Updated July 2009 --
In any health emergency, BD's responsibilities as a worldwide medical technology company take on a new emphasis, both for the public and for our employees. The health and safety of our employees requires constant vigilance both for their own sake and to ensure continuity in supply of critical medical products to meet global demand during an upsurge in flu cases. BD’s people have to remain healthy; our plants need to be operating to meet the increase in demand; and our delivery systems need to be able to shift supplies around the world to help manage outbreaks.
With the rapid spread of the flu, BD has taken, and continues to take, important steps to develop and implement localized emergency plans that protect our employees and continue to serve our customers around the world. Specifically, we are:
- Actively monitoring the recommendations of national and global health organizations (CDC, WHO) to ensure our plans are in accord and can change as needed depending on the pandemic status.
- Communicating company policies and guidelines regarding employee health, absenteeism, and travel to protect our employees during this emergency.
- Actively communicating with the U.S and other governments to understand and plan to meet their needs to provide critical medical supplies during the flu season.
- Continually monitoring global demand and BD production capacity.
Additionally, we have:
- Assessed our manufacturing and distribution capacities to keep critical processes going and ramped up our capabilities both regionally and globally in the face of potentially high levels of absenteeism.
- Initiated full global syringe and needle production capacity for flu-related products.
- Reviewed our entire supply chain (suppliers, manufacturing, distribution, customer service and human resources) to be prepared to implement plans that may be needed to allow us to continue providing products to customers and protecting employees.
- Built increased inventories of a number of critical products we believe will be in demand to help us respond more immediately during this period.
BD continues to monitor the flu situation daily, and we will update information regarding our response as appropriate.
