Diversity, Equity and Inclusion:
As members of PhRMA, we believe improving human life means celebrating human diversity
Diversity Strategy
Astellas is working to promote diversity so that diverse individuals can play a role, irrespective of their identity. Respecting the diverse values of our employees and reflecting their various perspectives in our business activities not only heightens creativity in our organization, but also helps to attract and retain talented people as employees and enhances our competitiveness.
Celebrating Black History Month with the African American Employee Impact Group
At Astellas, raising awareness among employees of the many contributions of Black Americans to history and culture is a top priority for Black History Month in partnership with our African American Employee Impact Group (AAEIG). Among the AAEIG’s activities for this year’s Black History Month celebration is the Brown Bag Series, a series of lunch break conversations featuring Astellas leadership and external speakers that examines historic facts and current affairs to inform the future, including focusing on mental and financial wellness. In addition to Black History Month, the AAEIG puts on programming year-round, including driving regular conversations about how diversity is addressed across teams at Astellas, particularly at leadership levels.
Diversity in Action: Disabilities
The Astellas workplace environment is well equipped to accommodate employees with disabilities. Aside from establishing the Green Supply Support Office, Astellas employs the usage of speech-to-text applications to support employees with hearing impairments. We have also taken part in the Accessibility Consortium of Enterprises (ACE).
Environmental Sustainability:
As members of PhRMA, we believe a healthy environment is essential for improving human life
Environmental Action Plan
Our Environmental Action Plan sets out short-term and medium-term targets for our activities regarding the key points of the Astellas Environment, Health & Safety Guidelines.
Climate Change Measures
Astellas has adopted the method for setting reduction targets recommended by the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi). This method is designed to achieve the 2°C target of the Paris Agreement, which entered into force in 2016.
• Reduce GHG emissions (Scope 1 + Scope 2) by 30% by fiscal 2030 (Base year: fiscal 2015) (Emissions in the base year: 202 kilotons)
• Reduce GHG emissions (Scope 3) by 20% per unit of revenue by fiscal 2030 (Base year: fiscal 2015)
Using Renewable Energy
The use of renewable energy is one of the most effective climate change countermeasures. Astellas is introducing photovoltaic panels and wind power generation, and such equipment as biomass boilers, and purchases electricity derived from renewable energy sources to reduce GHG emissions. We will continue to strive expanding the use of renewable energies in the future.
Access & Affordability:
As members of PhRMA, we believe that living our mission of improving human life relies on broad access to medicines
Access to Health of Astellas
Astellas continues to contribute to the health of patients by researching, developing, and delivering innovative healthcare solutions to address diseases with high unmet medical needs.
(1) Providing VALUE based on science
For patients who are unable to receive appropriate medical care for socioeconomic reasons, we have established a comprehensive Access to Medicine mechanism to enhance the availability of Astellas therapies while taking into consideration the situation and regulations in each country.
(2) Access to Medicines
In addition, Astellas is tackling more diverse issues of Access to Health by collaborating with and supporting the activities of external partners while leveraging our capabilities and technologies.
(3) Collaboration and support for the activities implemented by external partners to improve Access to Health.
Patient Access and Affordability for Astellas Medications in the U.S.
Improving access to medicines requires investment at all stages of the product lifecycle, from early planning and discovery through to clinical research, development and ultimately bringing the therapy to market. We are working to ensure our end-to-end access to medicines strategy influences where we are delivering our therapies.
Astellas Pharma Support Solutions
Astellas Pharma Support Solutions offers access and reimbursement services to help patients and their healthcare providers overcome challenges to accessing Astellas products. The program provides information regarding patient healthcare coverage options and financial assistance programs to help patients with financial needs.
Astellas Pharma Support Solutions is designed as a single point of contact to help patients understand their coverage and reimbursement options when they are prescribed an Astellas medication.
The resource also may assist healthcare providers with navigating a patient’s insurance access and affordability issues through support with Benefits Verification, Prior Authorization, Billing and Coding, Forms and Documents, and patient financial assistance options.
Early Access to Investigational Therapy
As described in our Position on Early Access and Post-Trial Access to Investigational Therapy, Astellas believes the safest and most effective way of providing access to the company's investigational therapies is through enrollment in its ongoing clinical trials.
Astellas also recognizes the importance of utilizing the applicable regulatory and legal pathways for providing access to our investigational therapies when patients with life-threatening diseases have exhausted all available treatment options and are not eligible for clinical trials.
For ongoing clinical trials sponsored by Astellas with investigational therapies currently in development, please visit https://clinicaltrials.gov/.
The Flying Star Fund
The Flying Star Fund, established in 1996 by Astellas’ employee volunteers, is a Matching Gift program which matches employee donations made throughout the year. Through the Flying Star Fund, Astellas provides donations of wheelchair-accessible vans to welfare facilities and nonprofit organizations for children with intractable diseases.
Community Engagement
Employee Contributions to the Local Community
Astellas encourages group employees around the world to conduct a diverse range of volunteer activities that promote healthcare and maintain the environment as part of Changing Tomorrow Day. In the year ended March 2022, Astellas developed a variety of activities to address the community's needs while utilizing new formats such as online volunteering. More than 35,900 Astellas group employees participated in Changing Tomorrow Day 2021.