An interview with John Harrison, General Counsel,
Defence & Security Systems

Can EADS be socially responsible while owning a defence business?
I think the very concept of participating in the defence industry is in itself socially responsible. Why? Because we are not only a player in the global economy but also support governments and international organisations such as NATO which ultimately defend and underpin our freedoms and all of the advantages of a free society that we currently enjoy. On a less philosophical level, the defence industry operates in a strictly controlled legal and regulatory environment.

How do you ensure that export controls are respected?
To make sure that we comply with the vast array of export control legislation is a complex business and one of my jobs is to break down that complexity. We have to identify where a product is affected by a legal provision, which is a minimum requirement for us, completed by application of company rules which often go beyond legislation. The export control people are technically astute and work at our sites, not in ivory towers.

We take the advice of experts to tell us whether parts can be used for both civil and military purposes, so that we can ensure we comply with export restrictions.

Not only do we follow the law but also we have discussions with relevant authorities. It is difficult to do more.

How do you guard against corruption?
As a company we do not tolerate bribery. We have detailed internal policies and procedures which deal precisely with this point, offering guidance on hospitality for example. But just having rules is not enough. We enforce them rigorously. Each EADS employee and partner is responsible for respecting the rules. Additionally, we have a department that oversees compliance and advises employees as to what is permissible.