Human rights global position statement
Our position statement on human rights sets forth our commitment to support the principles on human rights, labor, environment and anti-corruption in all our business activities. It is incumbent on all company employees to help advance human rights in the communities we serve worldwide.
Download our full global position statement on human rights
Our commitment
At Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) our mission - to discover, develop and deliver innovative medicines that help patients prevail over serious diseases - guides our approach to respecting human rights across our operations and value chain.
Our commitment is grounded in internationally recognized standards, including the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, the International Bill of Human Rights, and the International Labour Organization’s Core Labour Rights Conventions. As a signatory to the United Nations Global Compact, BMS supports its principles on human rights, labor, environment, and anti‑corruption.
Governance
We are committed to uncompromising quality, integrity, and ethics in everything we do. We maintain effective policies, leadership oversight, and internal procedures that continue to strengthen our Human Rights Program at BMS. Our Global Human Rights Program is supported by Strategic Risk Management, Global Procurement, Sustainability and Social Impact, and other relevant functions. Human rights–related updates are elevated, as appropriate, to senior leadership, the Board of Directors, and relevant Board committees.
Human rights priorities
Based on ongoing due diligence and engagement with stakeholders, BMS has identified priority areas where we seek to have the greatest positive impact on human rights:
- Right to Health
- Product Quality and Patient Safety
- Clinical Trials
- Environment
- Workforce and Labor Rights
Human rights due diligence
BMS conducts ongoing human rights due diligence across our operations and value chain through policies, assessments, supplier engagement, and escalation procedures. We support the principles established under the UDHR, which address the equality of all human beings; the right to life, liberty and security; personal freedom; and economic, social, and cultural freedoms. We strive to support and respect the protection of human rights and to avoid complicity in human rights abuses; to create an inclusive work environment; and to promote the health, safety and equitable and respectful treatment of our employees, without discrimination or harassment. We work to manage and monitor that our suppliers and partners are operating with responsible sourcing practices in their operations.
Training & awareness
Regular training and awareness around BMS policies and procedures is an essential element to ensure that our employees, contractors, and Third Parties are upholding the values and principles that we set forth. As part of our Human Rights Program, we continuously evaluate our available training to evolve our content and coverage.
Reporting potential violatins
BMS offers an Integrity Line for employees and third parties to report concerns related to potential violations of our policies, principles, and standards, as well as other ethical or legal matters, without fear of retaliation. The BMS Integrity Line can be found at: bms.integrity.ethicspoint.com.
Modern slavery
We publish an annual statement which outlines the steps we are taking to identify, address, and mitigate modern slavery and human trafficking risks within our own operations and across our value chain. The global statement can be found here.