A message from Lynnette Cooke, Global CEO, Health Division, Kantar

25 March 2020

Dear Valued Clients and Industry Colleagues,

COVID-19 has surely turned life upside down for our society and the global pharmaceutical industry. The Health Division of Kantar is committed to doing our part in the multifaceted global response to this pandemic.

Protecting our people is paramount

We have taken the steps necessary to protect the well-being of our employees. We are following the guidance of local governments, public health authorities and have implemented social distancing through remote working. Prior to COVID-19, the majority of our employees worked in agile environments, which made our transition to working from home less disruptive to our day-to-day business interactions.

We have an obligation to healthcare providers, patients and society

As a data and insight provider in healthcare, we understand the stakeholders who are a part of our research are focused on saving lives. We celebrate their heroic efforts and recognise those efforts must be their top priority. We are adjusting our research timelines accordingly and thank our clients for their understanding during these unprecedented times. We are also looking for ways that our data and insight can help understand and address the crisis that is happening in our communities.

Ensuring quality and data protection in a virtual environment

We are taking all the necessary steps to protect the quality of our deliverables. This includes accelerating our use of alternative approaches such as moving to online panels, virtual meetings and workshops. Data protection is an absolute priority and foundation of our business. In addition to industry, regulatory and client requirements, our global quality and compliance team is constantly embedding new standard operating procedures across all aspects of our business. Our remote working policies fully protect and safeguard your data and intellectual properties.

Responding to client needs remains important

We also know our clients are working on life saving therapies and we are continuing to bring expertise to their efforts through advanced, virtual platforms. This unprecedented challenge has fostered new ways of working and collaborating with clients and key industry stakeholders. I applaud the creativity of our team in finding ways to deliver insight while balancing the priorities of our stakeholders, their colleagues and their families.

We acknowledge the uncertainty and the disruption COVID-19 brings to your business. As we manoeuvre through this trying time, remaining connected is key. If there is anything we can do to help ease these challenges, please do not hesitate to contact me directly. Although our lives have been upended, I believe the insights and expertise of our healthcare community will help lead the way to new innovations that will bring life-changing treatments to patients.

Be well,

Lynnette Cooke

Global CEO, Health DivisionKantar