Philip Morris International wins 2020 BIG Innovation Award

LAUSANNE, Switzerland, Jan 28, (Agencies): Philip Morris International Inc announced that it has won the 2020 BIG Innovation Award in the “Organization” category. The company was honored for placing innovation front and center as it continues its full-scale business transformation to deliver a smoke-free future and replace cigarettes with better alternatives for those adults who would otherwise continue to smoke.

The BIG Innovation Awards, presented by the Business Intelligence Group, recognize organizations, products and people who bring new ideas to life. Organizations from across the globe submitted their recent innovations for consideration, and nominations were judged by a select group of business leaders and executives.

“It is gratifying to continue to be recognized by the broader business community for the innovation that is fueling our progress toward a smoke-free future,” said Jacek Olczak, PMI’s chief operating officer. “As we are undergoing the largest transformation in our company’s history, with a clear vision of unsmoking the world, we are constantly reinventing ourselves, our product portfolio and our ways of working to deliver better alternatives for the millions of men and women who smoke.”

“Innovation has become a major theme for organizations across virtually all industries, and this year’s winners are a testament to the creativity, passion and perseverance of individuals worldwide,” said Maria Jimenez, chief operating officer of the Business Intelligence Group. “We are thrilled to be honoring Philip Morris International as they are leading by example and making real progress delivering innovative solutions for their community and customers.”

PMI has invested to date more than $6 billion in science, research, technology and manufacturing capacity for its smoke-free products, which are now available in 51 markets. Already, 8.8 million adult smokers around the world have switched to PMI’s most advanced heated tobacco products and abandoned cigarettes.

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 US 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.