Our contribution to sustainability

our responsability, for a better living

OUR
VALUES

Trust and Transparency

Trust exists when one party can confidently rely on another party to act with integrity. Trust flows from transparency, which is sustained through the observance of several best practices, chief among which is a commitment to clear, consistent, and continuous communication.

Passion

Sustained by an energy that comes from within, we develop and provide products and services that our clients do not even know they need yet. It is our enthusiasm and passion that keep our standards so high.

People

We recognize, appreciate and nurture the talent and contributions of all our people to ensure that everybody feels part of a great team.

Sense of urgency

We never lose sight of the need to keep changing and evolving so that we may continue to respond with urgency and speed to shifting circumstances. Sense of urgency is a mindset.

Accountability

Accountability means taking ownership of our actions, which is a necessary prerequisite for achieving the desired results. Accountability means seeing, owning and solving challenges by taking action. Accountability means making promises and sticking to them.

OUR CONTRIBUTION
TO UNITED NATIONS
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

The UN 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide a blueprint for human progress and a clear call to action for businesses to contribute to a better future.

We are strongly committed to taking concrete action to achieve these sustainable development goals by 2030.

3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
NTC cares about all the people who work with it.
The Code of Conduct sets out the NTC Goup’s health, safety and environment (HSE) policy, which formalizes our commitment to safeguarding the health and physical safety of employees, pursuant to the law, industry codes and OECD guidelines. In 2022 we recorded no work-related injuries.
NTC launched an "Angel Family Programme," which provides economic protection for the families of employees with children aged under 21 in the event of the employee’s death, and the "Newborn Initiative," which provides for a thoughtful gift for employees with new babies.
volunteer_activism
In Milan, the Company offers an ironing service in partnership with 'Il Carro,’ a cooperative that employs young people with disabilities. To date, more than 50% of our employees avail themselves of the service.
A climate survey of all employees conducted in 2022 found that employees felt well informed and protected in the workplace, especially during the Covid pandemic when NTC set up a counselling desk.
NTC supports the correct disposal of drugs and medications and encourages a culture of rational antibiotic use.
Acting pursuant to EU Regulations, the NTC Group combats the counterfeiting of goods and products.
As regards pharmaceutical products, NTC uses unique identifiers for its products, which are also equipped with an anti-tampering device. It also uses the method of serialization by which every product in the production stage is assigned a unique serial number in addition to data on origin, shelf life and batch number.
As regards medical devices and related products, NTC S.r.l. deploys a unique device identifier (UDI) system that conforms to the ISO 13485 Quality Management System certification.
4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
NTC Group’s leadership team developed a talent academy offering all group employees learning opportunities in the form of training, coaching and mentoring activities, job rotations, cross-functional projects, shadowing, participation in events and team-building work.
In 2022, each employee at the Italian head office received an average of 40 hours of training.
The e-learning platform launched in late 2023 offers all employees an opportunity to develop various soft and hard skills.
In 2023, NTC Group’s entire salesforce adopted the “Master Specialist Ofta NTC Italia,” a blended programme of scientific and management training developed in house.
NTC promotes training that raises employee awareness of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I). In the first two months of 2023, three online webinars (totalling 7 hours) on diversity & inclusion were held for Italian employees, with 95% attendance.
5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
NTC values the diversity of personal qualities, talent, and performance in its workforce.
The importance that NTC vests in diversity is evidenced by the fact that, as of 31/12/2022, 69% of the Group's employees were women.
By the end of 2022, around 50% of our team was made up of young people (“Millennials” and “Generation- Z”).
NTC Group aims to adopt by 2026 a certified gender equality management system that meets UNI/PdR 125:2022 standards.
7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
NTC intends to contribute to indicator 7.2.1 (UN SDG framework): “renewable energy share in the total final energy consumption.”
At its Milan headquarters, NTC installed a photovoltaic system which will cover 60% of energy consumption in Italy, and two e-charging stations.
NTC S.r.l. signed a contract, effective as of 01/06/2022, for the supply of certified 100%-renewable energy to its Milan headquarters.
8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
NTC has been recording constant double-digit growth and creating fulfilling jobs without harming the environment.
NTC Group employs more than 100 people, 98% of whom on indefinite contracts and 95% of whom work full-time.
NTC S.r.l. permanently instituted remote working as an option that benefits employees by improving their work-life balance and by reducing the cost and times associated with the home-office commute.
9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

The NTC Group will research, develop, and distribute innovative solutions and pay particular attention to:

the rational use of antimicrobial agents;
patient adherence to regular screening, which boosts the effectiveness of preventive medicine.
NTC is reconceptualizing the development and manufacture of most of its products to cut plastic use and GHG emissions all along the value chain.
As of April 2023, the NTC Group held 202 patents and had published 42 reports relating to clinical research on products that is has developed or owns.
The NTC Group provides 24/7 customer support through its NTC4You platform, which is currently used by 80% of customers.
10. Reduce inequality within and among countries

We promote corporate social responsibility initiatives (CSR).

In 2021, we began a partnership with the Francesca Rava Foundation. Our involvement included donating medicines and participating in various solidarity initiatives. One such initiative was the corporate volunteering programme "In Farmacia per i Bambini," which revolved around the collection of medicines and baby-care products, and raising awareness of children's rights.
12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
NTC is committed to achieving economic growth and sustainable development by changing the way we produce and consume goods and resources to reduce our carbon footprint.
NTC Group recorded a total of 226 tCO2 emissions (Scope-1 and Scope-2 market-based) in 2022, of which 95 consisted of Scope-1 GHG emissions.
NTC is building a Green portfolio by directing the focus of research towards new compositions and eco-friendly packaging:
• preservative-free formulations (preservatives may cause side-effects and impact ecosystems);
• dye-free agents (dyes are pollutants that can cling to living tissue);
• chelating-free agents (chelating can alter the salt and biological balance);
• our secondary packaging uses FSC-certified paper, employs a more sustainable varnish, and includes clear, easy-to-understand instructions for waste management;
• certified high-quality manufacturing processes that guarantee energy savings and low environmental impact.
At NTC, we carry out "Green Surveys" to assess the environmental awareness of our CMO partners. The surveys consider factors such as the presence of certified environmental management systems, the use of renewable sources, and plans to reduce the environmental impact of their activities.
NTC promotes waste recycling and waste reduction through an internal communication campaign.
13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
NTC recognizes its role in a global community where greenhouse gas emissions are on the rise.
NTC is set to calculate its Scope-3 GHG emissions by 2024, with the goal of identifying actions to mitigate and reduce its indirect emissions.
NTC uses mainly Italian and entirely European suppliers, which enables it to minimize lead times, logistics risk and its carbon footprint.
In September 2023, acting upon the recommendations of TCFD, NTC conducted an analysis of the physical and transition risks it faces owing to climate change.
NTC’s car fleet is on track to become 100% mild-hybrid by 2027.
16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions

NTC has drawn up its own Code of Conduct. As a participant in the Italian pharmaceutical market, NTC supports laws and regulations that encourage transparent relationships between pharmaceutical companies and healthcare professionals and organizations.

policy

NTC has developed its own Code of Conduct, which forms an integral part of Model 231. The whistleblowing system contemplated by Model 231 allows any employees to report violations and protects the identity of the employee.

NTC S.r.l. strictly adheres to the transparency provisions in the Code of Conduct of Egualia and in the Code of Ethics of Confindustria Dispositivi Medici.
17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development
In NTC, we believe that cooperation, support, and mutual trust, are the key words to build a better world: partnership is the base of our value chain.
In 2021, NTC conducted a survey among its contract manufacturing organizations (CMOs) to gauge their commitment to green initiatives and the fostering of environmental awareness. The most notable results were as follows:
• over 60% of suppliers have implemented water-based varnishes, and an additional 8% are likely to do so;
• approximately 36% have adopted vegetable inks, and another 27% are considering doing so;
• 60% have established processes for monitoring and measuring environmental performance;
• nearly 50% have identified initiatives to reduce their company's environmental impact.
In 2016, NTC S.r.l. initiated the "Italian Innovation" project in Clinical Research in Ophthalmology, which aims to institute partnerships with medical specialists who can contribute to the development of new therapeutic paradigms through innovative research projects grounded in daily clinical practice and based on 'real-world' evidence.

Since its inception in 2016, the project has resulted in the implementation of 40 studies and publications, involving more than 1,500 patients.

CORPORATE LIABILITY
ETHICS
RISK AND COMPLIANCE

NTC has always prioritized fairness and transparency in its business operations, with a focus on safeguarding the company's reputation and the work of its employees.

Accordingly, NTC has adopted "Model 231," which is the organizational, management and control system prescribed by Legislative Decree No. 231 of 8 June 2001. This law was the first to add to the Italian legal a new form of corporate administrative liability for certain types of crimes.

NTC has implemented its Model 231 not only with reference to the provisions of Legislative Decree 231/2001, but also with reference to the specific internal control and corporate governance measures it has already put in place. The Model, which thus serves as a performance and conduct guide for anyone acting on behalf of the company, also marks a step in the direction of greater internal and external transparency and accountability, which ensures sound and highly efficient and management. NTC has appointed a special supervisory body to oversee and enforce compliance with Model 231 and to see to its regular updating.

NTC has always been committed to upholding fairness and transparency in its business operations, with the aim of protecting the company's reputation and the work of its employees.

As part of this commitment, NTC has developed its own Code of Conduct, which is an integral component of Model 231. This is not merely a legal requirement, but a reflection of the company's deep-seated culture of accountability and integrity.

The Code of Conduct attests to NTC's sense of responsibility for the communities in which it operates and serves the double aim of enshrining and strengthening the core values of the Group. The Code lays out in clear and simple terms principles that guide the company in all its domestic and international activities.

The Code, which lays out the principles underpinning NTC's relationships with its stakeholders, is grounded on national law, professional ethics, and operating procedures. It also attests to NTC's occupational health and safety commitments and, in general, to NTC’s responsibilities towards patients, the scientific community and the general public.

If you wish to raise any issues relating to the Code of Conduct, please contact us.