Although Philip Morris International does not grow tobacco, we are committed to ensuring that the tobacco we buy is grown under conditions that protect the environment and ensure sustainable crops. It's part of our commitment to social responsibility.

Sustainable development in tobacco production means growing the crop in the manner that has the least impact on the environment. To help achieve that goal, we've developed a set of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) guidelines that are designed to enable us to assess the farming processes of our suppliers and to identify opportunities for improvement.

Good agricultural practices are defined as those that are economically viable, safe and produce a quality crop, while sustaining, protecting or enhancing the environment (which includes soil, air, water, animal and plant life).

Sustainable farming strategies include the use of alternative fuels, the maintenance of forests and the protection of water resources.

Our GAP guidelines set measurable sustainability targets for our suppliers, which include:

establishing programmes to avoid deforestation and promote reforestation

promoting programmes to develop wood for farm use

establishing water management and monitoring programmes

participating in national programmes to protect ground water, aquifers and other water resources

We're planning to assess success in each of these areas on an annual basis, allowing all parties to identify any areas that need more effort or further development.

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