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This report gives an overview of the actions we are taking to build and operate a company committed to sustainable development.

The scope of the report covers Smith & Nephew's global business units:
Orthopaedic Reconstruction and Trauma, Biologics and Clinical Therapies, Endoscopy and Advanced Wound Management (see Business Divisions for more information).

The report has grown significantly in scope over the last few years as it is our aim each year to continue to improve our level of disclosure. The report concentrates on providing an update of our sustainability performance in the past year. Our policies and organisation relevant to corporate responsibility appears in a different part of the Corporate Responsibility section on the website under Our Business Practice.

Our Performance

Our Performance is split into the three areas: environmental, health and safety, social and economic, it also provides an insight into our products and services and how the very nature of our business contributes to sustainable development in healthcare.

Material contained in the report covers the period up to 31 December 2007. Previous reports are available to download in PDF format.

Our ambition is for Smith & Nephew to continue as a strong and growing business long into the future. In these conditions, we believe that we can contribute to long-term sustainability by demonstrating:

• Health and Safety Responsibility - by regarding the health and safety of all our employees as equally important wherever they work.  All Smith & Nephew sites across the world are included in its Audits and Reporting Programme.  Third party suppliers are vetted to ensure they subscribe to our values and employment ethics.
• Social responsibility - developing and providing cost-effective products to healthcare systems, advanced treatments and techniques. Providing suitable workplace conditions and ensuring the effective development of our employees and fostering relations with the communities in which we operate. Giving employees the opportunity to let us know how they feel about working for Smith & Nephew - and acting on what they tell us, investing in our people, investing in the communities in which we operate and providing opportunities for continuing professional development of healthcare professionals. In addition, education of healthcare professionals in techniques related to our product range is an integral part of the service we provide.
• Economic responsibility - providing clear economic benefits to shareholders, employees, suppliers and society. We contribute to society through the creation of shareholder value, payment of taxes, capital investment, employment opportunities and procurement, as well as the economic benefits of our products on both healthcare providers/payers and patients. Smith & Nephew's products and treatments offer cost-effective solutions to healthcare professionals and providers and each new product launched aims to provide health economic benefits. Our products seek to reduce patients' time in hospital and return them to health faster.
  

Smith & Nephew is measured by three leading organizations that assess sustainable development. In 2007. the group was included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) for the fifth consecutive year. In France we are assessed by Vigeo used by some of the leading investment banks in Europe. In the UK, Smith & Nephew is a member of FTSE4Good. Although the DJSI covers all three aspects of sustainability, we have included the results from the latest review in the Economic section.

Global Reporting Initiative

The report broadly follows the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) guidelines for sustainability reporting. GRI is an international multi-stakeholder effort to create a common framework for voluntary reporting of the economic, environmental and social impact of an organisation.