission.
Gilead’s central mission is to develop treatments for severe diseases throughscientific innovation. Each Gilead person should be proud of their efforts toward this worthyobjective.
2. Teamwork.
Teamwork is essential, given the complexity of therapeutic development. Weare a team, and individuals are evaluated in large part by their contributions to teamwork.
3. Fairness.
At Gilead, people are evaluated based purely upon merit and performance. We willnot tolerate prejudice, discrimination or inappropriate behavior with regard to race, religion,ethnicity or gender.
4. Individual responsibility.
Each Gilead person must take responsibility for their professional progress and be accountable for their actions. Each one of us can make a difference for Gilead’sfuture.
5. Information.
We are in the information business, and thus place a premium oncommunication, acquiring new information from outside, generating new information internally,and using information effectively.
6. Intellectual Property.
We must innovate in order to solve major problems in human disease.Our innovations must be captured in commercial value; this means strong patents and proceduresfor public disclosures.
7. Confidentiality.
Confidentiality is essential for four main reasons: to maintain competitiveadvantage, to optimize patent strategies, to abide by SEC regulations, and to moderate patientexpectations.
8. Standards.
We must hold ourselves to the highest standards of scientific rigor and productquality.
9. Working smart.
We are in a race that requires rigor. We must work hard, fast, smart.
10. Thrift.
We must be a frugal and lean company in order to survive and succeed in the longterm. Even when we achieve profitability, this leanness must be preserved in order to weather theinevitable business hardships.
11. Safety.
Safety in the workplace is a critical part of each person’s job. It requires vigilanceand training.
12. Change.
Change is essential to the success of any organization in the long run. Gilead willchange and adapt as it grows. Expect change, because it is necessary for us to flourish.