It makes absolute sense for a research-based healthcare company like Roche to follow a long-term strategy with a focus on sustainability. We have made a series of commitments that form our sustainability policy and which our Corporate Sustainability Committee ensures we fulfil. These are to:

• Create more value for stakeholders both through our products and economic return
• Interact with stakeholders in an open, transparent and trustful way.
• Foster a culture in which skilled, highly motivated employees can perform to the best of their abilities and give us a competitive edge
• Ensure that protecting our people remains integral to the way we operate
• Focus on discovering and commercialising products that offer clear benefit to payers, clinicians, patients and society in the fight against disease.
• Apply rigorous standards in our research and development
• Make sure every effort is made to ensure our medicines are effective, reliable and safe
• Help improve access to healthcare, focusing on countries designated by the United Nations as ‘least developed’
• Continue to make measurable and lasting progress in environmental protection
• Support humanitarian and science projects, career development for young researchers and contemporary arts and culture – in most cases through long-term partnerships
• Ensure accountability at every level of our operations through good corporate governance.

See our 2007 Business Report for detailed information about our achievements in 2007 and more specific goals for the future.