Access to Medicine Foundation - Code of Ethics
1. Personal and Professional Integrity
All Board and committee members and staff of the Access to Medicine Foundation (‘theFoundation’) act with honesty, integrity and openness in all their dealings as representativesof the Foundation. The Foundation promotes a working environment that values respect,fairness and integrity.
2. Mission
The Access to Medicine Foundation aims to advance access to health care (in the widestsense) in developing countries and, in particular, to encourage the pharmaceutical industry toaccept a larger role regarding access to medicine in less developed countries. All of its
programs support that mission and all who work for or on behalf of the Foundation
understand and are loyal to that mission and purpose.
3. Governance
The Foundation’s Board is responsible for all its acts and policies. Among other things, theBoard:• ensures that the Foundation has the capacity to carry out its work effectively;• ensures that the resources of the Foundation are responsibly and prudently managed;• ensures that the Foundation conducts all its transactions and dealings with integrity andhonesty;• ensures that the Foundation carries out its mission in a transparent and professional way;
• earns trust and respect from the outside world for the way it independently, impartially andreliably constructs, measures, monitors and publishes the Access to Medicine Index;• ensures that the Foundation Incorporates into its policies, as appropriate, current
knowledge and thinking from all stakeholders, including NGOs, governmental bodies,consultants, academics, investors and the corporate sector;• carefully evaluates all such inputs in order to reach balanced conclusions;• ensures that the Foundation withstands undue outside pressures to adjust the Index’s
methodology, measurements or publication;• maintains a conflict of interest policy that ensures that any conflicts of interest or theappearance thereof are avoided or appropriately managed through disclosure, recusal orother means;• ensures that its members have the requisite skills and experience to carry out their duties
and that all members understand and fulfil their governance duties acting for the benefit of
the Foundation and its purpose;

Access to Medicine Foundation Code of Ethics, December 2021

• is responsible for the hiring, firing, and regular review of the performance of the chief
executive officer (CEO) and ensures that the compensation of the CEO is reasonable andappropriate;• ensures that the CEO and appropriate staff provide the Board with timely andcomprehensive information so that the Board can effectively carry out its duties;• ensures that the Foundation promotes working relationships with Board members,Committee members and staff, that are based on mutual respect, fairness and openness;• ensures that the Foundation is fair and inclusive in its hiring and promotion policies andpractices for all Board, Committee and staff positions;• ensures that policies of the Foundation are in writing, clearly articulated and officiallyadopted.
4. Legal Compliance
The Foundation is knowledgeable of and complies with all laws, regulations and applicableinternational conventions.
5. Responsible Stewardship
The Foundation manage their funds responsibly and prudently. This should include thefollowing considerations:• it spends a reasonable percentage of its annual budget on programs in pursuance of itsmission;• it spends an adequate amount on administrative expenses to ensure effective accounting
systems, internal controls, competent staff, and other expenditures critical to professional
management;• the Foundation compensates staff, and any others who may receive compensation,reasonably and appropriately;• the Foundations has reasonable fundraising costs, recognizing the variety of factors thataffect such costs;• the Foundation does not accumulate operating funds excessively;• the Foundations ensures that all spending practices and policies are fair, reasonable andappropriate to fulfil the mission of the Foundation; and,• all financial reports are factually accurate and complete in all material respects.
6. Openness and Disclosure
The Foundation provides comprehensive and timely information to the public, donors, themedia and all stakeholders, and is responsive in a timely manner to reasonable requests forinformation. All information about the Foundation will fully and honestly reflect the policies
and practices of the Foundation. The Foundation’s Code of Ethics, Governance Charter andConflict of Interest Policy will be posted on the Foundation’s website. All financial,organizational and program reports will be complete and accurate in all material respects.

Access to Medicine Foundation Code of Ethics, December 2021

7. Evaluation
The Foundation regularly reviews the effectiveness of its work and will incorporate lessons
learned into future operations. The Foundation is committed to improving program andorganizational effectiveness and develops mechanisms to promote learning from its activities
and the field. The Foundation is responsive to changes in its field of activity and is responsive
to the needs of its constituencies.
8. Inclusiveness and Diversity
The Foundation has a policy of promoting inclusiveness and its Board, Committees and staff
reflect diversity in order to enrich its effectiveness. The Foundation takes meaningful steps topromote inclusiveness in its recruitment, hiring, and retention.
9. Fundraising
The Foundation is truthful in its solicitation materials and expends funds consistent with donor
intent. Foundations disclose important and relevant information to potential donors.
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Access to Medicine Foundation Code of Ethics, December 2021