1. Introduction

Epiqure is a group of companies providing business to business consulting services to, but not limited to, pharmaceutical, biotech, medical devices, food, and food supplement companies.

The nature of Epiqure’s business implies the respect of strong contractual, regulatory and legal boundaries, that are essential for the successful execution of missions undertaken by Epiqure.

On top of the above-mentioned duties, Epiqure has established this Code of Ethics, to further engage in the respect of certain values and principles, especially in consideration of the final consumers of all products and technologies that are researched, developed, manufactured, distributed, and marketed by Epiqure Clients.

2. Scope

This Code of Ethics applies to all entities belonging to Epiqure, their directors and employees.

Furthermore, any company, collaborator, partner, and independent consultant undertaking business on behalf of Epiqure shall be aware of this Code of Ethics and act under its principles. 

3. Ethical Principles

3.1 Human and Individual Rights

Epiqure fully embraces the 30 principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, proclaimed by United Nations General Assembly in Paris on 10 December 1948 (General Assembly resolution 217 A).

Therefore, Epiqure does not allow any form of harassment nor discrimination due to diversity in gender, race, religion, language, nationality, political preferences, sexual orientation, marital status, inability, disability, physical appearance, social and economic status.

Epiqure fully protects health and safety at work of its own resources (directors, employees, and consultants), as well as personnel from the Clients and any other personnel or collaborator that may be involved in Epiqure business.

3.2 Equal opportunities and meritocracy

Epiqure bases the development and conduct of its business on the professional talent, competences, knowledge, skills, sense of duty, responsibility and dedication of its own personnel and collaborators.

Therefore, Epiqure provides equal opportunities of employment, career and partnership purely based on business and professional criteria.

Epiqure does not allow any form of discrimination, favouritism or glass-ceiling in professional recognition, professional growth, career advancement, role promotion and salary increase.

Furthermore, Epiqure is committed to provide to all employees the same opportunities of training and development of competences.

3.3 Privacy and Data Protection

Epiqure believes that protection of personal data is of paramount importance and therefore performs any effort in guaranteeing it for personnel, consultants, and collaborators.

Similar efforts are dedicated to the protection of data owned by Clients and specifically towards Client’s personnel and patients’ data.

Epiqure is committed to execute any data processing activity in the context of its missions and assignments with the highest level of attention, security and compliance to applicable regulation.

Furthermore, Epiqure commits to develop and keep current a strong Data Protection policy.

Epiqure has a registered Data Protection Officer (as per the EU GDPR) at the CNIL, the French Data Protection Authority.

3.4 Social Responsibility

Epiqure believes that all companies, especially those belonging to the pharmaceutical, medical devices and life-science industries, play a social role, have strong duties and impact towards patients and their healthcare.

Therefore, making business within these industries, Epiqure commits to engage in active and transparent communication about relevant public topics connected to the life-science domains and furthermore promotes and encourage the same in public discussions and social media.

Epiqure makes available its own resources, in terms of technical and business skills and competences, to public and/or non-profit civil initiatives (assessed and qualified as proper and adapt by Epiqure management) aimed to, directly and indirectly, help society in the above-mentioned life-science domains.

Epiqure encourages, supports, and promotes social, civic and solidarity initiatives by its own personnel.

3.5 Environmental Responsibility

In addition to mentioned social responsibilities, Epiqure is sensitive about protection and safety of the natural environment and therefore supports initiatives that are beneficial for it.

Epiqure has adopted a business model that makes totally feasible remote working, avoiding any unnecessary business trip contributing to restraining pollution and waste generation.

Epiqure is engaged in limiting as much as possible any impact on the environment by its own activities and has strong preferences for green and renewable energy and technologies.

Epiqure supports the use of digital technologies aimed at reducing the waste of paper and has adopted the use of digital signature whenever this is possible.

Epiqure supports ‘Make It Mandatory’ (an initiative requiring all large businesses and financial institutions to assess and disclose their impacts and dependencies on nature by 2030).

3.6 Fair Business Conduct

Epiqure believes in professional fair behaviour towards Clients, partners, and competitors in the execution of any business activity and requires the same from its personnel and collaborators.

Any behaviour by Epiqure personnel and collaborators that would pursue personal or third-party interest, harming Clients and/or Epiqure interests, is strongly discouraged and considered as not representing Epiqure and its values.

Similarly, any behaviour detrimental to Clients’ interests to pursue Epiqure interests is discouraged.

Any behaviour by personnel or collaborators making use of Epiqure name to provide recommendations, promise of opportunities or ask for favours is strongly discouraged and assessed for further action by Epiqure management.

Epiqure personnel does not accept or provide any money, gifts, or other economic benefits out of the context of a professional relationship, related to the execution of a signed contract between parties.

Epiqure as company may provide gifts (worth a negligible amount of money) or facilitate initiative to discuss business, such as business lunch or dinner, with the only purpose to improve social and human relations with personnel, collaborators, partners, and Clients.

None of the above-mentioned action shall be focused to obtain unfair opportunities or to influence people’s behaviour as a form of bribery; Epiqure and Epiqure personnel behaviour shall stay in any case compliant to law and Code of Ethics of any third party.

Epiqure considers confidentiality and trust in business very important. Therefore, any information collected by Epiqure personnel during the execution of contracts and not available to the public shall be considered as confidential and can be exploited and discussed only in the same context and with the same party that have shared this information, without exploitation of the same to pursue interests that are different from the interests of that party.

Epiqure believes in fair and objective decision-making in business, with the sole purpose of taking the best options in the interests of Epiqure and its Clients. Therefore, any Epiqure personnel having a conflict of interest related to past events, economic interests, personal relationships or any other reason, shall refrain from taking decisions that could be of benefits or detrimental to the third-party connected to the conflict of interest and shall inform its own manager.

Epiqure values the professional competences and work of any competing companies and therefore allows to its personnel and collaborators only fair and transparent behaviour in competition.

Commercial comparison based on public or legally allowed information is permitted, as well as competition based on the implicit quality and value of business proposal, deliverables, results. Commercial competition based on false, unverified or confidential information or any other unfair mean is strongly discouraged and does not represent Epiqure values.

4. Dissemination

Epiqure is fully conscious of the potential impact of Epiqure activities on patients anywhere in the world and therefore is publicly sharing this document, to make aware of it all patients, Clients, and Companies in the business.