"During this challenging time, we are doing everything possible to ensure our employees remain safe, our patients receive their medicines, and assistance is available to help those most deeply impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic." - Richard Gonzalez, CEO
AbbVie’s COVID-19 R&D efforts
As a global biopharmaceutical company, AbbVie is committed to addressing the COVID-19 public health crisis. We are collaborating with health authorities and institutions globally to identify potential treatments, including supporting clinical studies and basic research of our medicines. We’re also collaborating with industry, government, and academia, focusing on early science and discovery research.
Learn more about our research and discovery efforts.
Protecting our employees in the workplace
Since the beginning of the pandemic, AbbVie has been focused on ensuring the safety of our employees. As an essential business, we’ve had employees working in our facilities throughout the crisis, and we’ve been proud that we’ve been able to continue to provide our patients with the critical medicines they depend on without any interruption.
Throughout the crisis, we’ve followed health and safety guidance from state and local health authorities, taking a phased and measured approach to returning more employees to AbbVie facilities.
Protecting our people is our top priority, and we’ve implemented a wide variety of safety measures for those employees who are returning to the workplace.
AbbVie offers a variety of testing resources to help our workforce continue to stay safe and healthy:
- AbbVie COVID-19 Case Management Program: A resource for U.S. employees and contractors to monitor and report COVID-19 symptoms, possible exposure or positive test results to trained healthcare professionals and receive guidance on returning to the workplace.
- AbbVie At-Home COVID-19 Testing Program: Test kits mailed to the home at no cost to U.S. employees and for a fee to contractors and employees' family members.
-
AbbVie Expanded Onsite Testing Program (select U.S.
sites): In addition to existing onsite priority COVID-19 testing
already available for U.S. employees and contractors, a new elective
option is available for U.S. employees who have returned to onsite
work.
Before coming to the workplace
- Before employees come into an AbbVie building, they answer screening questions, have their temperature taken on-site and put on their company-provided mask.
- If they are experiencing any COVID-19-like symptoms, or have tested positive for COVID-19, they are asked to stay home and seek medical care. Any employee who suspects or confirms they have COVID-19 is required to follow AbbVie’s Return to On-Site Work Medical Clearance Procedures before returning to the workplace.
While in the workplace
- All office building HVAC units have been reconfigured to maximize outside air supply and minimize recirculation.
- We require employees to practice social distancing.
- We’ve adjusted our conference room layouts and common areas to ensure social distancing.
- Our teams are frequently disinfecting all workstations, offices, common areas and high-touch points in accordance with CDC guidelines.
- Our cafeterias now serve only “grab and go” meals with additional signage installed and hand sanitizer stations readily available. Traffic flow is limited.
After leaving the workplace
- We use electrostatic spray technology nightly as an added safety measure.
As a global company, our policies vary by region. We constantly update our guidance in accordance to local and regional government health guidelines.
Providing flexibility and support
AbbVie encourages our employees to work with their managers and human resources team members for questions and to get the personalized support they need. Managers are empowered to provide employees with needed flexibility – as they were before the crisis.
Childcare and remote learning support
We recognize the challenges working professionals are facing, especially those who are parents. That’s why, in addition to existing programs, we’ve created new resources, such as a COVID-19 Childcare Relief Fund to support eligible employees to help with childcare or remote learning expenses. In addition to the Childcare Relief Fund, we provide a variety of resources to help parents find childcare, support students with remote learning and tutoring, and help with their well-being.
Corporate giving
AbbVie has donated $35 million to help support underserved communities and health care systems working to address the impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic. AbbVie’s partners are:
- International Medical Corps to help create capacity to treat patients at overburdened hospitals in the U.S. AbbVie’s donation will support the creation and operation of 20 mobile field hospitals to expand available triage at existing facilities, improve patient flow and keep COVID-19 patients separated from other patients. These standalone mobile field hospitals are being built in U.S. hotspots.
- Direct Relief to provide equipment and supplies in the hardest-hit European countries. This support will enable the procurement and delivery of oxygen concentrators, ventilators and personal protective equipment to frontline health care workers and patients.
- Feeding America to protect the most vulnerable, including the elderly, by enabling access to food and essential household supplies with minimal contact. Feeding America has created a new model of home delivery and drive-through service.
Read the full announcement and access the press kit
As part of the company’s $35 million philanthropic commitment to fighting COVID, AbbVie set up a $5 million COVID-19 Community Resilience Fund. In May, the company announced the 26 nonprofits that received funds to help front-line health care workers and vulnerable populations in hard-hit communities. Learn more.
AbbVie also doubled the AbbVie Foundation match for COVID-19-related
contributions by employees, providing $2 for every $1 employees donate
to a qualified nonprofit.
