“Last year, when we were planning for PAGE, the world was facing so many challenges: a war had just started, work-life balance had been shaken by a pandemic, climate change was high on the agenda, and we felt we needed to do more. So we decided to stop producing giveaways and let the money go directly to causes instead,” says Anaïs Glatard, Ph.D, who works as consultant within Model Informed Drug Development, and who also coordinates the company’s CSR work.
When Pharmetheus participates in the Population Approach Group Europe’s yearly meeting in A Coruña, Spain, there will be no giveaways for visitors at the booth. Instead, visitors will have the chance to place colored glass marbles, representing four different causes, into Pharmetheus’s donation vase. Pharmetheus then splits the four thousand Euros between the causes, based on the number of colored marbles in the vase. The organizations corresponding to the four chosen causes are all non-profit: Uppsala Pharmacometrics Summer School, the Gapminder Foundation, Project Rescue Ocean, and Santé Sud . Anaïs Glatard explains why:
“We have chosen the areas to focus on within our CSR based on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals; to reduce inequality, protect the environment, dedication for quality education and good health and wellbeing. Our team of five engaged colleagues, working closely during the year, decides each year upon which initiatives, causes, or organizations to support.”
UPSS
One of the initiatives supported by Pharmetheus is Uppsala Pharmacometrics Summer School, a free of charge two-week workshop for PhD students. Pharmetheus sponsors traveling grants for students from countries outside Sweden. The Uppsala Pharmacometrics Summer School fits well with Pharmetheus’ CSR goals of Dedication to Quality Education and Reducing Inequalities.
Gapminder
Gapminder, a foundation,which is data-driven like Pharmetheus, was also selected because of its alignment with Dedication to Quality Education. Gapminder is well-known for one of its co-founders, Hans Rosling, a Swedish physician, and professor of international health at Karolinska Institutet who held lectures around the world using interactive graphs to show that many of our beliefs about developing countries are false.
“Gapminder fights misinformation by providing factual statements based on data analysis. They address systematic misconceptions, which is ever more important as digitalization accelerates the spread of both misinformation and disinformation.” says Anaïs Glatard.
Fighting such misinformation is important also within Pharmetheus – the company employs talent from around the world and is set on having a tight-knit team as it grows.
“We are a global team and find it extra important to be respectful towards all, no matter their origin. That is also why working with diversity and inclusion is so important to us.”
Project Rescue Ocean
Another cause supported by Pharmetheus is Project Rescue Ocean, an environmental non-profit organization, connected to Pharmetheus’ CSR goals of Protecting our Environment and Dedication to Quality Education. The objective of Project Rescue Ocean is to clean the oceans, foremost from plastics. The organization also educates young people and conducts awareness campaigns about the consequences of sea pollution
“Investing in the education of young people is of utmost importance if we are to reach the climate goals and ultimately inverse global warming. They also take action by organizing events across the world, and action is very much needed,” says Anaïs Glatard.
Santé Sud, a French non-government organization working for the right to quality healthcare for all, has also been selected for its alignment with Pharmetheus’ CSR goals Good Health and Well-being and Reducing Inequalities.
“Santé Sud have several projects to improve healthcare in rural areas of Africa, and the project we will support promotes equal access to healthcare in Mali,” says Anaïs Glatard.
Santé Sud
Santé Sud, a French non-government organization working for the right to quality healthcare for all, has also been selected for its alignment with Pharmetheus’ CSR goals Good Health and Well-being and Reducing Inequalities.
“Santé Sud have several projects to improve healthcare in rural areas of Africa, and the project we will support promotes equal access to healthcare in Mali,” says Anaïs Glatard.
Participate
How to cast your vote
During PAGE 2023, between June 28 -30, participants can cast their vote at the Pharmetheus booth and be part of making a difference. This year, a poll on LinkedIn will get even more people involved.
“We believe giving back, and paying it forward, should be of every company’s interest. We share one world, and we need to act now. We want to encourage others to do the same.”, Anaïs Glatard concludes.
Footnote
Pharmetheus CSR strategy includes four goals or focus areas selected from the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Other than the donations, it includes CSR activities connected to Pharmetheus’s core business operations. An example of Pharmetheus’s activities includes an initiative to spread awareness and knowledge about pharmacometrics by giving free lectures for university students in countries where courses in the subject are not available.