OUR PURPOSE PIONEERING SCIENCE ENVIRONMENT COMMUNITY REPORTING 63 ENABLING EMPLOYEES TO THRIVE BIOGEN 2021 YEAR IN REVIEW PATIENTS OUR PEOPLE FEATURE A cycling sabbatical for ALS Avid cyclist and Biogen employee Jenn Gardella embarked on a 3,826-mile cycling journey across the U.S. to raise awareness and money for ALS advocacy groups. While she had long dreamed of the trip, Jenn didn’t commit to the training and preparation that something like this requires until she met Steve Kowalsky. In October 2019, Jenn attended a Biogen Lunch and Learn series and heard Steve speak about his experience living with ALS. She was struck by his courage and strength, and in that moment, everything clicked. Jenn decided to take a sabbatical to embrace the challenge of riding cross country, dedicating her ride to Steve. The endeavor required endurance training, logistical planning, and nutritional and hydration coaching. Each day, Jenn had to consume 300–500 calories before starting out, and take in 200 calories every hour while riding and another 3,000 to 5,000 calories at dinner. She also had to stay properly hydrated to replace sodium loss. She learned about every part of her bike, practicing taking it apart and then putting it back together. When Jenn told Steve that she intended for her ride to reflect the strength of people fighting ALS, he was surprised by the impact his words had. He returned to Biogen to sign her bike, which she rode an average of 100 to 120 miles a day for 34 days – through summer heat, through wildfire smoke, up 135,100 vertical feet and through remote towns from Washington state to New Hampshire. Jenn reached her destination having accomplished a personal goal and raised awareness and nearly $20,000 for The ALS Association of Massachusetts Chapter. “Crossing the finish line was an amazing feeling. I couldn’t believe I finished and rode every inch, from the Pacific to the Atlantic! I also couldn’t believe my whole family was there at the finish line, waiting for me, cheering for me! I was relieved to be done, a little delirious and deeply fatigued,” said Jenn. “Incredibly motivating were the messages of support and encouragement from friends and Biogen colleagues on social media and from Steve Kowalsky himself. I felt like you were there with me every day, checking in, wishing me luck, waiting to hear how it went.” Jenn Gardella is Senior Director, Medical Operations, Grants and Technologies. Employee and Family Solutions Employee and Family Solutions, a global employee assistance program, offers legal services, financial consultations, behavioral healthcare, and child and elder care referral services for all employees and their family members globally, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In 2021, nearly 25% of employees tapped into online workshops and information on topics such as managing resilience, money and finances, family care and education. Parental leave and benefits Beginning in 2021, our U.S. maternity leave provides 100% of base pay for up to 16 weeks. Non-birth parents of a newborn or adopted child, including those using a surrogate, receive eight weeks of parental bonding leave. Employees completing an adoption or surrogacy may receive up to $10,000 (lifetime maximum of $20,000) in reimbursement for related expenses such as adoption and surrogacy fees, court and attorney fees, travel and lodging expenses, agency and placement fees, medical expenses of the birth mother and child prior to adoption or surrogacy, immigration fees, and immunization and translation fees. All U.S. benefits-eligible employees also may receive up to $1,000 in reimbursement for expenses associated with birth doula services, including physical and emotional support to employees and their partners during pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period. Outside of the U.S., benefits vary by country, but in every market where we operate, Biogen benefits meet or exceed the legal requirements, and are informed by market trends and employee feedback. We are working to determine if uniform or core global standards are feasible and desirable.