British American Tobacco is the world’s second largest quoted tobacco group by global by global market share, with brands sold in more than 180 markets. With a portfolio of more than 200 brands, it makes the cigarette chosen by one in eight of the world’s one billion adult smokers. In 2011, British American Tobacco subsidiaries sold 705 billion cigarettes.

In the same year, its subsidiaries enabled governments worldwide to gather more than £30 billion in taxes, including excise duty on our products, almost nine times the Group’s profit after tax.

We have sustained a significant global presence for over 100 years. Our business was founded in 1902 and by 1912 had become one of the world’s top dozen companies by market capitalisation.

People and factories

British American Tobacco has 46 cigarette factories in 39 countries. Eight of these plus one separate plant also make either cigarettes, roll your own or pipe tobacco. It also has a factory making smokeless snus.
It employs more than 55,000 people worldwide. Its workforce is strongly multi-cultural and it has a devolved structure, with each local company having wide freedom of action and responsibility for its operations. Decisions are made as close as possible to the local stakeholders of each business, within a framework of principles, standards, policies, strategies and delegated authorities.

Operating responsibly

The British American Tobacco Group believes that because its products pose risks to health, it is all the more important that its business is managed responsibly. Responsibility is integral to its strategy and through dialogue with its stakeholders, the Company is working to pursue its commercial objectives in ways consistent with changing expectations of a modern tobacco business.

Tobacco growing

British American Tobacco is the only international tobacco group with a significant interest in tobacco leaf growing, working with thousands of farmers internationally. Its companies run leaf programmes providing direct agronomy support to farmers if it is not otherwise available, covering all aspects of crop production and environmental best practice – in 2010 its companies ran these in 19 countries. The Group purchased approximately 440,000 tonnes of leaf in 2011, grown by around 200,000 farmers.  For additional information visit British American Tobacco’s website