The Novartis policy on Corporate Citizenship www.novartis.com articulates Novartis core values together with a commitment to meet society's expectations with appropriate business practices. The policy serves as the basis for decisions and actions on all levels of Novartis throughout the world. It is an expansion of the company's existing Health, Safety and Environmental Guidelines, the code of conduct and refers to all aspects of the UN Global Compact, of which Novartis is a signatory.

To read more about Novartis global Corporate Citizenship policy, visit our global website www.novartis.com

'Corporate Citizenship' for Novartis Pharmaceuticals Australia

In addition to the Corporate Citizenship initiatives described on the company's global website, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporate Citizenship focusses on three main areas in Australia.

1. Local Community Involvement

Novartis provides financial support to local initiatives as well as providing the opportunity for its staff to engage with the community and provide help where its needed. Recent projects where Novartis have become involved include supporting a local school, community services and taking steps to improve the welfare of the local environment and public parklands.

2. Ethical Marketing Practices

In Australia, the Pharmaceutical Industry has established a Code of Conduct which sets the standards for the ethical marketing and promotion of prescription pharmaceutical products. It complements the legislation requirements of the Therapeutic Goods Regulations and the Therapeutic Goods Act. As well as meeting the requirments of the industry code of conduct, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Australia also ensures its marketing and promotional practices meet the standards of its own, internal code of conduct, which is adhered to among all Novartis companies, world-wide, in over 50 countries.

For more information about the Pharmaceutical Industry Code of Conduct, visit www.medicinesaustralia.com.au

3. Emphasis on the social responsibility of Novartis Pharmaceuticals

There is significant social responsibility implicit in work of Novartis Pharmaceuticals and its core business of discovering, developing and delivering medicines to people. Staff who work for Novartis Pharmaceuticals in Australia take pride in their commitment to improving health and the company's social responsibility remains an important part of the company's culture in the workplace.

An example of Novartis commitment to social responsibility, implicit in the company's work, is the steps taken by the company to ensure the safety and appropriate use of its medicines:

• When registering a new medicine for use in Australia, Novartis will take every step necessary to demonstrate the safety of its products in line with the requirements of the Government's regulatory body, the Therpaeutic Goods Administration (TGA).
• Once a medicine is available in the community, Novartis has a 24 hour reporting service that monitors the safe use of Novartis Pharmaceuticals products. This team of full-time Novartis staff is distinguished from other company-based clinical reporting services by ISO accreditation for efficiency.
• Novartis also has a 24 hour telephone information service, together with a team of over 100 medical representatives across Australia, that can provide information about prescribing and dispensing Novartis Pharmaceuticals products to prescribers.
• Finally, the company's Quality Assurance division also takes steps to ensure that Novartis products available in the community are always of the highest possible standards.

For further information about Novartis Pharmaceuticals 'Corporate Citizenship' in Australia Contact Us