Ten Years of Making More Health

To address social issues on a global scale, neither social impact organizations nor for-profit companies can go at it alone. And the partnership between Boehringer Ingelheim and Ashoka illustrates just how much impact can happen in a decade through cross-sector collaboration.

Since 2010, Boehringer Ingelheim and Ashoka have co-created the Making More Health (MMH) partnership, with a collective global vision: increase access to healthcare for people, animals and their communities. The partnership has launched new healthcare solutions, directly supported over 120 leading social entrepreneurs, and influenced both organizations’ visions for impacting global health.

MMH is built on the principle of shared value. Boehringer Ingelheim brings healthcare and business know-how, while Ashoka brings its experience pioneering the field of social entrepreneurship. Through Ashoka’s Executives in Residence (EIR) program, Boehringer Ingelheim employees and Ashoka social entrepreneurs collaborate, with the employees offering their skills, project management experience and network to support the entrepreneurs’ work. At the same time, the program offers Boehringer Ingelheim employees fresh vision and opportunities to connect more deeply with the purpose of their work, inspiring them to launch innovative healthcare initiatives within the company. 

We wanted to take a closer look at the impact of the EIR program on Boehringer Ingelheim within the Making More Health partnership. We surveyed employees to find out: What have you learned? How has the program impacted you, your perspective, and your work? Here is what we discovered through the responses we received.

Learning about leadership

The EIR program gives business executives an opportunity to step into the shoes of social entrepreneurs. By working together, they see how social entrepreneurs lead and innovate with purpose in an entrepreneurial setting. 

92% of Executives in Residence say their placement in the program improved their leadership skills. 

“For me, it was a direct exposure to leadership. I learnt that not much happens without natural authority, so that helped me to see how to lead.”

Reflecting on resilience

85% of Executives in Residence said that placement in the program improved their resilience.  

“Having limited resources doesn't stop you from being innovative. How do you innovate without having more, but with having less? How do you keep yourself persistent? “ 

Behind every social entrepreneur’s venture is a journey — often a deeply personal one, related to the entrepreneur’s own experiences, or challenges facing their community. Through the EIR program, business executives hear these changemakers’ stories and learn about overcoming obstacles to change within their sectors and society. 

“I feel I can [more quickly] adapt to uncomfortable situations. I was exposed to so many different situations I have never experienced beforehand, I was constantly learning, each and every day.”

Identifying everyday purpose

92% of Boehringer Ingelheim executives said that participating in the EIR program increased their motivation at work and as a result, felt more engaged at work.  

One of the biggest influences of productivity at work is motivation. Motivated employees have a clearer sense of purpose and feel more connected to their day-to-day work, the EIR Impact Study found. 

“It was the absolute highlight of my career at Boehringer Ingelheim. I learnt a lot about myself and what I want to reach in my lifetime.”

“It meant that the company thinks a lot of me to put me in this program"

Looking beyond profit only

92% of the Executives in Residence feel prouder to work for Boehringer Ingelheim after their placement in the program.

When employees have a strong sense of belonging and pride in their work, they are not only more likely to advance and thrive, but their companies also thrive.  Boehringer Ingelheim’s Executives in Residence were grateful for the opportunity to get involved in a program “out of the regular business scope” and not intended for commercial benefit.  

“They didn't send me to push Boehringer Ingelheim there. We're not interested in pushing our products, it's about pushing the Boehringer Ingelheim knowledge not the Boehringer Ingelheim product.” 

Working Collaboratively

69% of Executives in Residence are willing to implement new processes in their job at Boehringer Ingelheim after their placement while 77% say they are willing to collaborate with other departments.  

The growth and success of an organization depends in part on the willingness of employees to step out of their silos and work collaboratively with colleagues within and outside their departments. Through the EIR program, executives learn how to find innovative solutions that make the organization more efficient while respecting compliance and security policies. 

“Not working in silos helped me to know a lot of people around the world in the organization.”

Inspiring intrapreneurship

70% of Executives in Residence said that they were more likely to overcome a business-as-usual attitude in the health sector while 69% said that this program helps Boehringer Ingelheim to be more innovation-driven and seize  more opportunities.  

The EIR program is designed to help business executives embrace innovation and equips them with the knowledge needed to build projects on their own — to become intrapreneurs. After participating in the EIR program, business executives shared that they felt better equipped to find new projects for Boehringer Ingelheim and participate in discussions outside their original area of expertise.

“[Through the program] you are fully empowered to explore the environment beyond the company, to test different experiences. You've tested new things, some of them worked well, and you can now test them inside your company, it is much more motivating. It improves your confidence and entrepreneurial spirit within your company.”

Core values come to life

100% of EIRs think that the EIR program helps the company integrate diversity, respect and empathy in its activities and work.  

“Being in Boehringer Ingelheim you already have these values and now [through the EIR program] you experience them in the outside world. It makes you question: are we inclusive enough? Can we apply it to patients?”

“We were with the patients in hospitals, just being that close and seeing their daily challenges, it reminded me about what we do and why we do it. It served as a strong reminder.”

Seeing patients’ daily challenges in hospitals reminded employees about why they do what they do, one executive pointed out. When executives come back from their placement in the EIR program, they are asked to share their lessons and experiences from the program, which  spreads not only social values but amplifies the value of business itself. 

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Do you want to dive deep into Making More Health? Check out the latest report, “A Transformative Partnership: 10 Years & 10 Principles for Effective Collaboration Between Business and Civil Society.”