PITTSBURGH — Viatris Inc. (NASDAQ: VTRS), a new kind of healthcare company formed in November 2020, today released its inaugural sustainability report, reinforcing its strong foundation in corporate social responsibility and commitment to doing its part to address some of the world’s most pressing health needs by providing sustainable access to high-quality medicine, regardless of geography or circumstance. The report provides a comprehensive, enterprise-wide overview of Viatris’ operations as they relate to environmental, social and governance (ESG) matters and outlines efforts from the past year across five key areas of impact: patient health, employee health, environmental health, global public health and community health. The report also includes a deeper look at Viatris’ role in the fight against COVID-19.
Viatris CEO Michael Goettler said: “With only about half of the global population able to receive essential health services – a figure further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic – there is much to be done to ensure sustainable access to medicines worldwide.1 At Viatris, our global platform and broad portfolio uniquely position us to make a difference. Sustainability is fundamental to our mission and essential to the achievement of our overall business priorities. We believe that companies can be a force for good, which is why Viatris is a proud signatory to the UN Global Compact and its 10 principles.”
Among the areas of focus addressed in the report, Viatris’ actions included:
Fight Against COVID-19
- Supporting the health and safety of colleagues and their families around the world as a top priority.
- Participating in the World Health Organization’s (WHO) SOLIDARITY trial, an unprecedented global effort to investigate potential remedies.
- Ramping up production of the antiviral medicine remdesivir and continuing to work with government authorities in India to further reduce the cost of the medicines and educate more than 20,000 healthcare professionals about product usage during second COVID wave in 2021.
Patient Health
- Establishing the Global Healthcare Gateway® which offers partners ready access to the Viatris operating platform, expanding patients’ access to medicine and amplifying our organic R&D efforts.
- Meeting the broadest possible set of patient needs through our own R&D efforts while maintaining an unwavering commitment to quality and compliance. Among many other accomplishments, in 2020, we received WHO prequalification (PQ) approval for five new products for infectious disease: one for HIV, two for hepatitis C, and two for TB. Prequalification allows for U.N. and other multilateral donor procurement, and accelerated registration processes in low-and lower-middle-income countries.
Employee Health
- Sustaining dual focus on employee health and wellness, and talent development. Transitioned ~10,000 employees to remote work and adhered to protocols to keep those working onsite safe – while introducing new resources like on-demand and virtual instructor-led training where 68,000 courses were completed, and 1,000 leaders were trained on the company’s new coaching model.
- Expanding company-wide efforts to strengthen diversity and inclusion, including creating the organization’s first four Employee Resource Groups around Blacks, Women, LGBTQ+ and Working Parents.
Environmental Health
- Committing to executing scenario and risk analysis to establish a new company baseline for climate change, water and waste. Outcomes will inform future targets in each area, including science-based targets and strategies.
- Increasing the use of renewable energy by more than 400% in five years and achieving zero-waste to-landfill at two additional facilities in India, bringing our global total to 13 sites with this status.
Global Public Health
- Engaging with more than 100 trade associations in more than 40 countries on topics including generics, biosimilars, originator brands, OTC, medical technologies and devices, food supplements, consumer health and industry groups. Held executive roles in more than 25 industry associations, educating and influencing at global, regional and local levels.
- Pursuing policy advocacy priorities, engaging with partners, patient advocacy groups and industry associations to preserve access to quality medicines, build healthier markets, and strengthen a safe and resilient supply of treatments across borders.
Community Health
- Donating more than 500 million doses of medicine in a variety of therapeutic areas to those in need around the world affected by emergencies or poverty. Made product donations including needles and insulin pens and HIV self-tests.
- Collaborating with Sesame Workshop to create resources to support the social and emotional needs of families across generations and around the world during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Additionally, the company cited areas of unique benefit to its future, including:
- Engaging employees as the primary drivers of the company’s performance objectives.
- Embedding sustainability throughout the business – from strategy to operations – as opposed to treating it as a program or campaign.
Lara Ramsburg, Head of Corporate Affairs, added: “Our first sustainability report has allowed us to truly examine and strengthen efforts across the organization to make a positive impact and operate responsibly. Our commitment to sustainability is a fundamental driver of our performance. Because we know that good health matters to everyone, everywhere, we are dedicated to doing our part to make a meaningful difference in the lives of patients, our colleagues and in communities around the world.”
Rakesh Bamzai, President of India, Emerging Asia & Access Markets and Commercial Expansion and Biosimilars – Emerging Markets, said: “From the onset of the pandemic, Viatris has been at the forefront of the battle against COVID-19. We have risen up to the enormous challenge before us and moved ahead with a singular conviction and purpose to serve patients in need. With our Global Healthcare Gateway, capabilities and platform, Viatris is in a unique position to contribute to the fight against COVID-19 and extend support to various communities throughout India. With an indomitable spirit, our workforce has ramped up the production of critical life-saving medicines, which are seeing increased demand at an unprecedented rate due to the spread of the virus. From empowering healthcare practitioners with valuable resources to patient rehabilitation programs, Viatris is committed to helping patients and their families achieve better health, regardless of geography or circumstance.”
The content and activities presented in the report demonstrate how Viatris is working to empower people worldwide to live healthier at every stage of life. The publication reinforces the company’s ambition to lead as a new kind of healthcare company with a unique and differentiated business model, high-quality operational platform and clear focus on ensuring its sustainability priorities and financial commitments are met.
Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the company will continue to provide regular updates on its sustainability efforts via its website and social platforms. Our priorities remain protecting the health and safety of our workforce; producing critically needed medicines; deploying our resources and expertise through potential prevention and treatment efforts; and supporting the communities in which we operate