In the face of the disruptions to the global supply chain due to the COVID-19 pandemic, companies across the APEC region scrambled to adjust operations while enabling the continued flow of goods and services.

The fact that the disruption was in response to an infectious disease only made continued operations, growth, and innovation in health-related sectors all the more important.

The survey was conducted from 18 August to 20 September 2021, and received over 220 responses from companies in 18 different APEC economies. Respondents were small and mid-sized companies in health-related industries with under 1,000 employees. In order to encourage completion, Ethisphere provided responding SMEs with access to free compliance program resources including:

• Compliance Policy Template
• Compliance Program Training Template
• Third-Party Training Guidelines
• Sample Third-Party Communication
• Worksheet for Anti-Corruption Improvement Plan
• Briefing on Change Management

The survey’s questions were designed to deliver a self-assessment of the respondent company along two fronts: the maturity of the company’s ethics and compliance program with an emphasis on anti-bribery and conflict of interest controls, and the company’s economic performance during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research focus aligns with the Business Ethics for APEC SMEs Initiative’s goal to strengthen ethical business practices in the biopharmaceutical sector.

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