AdvaMed’s Scott Whitaker Signs CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion Pledge
“We believe the medical technology industry should be an industry of choice for people of all backgrounds.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Advanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed) announced that AdvaMed President and CEO Scott Whitaker signed the CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion pledge, the largest CEO-driven business commitment to advance diversity and inclusion within the workplace.

“The entire medical technology industry is committed to cultivating a more diverse and inclusive community. It is so important that our industry is as diverse as the patients we serve,” said Scott Whitaker, President and CEO of AdvaMed. “With this pledge, I’m recognizing both the work we’ve already done and the need to challenge ourselves even further. We believe the medical technology industry should be an industry of choice for people of all backgrounds.”

The CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion pledge consists of four core commitments: continue to make our workplaces trusting places to have complex, and sometimes difficult, conversations about diversity and inclusion; implement and expand unconscious bias education; share best – and unsuccessful – practices; and create and share strategic inclusion and diversity plans with our board of directors.

To demonstrate open communication with an investment from AdvaMed’s board of directors, Whitaker signed the pledge in the presence of Kevin Lobo, Chair of the AdvaMed Board of Directors and CEO of Stryker, and Martha Shadan, Chair of AdvaMed’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee and CEO of Miach Orthopaedics, as well as Jennifer Brearey, AdvaMed’s Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director of AdvaMed’s inclusion and diversity programs.

“One of my top priorities as chairman of the AdvaMed board is creating a more diverse, more inclusive culture across the medtech industry” said Kevin Lobo, Chair of the AdvaMed Board of Directors and CEO of Stryker. “Our companies are serving increasingly diverse communities, and our medtech employees are the most critical ingredient to making sure we’re serving those communities the best we can. That’s why I signed the CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion pledge on behalf of Stryker, and why I’m proud that Scott signed it on behalf of the association today.”

“Scott’s sign-on today sends a very clear message: We’re all working towards a medtech industry – and, more broadly, a health care system – that works for everyone,” said Martha Shadan, Chair of AdvaMed’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee and CEO of Miach Orthopaedics. “In medtech companies, especially in startups like mine, it’s all about encouraging different thinking and empowering people to voice different ideas. We can only tap into that resource if we prioritize inclusion and diversity. This is something AdvaMed’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee has been focused on for the past year, so it’s encouraging to see Scott recognize and buy into that focus, too.”

AdvaMed already maintains a robust inclusion and diversity strategy. AdvaMed’s central diversity and inclusion program, AdvaMed Advance, stands as an industry convener and supports the creation, maintenance and expansion of inclusion and diversity strategies within its membership. AdvaMed Advance has developed a maturity model that members can use to measure their unique inclusion and diversity strategies and track progress forward. AdvaMed’s Women’s Executive Network focuses exclusively on gender diversity, with the goal of identifying and elevating women leaders in medtech.

“Scott’s sign-on to the CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion pledge is just the latest symbol of our commitment to enhancing diversity and inclusion standards in our industry and driving sustainable, positive change,” said Jennifer Brearey, Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director of AdvaMed’s inclusion and diversity programs, including AdvaMed Advance and AdvaMed’s Women’s Executive Network. “Already, we’re creating space for board-level conversations on diversity and inclusion, expanding industry education on relevant diversity and inclusion topics, and assembling a roadmap for adopting and advancing best practices in diversity and inclusion at every organizational level. All this to say, AdvaMed is taking the initiative to sponsor progress toward a better medtech culture, and I’m excited to be a part of it.”

Learn more about the CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion pledge. Learn more about AdvaMed’s inclusion and diversity programs, AdvaMed Advance and AdvaMed’s Women’s Executive Network.

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About AdvaMed Advance

AdvaMed Advance is an industry convener aimed at unlocking the power and potential of all talent and driving innovation in medical technology through achievement of the best inclusion and diversity practices. The goal is to support the creation, maintenance, and expansion of inclusion and diversity strategies within the medical technology community. For more information, visit AdvaMed.org/Advance.

About AdvaMed

AdvaMed member companies produce the medical devices, diagnostic products and health information systems that are transforming health care through earlier disease detection, less invasive procedures and more effective treatments. AdvaMed members range from the largest to the smallest medical technology innovators and companies. For more information, visit AdvaMed.org.