AstraZeneca
OVERALL |
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Owned |
UK |
Rating |
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Pharmaceuticals
Best known for developing one of the first COVID-19 vaccines, the company also develops, manufactures and sells pharmaceutical and biotechnology products to treat a wide range of other disorders.
| AstraZeneca plc | UK | website | ||||
Company Assessment
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In 2022, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change risk. Responding companies are scored across four key areas: disclosure; awareness; management; and leadership. This company received a CDP Climate Change Score of A.
Source: CDP (2022)
This company received the third highest score in the Access to Medicine Index 2022, a ranking of the world's 20 largest pharmaceutical companies on their efforts to increase access to medicine in developing countries. The ranking is based on their scores in each Technical Area, with Product Delivery weighted most highly, followed by R&D and Governance of Access.
Source: Access to Medicine Foundation (2022)
In 2022, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts to manage and govern freshwater resources. Responding companies are scored on six key metrics: transparency; governance & strategy; measuring & monitoring; risk assessment; targets & goals; and value chain engagement. This company received a CDP Water Security Score of A.
Source: CDP (2022)
This company received an S&P Global ESG Score of 80/100 in the Pharmaceuticals category of the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment, an annual evaluation of companies' sustainability practices (last updated 23 Sep 2022). The rankings are based on an analysis of corporate economic, environmental and social performance, assessing issues such as corporate governance, risk management, environmental reporting, climate strategy, human rights and labour practices.
Source: S&P Global (2022)
In 2022, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts towards removing commodity-driven deforestation and forest degradation from its direct operations and supply chains. Responding companies are scored across four key areas: disclosure; awareness; management; and leadership. This company received a CDP Forests Score of B.
Source: CDP (2022)
This company is listed as having best practice on a report card on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality in corporate America.
Source: Human Rights Campaign (2021)
The 2022 Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World list is based on a rigorous assessment of nearly 7,000 public companies with revenue over US$1 billion. All companies are scored on environmental, social, governance and economic metrics relative to their peers, with 50% of the weight assigned to Clean Revenue and Clean Investment. This company ranked #91 in the Global 100.
Source: Corporate Knights (2022) |
Hundreds of people who said they were injured by the popular cholesterol drug Crestor sued maker AstraZeneca. Those lawsuits have all been dismissed, withdrawn or quietly settled. AstraZeneca agreed to pay $110 million to resolve a Texas whistleblower lawsuit about false and misleading marketing of Crestor and another drug under a settlement announced in August 2018.
Source: Drug Watch (2018)
In 2015 this company settled multiple lawsuits related to Nexium. AstraZeneca agreed to pay $20 million to consumers in a Prilosec and Nexium class action lawsuit that had lasted for 10 years. The class action claimed the company spent $260 million on an advertising campaign to mislead consumers into buying more expensive medicine. AstraZeneca also has faced several lawsuits claiming the company did not warn its customers against all of the possible side effects and produced a defective product. In 2015 AstraZeneca also paid $7.9 million to the US government to resolve kickback allegations involving Nexium. Also in 2015, AstraZeneca agreed to pay the US government and several states $26.7 million plus interest to settle claims that the pharmaceutical company underpaid rebates owed under the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program, according to the US Justice Department.
Source: Drug Watch (2015) |
In 2010 this company agreed to pay $520 million to resolve allegations that it illegally marketed the anti-psychotic drug Seroquel for uses not approved as safe and effective by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Source: US Dept of Justice (2010)
In 2011, the AstraZeneca reached a record $68.6 million settlement with the attorneys general of 37 US states for unfair and deceptive practices in its marketing of the antipsychotic drug Seroquel. AstraZeneca allegedly promoted Seroquel for unapproved uses, failed to adequately disclose potential side effects to health care providers, and withheld scientific studies that called into question the drug's safety and efficacy.
Source: California Dept of Justice (2011)
This company has been criticised by ActionAid for having subsidiaries in tax havens. One of the main reasons companies have subsidiaries in tax havens is to dodge their taxes. Developing countries lose more to tax dodging than they receive in aid each year.
Source: ActionAid (2011)
In 2012 the European Court of Justice upheld a 53 million euro fine against this company that penalised it for policies aimed at delaying generic competition. Europe's highest court rejected appeals against rulings from AstraZeneca that it had abused its dominant position on its anti-stomach acid drug Losec, bringing to a close a series of appeals since the company was first fined 60 million euros in 2005.
Source: Financial Times (2012)
As listed on the We Mean Business website, this company has committed to the following climate action initiatives: adopt a science-based emissions reduction target; commit to 100% renewable power; report climate change information in mainstream reports as a fiduciary duty; commit to electric vehicles; commit to smart energy use.
Source: We Mean Business (2021)
This company is listed on the EPA Green Power Partnership website (USA) as using renewable energy for 100% of its organisation-wide electricity use in the USA.
Source: EPA (2023)
This company appears on the 2021 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index, signifying a commitment to supporting gender equality through policy development, representation, and transparency.
Source: Bloomberg (2021)
This company is a member of the AMR Industry Alliance, a coalition of biotech, diagnostics, generics and research-based pharmaceutical companies set up to provide sustainable solutions to curb antimicrobial resistance (AMR). AMR is an increasingly significant threat to global public health which puts at risk the effective prevention and treatment of a wide range of infections.
Source: AMR Industry Alliance (2021)
Human Rights Law Centre's 2022 report, "Broken Promises: Two years of corporate reporting under Australia's Modern Slavery Act", examines statements submitted to the Government's Modern Slavery Register by 92 companies sourcing from four sectors with known risks of modern slavery: garments from China, rubber gloves from Malaysia, seafood from Thailand and fresh produce from Australia. Modern slavery statements are analysed to see if they comply with the mandatory reporting requirements, identify or disclose obvious modern slavery risks, and demonstrate effective actions to address risks. This company's modern slavery disclosure statement received a rating in the 41-60% range. The average score was 44% and the highest score was 89%.
Source: Human Rights Law Centre (2022)
This company received a score of 54.2/100 in the Newsweek Green Ranking 2017, which ranks the world's largest publicly traded companies on eight indicators covering energy, greenhouse gases, water, waste, fines and penalties, linking executive pay to sustainability targets, board-level committee oversight of environmental issues and third-party audits. Ranking methodology by Corporate Knights and HIP Investor.
Source: Newsweek (2017)
OpenSecrets.org tracks the influence of money on U.S. politics, and how that money affects policy and citizens' lives. Follow link to see this company's record of political donations, lobbying, outside spending and more.
Source: Open Secrets (2020)
The 2022 Nature Benchmark ranks 400 companies across eight industries on their efforts to protect our environment and its biodiversity. The companies were assessed using three measurement areas: governance and strategy; social inclusion and community impact; and ecosystems and biodiversity. This company ranked #57/400, with a total score of 27.4/100.
Source: World Benchmarking Alliance (2022)
The Corporate Research Project's Corporate Rap Sheets are dossiers summarising the most significant crimes, violations and other questionable activities of the world's largest and most controversial companies. Follow link to see this company's Corporate Rap Sheet.
Source: Corporate Research Project (2018) |
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Company Details
| Type | Public company |
| Founded | 1999 |
| Revenue | 25.9 billion USD (2020) |
| Employees | 76,100 (2020) |
| Subsidiaries | AstraZeneca Pty Ltd 
Biopharmaceutical One of Australia's largest manufacturers of pharmaceuticals, with a manufacturing plant in Sydney. |
Contact Details
| Address | Cambridge, United Kingdom |
| Website | astrazeneca.com |