They are aimed at ensuring that, by achieving sustainable development globally and locally, AstraZeneca continues to be a valued member of the community.

There are three areas of sustainable development for AstraZeneca - economic, environmental and social. Our global CR policy aims to ensure that we achieve an appropriate balance between them.

In economic terms, in fulfilling our financial obligations to our shareholders we also create employment and generate wealth in the communities where we operate. In the UK alone we employ around 10,000 people on eight principal sites, from Edinburgh in the north to Brixham in the south.

Environmentally, to discover and produce our products we build facilities and use resources. But our CR policy aims to ensure that we use resources responsibly. For example, we recycle where possible, work with suppliers who share our principles, and pioneer planet-friendly processes whenever we can.

Social sustainability covers a wide range of issues that affect or concern society. As part of our CR approach we consider all our stakeholders, and the wider community, and the impact our operations could have on them. We aim to be in tune with the changing expectations of society and to conduct our business in a way that meets with general approval.

We also aim to be responsible members of our local communities through charitable donations, sponsorships and other initiatives which help to make a positive difference. We promote health education and building the understanding of science, especially in the young. An example is our UK-wide education liaison policy designed to encourage young people to become scientists of the future.

Overall, our CR policies, framework and standards provide a global platform on which local initiatives - such as those at sites within the UK - can be created.

For more detailed information about our global CR policies, principles and other aspects, Click Here