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Stakeholder engagement

stakeholder engagement

Stakeholder engagement

A commitment to open dialogue

We engage with a wide range of stakeholders at local, regional and global levels on our key sustainability issues.


Listening to our stakeholders helps us better understand their views and concerns and so respond to them appropriately. It gives us valuable inputs to, and feedback on, our strategic approach to sustainability, as well as our policies, procedures and ways of working. This helps us to continually improve and strengthen them and ensure we’re meeting the expectations of our stakeholders.

For example, the development of our Human Rights Policy and approach to human rights management has been informed by an independently facilitated stakeholder dialogue session and subsequent work with external consultancies with expertise in this area. Our new operational standard on child labour prevention was also developed with important contributions from the Eliminating Child Labour in Tobacco Growing (ECLT) Foundation and the International Labour Organization (ILO).

We also participate in a wide range of multi-stakeholder partnerships and collaborations to develop joint solutions to common challenges, and we actively share our experience and expertise with others, which can help to raise standards across the industry and make a valuable contribution to wider society. For example, openly sharing our scientific research and approach to product stewardship is helping to inform the development of industry-wide quality and safety standards for vapour and tobacco heating products.

Who we engage with


Anyone who is impacted by, or can impact upon, our business operations is a stakeholder of ÌÇÐÄ̽»¨. They include:

  • ÌýShareholders and investors
  • ÌýEmployees,Ìýcontractors and trade unions
  • ÌýSuppliers, business partners and farmers
  • ÌýCustomers – retailers, wholesalers and distributors
  • ÌýAdult consumers
  • ÌýGovernments and regulators
  • ÌýScientific and public health communities
  • ÌýIndustry and other peer companies
  • ÌýKey opinion leaders, experts and academics
  • ÌýInternational organisations, such as the United Nations and International Labour Organization
  • ÌýStandards bodies and organisations, such as the International Organization for Standardization and CEN, the European Standards Body
  • ÌýLaw enforcement agencies and customs bodies
  • ÌýNGOs and development agencies
  • ÌýMedia and journalists
  • ÌýLocal communities and the general public
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How we engage


Our engagement with stakeholders takes many different forms. Here are some examples.

Partnerships, collaborations and memberships
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  • ÌýStakeholder panels of leading experts to provide opinions on, and inform, our programmes, such as our External Scientific Panel and ourÌýSustainability Stakeholder Panel
  • ÌýFormal partnerships, such as the Eliminating Child Labour in Tobacco Growing (ECLT) Foundation
  • ÌýSustainability groups, such as the Institute of Business Ethics, the Institute of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability, the All-Party Parliamentary Corporate Responsibility Group and the EU Business and Biodiversity Platform
  • ÌýLocal partnership projects with the industry, NGOs, governments and peer companies, to support local communities and the environment
  • ÌýIndustry groups, such as the Digital Coding & Tracking Association and Tobacco Manufacturers’ Associations
  • ÌýCooperation agreements to tackle the illegal tobacco trade, such as with the European Commission, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, and with local governments, customs and law enforcement
  • ÌýCollaborations and studies with scientific research partners and inventors.
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Contributing our expertise and sharing informationÌý
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  • ÌýWorking groups, such as withÌý CEN and ISO on vapour product standards, and the UK Digital Policy Alliance on online age-verification
  • ÌýSubmissions to government consultations, such as on the development of new regulation
  • ÌýCorporate publications, websites and social media channels
  • ÌýInvestor meetings and roadshows and submissions to the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices
  • ÌýWe openly share our scientific research on www.bat-science.com, through publications in peer-reviewed journals and by participating in international conferences and workshops.
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Ongoing dialogue and engagement
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  • Support for farmers through our Leaf Extension Services, farmer clubs and capacity building
  • ÌýEngagement with retailers via our Trade Representatives on preventing underage access to our products
  • ÌýCustomer Voice programme to measure our retail customers’ satisfaction
  • ÌýSupplier forums and working groups, such as on the development of theÌýSustainable Tobacco Programme
  • ÌýRegulatory engagement and advocacy
  • ÌýIndependently facilitated dialogue sessions on specific issues, such as human rights and climate change
  • ÌýRelationships, negotiations and consultations with trades unions and employee/worker groups
  • ÌýConsumer research and focus groups
  • ÌýEmployee opinion surveys and focus groups
  • ÌýConsumer information and campaigns, such as on the health risks of our products and youth access prevention