Advancing Cancer Treatment Researchers from Johnson & Johnson and Tianjin Medical University Cancer Hospital in China are pursuing the best science to identify biomarkers that could help personalize medicine and advance cancer treatment.
Engaging in Shared Interests
Since 1943, Johnson & Johnson has recognized our responsibility to customers, employees, communities and shareholders, as outlined in Our Credo. Each of these constituencies represents a broad array of stakeholders.
In 2009 we worked with the Reputation Institute in a first attempt to talk one-on-one with a large group of important and influential external stakeholders who matter to Johnson & Johnson and have important perspectives to share. On our behalf, the Reputation Institute talked with non-governmental organizations, third-party organizations, major global health groups, socially responsible investors (SRIs), our key customers and a range of policy influentials. Areas discussed included Johnson & Johnson products and services, innovation, workplace, governance, citizenship, performance and leadership.
Findings from these initial discussions indicate there are six broad areas of health care that our external stakeholders would like us to play a leadership role in addressing: women’s and children’s health; global health coordination; prevention and wellness; health care education and delivery; drug treatment development; and enhancing health care systems.
“We are listening to what our external stakeholders are telling us,” says Ray Jordan, Corporate Vice President, Public Affairs & Corporate Communications, Johnson & Johnson. “We are already engaged in a range of business and philanthropic efforts, including many public-private partnerships, in most of these domains. As we learn more, we’ll be able to better prioritize future efforts.”
Many areas of interest to our stakeholders are covered in some way in this report. We’ve chosen specific examples in the sidebar based on the topic areas we’re hearing about in our outreach.
Further conversations took place in the first half of 2010 with employees, the general public, government leaders, investors and media. We’ve also begun a materiality assessment, to be completed in 2010. We look forward to using the results to inform our responsibility efforts and the contents of next year’s report.
“By learning more about our stakeholders and the issues they’re concerned with, we can better identify our shared areas of interest,” says Jordan. “With those interests identified, we hope to find and take more meaningful actions to improve people’s lives.”