Each day at Biogen Idec, we strive to make a meaningful difference in the lives of patients. Our company mission is focused on discovering, developing and delivering innovative medicine for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, autoimmune disorders and hemophilia to patients worldwide. Equally important to this mission is how we conduct our business and operations. Setting the framework to guide our company’s actions as a responsible corporate citizen is a top priority that begins with me, and extends to more than 5,000 employees around the globe. At Biogen Idec, we care about corporate citizenship for a few primary reasons:
- We serve patients. Our mission to serve patients comes with great responsibility. Patients and their caregivers depend on us to be trustworthy, operate ethically and ensure operations of the highest standards.
- Operating sustainably is good business. By continually improving our operations – from manufacturing to supply chain to purchasing – we achieve greater efficiency and, in turn, create greater value for shareholders. At the same time, we reduce our impact on the environment as measured by tangible metrics, such as decreased water consumption.
- We are committed to breakthrough science. This commitment gives us the opportunity to extend our passion for science outside of our walls – furthering science education in our communities. We hope to foster a love of science and discovery in future generations.
- Our employees are essential to carrying out our mission. It’s critical that we ensure our employees have a safe, enriching and diverse workplace where they can contribute to our business in a meaningful way and grow professionally.
These principles are important as they form the foundation for our commitment to corporate citizenship. They’re also good business fundamentals. By doing what’s right for patients, our employees and the communities in which we live and operate, we also create greater value in our business and for our shareholders.
Biogen Idec is entering an exciting time. We’re on the cusp of potentially launching multiple products in the coming years, which holds tremendous potential for patients. Last year, we launched Care Deeply Volunteer Day, which brought more than 1,000 employees to local communities for a day of service. This year, we’re expanding Care Deeply Volunteer Day to include participation from all Biogen Idec sites and offices. And, later this year, we will celebrate 10 years of commitment to science education through our signature Community Lab program. To date, more than 23,000 middle and high school students have taken part.
Our company commitment to corporate citizenship is one that I take seriously, and one that will invariably be a journey of continuous improvement. In this year’s corporate citizenship report, we detail our approach and progress with highlights on our commitments to patients, the environment, our communities and employees. We also include information on our management approach and key metrics designed to ensure that we live up to those commitments.
I hope you’ll follow along this year as we continue to share important milestones. We’re proud of the progress we’ve made and we encourage our stakeholders to share their perspectives with us.
Sincerely,
George A. Scangos, Ph.D.
Chief Executive Officer
