Global Business Standards

Meals, Travel, and Entertainment

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We do business the right way by making ethical decisions in connection with our work.

This course was designed to help you apply Abbott’s Ethics and Compliance Global Business Standards in common business interactions related to meals, travel, and entertainment.

Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:

• Describe relevant OEC Global Business Standards related to meals, travel, and entertainment.
• Apply those Ethics and Compliance Global Business Standards in common business interactions.
• Locate specific ethics and compliance policies on iComply.
• Know where to go for help and to get support.

[1] Welcome

2 minutes

[2] Introduction

2 minutes

[3] Meals, Travel, & Entertainment

10 minutes

[4] The Impact on Our Business and Our Responsibilities

5 minutes

[5] Knowledge Check

5 minutes

Learning Progress

This Topic is now available.

Abbott's standards set forth general principles regarding our expectations for routine business interactions with external parties, such as healthcare professionals (HCPs), healthcare institutions (HCIs), government officials, retailers, distributors, customers, patients, and consumers.

These standards help Abbott employees around the world make the right choices while operating with honesty, fairness, and integrity.

Abbott employees do business the right way by making ethical decisions in connection with our work.

First and foremost, at Abbott, we do not inappropriately provide anything of value to get a sale, reward a past sale, or obtain an improper business advantage.

We do not buy business.

We adhere to anti-bribery principles that forbid offering or providing anything that directly or indirectly benefits any person to secure a business advantage. To help employees comply with these requirements, we set specific limits surrounding meals, travel, and entertainment.

This course will provide a high-level overview of Meals, Travel, and Entertainment.

It is your responsibility to visit iComply and use the Policy and Form Library to access the ethics and compliance policy and procedure specific to your country, or speak with OEC for further guidance on these topics.

[1] Welcome

2 minutes

[2] Introduction

2 minutes

[3] Meals, Travel, & Entertainment

10 minutes

[4] The Impact on Our Business and Our Responsibilities

5 minutes

[5] Knowledge Check

5 minutes

Learning Progress

This Topic is now available.

Abbott may pay for occasional modest meals and refreshments in connection with legitimate educational or business purposes permitted under Abbott policies and procedures.

There are several important requirements related to meals and refreshments that must be followed:

• Legitimate Business Purpose
• No Improper Guests
• Alcoholic Beverages
• Appropriate Venues
• Spending Limits
• Itemized Receipts and Expense Reports
• Approval of Expense Reports

Legitimate Business Purpose

Attendees must have a legitimate business purpose for attendance at the educational or business discussion associated with the meal or refreshment.

Examples of legitimate business purpose include discussing disease states, medical technology features, Abbott service offerings and their impact on health care delivery, product line offerings, or health economics information.

No Improper Guests

Abbott may not provide meals and refreshments to spouses, family members or other guests of invited attendees.

Alcoholic Beverages

A reasonable quantity of alcoholic beverages may be ordered or served during meals and refreshments provided by Abbott when appropriate to the business environment. Alcoholic beverages must be incidental to the business discussion and not provided simply as a form of entertainment. If excessive alcohol is provided, it creates the perception that business is not the main event. Alcoholic beverages, like any other refreshments, must be modest in cost and in alignment with local meal limits.

Refer to your local ethics and compliance policy and procedure to review additional restrictions or requirements.

Appropriate Venues

All meals and refreshments must be held in business-appropriate venues that are conducive to conducting a business interaction. Venues known primarily for gambling or entertainment, as well as spas or sporting venues, are generally not appropriate.

Spending Limits

The costs of meals and refreshments must adhere to local spending limits. Refer to local ethics and compliance policy and procedures for country-specific limits.

Itemized Receipts and Expense Reports

All costs for meals and refreshments must be supported by genuine, fully itemized receipts and invoices. These should be accurately and timely described in your expense report and other documents. The expense report must include the name of the venue, names and positions of people attending the event, and the business purpose of the event.

Employees that have been issued an Abbott corporate card should use that card for all business transactions.

Approval of Expense Reports

Reviewing managers play a key role in the expense reporting process. In approving an expense report, a manager attests that they have reviewed the expenses and confirms they are legitimate.

Managers should ensure that expenses are appropriate (i.e., no gift cards, or app reload transactions), venues are appropriate (i.e., no golf courses, TopGolf, race tracks, rodeos, spas, cigar or wine bars or sporting events), there is an appropriate business purpose (i.e., no celebrations, parties, or happy hours), that receipts are included, are legible, and are consistent with the expense, and that employees are not claiming missing receipts for expenses where receipts can be obtained at any time from online accounts (i.e., UberEATS, Amazon).

Reporting & Tracking

Reporting and tracking all expenses regarding meals, travel, and accommodations helps hold us all accountable to Abbott’s standards.

People managers, DVPs, and Division Controllers have visibility to dashboards and other means for tracking their employees’ expenses to ensure policies are followed. Managers should use these tools to identify outliers or trends with particular employees or HCPs that might be excessive in terms of amount or frequency.

Quick Check

Test your knowledge now!

You are a sales representative in the United States and occasionally bring Starbucks coffee to meetings with customers. Rather than pay for each transaction independently with your Abbott corporate credit card, you find it more convenient to load $300 on your Starbucks gift card, expense that full amount at once, and then use the gift card to pay for the individual orders. Is this okay?

Yes, since you are complying with Abbott’s policies on meal limits, the payment method doesn’t matter.

No, gift card purchases and app reload transactions are not permitted. Employees should always use their corporate card for business expenses.

Yes, since you paid the gift card with your corporate credit card this transaction is ok.

Submit

That's correct!

That's not correct!

Purchases of gift cards or app reloads are not permitted. Employees should use Abbott’s corporate card for business transactions. All expenses for meals and refreshments must be supported by genuine, fully itemized receipts or invoices, timely and accurately described in employee business expense reports and other documents.

As a sales manager you are reviewing your team’s expense reports and notice that there are several missing receipts for refreshments purchased online for a meeting with HCPs. In this case, you should . . .

Approve the expense report, since the employee included a missing receipt exception.

Send this expense report back to the employee, so he can attach the fully itemized receipt. A missing receipt form should not be used for an online vendor, since you can return to the site at any time to obtain a receipt.

Approve the expense report, since this was clearly an appropriate business expense.

Submit

That's correct!

That's not correct!

All expenses for meals and refreshments must be supported by genuine, fully itemized receipts or invoices, timely and accurately described in employee business expense reports and other documents. When an online service was used, the employee should be able to obtain the missing receipt from the online account/service used.

As a sales representative it is okay to provide a clinic your Abbott corporate credit card information, so they can order food for an educational event to be held later that day.

True

False

Submit

That's correct!

That's not correct!

Abbott may pay for occasional meals and refreshments, modest in nature and cost as judged by local standards, in connection with legitimate educational or business purposes. However, it is never okay to share Abbott corporate card information and authorize a clinic to order meals and refreshments on their own. Further, an Abbott employee must always be present at the meal.

Abbott may provide reasonable travel and accommodations in connection with legitimate educational or business purposes permitted under Abbott policies and procedures.

All travel and accommodations provided by Abbott must be reasonable and modest.

There are several important requirements related to travel that must be followed:

• Travel Arrangements
• Air Travel
• Hotels
• Duration of Travel and Allowable Expenses
• No Personal Expenses, Entertainment and No Improper Guests

Travel Arrangements

When making travel arrangements for airfare and hotels on behalf of external parties, such as HCPs, customers, and distributors, you should use Abbott-approved travel agencies or other Abbott vendors.

Additionally, itemized invoices must be obtained for reimbursement to HCPs and others for any travel-related expenses, including travel arranged by third parties and originally paid by third parties.

Air Travel

Abbott has established the following air travel requirements:

• Flights of four hours or less should be booked in economy class.
• Business class is only permitted for a (one-way) flight time of more than four hours.
• First class airfare is not allowed.
• Refer to your local ethics and compliance policy and procedure to review additional restrictions or requirements.

Hotels

Luxurious hotels and hotels associated with gambling, entertainment, spa, or resort activities should be avoided.

Duration of Travel and Allowable Expenses

Travel arrangements should be made so that the recipient arrives no more than one calendar day prior to the start of the event and departs no later than one calendar day after the event is completed.

Out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the recipient for meals, taxi fares, and other incidentals may be reimbursed beginning with the recipient’s date of departure and ending upon return.

No Personal Expenses, Entertainment and No Improper Guests

Abbott may not pay for:

• Personal entertainment expenses, side trips, or other personal expenses (for example, phone, Spa, massage, sporting events, airport lounge fees).
• Travel for family members, spouses or other improper guests of the individual traveling for educational or business purposes.

Quick Check

Test your knowledge now!

Which is an appropriate business expense Abbott employees may reimburse in relation to a business or educational meeting?

Hotel spa services

Airport lounge fees

Taxi fares

Sporting event tickets

Submit

That's correct!

That's not correct!

Abbott may not pay for:

• Personal entertainment expenses, side trips, or other personal expenses (for example, phone, Spa, massage, sporting events, airport lounge fees).
• Travel for family members or other guests of the individual traveling for educational or business purposes.

Abbott employees are expected to apply Abbott’s Ethics and Compliance Global Business Standards when interacting with:

Healthcare Professionals (HCPs) and Healthcare Institutions (HCIs)

Patients, consumers, and customers

Retailers and distributors

Government Officials

All of the above

Submit

That's correct!

That's not correct!

Abbott's Global Business Standards set forth principles regarding our expectations for routine business interactions with external parties, such as healthcare professionals (HCPs), healthcare institutions (HCIs), government officials, retailers, distributors, customers, patients, and consumers.

Click the arrow to begin your review.

Review

Take a moment to review some of the key concepts in this section.

Meals

Abbott may pay for occasional modest meals and refreshments in connection with legitimate educational or business purposes permitted under Abbott policies and procedures.

Travel

Abbott may provide reasonable travel and accommodations in connection with legitimate educational or business purposes permitted under Abbott policies and procedures.

Entertainment

Standalone entertainment events are not permitted. Abbott may not provide reimbursement or pay for an individual’s personal entertainment or recreation (such as spa treatments, sporting events, or side trips) or other personal expenses, including expenses of family members or other guests.

iComply

For a full list of requirements relating to meals, travel, and entertainment, visit iComply and use the Policy and Form Library to access the ethics and compliance policies and procedures specific to your country.

[1] Welcome

2 minutes

[2] Introduction

2 minutes

[3] Meals, Travel, & Entertainment

10 minutes

[4] The Impact on Our Business and Our Responsibilities

5 minutes

[5] Knowledge Check

5 minutes

Learning Progress

This Topic is now available.

Our Global Business Standards define our expectations for conducting business the right way around the world.

You are responsible for ensuring activities comply with our Global Business Standards as well as with local laws and regulations.

Visit iComply to get started and locate the specific policies and procedures relevant to your country.

• Use the Policy and Form Library to access the documents associated with a country and/or division.
• Use Global Passport to access resources including the HCP Cross-Border Engagement Form.

If your local policies or procedures do not address a particular question that you have about a proposed business interaction, do not assume that the interaction is permitted.

Contact OEC if you feel unsure about a particular process or transaction.

Take a moment to confirm your agreement with the statements below.

I will apply the OEC Global Business Standards in my business interactions with respect to meals, travel, and entertainment.

I know that I can locate ethics and compliance policies on iComply.

I know what to do to get help and support.

Confirm

The Knowledge Check that follows consists of 5 questions. You must score 80% or higher to successfully complete this course.

WHEN YOU ARE READY, CLICK THE KNOWLEDGE CHECK BUTTON.

[1] At Abbott, we do not inappropriately provide anything of value – including meals, travel, or entertainment – to anyone to get a sale or obtain a business advantage.

[1] True

[2] False

Next

Question 1: Feedback

At Abbott, we do not buy business. We adhere to anti-bribery principles that prohibit offering or providing anything that directly or indirectly benefits any person to secure a business advantage. We set limits surrounding meals, travel, and entertainment.

[2] First class airfare is allowed for flights over 4 hours.

[1] True

[2] False

Next

Question 2: Feedback

Abbott has established the following air travel requirements:

• Flights of four hours or less should be booked in economy class.
• Business class is only permitted for a (one-way) flight time of more than four hours.
• First class airfare is not allowed.

Refer to your local ethics and compliance policy and procedure to review additional restrictions or requirements.

[3] Abbott may pay expenses of a family member of an individual traveling for educational or business purposes.

[1] True

[2] False

Next

Question 3: Feedback

Abbott may not pay for travel for family members or other guests of the individual traveling for educational or business purposes.

[4] When approving expense reports it is the manager’s responsibility to make sure that expenses are appropriate and follow Abbott’s policies.

[1] True

[2] False

Next

Question 4: Feedback

People managers, DVPs, and Division Controllers have visibility to their employees’ expenses to ensure policies are followed.

[5] Abbott agrees to fund travel for an HCP to attend an Abbott meeting, in compliance with all Abbott policies. The HCP asks that we arrange for his return travel several days after the end of the Abbott meeting, so he can tour the city. The return flight on the HCP's preferred date is cheaper than the return flight immediately after the Abbott meeting, and the HCP will personally pay all incremental hotel and meal charges. Because Abbott will save money by complying with the HCP's request, it should arrange travel for the later return date.

[1] True

[2] False

Submit

Question 5: Feedback

Standalone entertainment events are not permitted. Abbott may not provide reimbursement or pay for an individual’s personal entertainment or recreation (such as spa treatments, sporting events, side trips) or other personal expenses, including expenses of family members or other guests.

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Where to Get Help

Manager OR SUPERVISOR

If you have a question or need guidance about potential concerns involving meals, travel, and entertainment, speak with your manager.

WRITTEN STANDARDS

Visit iComply and use the Policy and Form Library to access the ethics and compliance policy and procedure specific to your country for further guidance on these topics.

For our company’s fundamental set of expectations about interactions with others, consult our Code of Business Conduct .

Office of Ethics and Compliance (OEC)

The OEC is a corporate resource available to address your compliance questions or concerns, including interactions that may occur in connection with meals, travel, and entertainment.

• Visit the Contact OEC page on the OEC website on Abbott World.
• Visit Speak Up to voice your concerns about potential violations of our Code of Business Conduct or policies. Speak Up is available globally, 24/7 in multiple languages.
• You can also email investigations@abbott.com.

Legal Division

If you have questions about laws and regulations that govern our relationships with customers and business partners, the Legal Division can assist you. Click here to access the Legal home page on Abbott World.

Course Resources

Transcript

Click here for a full transcript of the course

Welcome

Global Business Standards: Meals, Travel, and Entertainment

Our Philosophy

Objectives

Table of Contents

Introduction

Overview

Topics Covered in this Course

Table of Cotents

Meals, Travel, & Entertainment

Meals

Quick Check

Travel

Quick Check

Review

Table of Contents

The Impact on Our Business and Our Responsibilities

Your Responsibilities

Your Commitment

Knowledge Check

Introduction

Assessment

Feedback

Survey

The Course cannot contact the LMS. Click 'OK' to continue and review the course. Note, Course Certification may not be available. Click 'Cancel' to exit

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Questions

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Global Business Standards: Meals, Travel, and Entertainment

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Course Description: This course was designed to help you apply our Office of Ethics and Compliance (OEC) Global Business Standards in common business interactions related to Meals, Travel, and Entertainment. This course will take approximately 15-20 minutes to complete.

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