Section 172 report, engagement with stakeholders, cross reference to other disclosures and to governance

GlaxoSmithKline plc – Annual report – 31 December 2021

Industry: pharmaceuticals

Section 172 statement

Company directors are required by law to promote the success of their organisation for the benefit of both shareholders and their wider stakeholders, including employees, suppliers and the community.

This statement aligns to such requirements, as set out in Section 172 and Section 414CZA of the Companies Act 2006 (the Act). It indicates how, during the year, our Directors addressed the matters set out in Section 172(1) (a) to (f) of the Act when performing their duties. To avoid duplication, it incorporates information from other areas of the Annual Report. The Board considers that the statement focuses on those risks and opportunities that are strategically important to GSK, and consistent with the Group’s size and complexity.

This allows it to build trust and fully understand the potential impacts of the decisions it makes on all our stakeholders. Our engagement with GSK’s main stakeholder groups, including our patients, shareholders, consumers, customers and employees at all levels and across the organisation, are summarised on pages 44 and 45 of our strategic report.

The company’s governance architecture and processes are summarised on pages 94 to 103 of our Corporate Governance report. This summary explores how the Board considers all relevant matters in making its principal decisions to contribute to the delivery of GSK’s long-term priorities of Innovation, Performance and Trust.

More information on the issues, factors and stakeholders that the Board considers relevant to complying with Section 172(1) (a) to (f) of the Act can be found in the locations outlined below.

Stakeholder engagement (pages 44-45)

Engaging and building trust with a broad range of stakeholders is vital for our long-term success.

Here, we summarise who our key stakeholders are, how we engage with them, which issues matter most to them and how we’re responding. To see how we enable the Board and management to understand stakeholders’ views and include them in decision making, see our section 172 statement on page 116.