2007/08 targets

Progress against the targets we set and published last year is as follows:

Target:
Review stakeholder communications to ensure they reflect our mission, purpose and values

In our first year as a private healthcare company, we published a comprehensive Annual Review and full Consolidated Financial Statements for the Group. These reports, as well as this Corporate Social Responsibility Report, demonstrate our desire and commitment to be at the forefront of best practice corporate governance reporting.

Target:
Work with leading charities to raise awareness of key health concerns among our customers

Over the past year, we have successfully worked with leading charities in many countries to raise awareness of the key health concerns among our customers. For example, in the UK, we have worked closely with “Breast Cancer Care” to raise awareness of the disease through the special training of our pharmacy professionals. We have also worked with “Cancer Research UK” to promote skin protection, in conjunction with our Soltan suncare brand, focusing on in-store education and community health campaigning.

Target:
Introduce a Code of Conduct to all our employees

A Code of Conduct was issued to all employees during the past year, translated into all languages in which we operate. This code covers a wide range of issues including equal opportunities, health and safety, animal testing, ethical procurement, substance misuse, bribery, privacy and, more positively, how we engage with communities and on environmental issues.

We worked with bodies such as the “Institute of Business Ethics” and “Business in the Community”, as well as our own Group Internal Audit & Risk Management Department, to ensure the Code is rigorous, robust and fit for purpose in a modern international group. If an employee is unsure about what to do in a specific situation, we encourage them to raise questions and seek appropriate advice.