British American Tobacco p.l.c.'s Framework for Corporate Social Responsibility

Business Principles and Framework for CSR

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The principle of Good Corporate Conduct is the basis on which all our businesses should be managed. Business success brings with it an obligation for high standards of behaviour and integrity in everything we do and wherever we operate. These standards should not be compromised for the sake of results.

Core Beliefs

GCC1 We believe our businesses should uphold high standards of behaviour and integrity

GCC2 We believe that high standards of corporate social responsibility should be promoted within the tobacco industry

GCC3 We believe that universally recognised fundamental human rights should be respected

GCC4 We believe our industry should have a voice in the formation of government policies affecting it

GCC5 We believe in achieving world class standards of environmental performance

There is increasing focus on the potential roles of companies as well as on the roles of governments in improving human rights conditions around the world.
Our companies do business in 180 countries and some of these countries have significant human rights issues. We recognise that we have a role in addressing those issues that are within our sphere of influence.
British American Tobacco supports the United Nations Global Compact's two guiding principles on human rights. These are: 'Businesses should support and respect the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights within their sphere of influence' (principle 1) and 'make sure they are not complicit in human rights abuses' (principle 2).

We expect our companies to respect the universally recognised fundamental human rights of all their employees.

We will:

Encourage our companies worldwide to subscribe to our Employment Principles, which embody universally recognised workplace related human rights;
Review our Employment Principles to ensure their continued alignment with developments in this area.

We should work together with our suppliers and commercial partners to promote, within their sphere of influence, respect for universally recognised fundamental human rights.

For our part, we will:

Encourage our suppliers and commercial partners, where possible, to adopt similarly high standards to our own.

We see it as the responsibility of governments and the international political community to define universally recognised fundamental human rights and for governments to respect such rights in their countries.

We will contribute by:

Encouraging our Group companies to lead by example.