Genmab has adopted a new Code of Conduct to promote ethical and compliant conduct in all aspects of our business. The updated Code is applicable to Genmab’s Board of Directors, Executive Management, employees and contingent workers globally. Aptly titled Code of Conduct-Living Our Values, the new Code seeks to engage and inspire our people to consider how their everyday activities should be conducted in a manner reflecting our core values of innovation, determination, integrity, and teamwork. The Code reflects the standards of conduct we expect from our own people as well as our partners, vendors, suppliers and other third parties with whom we engage. All employees are required to complete annual training on the Code and attest to their compliance.
Our Responsibility
Corporate Social Responsibility
Since Genmab’s founding in 1999, our work has been anchored in our core purpose to improve the lives of patients by creating and developing innovative antibody medicines.
With our core values of innovation, determination, integrity and teamwork and inspiring 2025 vision to transform the cancer treatment guiding our work, being sustainable and socially responsible is fundamental to the way we work at Genmab.
Our Commitment
“Genmab is a purpose-driven company. We are motivated by the difference we can make in the lives of people with cancer and on society as a whole. Genmab is committed to being a sustainable and socially responsible company. Guided by our vision, our corporate social responsibility strategy is anchored in our purpose, aligned with our core values, and integrated into our business operations.”
Jan G. J. van de Winkel, Ph.D. President & CEO
Social Responsibility & Sustainability
Genmab’s comprehensive approach to corporate social responsibility (CSR) is grounded in our commitment to sustainability, driven by our purpose and vision, and guided by our core values. We have implemented new CSR-related policies, procedures and programs to ensure that the value we provide to our stakeholders is long-lasting. Read more about how we are integrating CSR into our operations.
We are committed to ensure our actions benefit our stakeholders – patients, caregivers, healthcare professionals, employees, our partners, shareholders – and society as a whole. Being socially responsible is fundamental to the way we work at Genmab.
Our commitment to CSR is anchored in our company’s core purpose to improve the lives of patients by creating and developing innovative antibody products and our vision that by 2025 our own product has transformed cancer treatment and we have a pipeline of knock-your-socks-off antibodies. Our vision inspires and motivates us. Our teams are focused on developing innovative therapies that will transform how people fight cancer, changing it from a disease to be afraid of to a condition that patients may live with — and overcome.
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Genmab has identified an initial set of performance indicators that will enable us to better manage and measure our impact going forward, and fulfill our commitment to sustainability. We have committed to UN Sustainable Development Goals and adopted the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) framework and will follow its guidelines to disclose critical measurements on the environment, society and governance (ESG) of relevance to our business operations.
We continue to move our sustainability efforts forward, look for opportunities to further integrate ESG into our strategic planning and risk management processes, monitor ESG matters of relevance to our business operations and establish clear goals to measure our performance.
The Board of Directors and senior leadership are committed to Genmab’s business-driven CSR strategy, which focuses on four main areas – click each pillar to learn more.
Our
CSR Governance
The CSR Committee, co-chaired by our CEO and SVP Investor Relations and Communications, is comprised of our COO and representatives from our human resources, legal, compliance & risk, and research and development functions. The Committee ensures that Genmab carries out our CSR activities effectively and communicates them clearly and openly. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, which oversees all aspects of Genmab’s CSR efforts on behalf of the Board of Directors, provides recommendations to the Board of Directors regarding CSR and ESG issues.
In conducting our business, Genmab complies with all relevant laws, standards and guidelines.
Charitable Contributions
Genmab is making strides towards its goals of sustainability and social responsibility through support of nonprofit and non-governmental organizations that are dedicated to making a difference to people, their communities and the environment. Genmab is proud to support these efforts through its charitable donation program.
Our Focus
We seek to support charitable organizations and programs aligned with our CSR pillars and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) for which we can make a meaningful societal impact.
Genmab aims to strengthen communities where we have a presence. We give primary consideration to initiatives in the local communities where our employees work and live (Copenhagen, Denmark; Tokyo, Japan; Utrecht, Netherlands; and New Jersey, US). We partner with nonprofit and non-governmental organizations to support programs and initiatives designed to address issues in the above focus areas.
We seek strategic engagement with our partners, and support organizations and programs that offer opportunities to engage Genmab employees as well as those that align with our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) efforts.
In 2021, we will accept grant proposals by invitation only.
Our Response to COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has presented numerous challenges, but it has also highlighted how ingenuity, motivation, collaboration and dedication can produce positive outcomes for society. Genmab is proud of the “can-do” spirit and determination that our employees are demonstrating during this unprecedented time and appreciate their concern for others facing hardships due to the pandemic.
Genmab continues to actively monitor the potential impact on our clinical trials due to COVID-19 and assess the situation on an ongoing basis in close contact with clinical trial sites, physicians and contract research organizations (CROs). We are following recommendations from various authorities, including global and local governments and health agencies and evaluating the guidance from the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the U.S. Federal Drug Administration on managing clinical trials during the coronavirus pandemic. Our top priority is the safety of patients participating in our clinical trials and the healthcare workers who conduct them.
We deployed a multi-pronged approach to supporting various COVID-19 relief efforts. Some key examples are highlighted below:
Genmab Scientists Contribute to High-Tech Innovation of COVID-19 Testing Capacity in the Netherlands.
Genmab Supports Local COVID-19 Relief Efforts.
Our Commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals – #3, #5 and #8
Comprised of 17 goals, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) are an urgent call for action by countries aiming to end poverty and other deprivations to improve health and education, reduce inequality, spur economic growth and tackle climate change.
Environment, Social & Governance (ESG)
We’ve adopted the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) framework and follow its guidelines to disclose critical measurements on the environment, society and governance of relevance to our business operations. Genmab regularly benchmarks and examines ESG activities, policies and disclosures to build a sustainable organization that meets ESG criteria of relevance to our business operations.
Policies and Guidelines
Genmab is committed to lawful and ethical behavior in all aspects of its business and requires all employees and the Board of Directors to comply with applicable laws and regulations.
As we bring our medicines to the patients, our compliance commitments are being further developed and expanded as appropriate.
Code of Conduct
Diversity Policy
Policy regarding the Diversity and Proportion of Gender in other Management Levels of the Genmab group:
This policy has been adopted by the Board of Directors of Genmab A/S (“Genmab”) in accordance with Section 139a of the Danish Companies Act and the Danish Recommendations on Corporate Governance.
Genmab recognizes the importance of promoting diversity and is committed to continue working towards and maintaining diversity and equal opportunities for employees at all management levels in the Genmab group, regardless of gender, age, race, religion or ethnicity. Genmab encourages talented employees to pursue a career in the company. Genmab regularly conducts employee surveys and employee development interviews to identify barriers – or the perception of barriers – preventing equal opportunities for employees. In connection with recruitment, including recruitment at management level, it is the policy of the Genmab group to meet the company’s needs for employees with the right skills and competences, regardless of gender, age, race, religion or ethnicity. When choosing between equally qualified candidates, the diversity among the employees shall be taken into consideration, as it is the aim that both genders attain a representation at management levels of at least 40%. In connection with recruitment for managerial positions it must be ensured that the employment procedures are designed to give men and women equal opportunities to apply for and obtain managerial positions and, where possible, that the candidates invited for interview include both men and women. The company’s focus on diversity among its employees, including at management levels, must be visible during recruitment.
The policy may be amended by the Board of Directors and should be interpreted in accordance with applicable equal rights and anti-discrimination legislation in Denmark, in force from time to time.
A Target Figure for the Number of Women in the Board of Directors of Genmab A/S has been established.
Speak Up Policy & Hotline
Enabling employees and external stakeholders to speak up when they observe potential misconduct or have concerns about matters relating to our business is vital to retaining our strong Genmab culture and to doing the right thing. The Genmab Speak Up Policy allows for confidential and (where allowed) anonymous reports that will be directed to Genmab Compliance for initial triage and handling. This approach renders the reporting process more accessible and easier to navigate.
Importantly, our new policy also extends protections not only to our regular employees, but also contingent staff, part-timers, temp staff, trainees, interns (both current and former) and others who choose to report their concerns.
Speak Up Compliance Hotline
• 24/7 – Online or by Phone
• GenmabSpeakUp.ethicspoint.com
• Denmark: 80-83-01-69
• Netherlands: 0800-020-1556
• United States: 1-844-942-3289
• Japan: 0800-123-0136
Commitment to Quality
Genmab develops, manufactures, and delivers investigational antibody therapeutic products for clinical testing that provide significant benefit to patients and to our customers. A company-wide quality policy has been defined and implemented to ensure that these products meet current regulations promulgated by the Danish Medicines Agency, the European Medicines Agency (EMA), the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Japan’s Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA), International Council for Harmonization (ICH) Quality guidelines, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) as well as customers’ expectations.
Genmab has a strong culture of quality with dedicated senior management leadership and commitment of employees at all levels to achieve and maintain a quality minded approach to everything we do.
Management Responsibility
Senior management is responsible for securing a company-wide commitment to quality and for the performance of the Pharmaceutical Quality System (PQS). Senior management defines the quality objectives and commissions the appropriate qualified employees and resources to achieve these objectives.
Senior management has established the PQS and organized a Quality Assurance (QA) unit to maintain and develop the PQS. This is to secure compliance to current regional and global regulatory requirements to meet industry standards and Genmab’s quality objectives. Quality Performance Indicators (QPIs) are defined and monitored. Senior management will periodically review the quality of Genmab products and the performance of the quality system during Quality Management Review (QMR) and advocates a continuous improvement of quality.
Senior management has ensured that processes are in place for a timely and effective communication and escalation of critical quality issues to the appropriate level of management.
Quality Management
Genmab has established a PQS that includes quality policies and procedures that employees must follow. The PQS is process-oriented and encompasses all relevant product lifecycle phases and GxP activities including Good Clinical Practice (GCP), Good Laboratory Practice (GLP), Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), Good Vigilance Practice (GVP) and Good Distribution Practice (GDP). The PQS covers the company’s activities in pre-clinical development, clinical development and manufacturing and supply of products for clinical studies and eventually for commercial use. The research area within Genmab has established an independent quality system to secure quality performance in the non-GxP area.
The Quality Manual is the top-level quality document, and it is implemented to define and communicate the quality policy and how the PQS is organized. The Quality Manual applies to all Genmab employees and is approved by the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Development Officer.
Operational Quality
Genmab has established a training program to ensure all employees in GxP areas are properly trained and qualified to perform their work. This is facilitated using defined job descriptions, C.V., training plans, and training documentation to demonstrate compliance and qualification. Genmab has a knowledge-sharing culture. Competencies needed for job functions are continuously reviewed and deficiencies are mitigated by hiring, contracting, training and/or educating employees.
Quality risk management is applied throughout all operational activities to consider risk to patient safety, patient rights, regulatory compliance, product quality and data reliability and integrity when making decisions related to the lifecycle of a product including product development, manufacture, distribution and all stages of clinical trials. Risk assessment is used to assess hazards and defects to reduce redundant and non-value-added efforts and keep the focus on efforts that have optimal impact on patient safety, product quality and data reliability and integrity.
A system for quality deviations and Corrective and Preventive Actions (CAPA) is in place ensuring that deviating products or processes are well identified, described and handled, that root causes are well understood, that actions are taking to avoid recurrence and that measures are taken to ensure that the quality, safety and efficiency of the products remain intact.
Recall and complaint procedures are in place for patient safety to ensure that non- conforming products are not used by patients. Recall procedure is frequently tested.
External Partners
Genmab utilizes an outsourcing business model for the production, testing and distribution of products and for conducting clinical trials. Through the vendor assessment and onboarding process as well as operational and quality oversight, Genmab ensures that the Contract Manufacturing Organizations (CMOs), Contract Research Organizations (CROs) and other service providers meet both Genmab and applicable regulatory requirements and operate with adequate standards of quality and service as per industry standards and best practices, e.g. HACCP, ISO, ICH, etc.
Quality Oversight
A quality audit program has been established for all GxP areas where internal as well as external partners are audited at predefined intervals. Genmab is furthermore subject to inspections from authorities and audits from partners.
Have a question or would like more information on our CSR initiatives? Contact Us.