We succeed—both as a business and a corporate citizen—because of our suppliers who share our commitment to elevating patient care around the world.
We partner with suppliers who share our commitment to innovation and are willing to help us address some of the world’s most pressing health challenges.
To ensure our suppliers meet AbbVie’s quality, compliance and social responsibility requirements, we work closely with them. Not only do we communicate with our network of suppliers regularly, but also, we monitor and help them enhance their performance based on our well-defined, stringent metrics.
We work closely with our suppliers to continually learn and improve. We conduct formal management reviews and performance audits to ensure that their materials meet our high expectations for technical specifications, quality and safety. We also help them improve their social responsibility programs and results.
We provide all AbbVie suppliers with our Supplier Code of Conduct. This Code outlines our expectations in the areas of ethical behavior, business integrity and fair competition, human rights, privacy, labor rights and worker protection, animal welfare, environmental stewardship and health and safety practices.
The mission for our Supplier Social Responsibility Program, which is part of the AbbVie Supplier Sustainability Program, is to evaluate new and existing suppliers to ensure they provide safe working conditions, dignified and respectful treatment of independent contractors, maintain environmentally responsible manufacturing processes, ethical practices and sufficient management systems.
To find what types of information we look for, take the Supplier Sustainability Survey. If you have any questions, see a list of FAQs about social responsibility here. Plus, find AbbVie’s disclosure on the California Transparency in Supply Chains Act—Human Trafficking here.
For further information about AbbVie’s Supplier Social Responsibility Program, contact us at AbbVieSustainabilityProgram@abbvie.com.
To ensure continuous supply to our customers, we assess potential gaps and implement strategic action plans to mitigate product supply chain risk. We monitor the financial health of our suppliers and conduct quality compliance audits of third parties. We also work jointly with our critical suppliers to perform risk assessments, and where required, we support those suppliers in developing business continuity plans. In 2014, Supplier Risk Management enhanced our risk mapping solution to rapidly assess the impact to natural disasters, political unrest, terrorism and other crisis events on our supply chain. We mapped out supply lanes, key suppliers, third-party manufacturers and logistics for all brands and products. Our improved tool provides broader line of sight into risks across the global supply chain on a real-time basis, offering 24/7 alerts to key decision makers in vulnerable locations. In 2015, the risk mapping solution was critical during events such as natural disasters. It enabled us to put mitigation strategies in place to sustain our business and account for all local employees and business travelers.
We purchase goods and services from more than 55,000 suppliers around the world, including, but not limited to, the following categories:
The Supplier Code of Conduct provides in-depth detail about beginning and managing a relationship with AbbVie. Our suppliers are required to read and agree to the supplier code of conduct contained therein, which make our expectations clear in a variety of areas
Our Supplier Diversity Program covers North America and is a crucial part of the competitiveness in our supply chain. AbbVie’s small business/supplier diversity policy ensures that we provide equal opportunities for small and diverse-owned businesses. Working with our supplier diversity leader, our on-site supplier diversity champions provide oversight, monitor spend and facilitate diverse supplier development activities. AbbVie requests that suppliers register via a portal so that our procurement teams can access information across AbbVie locations.
Currently, AbbVie tracks spend with the following suppliers with the following ownership classifications:
Small businesses, which include:
Diverse businesses with third-party certifications, which include:
AbbVie representatives participate in local, regional and national matchmaking events, trade fairs and conferences where suppliers are given the opportunity to discuss their products and services in person with one of our purchasing team members. A few of these events include:
Registration with AbbVie is a prerequisite for doing business with us. Once you register, your business’s information will be available to AbbVie category managers across North America through our portal, ensuring your firm will be considered for applicable RFIs or RFPs in a timely, efficient fashion. Registration with AbbVie does not guarantee business; however, it does increase the chances of your business being reviewed by the appropriate persons on our procurement team.
We’ve developed a user-friendly, easy-to-use portal for registration. If you have any questions during the registration process, call the help desk number provided within the tool. You can also request additional help and information at any time in the process by contacting Supplierdiversity@abbvie.com.
Supplier registration is the first step required to formally introduce your firm to our procurement staff. The system does not generate an automated response once you have registered, and you are responsible for remembering your username and password. Password resets are available through the help desk. You should update your profile as necessary with new information. We suggest you review and update your profile at least once annually.
AbbVie’s review cycles for commodities and services are developed well in advance and are contingent upon preferred supplier networks and contract expiration dates. Actively renewing your registration in our portal over time ensures your information is up to date and available when opportunities arrive. For example, if a network is in place in the area of printing, the area may not be reopened for a period of 24 to 36 months.
AbbVie publishes an outreach calendar at the beginning of each year, and AbbVie procurement representatives can share details about where AbbVie will exhibit. If you have questions regarding a particular event and AbbVie’s participation, contact us at Supplierdiversity@abbvie.com.
AbbVie hosts numerous diverse supplier development activities and selects prospective suppliers with the greatest potential for business identified through our various outreach activities.
Meetings with incumbent and prospective suppliers are at the sole discretion of the category managers or directors for a particular commodity area or service offering. When there is no existing opportunity, it may not be beneficial for both sides to meet.
Enhancing the lives of our patients
AbbVie’s goal is simple: to improve people’s lives around the world. A fundamental focus of this goal is ensuring that our products are safe and effective, and that they deliver their intended benefits. We work hard to ensure we use safe ingredients and processes during product manufacturing, and we hold our suppliers to the same high standards of quality that we apply to ourselves.
Restricted substances and REACH requirements
Every year governments around the globe introduce new laws and regulations controlling the use of certain chemical substances in manufacturing. Some examples of these regulations include:
Because of this increased regulatory focus on restricted substances, AbbVie asks our suppliers to complete a Restricted Substance Query that includes complete chemical composition data for all parts provided to AbbVie. In cases where complete (i.e., 100%) information is not currently available, the query requests composition data for the chemical substances currently identified under the regulatory initiatives mentioned above.
Any questions you have about restricted substances should be directed to AbbVie.REACH@abbvie.com
Trusted Trader Programs
AbbVie has committed to ensuring the security of its supply chain by the participation in various voluntary Trusted Trader Programs, including Customs and Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) and Authorized Economic Operator (AEO). These programs are critical to AbbVie and help ensure business and operational continuity.
Requirements for Foreign Suppliers Shipping to the United States
AbbVie participates in the U.S. Customs & Border Protection
supply chain security program known as C-TPAT. Our participation in
C-TPAT requires AbbVie to ensure that all our overseas suppliers have
implemented security processes and procedures that protect the
integrity of our supply chain.
As a valued business partner, all non-US suppliers are required to complete the Supply Chain Security Questionnaire below and sign the accompanying Memorandum of Understanding or provide evidence of their own participation in C-TPAT or an equivalent supply chain security program. Submit completed surveys and questions regarding C-TPAT requirements to: Trusted_Trader@AbbVie.com.
Failure to complete the security questionnaire may jeopardize our ability to purchase and import materials from your company.
Download the Supply Chain Security Questionnaire here.
For questions about payments or to submit invoices via electronic data interchange (EDI), fax or e-mail, contact our Accounts Payable Call Center.
AbbVie uses the following requirements for all payments: