Trust, transparency and purpose – managing reputation in a challenging environment

By Seyda Atadan Memis, Takeda General Manager UK & Ireland and ABPI Board Member.

The world that the pharmaceutical industry operates in is increasingly uncertain. Health information is derived from more sources than ever before due to increased patient autonomy and use of social media. Public interest in medicines and vaccines has climbed at an unprecedented rate while misinformation and disinformation has proliferated at a scale never seen before. Therefore, it is critical that our industry takes steps to navigate these complex and fast-moving challenges.

The most recent data from the UK Pharma Reputation Index, co-delivered by the ABPI and Ipsos UK, clearly demonstrates the scale of the challenge. Whilst the pharmaceutical industry’s reputation remains on balance positive (a relatively stable +50% for the last 3 years), familiarity is persistently low particularly when compared to other sectors (only 25% of respondents say they know ‘a fair amount’ about our industry). Low awareness hampers reputational improvement, allowing mistrust to remain. If we are to change this, we must communicate our value and societal contribution more clearly.

During the ABPI’s second Industry Summit, held in late 2024, members came together with leading experts to discuss effective reputation management. A key theme emerged from the meeting: our industry must continue to build awareness and trust through our actions and effective communications so that our value is better understood.

As communications professionals, pharmaceutical company leaders and members of the ABPI, we discussed some of the ways we can continue to build trust through our communications and actions. These include:

• Enhance transparency through human stories – when we share examples of on human stories that demonstrate the impact of medicines and the science behind the research and development, our communications become more transparent and relatable.
• Reshape perceptions by translating content into impactful messages –  bringing in emotion and unlocking the power of storytelling can be an especially impactful way to deliver important messages with a variety of stakeholders, particularly during a crisis.
• Emphasise purpose and ethics – when our stakeholders understand the collective mission of the pharmaceutical industry and the individual objectives of our companies, barriers to trust can be reduced.
• Embed the ABPI Code into discussions – we should continue to use the ABPI Code of Practice as a resource to guide discussions around principles that underly compliance, particularly when developing or addressing contentious topics such as misinformation.

While these are just a few actions we discussed that can lead to increased trust across our stakeholders, my personal takeaway from the summit was that our journey to improve the pharmaceutical industry’s reputation hinges on embracing a more humanised and narrative-driven approach. By prioritising storytelling that integrates facts with personal touches, communications are not only informative but also relatable. Transparency must remain at the core of our strategies, ensuring that our stakeholders understand both the value we offer and the ethical standards we uphold. As we navigate this complex landscape, patience will be important as building trust takes time.

Across the pharmaceutical industry, we can all play a role in this crucial effort to uphold and communicate our industry’s values, ensuring a better-informed and trusting society.