Diversity Policy

In our supplier diversity objectives, we are committed to four basic operating principles:

• Ensuring business opportunities for minority and women-owned suppliers and other small and diverse businesses.
• Leveraging multiple sources of talent wherever that talent is to be found.
• Developing and extending diverse supplier relationships.
• Communicating the value of supplier diversity, both internally and externally.

We will measure our success in attaining these objectives by our ability to move solidly into the top tier of best-in class companies that are recognized for creating and maintaining such diverse partnerships. Ultimately, we believe that our effort will help ensure a commitment to diverse supplier performance that also allows us to better serve our customers and communities.

At Novartis, we recognize that diversity - in all its forms -- can be a powerful business tool. It can build business partnerships with diverse suppliers that reflect the broader population, it can help attract and retain employees who represent and understand our diverse customer base, and it can enable our business partners - through our supplier diversity initiative - to share their special talents and resources for the benefit of all Novartis customers.