Few companies founded in 1902 are still going from strength to strength. Fewer still are leaders in more than 55 markets. And with one billion adult smokers around the world, we manufacture the cigarettes chosen by around one in eight of them.
We take our business and our impact very seriously. W… read moree know the tobacco industry is a controversial one, and so it’s all the more important that we act responsibly, from the sourcing of tobacco leaf right through to how we market our products to adult consumers.
Global to local
Our business operates at a local, as well as global, level. We don’t own tobacco farms or directly employ farmers. More than 1,000 BAT leaf technicians worldwide support some 90,000 contracted farmers worldwide.
We are a part of many local communities – both large and small – around the world, and in many countries we are the top employer and the company of choice for people employed at every stage of our supply chain.
In 2015, we sold 663 billion cigarettes, made in 44 factories in 41 countries. We employ more than 50,000 people worldwide, with many more indirectly employed through our supply chain.
British American Tobacco alone contributed approximately £30 billion to governments worldwide in excise and other taxes in 2015.
Acting responsibly
We take pride in the responsible way that our businesses are run. And the recognition and awards we’ve received over the decades show it’s not just us who think we’re doing the right thing.
We were the first tobacco company to be included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index in 2002 – and we’ve been included every year since.
We know that in order to continue our success and grow our business we need to operate sustainably. And that will depend on us satisfying not only our shareholders, but also our many other stakeholders.