Chances are that the work of this Shining Light Company has made a difference in your life or that of someone you love. This company is successfully contributing to the battle against disease by developing innovative treatments, while always putting the patient first.
Celgene Corporation (Nasdaq: CELG) is a global biotech company based in Summit, NJ. The company was founded in 1986 by David Stirling, Ph.D. and Sol Barer, Ph.D. on the principles of honesty, integrity, and accountability. With a presence in more than 50 countries worldwide, Celgene works to impact the lives of patients with limited treatment options suffering from cancer and immune-inflammatory related diseases. Through discovery, development, and commercialization of innovative therapies designed to treat these diseases, they are able to offer patients options that can enhance their quality of life. There are currently hundreds of clinical trials at major medical centers evaluating Celgene’s therapies. Sixty percent of every dollar spent at Celgene is dedicated to product development. By concentrating heavily on research and development, Celgene’s hope is to turn some of the most formidable disease challenges of the 21st century into manageable conditions.
Celgene’s five pillars of Corporate Responsibility are Patients and Communities, Commitment to Safety, Governance, Global Health, and Environment and Sustainability. These pillars define who they are and help them continue to provide opportunities for patients, partners, employees, and the planet. Celgene is focused on a singular mission of improving the lives of patients worldwide. In order to fulfill that promise, they know they must instill trust through their words and actions. Because of this promise, compliance and corporate governance policies are taken very seriously. The compliance culture at Celgene is built on integrity, ethics, sound decision making, and behaviors that reflect their values and commitment to patients.
Celgene’s purpose always includes putting their patients first. According to Executive Chairman Robert Hugin, “Every employee’s best work is supported and celebrated for the impact it has on patient lives. You don’t need to meet many cancer patients to understand the urgency of setting bold goals.” Sometimes that is risky business where failure turns into a learning experience. This boldness, creativity, and bravery is encouraged and supported from the top down. Celgene’s Patient Support in Berkeley Heights, NJ helps patients understand their health insurance, offers financial assistance for copays to those who qualify, and provides access to medications for the uninsured or underinsured. Since 2007, their support has helped more than 46,000 patients get the information and support they need. What could be more rewarding than using your expertise each day to help patients fight cancer? Employees have the opportunity to regularly interact with the patients who rely on the company’s therapies to improve and sustain their lives, which helps develop a sense of purpose in their work. Celgene holds their employees’ work to the highest of standards—quality, scientific, and ethical. There is a shared belief that what they do matters greatly to the world.
Celgene employees also give back to their communities off the clock. One employee with a friend in need of a bone marrow transplant established a bone marrow registry within a couple weeks. Their community engagement and support revolves around patient-focused programs such the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network’s Purple Strides Campaign and the National Psoriasis Foundation Walks. Last year, employees exceeded their fundraising goal for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Light The Night event by 247 percent. They’ve also run collections for breast cancer research and have donated money for tsunami relief efforts. Science education is also supported through scholarships and fellowships with the goal of helping develop the next generation of innovators.
Dedication to their community was evident following Hurricane Sandy, which devastated much of the east coast, including parts of New Jersey, surrounding the Celgene Summit headquarters. Hundreds of Celgene employees worked to maintain continuity of services to patients, even while their own homes were damaged and their families were without electricity. They put their patients first, both locally and worldwide, by ensuring that they did not have a disruption in their access to critical therapies.
Celgene has been recognized for their workplace, industry, and community involvement through many awards such as Fortune 500’s Fastest Growing Pharmaceutical Companies and Business Insider: 30 Most Meaningful Companies to Work for in America.
Passion, innovation, and courage are all words used to describe Celgene at its core. They hold their work to the highest of standards, and although their journey to success included unexpected roadblocks, their people converted those obstacles into opportunities, which helped pave the way for triumph. For that, we are honored to feature Celgene as a Shining Light Company!
DISCLOSURE: Shining Light Companies are exemplary companies who live out the Golden Rule in their business practices, demonstrate strong servant leadership and create compelling value through the products and services they offer. This is intended for general information purposes concerning only the values, corporate culture and business practices of the companies being spotlighted. It DOES NOT incorporate any analysis of the companies’ investment merit based on intrinsic value, fundamental analysis, etc. This must not be construed as investment advice or a buy/sell recommendation. These companies may or may not be included in our LightPoint Portfolios at any given time.