Scientific Affairs: The One Voice of Science

BAT’s Scientific Affairs function, in action across its global entities, acts as the single source of scientific analysis and documentation for the Group, ensuring that scientific evidence is interpreted, communicated as appropriate and applied responsibly to support informed dialogue on Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR) and nicotine. By translating complex scientific evidence into clear and impactful communications and engagement, the team helps connect THR scientific evidence with the stakeholders who shape public health, policy and regulation, ensuring all perspectives are covered.

Translating Evidence into Impact

The global Scientific Affairs team exists to ensure that robust science is not only disseminated through journals, technical reports and via conference attendance, but reaches external audiences to inform balanced, evidence-based discussions on THR and contributes meaningfully to the broader scientific community and evidence base. The team evaluates and collates scientific evidence, turning complex data into stakeholder-focused communications that translate the science with impact, and enables effective engagement with a range of key stakeholders including regulators, policy makers, public health authorities, and health care professionals.

The team works very closely with partners in BAT’s Global Life Sciences, Corporate Affairs, and Regulatory Affairs functions, and is organised through three complementary pillars: Scientific Evidence, Scientific Advocacy, and Scientific Engagement. Together, these activities help strengthen understanding of the science behind THR.

Scientific Evidence: the team drives BAT’s scientific publication and conference strategies, the ongoing development of Omni™, and hosts expert scientific forums, helping to make high-quality science accessible and actionable. It also supports evidence-based responses to potentially flawed or misleading interpretations of science, ensuring discussions remain grounded in robust data.

Scientific Advocacy: the team transforms evidence into compelling audience tailored scientific communications, thought leadership, and stakeholder facing materials. This includes scientific advocacy assets, executive presentations on THR, digital science content, and THR communication initiatives designed to broaden understanding of the evidence base and its relevance to public health. The team also coordinates campus tours at our Science and Innovation Centre (Southampton, UK) for external scientific stakeholders.

Scientific Engagement: the team works closely with key opinion leaders including public health and scientific stakeholders globally, helping to foster scientific dialogue and promote the exchange of THR evidence and ideas across scientific, regulatory, and public health communities.

Supporting Evidence-Informed Dialogue

By combining the weight of evidence and scientific expertise with effective communication and stakeholder engagement, Scientific Affairs helps strengthen scientific credibility and supports informed discussion on nicotine and Tobacco Harm Reduction. Through Omni™, publications, conferences, advocacy initiatives, expert engagement, science and innovation campus tours and scientific leadership, the team plays a critical role in ensuring that science contributes meaningfully to conversations that shape the future of public health.