RAI’s Continuing Commitment

Welcome to the Responsibility section of Reynolds American’s website, and thank you for taking the time to learn about the progress our companies continue to make in pursuing RAI’s vision as “the innovative tobacco company totally committed to building value through responsible growth.”

Given the significant health risks that have long been associated with the use of tobacco, many people would argue that the words “tobacco” and “responsible” don’t belong in the same sentence. In fact, some people believe that the only responsible thing that a tobacco company can do is to stop selling its products and go out of business.

Those perspectives are understandable in light of these three facts:

• Cigarette smoking significantly increases the risk of developing lung cancer, heart disease, chronic bronchitis, emphysema and other serious diseases and adverse health conditions.
• Cigarette smoking is a leading cause of preventable deaths in the United States.
• No tobacco product has been shown to be safe and without risk.

The fact that tobacco products carry inherent risks is precisely why Reynolds American and its operating companies feel obligated to continually and consistently conduct every aspect of their businesses ethically and responsibly.

Reynolds American’s operating companies manufacture and market a full range of cigarettes and smoke-free tobacco products for adult tobacco consumers. They strive to do so in a responsible manner that preserves the legal right of adults to choose to use tobacco products, while reducing minors’ access to and use of tobacco. Our companies also continue to seek ways to reduce the harm of tobacco use.

This section of our website details the values, principles, standards and goals that define and guide our companies’ conduct, and our efforts to achieve the objectives of RAI’s seven CSR focus areas.

It also highlights recent initiatives and accomplishments that demonstrate our continuing commitment to make Corporate Social Responsibility a core component of RAI’s sustainable success.

Again, thank you for taking the time to look through this online report. We understand that some stakeholders have a negative impression of our company and our industry, and we understand why. But we actively listen to our stakeholders, and we value the insights gained from those engagements. I believe that many stakeholders who familiarize themselves with our companies’ principles, policies and practices will find that these often align with their own perspectives.

Progress has been and will continue to be made on many important fronts. By more closely aligning our companies’ actions with societal expectations, we can help resolve some long-standing points of contention and work to ensure a sustainable future for RAI and its operating companies.

Susan M. Ivey
Chairman, President and CEO
Reynolds American Inc.