{"id":29606,"date":"2020-10-23T11:09:29","date_gmt":"2020-10-23T09:09:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/?p=29606"},"modified":"2021-07-27T13:42:30","modified_gmt":"2021-07-27T11:42:30","slug":"insights-andre-hoffmann","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/insights-andre-hoffmann\/","title":{"rendered":"“We Need to Introduce Sustainability into the Way That We Do Business” – Andr\u00e9 Hoffmann, Vice Chairman of Hoffmann-La Roche"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

Learning\u00a0From\u00a0Leaders, EU Business School\u2019s flagship series of exclusive conferences\u00a0by top global business leaders, introduces students, alumni and guests to insights from some of the most influential global business leaders. After\u00a0a packed spring season featuring leaders from Google, Starbucks, LVHM Group,\u00a0Four Seasons\u00a0and more,\u00a0followed by\u00a0a short summer break, the\u00a0fall season\u00a0kicked off\u00a0with\u00a0an inspiring interview with\u00a0Andr\u00e9 Hoffmann, Vice\u00a0Chairman of Hoffmann-La Roche.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Founded in 1896 by Andr\u00e9 Hoffmann\u2019s great grandfather, Hoffmann-La Roche<\/a> is now the\u00a0world\u2019s\u00a0largest\u00a0biotech\u00a0company<\/a>, with over 90,000\u00a0employees\u00a0and a presence in\u00a0more than\u00a0150 countries. The company has two main areas of focus; diagnostics, which accounts for about 20% of turnover,\u00a0and\u00a0pharmaceuticals.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

In\u00a0the conference\u00a0with Peter Vanham, author of \u201cBefore I Was CEO,\u201d Andr\u00e9\u00a0discussed his career and\u00a0shared his personal\u00a0business\u00a0philosophy, drawing\u00a0lessons from the natural world to\u00a0foster\u00a0a\u00a0sustainable, conscious\u00a0approach to\u00a0capitalism.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Here we\u2019ve highlighted some of the key insights Andr\u00e9 shared\u00a0at this illuminating virtual event.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Epidemic\u00a0Preparedness\u00a0to\u00a0Ensure\u00a0Business Continuity<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

It\u00a0was clear to Hoffmann-La Roche that an epidemic\u00a0would occur;\u00a0it was just a matter of\u00a0time.\u00a0The global community\u00a0had\u00a0successfully averted\u00a0six\u00a0crises\u00a0over the past ten years\u00a0that could have\u00a0followed\u00a0outbreaks\u00a0of\u00a0diseases\u00a0including\u00a0malaria, dengue fever\u00a0and\u00a0SARS 1.\u00a0To the company, it was inevitable\u00a0that\u00a0a virus\u00a0would arise that would\u00a0be\u00a0more challenging to control.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

For this\u00a0reason,\u00a0the\u00a0Hoffmann-La Roche\u00a0board\u00a0already\u00a0had\u00a0a comprehensive\u00a0epidemic\u00a0preparedness\u00a0plan\u00a0in place.\u00a0When\u00a0the coronavirus began to spread,\u00a0work\u00a0was\u00a0immediately\u00a0shifted\u00a0online\u00a0and\u00a0business\u00a0discontinuity\u00a0was\u00a0successfully avoided.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

As\u00a0many\u00a0other\u00a0guests who\u2019ve contributed to the Learning\u00a0From\u00a0Leaders<\/a> series\u00a0have attested,\u00a0it\u2019s essential for\u00a0all\u00a0business\u00a0leaders\u00a0to be\u00a0prepared\u00a0with a crisis plan\u00a0in order to\u00a0safeguard\u00a0their company\u00a0and stakeholders.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Contributing<\/strong>\u00a0to<\/strong>\u00a0the<\/strong>\u00a0COVID-19\u00a0<\/strong>Effort<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

As\u00a0a leader\u00a0of a large and influential pharmaceuticals\u00a0and diagnostics\u00a0company, Mr. Hoffmann had useful insights to share around the coronavirus pandemic.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

As soon as the Chinese authorities published the genetic code of the novel coronavirus\u00a0in February, Hoffmann-La Roche started\u00a0developing\u00a0tests\u00a0to\u00a0identify the virus<\/strong>.\u00a0Since then they\u2019ve developed three different tests: the PCR test,\u00a0the\u00a0first\u00a0specific test for COVID-19\u00a0which\u00a0detects if someone\u00a0is carrying\u00a0the virus; the\u00a0antibody test which is a blood test\u00a0that\u00a0shows if someone\u00a0has been exposed to the virus; and\u00a0finally,\u00a0the\u00a0antigen\u00a0test\u00a0with a 97% certainty\u00a0which diagnoses\u00a0whether\u00a0you\u2019ve had the virus\u00a0or not\u00a0with results\u00a0in\u00a015 minutes\u00a0and\u00a0without the need for complex machinery.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Having\u00a0developed these pioneering tests,\u00a0Hoffmann-La Roche\u00a0became\u00a0unavoidably entangled in the\u00a0global\u00a0political issue of\u00a0which countries should get first access to\u00a0their solutions.\u00a0Reflecting on the\u00a0experience, Andr\u00e9 spoke about how essential international bodies\u00a0such as the WHO\u00a0are.\u00a0It is his belief that\u00a0the\u00a0allocation of resources and the\u00a0distribution\u00a0of goods across\u00a0international borders should be\u00a0controlled\u00a0by an international body. As a private company, Hoffmann-La Roche could\u00a0only do their best\u00a0to navigate the\u00a0incredibly\u00a0complex\u00a0and pressured\u00a0situation.\u00a0They were\u00a0approached by\u00a0a number of\u00a0countries who, undermining the recommendations of the WHO, tried to buy\u00a0the entire\u00a0production to stockpile tests for their populations. Hoffmann-La Roche\u00a0refused\u00a0and\u00a0devised a plan to distribute tests\u00a0fairly. First and\u00a0foremost,\u00a0this had to be based on selling tests to countries equipped with the machinery needed to use them.\u00a0It was also a question of negotiation,\u00a0of\u00a0balancing international interests, and\u00a0of\u00a0explaining\u00a0to powerful leaders\u00a0that\u00a0treating\u00a0the virus at its source\u00a0is\u00a0the most effective strategy\u00a0to protect citizens around the world, rather than focusing on testing at\u00a0borders\u00a0to slow the spread.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Hoffmann-La Roche\u00a0re-organized their workforce to\u00a0increase\u00a0capacity\u00a0by\u00a070,\u00a0and\u00a0are now\u00a0able to\u00a0manufacture\u00a0a couple of million PCR tests,\u00a0as well as\u00a0an incredible\u00a015-20 million\u00a0of the simpler-to-make\u00a0antigen\u00a0tests,\u00a0per month. This is\u00a0starting\u00a0to make a dent in the huge numbers\u00a0of tests\u00a0that\u00a0will be\u00a0needed. Thankfully,\u00a0this effort is being matched by other pharmaceutical companies around the world.\u00a0Andr\u00e9\u00a0highlighted\u00a0how brilliant\u00a0the unprecedented collaboration between governments, pharmaceutical companies and research organizations\u00a0has been. Working together has enabled\u00a0the rapid progress\u00a0being made in testing, treating and developing a vaccine\u00a0for\u00a0COVID-19<\/strong>.\u00a0However, we are still not at\u00a0the\u00a0capacity needed to be able\u00a0to\u00a0test the population\u00a0systematically.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Mr.\u00a0Hoffman does not\u00a0believe\u00a0it likely\u00a0that\u00a0a vaccine\u00a0will be\u00a0released before the end of the year.\u00a0Once a vaccine has been approved,\u00a0it must be\u00a0manufactured in\u00a0enormous\u00a0quantities,\u00a0and then\u00a0delivered\u00a0and administered\u00a0to the right people at the right time.\u00a0And although\u00a0this process is\u00a0moving forward\u00a0as fast as possible, it is\u00a0still going to be\u00a0complex\u00a0and\u00a0time-consuming.\u00a0The\u00a0other\u00a0option,\u00a0herd immunity,\u00a0is still a long way off.\u00a0For\u00a0that approach to be effective,\u00a080-90% of the global community\u00a0must\u00a0be infected,\u00a0and\u00a0this figure\u00a0has\u00a0not\u00a0yet\u00a0reached even\u00a010%.\u00a0Despite these facts, Mr. Hoffmann\u00a0quoted Desmond Tutu: \u201cI am a prisoner of hope.\u201d And with his\u00a0industry\u00a0insight and expertise, if\u00a0Andr\u00e9\u00a0has hope, we can all hope too.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

What\u00a0COVID-19\u00a0Can Teach Us<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\u201cFifty\u00a0years ago,\u00a0the idea of protecting nature was a nice concept, but today we are realizing\u00a0more and more\u00a0that it is an integral part of the system.\u00a0Humanity will not survive very long\u00a0in\u00a0non-functioning nature, and the coronavirus is a very good example of that. Disease\u00a0would\u00a0not\u00a0have\u00a0spread\u00a0to\u00a0a\u00a0healthy, functioning\u00a0humanity.\u201d\u00a0Viruses,\u00a0Andr\u00e9\u00a0explained, do not spread in healthy, functioning societies. The extent to which coronavirus has spread and its devastating impact globally\u00a0are\u00a0symptoms\u00a0of the arrogance humans have displayed in acting as masters of the\u00a0planet.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Zoonoses are infectious diseases that pass from animals\u00a0into humans.\u00a0The leading theory on the origin of coronavirus is\u00a0that it started in bats, and then\u00a0was passed\u00a0via a\u00a0live animal market\u00a0to humans.\u00a0Mr. Hoffmann\u00a0explained\u00a0that viruses of this kind circulate all the time in the animal kingdom, where\u00a0resistance\u00a0has been built up over time. The rapid expansion of human civilization into all corners of the planet has exposed our species to\u00a0diseases which\u00a0we\u2019ve never encountered before<\/strong>. In much the same way\u00a0as\u00a0native Americans died when\u00a0settlers\u00a0from abroad\u00a0brought\u00a0foreign illnesses into their lands, the foreign illnesses of the animal world are leaking into ours\u00a0faster than we can develop resistance.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\u201cWe need to be\u00a0much\u00a0more\u00a0humble,\u201d\u00a0Mr. Hoffman told the audience. Having acted for a very long time as\u00a0alpha predators\u00a0with nothing\u00a0to hunt us, the impact of the coronavirus\u00a0should\u00a0remind us that\u00a0humans\u00a0are not\u00a0invincible.\u00a0We need to\u00a0build a\u00a0complex global system\u00a0to\u00a0provide resilience in the future\u00a0and,\u00a0for this,\u00a0collaboration across sectors and countries will be key.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Data and\u00a0<\/strong>a<\/strong>\u00a0Digital Future<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Reinventing\u00a0global\u00a0systems will be essential\u00a0if we hope\u00a0to manage the various challenges facing humanity, including climate change, loss of nature,\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0psychological\u00a0as well as economic effects\u00a0of the pandemic.\u00a0This\u00a0is\u00a0where Mr. Hoffmann believes data will become fundamental.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

With recent developments in artificial intelligence,\u00a0we are now more capable that we\u2019ve ever been of making use of the vast quantities of data\u00a0we\u00a0produce<\/strong>.\u00a0In the pharmaceutical industry, this will support work in the clinic identifying diseases and knowing\u00a0how best to treat them. In healthcare more broadly, data can show us where the system is\u00a0ineffective,\u00a0so that better solutions can be brought in. Mr. Hoffmann\u00a0also remarked that,\u00a0\u201cThe current\u00a0model\u00a0of pharmaceuticals\u00a0is based on expensive pathology for people who can afford to pay [\u2026]\u00a0so\u00a0we need to understand how\u00a0we can\u00a0prevent\u00a0disease now, much more than how we can cure it.\u201d \u00a0Careful data management, he believes, is the best way to achieve this.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Consequently,\u00a0Hoffmann-La Roche have\u00a0changed\u00a0their business model\u00a0and\u00a0are\u00a0now\u00a0investing heavily in data,\u00a0both\u00a0medical\u00a0and sociological,\u00a0to\u00a0develop\u00a0a\u00a0clearer\u00a0understanding of how\u00a0to\u00a0positively influence the health ecosystem.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=vb6yrrSU_VU<\/div>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

A<\/strong>\u00a0Sustainable<\/strong>\u00a0Approach\u00a0<\/strong>T<\/strong>o<\/strong>\u00a0Business<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

As a child,\u00a0Mr. Hoffmann\u00a0spent\u00a0a considerable amount of time in the nature\u00a0reserve near his home\u00a0in the Camargue, in southern France. His father was\u00a0an ecologist,\u00a0so\u00a0it was\u00a0perhaps inevitable\u00a0Andr\u00e9\u00a0would\u00a0develop\u00a0an interest in the natural\u00a0world.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Throughout his professional life,\u00a0Mr. Hoffmann\u00a0has\u00a0drawn insights from nature and from his experiences in organizations such as the WWF and the MAVA Foundation\u00a0to inform his approach to business.\u00a0\u201cThe reason\u00a0that\u00a0natural, social and human systems are under pressure is that we are demanding too much from them,\u201d he explained;\u00a0\u201cthe business community\u00a0has\u00a0to step up.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Mr. Hoffmann\u00a0does not subscribe to the Milton Friedman doctrine that the\u00a0business of business is business. In other words, that the only purpose of business is to make profit. This approach suggests\u00a0that onus of repairing the\u00a0collateral\u00a0damage\u00a0caused by\u00a0business\u00a0is\u00a0on society.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Conversely, Andr\u00e9 believes that:\u00a0\u201cWe need to introduce sustainability into the way that we do business<\/a>.\u00a0The role of business is not just to make money. The role of business is to be a net contributor to society.\u201d\u00a0However, the way in which we assess\u00a0the\u00a0value of\u00a0companies\u00a0is\u00a0financial, so\u00a0to get the\u00a0corporate\u00a0world to sit up\u00a0and take notice of the damage being\u00a0done\u00a0to\u00a0the planet, the social and\u00a0environmental\u00a0impact of a\u00a0business\u00a0needs to be\u00a0ascribed a monetary value\u00a0and recorded in\u00a0its\u00a0accounts.\u00a0As Mr. Hoffmann said:\u00a0\u201cWhat gets measured gets managed.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

A Career in\u00a0<\/strong>Pharmaceuticals and\u00a0<\/strong>the Natural World<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

For much of his career,\u00a0Mr. Hoffmann has straddled two worlds that many\u00a0people\u00a0think completely incompatible: big business and environmental charities<\/strong>.\u00a0Alongside his role at Hoffmann-La Roche,\u00a0Andr\u00e9\u00a0spent 20 years on the International Board of Directors at WWF\u00a0and\u00a0is involved in numerous other\u00a0organizations\u00a0that drive forward sustainability and see business as a force for good.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

After\u00a0obtaining\u00a0a degree in economics,\u00a0chosen so he could\u00a0gain\u00a0the\u00a0business\u00a0understanding needed\u00a0to\u00a0contribute to\u00a0the\u00a0family\u00a0business,\u00a0Andr\u00e9\u00a0became director\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0research institute\u00a0his father established on the Camargue.\u00a0The director had\u00a0suddenly\u00a0fallen\u00a0ill\u00a0and they needed a\u00a0replacement. Although he\u00a0thought\u00a0it would be just for a couple of months, he remained there for two years.\u00a0This is a lesson, he said:\u00a0\u201cYou need to be opportunistic, if something develops in front of you, go, don\u2019t think about it too hard.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

At the time, the difference between working in a for-profit and non-profit organization was much more pronounced, and so\u00a0Andr\u00e9\u00a0followed this with a move to\u00a0work in the city London\u00a0for\u00a0a financial firm. As\u00a0he put it,\u00a0\u201cIf you really want to change the system, you need to be where it is, and it is more in the financial\u00a0community\u00a0than in the\u00a0ornithologist community in the Camargue.\u201d\u00a0In the City of London,\u00a0he found no comprehension of the interconnectedness of business and nature. Instead,\u00a0nature was \u201cout there\u201d,\u00a0not\u00a0in the board room,\u00a0and\u00a0it\u00a0was the duty of others to look after it.\u00a0\u201cI think that perception, that humanity or any type of business cannot exist without nature, is slowly sinking in,\u201d he said, but at the time the common opinion was: \u201cLet us make money, and then we will give money to charity who will look after nature,\u201d\u00a0which\u00a0was\u00a0completely\u00a0contrary to\u00a0Andr\u00e9\u2019s\u00a0own\u00a0understanding.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

While in London he\u00a0started\u00a0his own business,\u00a0spurred on by\u00a0an important principle:\u00a0\u201cIf you want to change the way things are done, you can wait for the regulators to do it, you can wait for social pressure to do it, or you can start an initiative which,\u00a0by demonstrating the viability of your idea, can help speed up the process.\u201d\u00a0At the time, no one in the city was recycling wine bottles.\u00a0Andr\u00e9\u00a0saw an\u00a0opportunity\u00a0and was\u00a0inspired to do something.\u00a0Unfortunately,\u00a0the business folded\u00a0as\u00a0the UK was importing wine in green bottles and exporting whisky in clear bottles;\u00a0they\u00a0couldn\u2019t\u00a0find enough customers to take\u00a0and reuse\u00a0their recycled wine bottles.\u00a0However, Mr. Hoffmann\u00a0still believes in\u00a0this approach:\u00a0\u201cUsing the power of entrepreneurship\u00a0to address\u00a0certain pockets of inefficiency in the way we run our resources, I think that is\u00a0a very important way of changing the system, you are actually creating a business opportunity out of a societal need.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Mr. Hoffmann\u00a0returned to France\u00a0to study an\u00a0MBA at INSEAD,\u00a0where he collaborated with another student to start and then sell the very successful New Covent Garden Soup company. He then worked at FMCG giant Nestl\u00e9\u00a0before\u00a0joining the board of Hoffmann-La Roche at the same time as his cousin. Together,\u00a0they\u00a0worked to establish a sustainability and governance committee,\u00a0making Hoffmann-La Roche\u00a0among\u00a0the first\u00a0big Swiss\u00a0companies\u00a0to do so.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Sustainability and\u00a0<\/strong>Values-Driven<\/strong>\u00a0Capitalism<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Mr. Hoffman is a firm believer that within a company you should be able to live your values.\u00a0Having established the sustainability committee,\u00a0signaling\u00a0to the rest of the company\u00a0that\u00a0these\u00a0issues\u00a0mattered,\u00a0Andr\u00e9\u00a0subscribed\u00a0Hoffmann-La Roche\u00a0to the\u00a0Dow Jones\u00a0Sustainability Index<\/a>. This became an important way to push the\u00a0sustainability\u00a0agenda\u00a0forwards.\u00a0His strategy worked:\u00a0Hoffmann-La Roche remained pharmaceuticals sustainability champions\u00a0for ten consecutive years, at which point sustainability had stopped being\u00a0an additional consideration and had become simply the way things were done, an\u00a0embedded and\u00a0integral part of the\u00a0decision-making\u00a0process.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\"Andr\u00e9<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Hoffmann-La Roche does not have a sustainability department. As\u00a0Andr\u00e9\u00a0said:\u00a0\u201cYou don\u2019t do sustainability on top of what you do. If you don\u2019t\u00a0act\u00a0sustainably,\u00a0all the things you do will\u00a0not work.\u201d\u00a0When asked by an insightful student about the challenges of operating in other countries where sustainability is not\u00a0considered\u00a0such an important issue, Mr. Hoffmann answered:\u00a0\u201cWhen I was at business school I was told, if you want to be successful,\u00a0you need to think internationally and act locally. That is not true anymore.\u00a0You cannot treat\u00a0people\u00a0differently; we are in a completely\u00a0interconnected\u00a0world. Whenever something happens in the field or in an office it is instantly global. So,\u00a0the idea of saying there are two types of standards,\u00a0the standards you have in developing countries and the standards you have\u00a0in developed countries, that\u2019s dead, that\u2019s not possible. Nobody will\u00a0tolerate us misbehaving in\u00a0a different\u00a0country.\u201d\u00a0Instead, he believes that\u00a0\u201cBusiness is a force for good\u00a0[\u2026]\u00a0Business is not just there to make a profit, it is there to spread a certain way of doing business and to spread\u00a0values.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

At Hoffmann-La Roche,\u00a0Andr\u00e9\u00a0has been able to realize his belief in stakeholder capitalism,\u00a0generating wellbeing and prosperity for\u00a0the\u00a0wider stakeholders\u00a0in the business, not just\u00a0creating\u00a0profit\u00a0for\u00a0shareholders, despite\u00a0being a shareholder\u00a0himself.\u00a0First, he said: \u201cThe\u00a0purpose of a company\u00a0is to serve a community.\u00a0In our case,\u00a0we are serving the patient and the patient needs new ideas that will help them get back to health.\u201d\u00a0Second,\u00a0Mr. Hoffmann reminded the audience\u00a0that the\u00a0Latin\u00a0root\u00a0of the word \u2018company\u2019\u00a0is\u00a0companio<\/em>:\u00a0\u201cThese are people you\u00a0eat bread with, work with, have a community of interest with. \u201d\u00a0And third:\u00a0\u201cShareholders are not the owners of the business, that is a simple\u00a0legal\u00a0consideration that does not reflect the reality. We exist because we are supported by a quantity of people who are much more important than the legal owner of a\u00a0part\u00a0of the business.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\u201cIf you want to address the systemic changes needed for a better society, a better rebuild as we are doing at the moment, you need to get rid of this\u00a0notion of\u00a0short-term\u00a0profit maximization and ownership,\u201d\u00a0he said.\u00a0It\u2019s essential for a company to make profit, otherwise it becomes a part of the problem rather than a part of the solution,\u00a0but their focus should be on developing\u00a0innovative\u00a0solutions which can be brought to market,\u00a0for which the market\u00a0will pay\u00a0the company back.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

These values informed\u00a0Hoffmann-La Roche\u2019s response to the crisis. Rather than hiking\u00a0up\u00a0the prices of the tests they\u2019ve developed, which given the worldwide demand they could easily have done, they kept prices fair and worked hard on a strategy to increase production and distribute supplies fairly<\/strong>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Andr\u00e9\u00a0closed the\u00a0conversation\u00a0with\u00a0a\u00a0quote from\u00a0former CEO of PepsiCo,\u00a0Indra Nooyi, that encapsulates his business philosophy:\u00a0\u201cThe blind pursuit of profit at all costs is untenable. It is essential that we make money the right way. After all, if communities suffer as a result of a company\u2019s actions, those returns are not sustainable.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Learn\u00a0<\/strong>T<\/strong>o\u00a0Lead\u00a0<\/strong>t<\/strong>he Right Way<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

At EU Business School, we are teaching the next generation of business leaders. If you are interested in gaining a business education that will prepare you to build a better future, explore\u00a0our wide range of programs, from\u00a0Bachelor\u2019s\u00a0to MBA level.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Hoffmann-La Roche produce drugs that treat chronic diseases, which makes maintaining business continuity essential; the company ensures that people who need lifesaving medications can access them.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\"eu<\/a><\/figure>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Learning\u00a0From\u00a0Leaders, EU Business School\u2019s flagship series of exclusive conferences\u00a0by top global business leaders, introduces students, alumni and guests to insights from some of the most influential global business leaders. After\u00a0a packed spring season featuring leaders from Google, Starbucks, LVHM Group,\u00a0Four Seasons\u00a0and more,\u00a0followed by\u00a0a short summer break, the\u00a0fall season\u00a0kicked off\u00a0with\u00a0an inspiring interview with\u00a0Andr\u00e9 Hoffmann, Vice\u00a0Chairman of Hoffmann-La Roche.\u00a0 Founded in 1896 by Andr\u00e9 Hoffmann\u2019s great grandfather, Hoffmann-La Roche is now the\u00a0world\u2019s\u00a0largest\u00a0biotech\u00a0company, with over 90,000\u00a0employees\u00a0and a presence in\u00a0more than\u00a0150 countries. The company has two main areas of focus; diagnostics, which accounts for about 20% of turnover,\u00a0and\u00a0pharmaceuticals.\u00a0\u00a0 In\u00a0the conference\u00a0with Peter Vanham, author of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":29609,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1773,1777,1769],"tags":[629,1407,658,705],"class_list":["post-29606","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-eu-business-school-community","category-eu-business-school-guest-speakers","category-learning-from-leaders","tag-entrepreneurship","tag-environmental-management","tag-learning-from-leaders","tag-sustainability","post--single"],"yoast_head":"\r\nInsights from Andr\u00e9 Hoffmann, Vice Chairman of Hoffmann-La Roche<\/title>\r\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"In this inspiring interview with\u00a0Andr\u00e9 Hoffmann, Vice\u00a0Chairman of Hoffmann-La Roche, discussed his career and shared his personal business philosophy.\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\r\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/insights-andre-hoffmann\/\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"EU Business School\" \/>\r\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.euruni.edu\\\/blog\\\/insights-andre-hoffmann\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"EU Blog\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.euruni.edu\\\/blog\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"EU Community\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.euruni.edu\\\/blog\\\/category\\\/eu-business-school-community\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Learning From Leaders\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.euruni.edu\\\/blog\\\/category\\\/eu-business-school-community\\\/learning-from-leaders\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":4,\"name\":\"“We Need to Introduce Sustainability into the Way That We Do Business” – Andr\u00e9 Hoffmann, Vice Chairman of Hoffmann-La Roche\"}]}]}<\/script>\r\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Insights from Andr\u00e9 Hoffmann, Vice Chairman of Hoffmann-La Roche","description":"In this inspiring interview with\u00a0Andr\u00e9 Hoffmann, Vice\u00a0Chairman of Hoffmann-La Roche, discussed his career and shared his personal business philosophy.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/insights-andre-hoffmann\/","author":"EU Business School","schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/insights-andre-hoffmann\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"EU Blog","item":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"EU Community","item":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/category\/eu-business-school-community\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Learning From Leaders","item":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/category\/eu-business-school-community\/learning-from-leaders\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"“We Need to Introduce Sustainability into the Way That We Do Business” – Andr\u00e9 Hoffmann, Vice Chairman of Hoffmann-La Roche"}]}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29606","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29606"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29606\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":32086,"href":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29606\/revisions\/32086"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/29609"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29606"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29606"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29606"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}