Responsibility

Ethical operations

We’re constantly reviewing patients’ medical needs, developing our products directly in response to these. As well as using the latest science and research insights, we establish relationships of trust with local communities to immerse ourselves in their everyday ophthalmological healthcare needs. We work hard to ensure there’s a stable supply of treatments available to meet patients’ needs.

We respect human rights in all our business activities and seek to contribute to a prejudice-free society. Through our membership of the United Nations Global Compact (UNCG) we practise the ten key principles in human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. That includes giving our employees the best opportunities to develop and offering a safe and comfortable working environment. We work towards the highest professional standards of fair practice in working with our business partners and strive to minimise incidents of non-compliance.

Environmental conservation matters to us. We reduce our environmental impact through global warming countermeasures, managing our use of chemicals, reducing waste and working to maintain biodiversity.  

Charity and corporate giving

Worldwide, we support: 

• the International Council of Ophthalmology (ICO) Foundation’s “teaching the teachers” work training ophthalmologists in developing countries

• support the Glaucoma Research Foundation, the European Glaucoma Society (training course for residents) and the Eye Foundation (Stiftung Auge) of the German Ophthalmological Society (several programmes to improve patients’ health)

• organisations, including Helen Keller International, which work in developing countries to improve eye care and blindness prevention

• Help International, a non-profit medical aid organisation working in Guatemala
  research institutions including universities, academic societies and specialist research groups as well as not-for-profit organisations such as the Glaucoma Research Society

• corneal transplant programmes

• guide dog development programmes

• activity support groups for the visually impaired

• sports programmes for people with visual impairments, including partnering with the NPO Japan Blind Football Association and Blind Tennis Association Poland

• awareness-raising activities for early detection of glaucoma, through the World Glaucoma Association and World Glaucoma Patients Association

• disaster assistance in communities including Italian earthquake victims during 2018 Santen has been supporting OneDollarGlasses through our 10,000 Hours volunteering programme.