Marketplace Responsibility

Because quality is integral to patients, physicians, hospital administrators and our own business performance, Medtronic centralizes oversight of quality processes, resources and standards in a corporate Global Quality function.

Our strategic quality initiatives include employing Design, Reliability and Manufacturability methodologies, supplier quality processes, global complaint management, and corrective action/preventive action procedures to improve issue resolution and prevention. This systemic approach to quality and product risk management includes ongoing investments in personnel, training, IT tools and automation.

Medtronic is an applicant member of the Electronics Industry Citizenship Coalition (EICC). EICC promotes an industry code of conduct for global electronics supply chains to improve working and environmental conditions. The code provides guidance on critical citizenship performance areas, including labor practices, health and safety, environmental practices, management systems and ethics. Learn more about our Responsible Supply Chain Policies.

We also believe that supplier diversity strengthens our ability to connect with patients, physicians and communities. Our Supplier Diversity Steering Committee is responsible for driving results in the use of small, veteran-owned, minority-owned and women-owned business enterprises.

The Medtronic Ethics and Compliance program exists to maintain and protect a culture of ethical business practices, which encourages open and honest communication and ensures full compliance with the laws and regulations in every country where we operate.

Our Code of Conduct details our commitment to integrity and legal compliance and describes how employees must behave in a wide range of business settings, including those specific to healthcare. With clear policies and guidance for business practices, the Code is the cornerstone of our ethics and compliance program.

Learn more about our Principles and Ethics and Corporate Governance.

Medtronic approaches patient privacy and device security as part of a holistic security management framework that includes people, products, IT systems, data, and facilities. To effectively manage the proliferation of wireless connectivity in our medical devices, facility operations and computer networks we centralize security management through a Global Privacy and Security Office and an Executive Security Governance Committee.

Our global processes and procedures address risk assessment, governance, training and awareness, technology assessment, vendor management, government and industry relations, and product development and metrics. To drive awareness and understanding of our privacy and security practices, Medtronic has a Global Privacy and Data Protection Policy and a Global Electronic Resource Use Policy available in multiple languages. In 2012, the company initiated global biennial data protection and privacy training for employees and contractors who have frequent access to Medtronic computers.

In addition, Medtronic conducts real-time monitoring of released products, including vulnerability assessments, privacy testing and code reviews and recently launched a global incidence response management initiative to ensure rapid, succinct and consistent response to possible incidents.

Our commitment to responsible marketing includes complying with all relevant government regulations as well as selected voluntary codes created by medical technology industry associations.

Our product advertising in the United States is regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and various U.S. federal and state consumer protection laws and by other governmental agencies worldwide. To ensure adherence to local laws and policies, each Medtronic business has several levels of legal and regulatory review for promotional and marketing materials.

Medtronic also has corporate and business-level policies prohibiting the promotion of approved products for unapproved uses. Our policies address related issues, including appropriate parameters for activities involving our Office of Medical Affairs, Medtronic-sponsored education, and sponsorship of continuing medical education. We reinforce these policies using corporate and business-level training. An internal Medtronic working group, with business unit interdisciplinary representation, meets regularly to reinforce best practices across the organization.