GlaxoSmithKline has published its Corporate Responsibility Report, in which it reiterates its commitment to operate responsibly, openly and transparently and outlines advances made on this agenda during 2012.

In the report, the company also sets out 23 forward-looking commitments aligned with its core areas of strategic focus including access to medicines, transparency and environmental sustainability. Corporate responsibility is central to GSK’s strategy to deliver sustainable financial performance whilst providing shared value to patients, consumers and governments.

“Operating in a trustworthy and responsible way underpins our business success,” said Sir Andrew Witty, CEO of GSK. “Our record in 2012 shows we are making good progress—taking significant steps to increase clinical data transparency, leading the Access to Medicines Index and doubling funding for our independent research into diseases of the developing world at our Open Lab at Tres Cantos, Spain. We recognize there is more we can do and we will continue to challenge ourselves to find new approaches to create value for both society and shareholders and to improve lives around the world. That is why we are setting out new long-term commitments which will allow those outside the company to track our progress and hold us to account more effectively.”

Setting these new commitments will enable the company to more effectively measure and communicate the progress it makes on this agenda. The report includes commitments to:

• Continue to work with partners to support the strengthening of healthcare infrastructure which could improve access to healthcare for 20 million under-served people by 2020.
• Invest in the development of vaccines that do not require continuous refrigeration, making distribution easier and less expensive.
• Continue to drive a values-based approach to sales and marketing practices across the world, with the interests of consumers and patients at its core.
• Extend volunteering opportunities for GSK employees to bring about positive change to communities and global health whilst providing individual development.
• Reduce GSK’s overall carbon footprint by 25% by 2020 (versus 2010) and have a carbon neutral value chain by 2050.

For a full list of commitments in the 2012 Corporate Responsibility report, click here. GSK will begin reporting progress of these new commitments in its next report.