Human rights

AstraZeneca is fully supportive of the principles set out in the UN Declaration of Human Rights.

Our Code of Conduct, People Policy and supporting standards outline the high standards of employment practice with which everyone in AstraZeneca is expected to comply, both in spirit and letter, worldwide.

This includes respecting diversity and, as a minimum, complying with national legal requirements regarding wages and working hours. We also support the International Labour Organisations’ standards regarding child labour and minimum age. All eligible employees have the right to be a member of a trade union. We have agreements with trade unions in a number of countries where collective bargaining is customary practice; is within a country’s legal framework, and is supported by employees. We are also committed to working only with suppliers who embrace standards of ethical behaviour that our consistent with our own.

A particular challenge for any business of our size and scale is drawing the boundaries of responsibility. We do not believe that it is appropriate for AstraZeneca to promote proactively individual rights and freedoms more widely in society than described above, but we believe that we can, and do, influence others through leading by example.

‘RIGHT TO HEALTH’

The ‘Right to Health’ debate in some quarters allocates accountabilities to both governments and pharmaceutical companies. We believe that in this context, it is governments who are accountable for providing a robust healthcare infrastructure for their populations – one that supports good public health and can ensure that medicines are delivered to those who need them. AstraZeneca nevertheless recognises that we have a part to play.  As described in more detail within this section of our website, our marketed medicines are not for treating the most significant disease challenges that many developing world countries are currently facing, and so we are applying our skills and resources to helping in other ways.  Alongside our dedicated TB research, we continue to partner with non-governmental organisations and other organisations to help strengthen local healthcare capabilities.  We also actively engage at an international level and participate in collaborative global efforts to address developing world disease.

The content of this page was externally assured by Bureau Veritas, February 2009.