If you produce and market a product that is legal but has known risks for its users, your marketing department will have problems. The company has faced the issue and developed a worldwide policy which is in harmony with the International Tobacco Products Marketing Standards. One aspect of the policy is youth smoking prevention.

Features of note include:

The views of stakeholders were sought on key marketing issues

Initiatives to tackle under-age smoking

Incorporating the standards into internal audit checklists. The results of the compliance audits will be made public – if you have a policy in this area, the compliance system must be seen to be effective.

The ultimate test of these voluntary industry standards will be whether there is a drop in the number of children who begin the habit.

Simon Webley, Institute of Business Ethics