When we talk about diversity, difference in language is one of the key types that comes to mind. Every country today is a mishmash of various cultures, and certainly Canada is one of them — a vibrant bilingual society where English and French are equally important.
As part of its inclusive marketing strategies, Dr. Reddy’s Canada delivers thanks to its multicultural team. As a global company, diversity and inclusion are naturally key to being relevant in Canadian society, and Larry Matthews, Head of Sales, Canada, emphasises how important it is to put everything out there in both languages. “While devising marketing strategies for better outreach, it was important to acknowledge our bilingualism,” he says. “A lot of times companies ignore this to save cost, time and effort; but here at Dr. Reddy’s it has become standard practice to ensure that all marketing materials are produced in both of our languages.”
In fact, about 35 percent of the business in Canada caters to French-speaking Canadians, and while they may speak in English, they’re not necessarily comfortable in the language. Earlier, team members who were only fluent in English would struggle to fully communicate our message without the help of a translator or a translation app. But today, in an effort to truly connect with customers and patients, having bilingual team members is par for the course at the Canada office. “It has opened up a lot of doors for us,” says Larry.
Yves Brassard, Account Executive – Hospitals, in Canada is passionate about embracing different cultures. A bilingual member of the sales team, he believes fluency in both languages enable him to get quicker responses from anyone in the geography, with language no bar. “People in regions like Quebec and New Brunswick see bilingualism as a stronger commitment from a company they’re doing business with,” he says. “They see it as Dr. Reddy’s willingness to build its business for the long term.”
This practice not only reflects the organisation’s vision to cater to its diverse market base, but also develop inclusive strategies in its operations. “We’re a small group of people hailing from all around the world,” says Larry. “This enables us to have a wider perspective. You get exposed to new ways and ideas, which is simply fascinating.” Yves agrees. “Surrounded by people from significantly different cultures, I always learn new things or adapt different approaches to things I already know.”