TORCH AWARDS 2025
The TORCH Program was established in 2017 to recognize individuals who have made a meaningful contribution to a lysosomal storage disorder community, an area Sanofi has operated in for over thirty years. In 2025, the program evolved to reflect Sanofi’s overall commitment to the rare community, and now encompasses a broader group of rare therapeutic areas where Sanofi operates and rare disease areas of focus within Sanofi’s research and development program. Individuals receiving TORCH awards have found a way, in their own capacity, to bring awareness to rare conditions and to educate, empower, advance, or connect patients.
This program is operated through Sanofi US. Applications will be evaluated using a scoring rubric by a panel of Sanofi employees who are familiar with the rare community but do not currently work in the space.
How it works
Help us recognize individuals who have taken action in contributing to the rare community! You have the opportunity each year to nominate multiple individuals for a TORCH Award. You can nominate yourself, a family member/loved one, or an individual you know.
The nomination period for the TORCH Awards is listed on the current year’s application, which is available for download below. If you cannot download the application and need a copy sent to you directly, please reach out to TORCHAwards@Sanofi.com.
Applications received with email timestamp by the close of the nomination period will be considered. There will be no applications accepted after the period closing. Applications not accepted due to incomplete content should be resubmitted for the following program year.
Sanofi will review the nominations and choose up to seven (7) recipients for a TORCH Award. Recipients will be honored as part of the TORCH Awards ceremony and recognized publicly in external communications as well as social media activities hosted by Sanofi. Recipients have no obligation to Sanofi.`
In addition to publicly recognizing each recipient and sharing their story, Sanofi will donate $5,000 to a non-profit organization connected to the community of each recipient’s choosing, subject to certain limitations required by company policy. Sanofi will send a check directly to the selected organizations following review by our internal charitable contributions team.
Eligibility
Requirements for nominees and award recipients of the Sanofi TORCH Awards program are listed below.
- Nominee must have made a significant contribution to a rare community, or to a Sanofi rare disease research and development area of focus to educate, empower, advance, or connect patients (see list below)
- Nominee must accept the opportunity to be recognized through the TORCH Awards program.
- The application must have been submitted with an email timestamp prior to the program nomination deadline, as stated on the current year’s application. You must submit your application electronically.
- There is no limit to the number of nominations you can submit. Each nominee must be submitted on their own application, unless it is an effort where multiple individuals are involved, in which case one application should be submitted for those relevant nominees. Examples of appropriate group nominations include a family that plans a community awareness event, a pair/team that work together at an organization to raise awareness for health equity, or a married couple who hosts a fundraiser.
- Nominated individuals must be residents of the United States or its territories.
- Nominees of all ages are welcome, including children.
- Nominators are required to identify themselves on the application.
- Employees, former employees, or relatives of Sanofi employees may nominate individuals for a TORCH Award, but cannot receive a TORCH Award.
- Recipients of a TORCH Award are ineligible for future TORCH Awards.
- Physicians treating patients with a condition listed in the chart below are not eligible to receive a TORCH Award.
The list of currently eligible conditions is listed below. If you do not see a diagnosis on this list that you believe should be included, we encourage you to contact us to clarify eligibility.
- Acid Sphingomyelinase Deficiency (ASMD)
- Acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (aTTP)
- Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (pipeline)
- Fabry Disease
- Gaucher Disease
- Hemophilia
- Immune thrombocytopenia (pipeline)
- MPS I Disease
- Pompe Disease
- Warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia (pipeline)
Selection criteria
The program will select winners based on the evaluation of the nomination letter and application and the extent to which the nominee embodies the qualities of the TORCH Awards program. Based on the applications received, every effort will be made to identify at least one recipient who is making an impact on health equity, diversity, and inclusion and to select at least one recipient who is under the age of 18.
Apply now
The TORCH Awards is an annual program. Nomination period dates are included in the application guide and on the application itself. Please note the nomination period may change each year.
More information on the nomination process and guidelines are listed above and included in the application guide. Up to seven (7) winners will selected and up to seven (7) $5,000 gifts will be made in association with their award.
Questions about Sanofi contributions?
Call 800-981-2491 or email cs@sanofi.com