In October 2024, the United Nations warned of the existence of more than 120 million forcibly displaced people worldwide: the highest number recorded in history. People fleeing war, climate devastation and economic collapse, often in territories that were once rich in natural resources. Territories devastated by centuries of extraction, colonization and systematic exploitation.
The wealth of the Western world is not the result of natural inheritance alone, nor is it a reward for virtue, hard work, or good governance. Much of our economy has been, and too often, continues to be, built on stolen labor, plundered resources, and the deliberate destruction of ecosystems. This is the truth behind many of the crises we face today. And it is a truth that we must face, not only with recognition, but with decisive action.
At Ferrer, we recognize that we have been beneficiaries of global systems of inequality, and that is why we have a responsibility to actively give back to society all that we have received. Our knowledge, our innovations and our achievements are only possible thanks to the society and infrastructure that surrounds us. We must socialize our wealth to honor the social contract and help provide opportunities for future generations.
As economist Thomas Piketty has argued, inequality is not an accident. It is the result of political decisions and systems designed to concentrate power and wealth in the hands of just a few. But it is also a system that can be undone. Although not through philanthropy. Not through campaigns that make us feel good or empty promises. True justice requires structural change, fairer taxation and ethical business models.
Ferrer is not a company that has all the answers. We don't do everything right and we know that we still have a long way to go. But what matters is that we have made a choice: to prioritize social justice over shareholder profit. That means putting our resources, our knowledge, our influence — everything — at the service of a goal greater than ourselves.
We are here to show that it is possible to do business with a conscience, to set an example. To confirm that a pharmaceutical company can raise its voice, not only for its investors, but also for displaced, disadvantaged and invisible people. They can, and should, be part of our struggle.
And that, of course, for a pharmaceutical company means offering transformative solutions for rare and life-threatening diseases. Our focus therapeutic areas – pulmonary, vascular and interstitial diseases and rare neurological diseases – reflect that commitment. But it also means challenging the status quo: the idea that value is the same as profit, that wealth trickles down, that growth is inherently good. Those myths have given rise to grotesque inequality around the world. As Wilkinson and Pickett's research in Inequality: An Analysis of Collective (Un)Happiness demonstrates, extreme inequality not only harms the poorest people, it also corrodes social trust, weakens health outcomes, and damages the very fabric of society.
So, clearly, there are things that need to change. We need a fairer distribution of wealth and business models that are not based on extraction, but on return. And that's where we believe companies have a critical role to play.
In this memoir you will see how Ferrer has continued to act, not as a perfect company, but as a company that does not shy away from uncomfortable truths. A company willing to make brave decisions. An organization committed to a long-term strategy that gives back as much as possible to the planet and its inhabitants.
And we know that we cannot do it alone. We want others to join us – whether they are allies, competitors or partners. Because, in the end, success at Ferrer is measured by our ability to drive collective and lasting change.
We want to be remembered, not for what we got, but for everything we gave back.
Sergi Ferrer-Salat President of Ferrer
