Our commitment: improving health
We aim to improve global health. Through our business, we make an important contribution to society: We discover and develop innovative healthcare products, targeting unmet medical needs.
Our patients and customers need to trust us and our products. They expect us to do business responsibly and ethically.
“We apply our expertise in science and innovation to society’s biggest health challenges. We take our role in improving health seriously and focus on areas where we can lead and make a significant impact.”
Joseph Jimenez, Chief Executive Officer, Novartis
People also expect us to help address some of the world's biggest health challenges. Novartis makes medicines that reach more than 1.1 billion people each year. But the world is home to more than 7 billion people - all of whom have health needs.
Reaching more patients: expanding access to healthcare
Innovation across diverse areas of healthcare is the foundation of our access strategy. Even as we seek new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat diseases, we also forge innovative ways to deliver healthcare solutions to patients who need them.
Novartis works to reach more patients with access initiatives and affordability strategies for our medicines and vaccines, as well as targeted health education, particularly in the developing world. In 2011, our access programs reached more than 89 million patients globally. Millions more purchased high-quality, low-cost generics from our Sandoz Division.
Barriers to access – including limited availability of healthcare personnel, treatment and diagnostic options – can be overcome only with thoughtful and coordinated action by all stakeholders involved.
Partnering for results: listening to and working with our stakeholders
Companies, governments, international agencies, foundations, customers and other stakeholders have conflicting perspectives about how we achieve our common goal of improving health. By listening, we can better understand each others' views and work together more effectively.
“To make a meaningful impact in solving some of society's biggest health challenges, Novartis focuses its CSR efforts on three key areas: reaching more patients, partnering for results and doing business responsibly. These areas are a part of the Novartis business strategy and underscore our purpose of caring and curing.”
George Gunn, Head, Corporate Social Responsibility and member, Executive Committee of Novartis
Doing business responsibly: striving for operational excellence
We recognize that we need to be responsible in our business operations.
We care for our associates, and provide them with a safe and healthy workplace, a living wage and opportunities to enhance their careers – regardless of their gender, race or background. We safeguard human rights in all of our operations.
We recognize that we are part of the communities where we do our work, and strive to positively contribute through alliances and volunteerism. When disasters happen, we do what we can to help.
We protect the environment, and minimize our energy use, emissions and impact of our products on the environment through measurement and management programs.
Our products are essential to our patients and customers, and we have rigorous business continuity plans in place to ensure a constant supply of our medicines.
As a healthcare company, our primary focus is research and development (R&D). We do encounter ethical questions as part of R&D, and welcome informed debate on these issues.
We conduct business ethically, and maintain a Code of Conduct and governance system to ensure our associates uphold our values.
We work with business partners who share our responsible approach.
Our company's shared commitment to corporate responsibility rests with every Novartis associate. Executive Committee member George Gunn leads governance of our corporate responsibility work, elevating it to the company's highest levels. Across Novartis, we aim for transparent reporting of annual targets and long-term objectives in all areas of our business, including corporate responsibility.
