Sustainability

Society

QIAGEN employees go beyond their daily routines to aid public health efforts as well as humanitarian and scientific quests worldwide. Closer to home, we support local communities where we do business, helping improve lives in cultural, social or scientific settings.

Access to molecular testing

In developing countries with scarce resources, innovative solutions are needed to ensure access to affordable diagnostics to help prevent and treat diseases. For low-income countries, in particular, early detection can significantly lower therapeutic costs and stop further spread of infection.

At QIAGEN, we develop diagnostic solutions targeting some of the most widespread and emerging diseases. By collaborating with global networks, we work to ensure widespread availability in all regions of the world providing a means to fight, and perhaps even eradicate such diseases.

Tuberculosis (TB) management

QIAGEN is committed to expanding screening for TB with modern blood-based assays for latent TB infection in regions with a high disease burden but limited resources. We are also working closely with the World Health Organization (WHO), governments and NGO’s in the global fight to eradicate TB.

In October 2019, QIAGEN’s QuantiFERON TB Gold Plus (QFT-Plus) test was added to the diagnostic catalogue of the Stop TB Partnership’s Global Drug Facility (GDF). The largest global provider of quality-assured TB medicines, diagnostics and laboratory supplies to the public sector, addition to the GDF catalogue opens a new channel to reach countries with a high incidence of tuberculosis (TB).

A doctor is taking a blood sample from a patient

Human papilloma virus (HPV)

Our careHPV tests which screen for high-risk HPV, the primary cause of cervical cancer, are directly available in 25 countries worldwide. Since launch, more than 3 million tests have been distributed.

In a recent cooperation with the NGO, PATH, and with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, we developed a dedicated human papillomavirus (HPV) testing system for use in regions with limited healthcare-resources, such as Africa, Asia and Latin America. By adapting our products to local needs through initiatives like this, we aim to meet our global customer needs.

Support of local initiatives

QIAGEN supports a broad range of activities in communities where our businesses are based. These include sponsorship of science education, disease awareness campaigns, installation of school laboratories and promotion of biology in school curricula. Our local engagement goes beyond financial. In Hilden, for instance, QIAGEN is collaborating with the local Rotary Club to help integrate refugees from Syria and other war-torn countries through a program that includes language and cultural training, assessment centers, and internships at QIAGEN. And most recently, volunteers from QIAGEN Wroclaw, Poland continue to shuttle goods to Ukrainian families in need and are providing temporary lodging to families who have fled due to the Russia-Ukraine war.

In North America, our employees are granted 8 hours of paid community service time and in 2020 they committed more than 700 hours of volunteer time to meeting community needs. Our Community Service Committee mobilizes volunteers and provides company funds for projects that improve the lives of people locally and nationally.

QIAGEN employees standing behind dozen of trash bags after a clean up event

The North American sustainability committee hosts park cleanup events each year.

Human rights

Respect for human rights is part of our supplier code of conduct which contains binding rules for all suppliers. As part of our supplier selection process, we assess the suppliers’ policy regarding human rights issues. In addition, first-tier suppliers must confirm REACH, RoHS and SEC compliance as appropriate. Violations against human rights in our supply chain inherits reputational as well as legal risks for QIAGEN. Supplier audits are conducted if non-compliance is suspected.

We have also performed and extensive enquiry into or supply chain to confirm that no conflict minerals from the Democratic Republic of Congo or adjoining countries are used in our laboratory instrumentation. The full report can be downloaded here.