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Corporate Responsibility Report 2008

Q&As

How do you make sure that your lobbying activity doesn’t contradict or undermine your corporate responsibility work?
Corporate responsibility is central to our business. We aim to ensure that all our lobbying activity reflects the values set out in this report as well as being sensitive to the views of our stakeholders. Employees involved in public policy must abide by our Employee Guide to Business Conduct which commits them to acting with honesty and integrity.

We have well-established public policy positions. These are developed through wide consultation and are approved by our Corporate Executive Team. Employees who lobby for GSK are closely involved in developing these positions. We believe transparency is key to building trust with our stakeholders and we disclose our public policy positions on our website.

Does GSK make political contributions through so-called ‘527’ organisations?
Yes, we support a number of ‘527’ organisations such as the New Democratic Network. GSK has no influence over how ‘527’ organisations use GSK contributions; however, our support enables the organisations to develop and advocate policy positions and us to participate in their functions and to debate and discuss important issues for GSK with other organisations, the public and policy makers.

Contributions to ‘527’ organisations are not defined as political contributions and so are not subject to our policy to stop all corporate political contributions.

Isn’t your support for patient groups just another marketing tool?
No. GSK neither promotes medicines to patient groups nor would ever ask a patient group to endorse a GSK medicine. We work with patient groups in a number of areas, including improving how clinical trials are run, disease awareness initiatives, and on the bigger agenda of ensuring that all new medicines are made available to patients.

When GSK provides funding, are you trying to ‘buy’ favours from the patient organisation?
No. We never ask for endorsement of any of our medicines or a return on investment for our support. We are careful that our support for an organisation does not compromise its independence and is based on trust and mutual respect, and complies with the highest standards of our code of conduct.

How do these groups maintain their independence if they receive significant funding from companies such as GSK?
We encourage patient groups to diversify their funding from sources in both the public and the private sector. Patient groups should never become dependent on any one funder from either sector. Our guidelines state that we should provide no more than 25 per cent of a group’s overall income, except in exceptional