Lupin strongly believes in the power of ‘right’: Shweta Munjal

In the last 10 years, PR has taken a different dimension, especially after the entry of social media and the rapid shift to digital during the pandemic period. At the same time, the industry has been facing stiff challenges, moreover client expectations have also increased, with more emphasis being given to digital and online reputation management. The industry has undergone a radical shift and the current times have pushed the industry to change gears.

In conversation with Adgully, Shweta Munjal, Vice President & Global Head - Corporate Communications & Sustainability at Lupin, speaks about Lupin’s dedication to transparency, how the firm is addressing concerns related to products and practices, CSR initiatives by Lupin, emerging trends and challenges in the pharmaceutical company, and more.

What measures does your company have in place to ensure transparency and accountability in its communications with the public and other stakeholders?

As a responsible corporate citizen, Lupin strongly believes in the power of ‘right’ — doing the right things, in the right manner. Our policies and processes ensure accountability to all stakeholders and enable the highest levels of governance. These principles are enshrined in our communication to all our stakeholders. Authenticity and Transparency underpins our communications. At Lupin, our communications are guided at all times by our promise of caring for our customers’ health and well-being.

Some of the key measures that Lupin has undertaken to ensure transparency and accountability in communications are as follows:

• Internal Communication: Our robust internal communication channels enable seamless dissemination of vital information and updates to our employees, fostering a culture of openness throughout the organisation.
• Compliance Training: We undertake comprehensive compliance training and awareness programs for our employees, thereby ensuring adherence to regulatory requirements in all our communications.
• Investor Relations: Our dedicated investor relations team ensures timely communication with the investment community, providing regular updates and financial performance reports along with statutory disclosures.
• External Audits: Independent firms conduct regular audits and reviews to validate our financial statements, ensuring compliance with accounting standards and reinforcing transparency in our reporting.
• Whistleblower Mechanism: We have established a robust and confidential reporting system that encourages employees and stakeholders to report any concerns or potential misconduct, to ensure prompt and swift action.
• Stakeholder Engagement: We actively engage with our stakeholders to take their feedback on factors that have a material impact on the business and the communities, and this helps us curate an effective communications strategy.

Lupin’s dedication to transparency, integrity, and accountability in our communications has helped strengthen trust and build lasting relationships with our stakeholders. Our commitment to these values ensures that we communicate with clarity, honesty, and responsibility.

How do you address concerns related to your company’s products or practices, and what steps do you take to maintain public trust?

State-of-the-art manufacturing facilities, industry-best environment, health and safety practices, and a strong emphasis on quality help us deliver quality-assured products to our customers around the world. Our investments in research, manufacturing and technology shape our vision of creating affordable, quality medicines that address unmet patient needs.

Through open channels and dedicated support teams, we promptly respond to customer queries pertaining to any of our products and provide accurate information. Our unwavering focus on transparency, accountability, and sustainability upholds our reputation as a trusted pharmaceutical company dedicated to the welfare of our customers and society.

How does your company approach communication with patients, healthcare providers, and regulators to ensure that everyone has accurate and up-to-date information about your products?

At Lupin, we communicate transparently with patients, healthcare providers, and regulators. We use a diverse range of channels and platforms to provide accurate communication about our products and services.

Through direct engagement, educational resources, and innovative digital platforms like ANYA, JAI and LegalRx, we empower patients and healthcare providers with knowledge to enable informed decision-making and prioritise patient well-being. Our commitment to being transparent reflects our dedication to patient safety and enhanced positive healthcare outcomes.

Could you tell us about your company’s current CSR initiatives and how they align with the company’s overall mission and values?

At the core of Lupin’s CSR work is a passion to build sustainable models for enhancement of human development indices, which can be widely replicated through collaborations and partnerships. Over the years, we have collectively impacted more than 2.5 million lives across nine states in India.

Our CSR initiatives are built on two key pillars: Lives and Livelihood. Under the Lives program, we focus on improving healthcare outcomes for vulnerable communities. Through partnerships and collaborations, we are providing access to quality healthcare services, with a particular focus on cardiovascular diseases.

The Livelihood pillar emphasises on creating economic opportunities and sustainable livelihoods for marginalised communities. We work closely with these communities, offering skill development programs, promoting entrepreneurship, and supporting local initiatives that enhance their well-being.

How does your company stay current with emerging trends and technologies in the pharmaceutical industry, and how do you incorporate these into your communications strategy?

Lupin remains proactive in understanding unmet patient needs and delivering products that can improve health outcomes through affordable and quality medicines. This vision drives our 1,400+ personnel in seven research centres spread across five countries – India (Pune and Aurangabad), the US (New Jersey and Florida), Mexico, Brazil and the Netherlands. Our R&D teams leverage cutting-edge technologies, superior competencies and strategic partnerships to deliver unique solutions that give Lupin an advantage in the regions it operates in.

Our communication strategy is focused on showcasing the progress made on our business strategy. We regularly communicate developments across every aspect of our business including but not limited to our performance, introduction of new products and services, our research endeavours and our community welfare programmes.

By embracing emerging trends and technologies, we ensure that our communications remain impactful, timely, and aligned with the evolving needs of our stakeholders. Through our strategic approach, we aim to foster meaningful connections, provide accurate information, and contribute to the overall advancement of the pharmaceutical industry.

What do you see as the biggest challenges facing your company in the near future, and how do you plan to address these challenges from a communication standpoint?

Lupin is aligned to the Indian government’s vision of Healthcare-for-All. The growing incidence of communicable and non-communicable diseases in the country coupled with the existing gaps in healthcare infrastructure and services, is a matter of concern. Lupin will continue to innovate to provide affordable high quality healthcare to fulfil unmet patient needs and collaborate with the ecosystem partners to enhance patient outcomes on a large scale. Our diversification into areas such as diagnostics and digital therapeutics is a significant step in this direction. Effective communications will play a critical role in transparently conveying our initiatives to all our stakeholders.