Compliance & Ethics

Quick Links

Anti-Corruption Compliance Program

Code of Conduct

Anti-Bribery Anti-Corruption Policy

Ethics Hotline

Gifts and Hospitality

Interactions with Healthcare Professionals

Interactions with Patients and Patient Advocacy Groups

Standards for Suppliers

Italy Model 231

 

Ethics and compliance are the foundation of our Company and are essential to our continued success. Our core values represent what we stand for and what we believe in – Patients First, Quality, Respect, and Empowerment and Accountability. Our overarching guiding principle We Care sits across each of these core values and is fundamental to who we are and what we do. We believe it is not just about the results we achieve but how we achieve them – by conducting business with honesty, integrity, and respect and maintaining the trust and confidence of our Customers, Patients, Suppliers, and Sites.

Anti-Corruption Compliance Program

We value our reputation and commitment to maintaining the highest level of ethical standards and we hold ourselves accountable to these standards. An important element of Parexel’s commitment to these standards is our Anti-Corruption Compliance Program which identifies, manages, and mitigates corruption risks. Parexel provides services globally in a highly regulated environment and requires our employees and third parties to understand and comply with all applicable laws, regulations, and codes. The compliance program is supported by training programs, third party due diligence, monitoring and auditing programs, and internal controls. In addition, we have implemented the following key policies and procedures to ensure that our employees, and those who work on our behalf, understand our responsibilities and expectations, and operate to the highest ethical standards.

Code of Conduct

At Parexel, compliance means maintaining high standards of conduct and business practices. Acting ethically is essential to achieving our Vision. Our Code of Conduct is a roadmap designed to guide employees and other Parexel representatives in conducting themselves with honesty and integrity in all actions on behalf of our organization. Our Code defines the principles, values, behavior, and standards that our organization considers significant and believes are fundamental to our successful operation. Ethical business conduct is a part of every employee’s job and each employee is responsible for understanding and complying with this Code. We never compromise our commitment to 'Doing Business with Integrity'.

Anti-Bribery Anti-Corruption Policy

An important element of Parexel’s commitment to ‘Doing Business with Integrity’ and high ethical standards is our policy that prohibits employees, or anyone acting on Parexel’s behalf, from providing a payment or benefit to any person or entity in order to improperly influence any government official or any private party to gain an unfair business advantage. Parexel has a zero tolerance for any form of bribery or corruption. Parexel expects the same dedication against corruption from the entities, consultants, and any persons acting on our behalf.

Ethics Hotline

Parexel is committed to providing a workplace conducive to open discussions of our business practices. Our Speak Up program encourages employees and third parties to ask questions and report possible misconduct any time they see or become aware of a suspected violation of laws, regulations, or company policies and procedures. All reported issues are thoroughly investigated in a timely manner. Confidentiality is strictly maintained, and anonymous reports are permitted. Retaliation is never tolerated. Where required under local laws, our Ethics Hotline may also be used to report Whistleblowing cases that meet the specific local criteria. A local country option is available in EthicsPoint for relevant countries.

Gifts and Hospitality

Gifts and hospitality are often used in the course of business as a means to build goodwill and strengthen working relationships. Giving and receiving appropriate gifts and hospitality can be part of building and strengthening normal business relationships. However, gifts or hospitality (including entertainment) may create a conflict of interest or illicit payment, or the perception of inappropriate business conduct. When giving or receiving a gift or hospitality, you should always consider how it will be perceived by others and act accordingly.

This Policy complements Parexel’s Anti-Bribery Anti-Corruption Policy, Interactions with Healthcare Professionals Unit Policy, and our Code of Conduct and plays an important part in demonstrating Parexel’s strong commitment to a positive ethical culture and avoidance of bribery and corruption.

Interactions with Healthcare Professionals

There are many laws, regulations, and Codes of Practice (i.e. PhRMA, ABPI, AdvaMed, etc.) that govern interactions with Healthcare Professionals (HCPs) to ensure that healthcare treatment decisions are not motivated by personal gain or enrichment. Our interactions with HCPs are intended to enhance knowledge and advance science and medicine, to the ultimate benefit of the patient. We have implemented the policy ‘Interactions with Healthcare Professionals’ to govern our business partnerships and relationships with physicians and other Healthcare Professionals (HCPs). We require that those who conduct business with HCPs, including those who do so on our behalf, to comply with all applicable laws, regulations, Codes, and our Policy “Interactions with Healthcare Professionals. HCP interaction rules may vary between our policy, customer policies, and local regulations. If a conflict occurs, the more restrictive requirements apply.

Interactions with Patients and Patient Advocacy Groups

Parexel is committed to conducting business in an ethical and professional manner consistent with applicable laws, regulations, and industry codes on the relationship between the pharmaceutical industry, patients and patient advocacy groups

Our interactions with patients and patient advocacy groups are intended to enhance our understanding of patient needs and to strengthen our patients first strategy. We have implemented the policy ‘Guideline on Interactions with Patients and Patient Advocacy Groups’ to govern our collaborations, partnerships, relationships and interactions with patients and patient advocacy groups.

We require those who conduct business with patients and/or patient advocacy groups, including those who do so on our behalf, to comply with our policy ‘Guideline on Interactions with Patients and Patient Advocacy Groups’

Patient and Patient Advocacy Groups’ interaction rules may vary between our policy, client policies and local regulations. If a conflict occurs, the more restrictive requirements apply.

Standards for Suppliers

Parexel believes that a strong relationship with our Suppliers is critical to ensuring our continued success. Parexel’s Supplier Code of Conduct (‘Supplier Code’) is the foundation of our relationship with our Suppliers, creating a mutual understanding of our Parexel’s core Values and beliefs and communicates our expectations to our Suppliers. This will ensure that anyone who works for us and our Customers shares our values and works to the highest ethical standards.

This Supplier Code establishes the principles and requirements for establishing and maintaining a business relationship with Parexel. Parexel expects all Suppliers, their employees, and sub-contractors to comply with the letter and spirit of all applicable laws, rules and regulations in the countries in which they operate, as well as the principles set out in our Supplier Code.

Thank you for supporting and maintaining the legacy of ethics and compliance we have created at Parexel. Together, we will continue to ‘Do Business with Integrity’.

Italy Model 231

The Legislative Decree 231 of 2001 introduced into Italian law the administrative liability of a company in relation to certain crimes indicated in the Decree (e.g., corruption, computer crimes, environmental crimes, manslaughter/injuries caused by violation of  health and safety rules at work, etc), committed by management or employees.

Under this decree companies are liable for certain crimes committed by directors, managers, or employees if they are in the interest or to the advantage of the company.  The company is not exempt from liability, even if the offender has not been identified. 
Parexel International S.r.l. (Parexel Italy) has therefore adopted an Organization, Management and Control Model (the "Model") pursuant to Legislative Decree 231/2001 with a resolution of the Board of Directors on 20th October 2022 

Parexel Italy has also set up an independent Supervisory Body, which supervises the functioning of the model, keeps it up to date and is the body responsible for receiving all reports concerning violations of the Model from Parexel Italy employees. The Supervisory Body can be contacted at odv.231 at parexel.com.  The Model is part of a broader corporate governance policy at Parexel and is in accordance with the Parexel Code of Conduct.

The aim of the Model is to create a structured system of guiding principles, operating procedures and other specific controls which are intended to prevent the commission of the crimes referenced in the Decree, by  identifying the activities of the company that are exposed to the risk of crime occurring and by mitigating such risks.   All Parexel Italy personnel as well as personnel whose roles  are involved with the potential risks identified with the company's activities receive training.

Parexel will update the Model when any of the following occur.

  • changes in our organizational structures or operating processes
  • legislative changes, or 
  • whenever it is necessary to improve the efficacy of the corporate control system.

Click on the links below to view the Model 231 document