The responsible behaviour of all types of organisations, including multinational companies, governments and charities, is high on the public agenda and stimulates considerable debate. Last year, in our first review of corporate and social responsibility, which covered GSK’s first year as a new company, we set out our commitment to connecting business decisions to ethical, social and environmental concerns¹.

In this report, which covers activity during 2002, we cover the issues that have generated significant interest from stakeholders. We have made good progress this year, including developing indicators that will enable us to show our progress in addressing these issues. We will continue to build on these steps to increase the transparency of our operations. In this way we expect to give our stakeholders the same confidence in the value of our business that we feel ourselves.

Corporate responsibility is an integral part of our business – it is inherent in the mission of the company. GSK makes a significant positive contribution to society around the world, through the medicines, vaccines and healthcare products that we research, develop, manufacture and sell.

Our products must improve people’s lives to ensure a profitable and sustainable future for our business. We also understand that it is not just how much profit we make that matters. Stakeholders, including employees, want to know how we make this profit, and to be reassured of the sound ethical basis for our business.

We could not run our business effectively without talking with, and listening to, the many groups our business impacts. Discussion with stakeholders is a part of our everyday work. This is very much a two-way relationship because the views and expectations of stakeholders directly affect us.

We consult widely, both formally and in less formal ways. The diversity of our stakeholders, for example patients, customers, healthcare professionals, governments, non-governmental organisations and shareholders, inevitably gives rise to very different and sometimes conflicting demands for us to consider. We will continue our constructive engagement to guide us in running a successful business that contributes to meeting the needs of society.

Sir Christopher Hogg Chairman		JP Garnier Chief Executive Officer

During 2002, we... invested a total of £239 million in global community activities, product donations and charitable contributions – more than any other UK company; donated 66 million albendazole tablets, worth £8.7 million, to 31 countries to support the prevention of lymphatic filariasis; increased shipments of our Combivir HIV/AIDS treatment at preferential prices to the developing world to nearly 6 million tablets, up from 2.2 million in 2001; worked with other companies to establish new industry Principles on the Conduct of Clinical Trials and Communication of Clinical Trial Results; and surveyed 10,000 of our managers on their views of GSK’s Spirit and culture.

1 www.gsk.com/ser/2001/ser01/CSR.pdf