Events
Beyond Benevolence - Why doing good together isn't always easy
Join the discussion in Zurich: Beyond Benevolence – Why doing good together isn’t always easy
Event location: Bayer Schweiz, Uetlibergstrasse 132, 8045 Zurich
Time: 5 to 6.30pm
The working group life science and NGO has the pleasure to invite you to their next upcoming event.
In 2025, health inequality remains a pressing global challenge. Across many countries, vulnerable populations still lack access to essential medicines and healthcare. Pharma companies and non-profit organizations respond with targeted donations of products and financial support. Yet, transparency in how these donations are managed continues to pose challenges for both pharma companies and NGOs.
Despite these challenges, the collaboration between pharma companies and NGOs is evolving to address the impact of the expanded transaction bans effective 9 August 2025. These new regulations make it significantly harder to process legitimate humanitarian payments to and from certain regions – even when the goods themselves are exempt from sanctions.
NGOs now play a critical role not only in delivering aid but also in establishing compliant, authorized payment channels that ensure vulnerable populations continue to receive essential medicines while meeting strict sanctions obligations.
Join us for a discussion featuring:
- Kris Wallace, Director, Office of Internal Audit and Investigation, International Federation of Red Cross – on how NGOs structure compliant payment flows, maintain transparency, and ensure aid reaches those in need despite complex financial restrictions.
- Patrick Wellens, Global Compliance Business Partner, Bayer – on the compliance and operational realities for pharma companies partnering with NGOs
Moderated by: Victoria Flowers – who will guide the discussion and lead an interactive Q&A with the audience.
Why Attend?
- Understand how the 18th EU sanctions package changes humanitarian supply chains
- Gain insight into pharma–NGO partnerships that meet both humanitarian and sanctions compliance requirements
- Hear real-world examples of risk controls, due diligence, and transparency in high-risk jurisdictions