
The tobacco industry which is known to be the vector of the tobacco epidemic, causing at least 1.4 trillion dollars of economic losses annually along with 8 million deaths, is now further contributing to an increased burden on the healthcare system during the COVID-19 pandemic. To ensure that its culpability goes undetected during the crisis, the tobacco industry launders its image through donations, particularly to governments and through government officials, in cash, personal protective equipment (PPE), and medical equipment such as ventilators. Notably, the tobacco industry’s donation, a form of so-called corporate social responsibility (CSR) acitivty, is disproportionate to the value of the damage it brings to the economy. Tobacco industry’s so-called CSR activities allow it to market its dangerous and addictive products and undermine governments’ credibility and commitment to implement the global tobacco control treaty, WHO FCTC which, under Article 5.3, provides that: Governments must protect its public health policy from the commercial and vested interests of the tobacco industry, and this involves denormalizing so-called CSR of the tobacco industry.
Date |
Title |
Donation/CSR activities |
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May 12, 2020 |
Corona treatment: Abul Khair Group started providing free oxygen |
Abul Khair Group
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March 31, 2020 |
British American Tobacco Bangladesh*
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March 25, 2020 |
City Hall transfers over R $ 2 million to Santa Cruz hospitals |
Philip Morris Brasil
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Philip Morris Bulgaria
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October 23, 2020 |
Medicago (where Philip Morris (PMIBV) has 1/3 shareholdings) • supply up to 76 million doses of its vaccine candidate for COVID-19 |
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April 16, 2020 |
Conferencia de prensa de actualización de acciones e información #COVID19 |
Philip Morris International
Declarations of Mario Ruiz Cubillo (Medical Manager of the Costa Rican Social Security fund) |
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PMI is asking for an extension to renew health warnings, alleging that its businesses are affected. Note: This info was shared by the Ministry of Health (reserved information). |
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June 06, 2020 |
British American Tobacco
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March 23, 2020 |
PHILIP MORRIS GEORGIA ANNOUNCES IMMEDIATE CONTRIBUTION OF 100 000 GEL TOWARDS FIGHT AGAINST COVID-19 |
Philip Morris Georgia
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April 02, 2020 |
Philip Morris International
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March 30, 2020 |
Big Tobacco criticised for ‘coronavirus publicity stunt’ after donating ventilators |
Philip Morris International
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March 18, 2020 |
Greek tobacco firm donates 50 respirators to equip Greek hospitals |
Philip Morris International
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April 25, 2020 |
British American Tobacco (BAT)
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April 06, 2020 |
Deccan Tobacco Company
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April 05, 2020 |
Indian Tobacco Company Limited (ITC)
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March 27, 2020 |
ITC sets up Rs 150 crores COVID Contingency Fund for vulnerable sections of society |
India Tobacco Company (I.T.C.)
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September 16, 2020 |
Tobacco giant Philip Morris International (PMI)
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August 3, 2020 |
Sampoerna Provides PCR Machine Assistance to Malang City Government |
Sampoerna
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August 5, 2020 |
Regency Government Receives PCR Machine from PT HM Sampoerna |
Sampoerna
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August 5, 2020 |
Malang Receives PCR Machine Assistance, Mayor Sutiaji Hope Can Accelerate Corona Detection |
Sampoerna
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August 5, 2020 |
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PT HM Sampoerna Tbk
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August 3, 2020 |
Held the SEBAR 2020 Program, PHBI Collaborates with CSR Sampoerna Sukorejo Plant |
CSR Sampoerna
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August 3, 2020 |
Sampoerna Provides PCR Machine Assistance to Malang City Government |
Sampoerna
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July 29, 2020 |
Sampoerna Retail Community (SRC)
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July 10, 2020 |
Djarum Foundation
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June 19, 2020 |
Given by Thousands of APDs, the Regent of Celica: Very Useful to Handle Corona in Karawang |
PT HM Sampoerna Tbk*
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June 19, 2020 |
PT HM Sampoerna Tbk*
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June 07, 2020 |
Support Indonesia to Fight COVID-19, Sampoerna Donate Ventilators and Full Set PPE |
PT HM Sampoerna Tbk
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June 05, 2020 |
PT HM Sampoerna Tbk*
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June 04, 2020 |
PT TSPM (KT&G)
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May 29, 2020 |
HM Sampoerna (HMSP) channeled assistance to Covid-19 affected migrants |
PT HM Sampoerna Tbk
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May 22, 2020 |
Alfamart Distributes Food Packages to 1,500 Traders of OBA Traditional Stalls |
PT. Djarum*
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May 21, 2020 |
Pamekasan Regional Hospital received PPE from the Djarum Foundation |
Djarum Foundation
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May 19, 2020 |
YLKI Accuses Cigarette Industry of Using Pandemic for Covert Advertising |
personal protective equipment (PPE) given to hospitals |
May 8, 2020 |
KT&G delivers COVID-19 diagnostic kits to the Indonesian government
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South Korean tobacco company (KT&G)
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May 8, 2020 |
The Government Receives Covid-19 Test Kit Assistance Worth Rp1.2 Billion |
South Korean tobacco company (KT&G)
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April 22, 2020 |
The Vice Regent Has Received CSR Assistance from Six Companies |
PT HM Sampoerna Tbk.
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April 22, 2020 |
PMI Demak Receives APD Assistance from Kudus Djarum Foundation |
Djarum Foundation
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April 07, 2020 |
PT Gudang Garam
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April 02, 2020 |
Djarum Donates Rp 1.5 Billion for the Procurement of PPE in Kudus |
PT Djarum’s Bakti Sosial Djarum Foundation Rp 1.5B (USD94,500) worth of equipment
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May 14, 2020 |
The tobacco industry uses the COVID-19 emergency to advance its strategy and commercial propaganda |
Philip Morris Manufacturing & Technology
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May 10, 2020 |
Zola, Philip Morris donates one hundred meals a day to the most needy |
Philip Morris Manufacturing & Technology
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May 5, 2020 |
Hand sanitizer distributed to health care companies and residential homes for the elderly |
Philip Morris Manufacturing & Technology Bologna
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April 20, 2020 |
CORONAVIRUS, PHILIP MORRIS’S COMMITMENT TO THE ITALIAN CHAIN |
Philip Morris Manufacturing & Technology Bologna
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March 30, 2020 |
Philip Morris Italia and Philip Morris Manufacturing & Technology
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April 11, 2020 |
300,000 Liters Of Sanitizer Produced And Released For Distribution |
British American Tobacco Kenya*
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April 08, 2020 |
Tobacco and Planking”:$ 1 million to” help students abroad and to buy respirators |
Tobacco and Tobacco Counting Department
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April 07, 2020 |
Japan Tobacco International (JTI) Malaysia*
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April 15, 2020 |
Mohamed Ould Bouamatou
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May 02, 2020 |
British American Tobacco (BAT)*
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March 26, 2020 |
Myanmar traditional cheroot producers association
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March 31, 2020 |
International Tobacco Company
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April 14 -19, 2020 |
Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Corp Inc.’s (PMFTC)*
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April 16, 2020 |
More PEZA-registered companies donate PPEs, medical equipment, goods as ECQ nears week seven |
Japan Tobacco International (JTI)*
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April 09, 2020 |
PMFTC donated 50 collapsible hospital beds to Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority. |
Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Corp Inc.’s (PMFTC)
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April 07, 2020 |
Japan Tobacco International (JTI)
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April 06, 2020 |
Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Corp Inc.’s (PMFTC)
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April 01, 2020 |
Eastern Samar Governor Ben Evardone, through his Facebook account, thanked PMFTC for its donation |
Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Corp Inc.’s (PMFTC)
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April 01, 2020 |
Jaime V. Ongpin Foundation, Inc. (funded by PMFTC) distributing donations in the Philippines |
Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Corp Inc.’s (PMFTC)*
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March 28, 2020; April 1, 2020 |
Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Corp Inc.’s (PMFTC)
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March 27, 2020 |
Philip Morris donates $ 1 million to Romania for the Red Cross |
Philip Morris International
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Russia |
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June 11, 2020 |
South Korean tobacco company (KT&G)
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April 15, 2020 |
Mohamed Ould Bouamatou
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Serbia |
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July 22, 2020 |
British American Tobacco
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April 01, 2020 |
Johann Rupert and family
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June 11, 2020 |
South Korean tobacco company (KT&G)
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May 11, 2020 |
Tobacco Companies break ban, donating Turkey’s presidential fundraising campaign |
Japan Tobacco International Turkey (JTI Turkey)
PHILSA Philip Morris Sabancı Cigarette and Tobacco Inc.
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April 21, 2020 |
Coronavirus: African govts must mobilise against tobacco industry, group urges |
Tribert Rujugiro Ayabatwa
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April 11, 2020 |
Rwandan Tycoon Rujugiro’s Companies Donate Shs 250m to Fight COVID19 in Uganda
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June 09, 2020 |
Imperial Tobacco Ukraine
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April 02, 2020 |
Philip Morris Ukraine donates 10 million hryvnias to combat coronavirus epidemic |
Philip Morris Ukraine
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May 4, 2020 |
Good News: Amid pandemic, Louisville construction company builds homes for people in need |
Altria
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April 16, 2020 |
Altria and its subsidiary U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company
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March 29, 2020 |
Ramsey e-cigarette company produced and gave away 500 gallons of hand sanitizer |
Baker White Inc.
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March 20, 2020 |
Altria Accounces Initial $1 Million Commitment to Support Coronavirus Relief Efforts |
Altria Group, Inc.
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March 27, 2020 |
Vinataba supports Bach Mai Hospital in preventing and fighting Covid-19 |
Vinataba
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February 29, 2020 |
China National Tobacco Corporation
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July 20, 2020 |
Japan Tobacco International
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June 25, 2020 |
Japan Tobacco International
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* With host partners
Do you have information on tobacco industry’s tactics during COVID-19? Let us know. Send us any information at ggtc@ggtc.world or submit here.