Community Involvement in Pharmaceutical Companies in Poland

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this article is to identify measures in the area of community involvement undertaken by pharmaceutical companies operating in Poland (listed in the I MS Health 2010 ranking of TOP 30 corporations in the pharmaceutical market). Moreover, methods for communicating these measures are also analysed.

Methodology: The study covered analysis of Polish-language websites of pharmaceutical companies listed in the TOP 30 ranking. I n the case of absence of data on community involvement on a given company website, additional online research with the use of subject terms and Google Search was employed.

Main findings: O f all the 30 companies subjected to the study, 4 companies did not have a section dedicated to corporate social responsibility on their websites, whereas 5 enterprises provided information on community involvement only on a company website in a language other than Polish. The dominant form of community involvement initiatives is financial support (predominantly in the form of donations). Companies also support local communities with aid in-kind and corporate volunteering. Communication of undertaken measures takes a form of the stakeholder information strategy – a company is interested in disseminating information on the actions taken without its stakeholders actively participating in the process.

Implications: Pharmaceutical companies operating in Poland should engage in activities targeted at local communities to a greater extent. Managers of pharmaceutical companies should be made aware of the benefits of using diverse forms of these measures, being at the same time encouraged to continuously expand initiatives already taken in this regard.