Ethics and Compliance

Institut Mérieux is committed to taking action all over the world in accordance with its public health mission and in compliance with the laws that govern the different sectors its companies work in.

As such, Institut Mérieux has established a Code of Conduct that each of its companies must develop into specific Ethics and Compliance programs.

In parallel, the Institute has also taken efforts to makes sure that its own activities are compliant and has created multi-disciplinary initiatives involving all its different companies to guarantee there is a shared vision of ethics and compliance.
The internal Audit Department and Mérieux Université (the training center) are both important resources in support of this commitment.

1/ Respect for long-standing values

Institut Mérieux and its companies all comply with long-standing ethical values through specific actions in each different area.

Institut Mérieux intends to perpetuate these values among employees though the “The pillars that support us“.

Public health

• Serve the greater good for mankind
• Place medicine and the interests of patients first and foremost
• Meet global public health needs and the specific needs of each country

Social commitment

• Provide the underprivileged with access to high-quality treatment and clinical biology all over the world, in partnership with the foundations
• Engage in socially-responsible activities that support progress in science and research
• Train employees and support their career development, transmit know-how

Vision without borders

• Maintain a global outlook and open up geographic borders
• Push the boundaries of science and technology: promote multidisciplinary approaches and partnerships
• Be open to different cultures and new ideas

Roots

• Prioritize a long-term vision
• Remain independent
• Perpetuate the legacy founded on enduring values: continuity, loyalty, respect for people.

A pioneering spirit

• Strive for excellence
• Explore new territories (geographic, technological, scientific, etc.)
• Innovate in all fields
• Be bold and courageous, know how to bounce back and adapt
• Take risks and responsibility for one’s action
• Show solidarity with one’s team in success and failure

2/ Ethics & Compliance programs

Institut Mérieux’s companies conduct Ethics & Compliance programs to ensure that both internal and external policies and practices align with a corporate culture founded on a sense of ethics and integrity.
Each profession must therefore provide its employees with a Code of Conduct to help them make the right choices in ambiguous situations and take the right decision in a highly diverse and complex professional environment.

bioMérieux: Code of Conduct

3/ Enhance relationships with suppliers

Institut Mérieux has launched an initiative to bring together the Purchasing departments of all its companies to standardize good practices in this area and establish long-term relationships with different suppliers based on a responsible purchasing approach.
bioMérieux and Mérieux NutriSciences have also formalized a Charter for Responsible Purchasing.

4/ Guarantee the quality of products and services

In the health care field, the quality of products and services is critical for patient and consumer safety.
The Institute’s companies have created quality management systems and policies to guarantee the reliability and quality of their products and services and ensure optimal performance, as well as comply with the strictest international regulations.

The Internal Audit department contributes to the evaluation, continuous improvement, and integrity of operational processes, while also ensuring that the Institute’s companies have sustainable operations.

The work of the Internal Audit department is based on the Internal Audit Charter, which describes its function, mission, scope of expertise and methodology (in compliance with the standards of the profession).

Mérieux Université: a key role

Mérieux Université plays a key role in transmitting the Institute’s internal culture and ensuring its values are respected.
It also spreads best practices through trainings for all employees in the different companies, either through e-learning or in-person trainings at one of the training centers: France (Lyon), the United States (Durham/ Saint Louis), China (Shanghai), Brazil (Rio de Janeiro).

Certain trainings focus more specifically on managers:

• TAP (Targeted Auditor Program): it trains employees of Mérieux companies in the fundamentals of the internal audit and develops “champions” in different departments. This very comprehensive training includes 3 auditing “field” missions in the subsidiaries.

• The GM (General Managers) program: it brings together the directors of bioMérieux subsidiaries in different countries to talk about the challenges they face. One session is devoted to risk management and Compliance.
• The New Leader Induction program: it brings together all new arrivals with a leadership role in the group. A specific session focuses on Compliance in order to equip leaders with the right tools/reflexes as soon as they start.

Other trainings are offered for all employees, including:

• The Code of Conduct of the companies
• International anti-corruption: basic principles and how to recognize warning signs
• Controlling exports: rules and warning signs
• Procedures to protect patient data

Institut Mérieux’s top priority is to comply with laws and regulations and ethical conduct in all its activities.

To this end, the Group has set up a whistleblowing platform that allows anyone to express concerns or report misconduct regarding

• Conflicts of interest, corruption and influence peddling
• Fraud, embezzlement, theft and other criminal offences
• Discrimination or harassment
• Non-compliance with the principles set forth in the company’s Code of Conduct
• Violation of fundamental freedoms
• Violation of Institut Mérieux’s environmental commitments

This online alert platform, which is secure and accessible from any Internet browser, is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at the following address

www.institut-merieux.alertcenter-ikarian.eu

If you are a witness or victim of a harmful situation, do not hesitate to use this platform, which guarantees the anonymity and confidentiality of exchanges.