Corporate Social Responsibility

MedGuide exists because medication care can be better. Not just technically better - but more humane. Every year, millions of people in the Netherlands make mistakes with their medication: they combine drugs that are incompatible, use self-care products for too long, or simply do not understand the patient information leaflet. Thirty percent of the Dutch population lacks sufficient proficiency in the Dutch language to properly read health information. The consequences are real: unnecessary side effects, avoidable hospitalizations, and a sense of uncertainty that undermines quality of life.
We believe that technology can make a fundamental difference here - but only if that technology is built out of respect for the human being, not out of efficiency alone. That is the conviction upon which MedGuide is built, and it is the lens through which we view our social responsibility.
This report describes how we fulfill that responsibility: what we do, what we strive for, and where we are honest about what can still be improved. For us, CSR is not a separate program - it is the consequence of who we are.

Who we are
The MedGuide Company is a Dutch healthtech enterprise, founded on the conviction that safe and understandable medication use should be within everyone's reach. We develop software solutions that support healthcare professionals and consumers in responsible medication use.
Our team consists of professionals with a background in pharmacy, medicine, data analysis, and software development. We operate from Amsterdam - Danzigerkade 227B - with the ambition to roll out our solutions to other European markets over the coming years.

What we do now

• MedGuide Self-Care - personalized, understandable, and safe self-care advice for medication users via pharmacists and retailers
• MedGuide Pharmacotherapeutic Analysis - supporting pharmacy staff in accelerating and improving medication reviews

Both products are based on medical knowledge databases, machine learning, and the practical experience of doctors and pharmacists. We operate in accordance with ISO 27001, NEN 7510, the Cyber Security Act for information security and privacy protection, and we comply with Medical Device Registration (MDR) class 1.

Our mission
We want to improve medication safety as well as the quality of life of patients and users by making complex information understandable, accessible, and directly applicable.
Translated to our clients: MedGuide aims to offer its clients the opportunity to provide preventive pharmaceutical care through innovative software, in order to improve the quality of life of their patients. Both formulations describe the same goal - from two different perspectives.

Our organizational culture
MedGuide is characterized by young, highly educated employees and an informal atmosphere. We maintain a market and family culture: employees work from intrinsic motivation, understand why they do what they do, and feel personally responsible for the result.
We consciously avoid a hierarchical organizational structure in which employees carry out rules without thinking. No more is documented and safeguarded than is strictly necessary for a well-functioning organization. That is not a lack of structure - it is a conscious choice that benefits the quality of our work.

Principles
When formulating our CSR approach, we use ISO 26000 as a substantive guideline. ISO 26000 provides an internationally recognized framework for corporate social responsibility. This fits our approach: for us, CSR is an attitude, not a certificate.
The seven core subjects of ISO 26000 have been translated into the specific context of MedGuide as a healthtech company in Dutch healthcare. We communicate in the spirit of ISO 26000: comprehensive, understandable, responsive, accurate, balanced, and accessible.

The seven fundamental CSR principles

• Accountability - we can be held accountable for our choices and their effects
• Transparency - regarding both the possibilities and limitations of our products and organization
• Ethical behavior - the patient's health is always central, even if it is commercially less favorable
• Respect for stakeholder interests - patients, healthcare professionals, investors, and partners
• Respect for the rule of law - including medical software requirements, GDPR, ISO 27001, and NEN 7510
• Respect for international norms of behavior - relevant to our planned European expansion
• Respect for human rights - also in the choice of technology partners and suppliers

Three Ps as a compass
Our CSR policy is built around the three classic Ps: People, Planet, and Profit. For MedGuide, People and Planet are directly linked to our mission. Profit - healthy growth - is the prerequisite to continue executing that mission.

Our approach
MedGuide is a flat organization where decision-making is close to the executive management. This makes us agile - and it obliges us to practice conscious governance. CSR is not a delegated program, but a matter for executive management.

What we do

• CSR is a permanent agenda item in executive management meetings
• This report is updated annually based on factual developments
• In strategic decisions - such as international expansion or product launches - CSR implications are explicitly weighed
• A stakeholder dialogue has been introduced: customers, healthcare professionals, and partners are actively involved in product development and policy
• Information security and privacy protection are safeguarded in accordance with ISO 27001 and NEN 7510, with periodic external audits (most recent: March 2026)
• Quarterly security awareness presentations are given to all employees

Ambition
Upon growing to 25+ employees, it is our intention to appoint a CSR coordinator to monitor implementation and report internally to the executive management.

Why this subject is central
Good medication information is not evenly distributed in the Netherlands. Thirty percent of the Dutch population does not sufficiently master the written Dutch language. Patient leaflets are generic, technical, and often incomprehensible to people without a medical background. People with lower health literacy, a different native language, or limited digital skills structurally navigate the healthcare system with greater difficulty.
That is precisely the problem MedGuide wants to solve. Our products are built to make medication information understandable, personal, and accessible. That is not a byproduct of our strategy - it is the reason for our existence.

What we do

• Our communication is consciously written without medical jargon, tested for understandability by a broad target audience
• Our subscription model for medication reviews is designed without a volume threshold - we want to encourage use, not limit it
• We actively participate in the development of MEB (Medicines Evaluation Board) pictograms for patient leaflets: standardized visual symbols that make medication information understandable for people with limited command of the Dutch language. Thirty percent of the Dutch population falls into this category
• Leaflets and advice are personalized to the user's situation - not generic
• We develop our products in close cooperation with pharmacists and general practitioners, with specific attention to the patient who needs help the most

Social cooperation: health disparities
We actively seek cooperation with organizations working to reduce health disparities in the Netherlands. Specifically, we focus on parties with expertise in health literacy, low literacy, and accessible healthcare communication for vulnerable groups.
We strive for a substantive cooperation - not primarily as a financial donor, but as a knowledge partner and technology provider. The concrete implementation of this will be further developed in 2025 and will be included in the next version of this report.

Ambition

• Enter into a formal partnership with an expertise organization in the field of health disparities and accessible healthcare communication (2025)
• Accessibility test on all existing product communication
• Expansion of MEB pictogram integration in all product communication
• In case of international expansion: a conscious choice for markets with demonstrable added value regarding this theme

Our approach
MedGuide applies the credo 'equal rules for everyone'. All employees have equal secondary and tertiary employment conditions, regardless of position, background, or contract type. We consciously invest in the development of our people - not as an HR tool, but because we believe that good care begins with people who feel good about themselves.

Labor conditions

• All employees work on the basis of fair employment contracts that comply with and deviate positively from statutory provisions
• Adjustable workstations are available at the office to promote healthy working
• Hybrid working is the standard: employees have the freedom to work from home or at the office, with adequate home-office facilities
• Safety and well-being are permanent discussion topics in performance reviews
• Supplementary insurance for all employees: WIA (Occupational Disability Insurance) supplement insurance and employee accident insurance, fully covered by MedGuide

Anti-bullying policy and code of conduct
MedGuide has laid down an explicit anti-bullying policy and code of conduct in its internal regulations. Unwanted behavior in any form - bullying, discrimination, harassment - is not tolerated. Employees can report unethical behavior via an internal reporting route. A formal whistleblowing policy is available.

Personal development

• Employees are given space and budget for relevant training and conferences
• Internal knowledge sharing is structured: employees from pharmacy, technology, and healthcare actively learn from each other
• Performance and appraisal reviews are documented and form the basis for individual development agreements

Interns
Every year we offer 4 to 5 internships to students in pharmacy, medicine, data analysis, and software development. We see this as an investment in the next generation of healthcare professionals and technologists.

• Interns are guided by a designated supervisor and fully participate in projects
• We are open to students from all backgrounds - relevance for the internship position prevails
• Successful interns are offered a progression path within the company where possible

Diversity and inclusion
Diversity is not a goal in itself for MedGuide, but a logical consequence of who we are: an Amsterdam-based company in healthcare, working with and for a diverse society. Our team is diverse in gender, nationality, cultural background, age, and sexual orientation. We do not differentiate on these grounds in recruitment, remuneration, or career opportunities.
Inclusivity - the culture and action of valuing and utilizing differences - is explicitly described in our code of conduct and terms of employment.

Our context
As a SaaS organization without physical production or logistics chains, MedGuide has a limited direct ecological footprint. The direct climate impact is limited to the energy consumption of cloud hosting and office activities. This does not mean we do not take our responsibility seriously - and our work has a structural indirect environmental effect that reaches further than the average software enterprise.

The indirect environmental effect of our product
This is MedGuide's most distinctive environmental argument: safer and more conscious medication use directly leads to less redundant medication use. That chain works as follows:

• Less redundant medication means less production by pharmaceutical manufacturers
• Less production means less raw material consumption, less packaging material, and less energy consumption in the pharmaceutical industry
• Less use also means fewer drug residues in wastewater - a serious and growing environmental problem in the Netherlands and Europe
• Better medication reviews reduce overtreatment, directly contributing to the reduction of pharmaceutical waste streams

This effect is difficult to quantify precisely, but the direction is clear: every avoided unnecessary prescription line or self-care purchase has an ecological footprint that we help prevent. That is an environmental argument flowing from the core of our product - not from a separate sustainability program.

Mobility policy

• No company cars - employees travel for business by public transport using an NS Business Card
• Lease bicycle available for commuting to promote health and sustainability
• Business trips are restricted to situations where physical presence adds value; digital alternatives are the standard

Digital infrastructure
MedGuide operates fully cloud-based and paperless. The choice for Microsoft Azure as our primary cloud infrastructure was partly driven by sustainability considerations: Microsoft aims to be carbon negative by 2030 and actively works toward 100% renewable energy for its data centers. Climate-related aspects are periodically evaluated within the management system and included in supplier selection and risk assessment.

• Fully paperless working is the standard
• All data and applications run in the cloud - no local servers or energy-consuming hardware at the office
• Conscious choice for energy-efficient data centers during supplier selection
• Waste separation at the office according to the guidelines

Ambition

• Annual assessment of our direct CO2 footprint as a company
• Development of a methodology to measure and report the indirect environmental effect of avoided medication use
• As we grow: tightening of the environmental policy with measurable targets
• In case of international expansion: conscious choice for cloud providers with a demonstrable sustainability policy in the respective region

Our principles
In a sector where health and commerce meet, the temptation to let interests merge is great. MedGuide consciously chooses a different path: we build our position on substance and trust, not on price agreements, exclusivity constructs, or non-transparent relationships.

Anti-corruption and integrity

• No bonus structures that incentivize employees toward unethical behavior
• Transparent purchasing and sales procedures with no room for personal favoritism
• No participation in price-fixing or other forms of anti-competitive practices
• Internal reporting route for unethical behavior; formal whistleblowing scheme present
• Fully transparent administration, auditable and accessible to all relevant parties

Transparency toward clients

• Clear communication about the possibilities and limitations of our products
• Published terms and conditions, SLAs, data processing agreement, and privacy statement
• Retention periods for health information in accordance with the KNMP (Royal Dutch Pharmacists Association) guideline: 20 years, followed by anonymization
• No dark patterns or misleading communication in our products

Responsible partner selection
We select suppliers and partners partly based on shared values. Parties that demonstrably work on CSR are given preference in our assessment. This principle is incorporated into our procurement procedures.

Why this subject is specific to MedGuide
Software in healthcare is no ordinary software. Errors in our products can have direct consequences for people's health. This places a special responsibility on us as a developer - not just legally, but morally.

Information security and certification
MedGuide meets the requirements of ISO 27001, NEN 7510, and the Cyber Security Act in the field of information security. This includes:

• A complete Information Security Management System (ISMS) with periodic risk analysis and external audits
• Clear classification system for information types: public, internal, confidential, and secret
• Strict authorization procedures and logging via Microsoft Azure with Entra
• Quarterly security awareness training for all employees and management
• Documented offboarding procedures so that ex-employees do not retain unauthorized access
• Procedures for data breaches, laid down in the data processing agreement and the ISMS

Privacy and data protection

• We process medically sensitive data and take the protection thereof extremely seriously
• Our systems comply with the GDPR and NEN 7510
• Data minimization: we only collect what is necessary
• Health information is retained for 20 years in accordance with the KNMP guideline; anonymized thereafter
• Users have access to their data at all times and can request its deletion

Medical accuracy

• Our knowledge databases are based on current medical guidelines and are continuously updated by pharmacists and doctors
• All product updates undergo an internal validation process
• We work closely with healthcare professionals during the development and testing of new functionalities

Social cooperation: polypharmacy in the elderly
Polypharmacy in the elderly is one of the most complex medication challenges in Dutch healthcare. We actively follow scientific and practical developments in this field and seek cooperation with specialized knowledge organizations that develop guidelines and tools for medication safety in the elderly.
The concrete implementation of this knowledge cooperation will be further developed in 2025 and will be included in the next version of this report.

Our vision
MedGuide is part of society - not just as a technology provider, but as an organization that believes good healthcare is a collective interest. We want to contribute to a healthcare system that works for everyone, including those who are currently left out.

Reducing health disparities
The most concrete expression of our community involvement is our commitment to reducing health disparities. We actively seek cooperation with organizations that have expertise in this field - not as a distant sponsor, but as a substantive partner bringing technology and knowledge together.
Concretely, we aim for a partnership where organizational knowledge about vulnerable target groups is combined with our technological capacity to make medication information understandable for everyone. Disussions on this have started and will be concretized in 2025.

MEB pictograms
MedGuide actively participates in the development and implementation of MEB pictograms for patient leaflets. These are standardized visual symbols that make medication information understandable for people with limited language skills - a group representing approximately 30% of the Dutch population. This initiative is a direct translation of our mission into practice.

Education and knowledge transfer

• Through our internship program, we invest in 4 to 5 students annually
• Employees actively participate in professional conferences and knowledge sessions on medication safety and healthcare technology
• We share relevant insights publicly via our website - knowledge that contributes to better care should not be behind a paywall
• We are exploring the possibility of contributing as a board member to relevant branch organizations in the field of medication safety and health disparities

International responsibility
In our planned expansion into other European markets, we take our social responsibility seriously. We assess new markets partly based on the extent to which our products can offer demonstrable social value. A strong CSR profile is also a practical advantage: in countries like France and Germany, CSR requirements are a standard part of the selection procedure in tenders and partnerships.

Our ethical stance
MedGuide maintains the highest ethical standards. Not because it is mandatory, but because it is the only way we can execute our mission credibly. We work with medically sensitive information of vulnerable people. This obliges us to an attitude where the interests of the patient always prevail over commercial considerations.
In essence, we behave like a social impact company: an organization that primarily exists to solve a social problem. The honest caveat is that we are not yet fully there - a healthy cash flow and sustainable growth are the boundary conditions to remain able to fully execute this mission. But that order is deliberate: we grow to make an impact, not the other way around.
We focus on responsible medication use and a better quality of life for everyone - now and in the future.

Core ethical principles

• The health and well-being of the patient are always central - even if it is commercially less favorable
• We never communicate misleadingly about the capabilities or limitations of our products
• We do not use medical data for purposes that do not directly contribute to better care
• We do not support revenue models where healthcare professionals are incentivized toward overtreatment
• We are transparent about what our software can and cannot do, and about the uncertainties inherent in algorithmic decision support in healthcare
• In case of doubt about an ethical issue: the patient's interests weigh heavier than those of the client

Organizational culture as an ethical foundation
MedGuide is characterized by young, highly educated employees and an informal organizational culture. We work from intrinsic motivation - employees understand why they do what they do, and are personally convinced of it. This is consciously organized this way.
We avoid a formal, hierarchical culture where employees execute rules because they have to. No more is described and safeguarded than strictly necessary. Employees who understand why medication safety is important make better decisions than employees following a protocol.

Ethics in product development

• New functionalities are tested for possible unintended effects on vulnerable user groups
• Algorithmic decision support is always presented as support - never as a replacement for the professional judgment of the healthcare provider
• We strive for explainability: users must understand why the system gives a certain advice
• We actively participate in the public debate on AI and ethics in healthcare

Ambition

• Development of an internal ethical review framework for new products and partnerships
• Annual ethical reflection as part of the management review
• In case of international expansion: conscious alignment with local ethical and cultural contexts in healthcare

Our approach
MedGuide communicates about CSR directly, substantiated, and without exaggeration. We do not claim perfection and avoid marketing language. What we do, we describe as concretely as possible - including what can still be improved.

Communication principles

• Comprehensive - all relevant activities are described, even if the scope is limited
• Honest - we also name the limits of our efforts
• Substantiated - claims are traceable to concrete activities or figures
• Accessible - this report is publicly available via our website

Communication channels

• This CSR report - updated annually and published on www.themedguidecompany.com
• Website - dedicated CSR/impact section under development
• Customer and investor communication - CSR performance is part of quotes, contracts, and ESG reports
• Professional publications and conferences - employees actively contribute to the public debate
• Pharmaceutisch Weekblad - we offer substantive articles on medication safety and accessibility

The targets below are concrete, time-bound, and internally accountable. We report on progress annually.

2025

• Enter into a formal partnership with an expertise organization in the field of health disparities and accessible healthcare communication
• Formalize knowledge cooperation in the field of polypharmacy in the elderly
• Conduct an accessibility test on all product communication
• Complete and publish impact figures
• CSR as a permanent part of onboarding new employees
• Launch dedicated CSR/impact page on the website
• Expand MEB pictogram integration in all relevant product communication

2026

• Deliver first joint project aimed at accessible care for vulnerable target groups
• Complete external validation of knowledge databases
• Include a CSR clause in all new supplier contracts
• Explore a governance role at relevant branch organizations

2027

• Report measurable impact of social partnerships
• Strengthen CSR governance upon growth to 25+ employees
• Publish first CSR report for international markets
• Measure CO2 footprint and formulate initial reduction targets
• Developed methodology for measuring the indirect environmental effect of avoided medication use

MedGuide is a commercial company. We need revenue and strive for healthy growth. That is not a contradiction with social responsibility - it is the prerequisite for it. Only a financially healthy organization can continue to build the products that make a difference for patients and healthcare professionals.

But growth is not an end in itself for us. The benchmark is whether we get closer to a healthcare system in which everyone - regardless of education, background, or health literacy - has access to safe, understandable medication care. We work on that every day. And that is what we want to be held accountable for.

For MedGuide, CSR is not a separate program. It is the consequence of what we work on every day: helping people manage their medication in a healthier, more conscious, and more independent way. We do that for everyone - not just for those who can easily afford it.