LAUSANNE, Switzerland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Philip Morris International Inc. (PMI) (NYSE: PM) today announced the establishment of a set of important guiding principles that outline the company’s strong commitment to its employees’ job security and peace of mind, throughout the global pandemic period. These principles encompass three key areas: employment stability, financial stability and special recognition awards.

“PMI will continue to contribute to the global response to this pandemic in every way we can. First and foremost, we will continue to support our employees and their families, and protect their safety and health. Nothing matters more,” said André Calantzopoulos, Chief Executive Officer, PMI. “Thanks to our employees across the world, working in factories, in the field, offices, laboratories or remotely at home, our business continues to operate as normally as possible under these unprecedented circumstances.”

These guiding principles became effective as of March 16, 2020—when PMI directed most office-based employees to work from home—and will remain until the company determines that the crisis has passed or has sufficiently subsided.

• Employment stability. The company will not terminate the employment of any PMI employee during this crisis period, unless for cause, and the company has also put on hold any restructuring plans.

• Financial stability. PMI will continue to provide regular compensation to all PMI employees, irrespective of their ability to perform fully their professional duties during this period.

• Special recognition awards. PMI employees who need to be physically present at their usual work locations (in factories, in warehouses, in the field, or in offices), as and where permitted by local regulations, will be given special recognition awards during this crisis period. Obviously, PMI will continue taking all necessary safety measures to protect those employees who are working at such locations.

“Our company is resilient and strong, and that is a testament to our more than 73,000 employees worldwide,” said Charles Bendotti, Senior Vice President of People & Culture, PMI. “I believe we will emerge even stronger from this global crisis, having pulled together and worked together to see each other through.”

PMI’s commitment to its employees is an integral part of the company’s broader support for communities impacted by the COVID-19 crisis across the world.

PMI has been actively working against this pandemic since its outbreak, with ongoing and planned initiatives in more than 60 countries in which its employees live and work. These initiatives involve monetary and in-kind donations, as well as volunteer work by teams to support national and local efforts to combat the virus and help those most affected by it. The company’s activities include providing protective equipment to trade partners, support to care communities, procurement support to purchase items essential to the fight against COVID-19, and financial support to institutions and NGOs working to end this crisis. In addition, PMI employees in many countries are volunteering to help elderly, low-income, and other vulnerable populations, and some of its factories are producing hand sanitizer and masks for local communities.

To date, PMI has pledged in excess of USD 24 million to support actions against the pandemic. Its support will continue to grow as PMI works to meet the evolving needs of the communities in which it operates.

Philip Morris International: Delivering a Smoke-Free Future

Philip Morris International (PMI) is leading a transformation in the tobacco industry to create a smoke-free future and ultimately replace cigarettes with smoke-free products to the benefit of adults who would otherwise continue to smoke, society, the company, and its shareholders. PMI is a leading international tobacco company engaged in the manufacture and sale of cigarettes, as well as smoke-free products and associated electronic devices and accessories, and other nicotine-containing products in markets outside the United States. In addition, PMI ships a version of its IQOS Platform 1 device and its consumables authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to Altria Group, Inc. for sale in the United States under license. PMI is building a future on a new category of smoke-free products that, while not risk-free, are a much better choice than continuing to smoke. Through multidisciplinary capabilities in product development, state-of-the-art facilities, and scientific substantiation, PMI aims to ensure that its smoke-free products meet adult consumer preferences and rigorous regulatory requirements. PMI’s smoke-free IQOS product portfolio includes heat-not-burn and nicotine-containing vapor products. As of December 31, 2019, PMI estimates that approximately 9.7 million adult smokers around the world have already stopped smoking and switched to PMI’s heat-not-burn product, available for sale in 52 markets in key cities or nationwide under the IQOS brand. For more information, please visit and .

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