Corporate Responsibility

Behaving responsibly is integral to how we do business. We will only deliver long-term, sustainable financial performance by understanding and responding to the needs and concerns of our stakeholders, and by earning their trust with our actions.

Our Approach to Corporate Responsibility

Strong stakeholder relationships are key to delivering our Purpose, Vision and Mission. Our primary focus is helping people with chronic health conditions, many of whom use our products every day. Our success depends on them actively choosing our products and services, and then staying with us to help them manage their condition. We strive to ensure our products and services are safe, effective and affordable.
What we deliver for customers is critical but we must also focus on how we deliver it.

We must:

• Avoid creating unacceptable impacts as a result of what we do, either directly or indirectly.
• Deal honestly and transparently with those involved in the procurement of our products.
• Meet, and strive to exceed, the requirements of the various bodies which regulate our sector.
• Treat our employees fairly, and ensure there are opportunities for all to develop their skills and experience.
• Never exploit the people who work in our supply chain.
• Minimise any negative impacts on the environment arising from our products and operational activities.
• Enhance the lives of the people in the communities where we operate. 

Our management approach

Our general approach to Corporate Responsibility is characterised by two imperatives. Firstly, to understand the needs of our stakeholders, and to be transparent in reporting our progress in addressing those needs. Secondly, to always behave ethically and to do nothing which might undermine our reputation and the trust placed in us.

Governance

We have a Board committee focused on Corporate Responsibility. This Corporate Responsibility Committee oversees the direction of our Corporate Responsibility programme, approves external reports and proposed objectives, and receives reports on progress and performance. The Corporate Responsibility Committee approved our first high-level Corporate Responsibility strategy which will be implemented on a phased basis over the next three years.

Strategy Framework

Our Corporate Responsibility strategy, developed through internal consultation and review of external information, identifies a number of areas relevant to our stakeholders. These areas reflect the key socio-economic, human rights and environmental issues related to our activities and are grouped under the headings in the illustration to the left. We aim to publish, and report against, commitments established under each of these headings.

We are stepping up our support for a number of external initiatives and believe our programme contributes to a number of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Initial assessment of materiality

We have carried out an initial assessment of materiality and aim to validate this with external experts.