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Uniphar plc

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FY2021 Annual Report · Uniphar plc
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ANNUAL REPORT 2021

Sustainable 
Growth

1

Uniphar plc Annual Report 2021CONTENTS

Diversified healthcare 
services business focused  
on growth markets.

OVERVIEW

PERFORMANCE REVIEW

Operational and Financial Highlights 
Investment Case 
Chairman’s Report 

2  
6 
8  

Financial Review 
Commercial & Clinical 
Product Access 
Supply Chain & Retail 

STRATEGIC REVIEW

GOVERNANCE

Chief Executive’s Report 
Our Strategy 
Business Model 
Key Performance Indicators 
People & Culture  
Risk Management 
Sustainability and Governance Report 

12  
16 
18 
20 
22 
24 
32 

Company Information 
Board of Directors 
Corporate Governance Statement 
Corporate Governance Report 
Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee Report 
Nominations and Governance Committee Report 
Remuneration Committee Report 
Directors’ Report 

48 
52
54
56

59 
60 
62 
63 
71 
75 
79 
91

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Independent Auditors’ Report 
Group Income Statement  
Group Statement of Comprehensive Income 
Group Balance Sheet 
Company Balance Sheet 
Group Cash Flow Statement 
Company Cash Flow Statement 
Group Statement of Changes in Equity 
Company Statement of Changes in Equity  
Accounting Policies 
Notes to the Financial Statements 
Alternative Performance Measures 

Glossary of Terms 

98 
105 
106 
107 
108 
109 
110 
111 
112 
113 
125 
186 

191

Commercial & Clinical
Page 52

Product Access
Page 54

Supply Chain & Retail
Page 56

2

1

 
Overview

Uniphar plc Annual Report 2021

OPERATIONAL AND  
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

Commercial & Clinical

Product Access

Supply Chain & Retail

  Delivering a pan-European platform

  Sourcing and supply of  

  Key player in Pharma Supply Chain

  Providing sales, marketing 

and distribution solutions to 
manufacturers

  Focused on speciality pharma  

unlicensed medicines for  
pharmacy customers

  Managing EAPs for  
global manufacturers

and medical technologies

  Serving 130+ countries

  Supporting a network of  

378 pharmacies

  #1 market position in  
wholesale in Ireland

Providing expertise throughout the product lifecycle

Global Footprint

  Active in 2021

  Medium term expansion

Delivering  
M&A 

Adjusted EPS

Progressive Dividend 

16.2 (cent)  €4.4m

Announced five acquisitions,  
with four completed and the 
acquisition of the Navi Group  
subject to CCPC approval. 

28.6% increase in adjusted EPS,  
reflecting the strong performance  
in the year.

A total dividend of €4.4m for  
the year including the interim  
dividend paid in October, subject  
to shareholder approval at the AGM. 

Gross Profit

EBITDA

€274.5m 

26.3% increase year-on-year, rising 
from €217.3m to €274.5m.

€86.5m  

29.6% increase year-on-year,  
rising from €66.7m to €86.5m.

Organic Growth

8.5%  

Strong organic gross  
profit growth.

ROCE 

17.6% 

Reflecting the impact of the 
successful integration  
of acquisitions.

Leverage

0.7x 

Continued Critical  
Role played in the  
Covid-19 Pandemic

Robust Balance Sheet and liquidity 
profile enhanced with two new 
international banking partners, 
providing strong capital base to 
support our growth strategy.

Ensuring continuity in the supply  
of medicines, medical devices,  
and related services to the  
healthcare sector.

2
2

3
3

Overview

UNIPHAR 
AT A GLANCE

800k

Over 800,000 HCP  
interactions achieved  
in 2021

65 

Managing over 65 EAPs for  
global manufacturers, from  
our global distribution centres

8.5%

Organic gross profit growth 
achieved in 2021

€274m

€1.9bn

Gross profit of €274m,  
26.3% increase year on year

In 2021 the Group generated 
revenue of over €1.9bn

76.6% 

Free cash flow conversion

Delivering Growth

EBITDA
€’m

Gross Profit
€’m

ROCE
%

100

80

60

40

20

0

300

250

200

150

100

50

0

19
18.5
18
17.5
17
16.5
16
15.5
15
14.5

2018

2019 2020

2021

2018

2019 2020

2021

2018

2019 2020

2021

Delivering M&A
Five acquisitions with a strong 
strategic fit, expanding market 
share, increasing our presence in 
a new geography, expanding our 
global reach to the MENA region and 
strengthening our digital capability

Sustainability 
Continued progress across 
all 5 Sustainability Pillars

Summary Financial Results - Financial Year Ended 31 December 2021

Year ended 31 December

Revenue

Gross profit

Gross profit margin

EBITDA1

Operating profit

Profit before tax excluding exceptional items

Net bank debt1

Basic EPS (cent)

Like for like adjusted EPS (cent)1

   Growth

2021
€’000

2020
€’000

Reported

6.5%

26.3%

29.6%

13.0%

31.5%   

1,943,149

1,823,854

274,497

217,252

14.1%

86,481

45,147

50,444

11.9%

66,713

39,944

38,367

(48,297)

(34,419)

17.8

16.2

10.6

12.2

Constant
Currency2

6.3%

25.8%

29.1%

12.2%

30.7%

1.  Additional information in relation to Alternative Performance Measures (APMs) are set out on pages 186 to 190.
2.  Constant currency growth is calculated by applying the prior year’s actual exchange rate to the current year’s result.

Diversified 
healthcare 
services business 
focused on 
growth markets

Divisional Gross Profit

€128.8m
47%

€104.4m
38%

€41.3m
15%

   Commercial & Clinical 

   Product Access 

   Supply Chain & Retail

4

5

Uniphar plc Annual Report 2021 
 
 
 
Overview

Uniphar plc Annual Report 2021

INVESTMENT 
CASE

Diversified healthcare services business 
operating in growth markets.

Compelling 
Market 
Opportunity

Experienced  
Industry 
Team

Integrated  
Model

Uniphar  
Investment  
Case

Cash  
Generation

Experienced  
Industry  
Team

 » Executive management with many  

years of relevant industry experience, 
working with technical expertise and 
further enhanced by strong specialist 
market experience

Cash  
Generation

 » Strong free cash flow generation 

delivering growth

 » Robust liquidity position with capital 
allocation prioritised to support 
sustainable organic growth, accretive 
M&A and a progressive dividend policy

Competitive  
Edge

 » Longstanding manufacturer 

relationships

 » Sophisticated digital capabilities 
 » High-tech distribution infrastructure

Platform  
for  
Growth

Integrated  
Model

 » A pan-European Commercial  
& Clinical service offering for  
our manufacturer clients 
 » Growing our Product Access  
service on a global basis

 » Providing a multi-geography platform 

and expanded service offerings to new 
and existing manufacturer clients

 » End-to-end solutions across the value 
chain from early-stage development  
and throughout the product life cycle

 » Leveraging existing capabilities, 
technology, relationships and 
infrastructure to take advantage of 
substantial market opportunities 

Compelling 
Market 
Opportunity

 »

Increasing requirements for  
speciality products 

 » Continued growth in outsourcing  

by manufacturers

 » Highly fragmented European market

Platform  
for Growth

Competitive  
Edge

6

7

Performance Review  
Read more on page 47

Overview

Uniphar plc Annual Report 2021

CHAIRMAN’S 
REPORT

Our growth strategy of expansion on both a 
geographic and market share basis continues 
to deliver, with organic gross profit growth 
of 8.5% in a market still disrupted by the 
ongoing effects of the pandemic.

€1.9bn

Group revenues across the three 
divisions increased to over €1.9bn

€50.4m

Group profit before tax and  
exceptional items up 31.5%  
to €50.4m

8.5% 

Organic gross profit growth in  
a market still disrupted by the  
ongoing effects of Covid-19. 

Uniphar has delivered a strong 
performance again this year, 
demonstrating the diversity  
of the Group’s service offering and 
the benefit of the Group’s focus and 
investment in technology platforms.

Our growth strategy of expansion 
on both a geographic and market 
share basis continues to deliver, 
with organic gross profit growth 
of 8.5% in a market still disrupted 
by the ongoing effects of the 
Covid-19 pandemic. For the second 
year running, Uniphar colleagues 
worldwide have shown remarkable 
resilience and commitment, delivering 
for our clients and our shareholders 
navigating the various challenges  
that Covid-19 presented.

Overview
Profit before tax increased 66.4% 
to €55.8m, achieved by growth 
across all divisions, and benefiting 
from the full year impact of our 2020 
acquisitions of the Hickey’s Pharmacy 
Group, Diligent Health Solutions, 
RRD International and Innerstrength 
Limited and our more recent 
acquisitions in 2021 of CoRRect 
Medical and BESTMSLs Group.  
The Group maintains a robust capital 
base with strong liquidity, a modest 
leverage position of 0.7x and net 
bank debt of €48.3m, which positions 
the Group well to continue to invest in 
further growth opportunities.

Adjusted earnings per share 
increased by 28.6% on FY 2020, to 

16.2c. This was acheived on the back 
of a strong EBITDA result of €86.5m.

Corporate Governance  
& Sustainability
Our focus on improving our corporate 
governance structures continued in 
2021. The composition of our Board 
saw a number of changes during 2021 
which resulted in alignment with the 
requirements of the UK Code. Marie 
McConn, Padraic Staunton, Ger 
Penny and Padraic Dempsey, each of 
whom were deemed not to meet the 
independence criteria set out in the 
UK Code, resigned from the Board 
during the year. In January 2021, Jim 
Gaul and Liz Hoctor joined the Board, 
both of whom have been designated 
by the Board as independent. 

On behalf of the Board, I would like  
to extend a warm thanks to each 
of the outgoing directors for their 
significant contributions to the  
Board over their respective terms. 

At the time of IPO in 2019,  
the Board indicated its intention 
to continue to enhance corporate 
governance structures with a view  
to adopting the UK Code as the 
Group’s corporate governance 
code within 3 years. I am delighted 
to confirm that following further 
governance changes during 2021, 
the Board resolved in early 2022 to 
adopt the UK Code as the Group’s 
corporate governance code and 
to align the corporate governance 
practices of the Group to that Code. 

Sustainability is at the 
heart of our business 
ensuring patients have 
access to medicines and 
medical devices they 
need in the markets we 
serve, and 2021 saw 
a continued focus on 
the wider sustainability 
agenda of the Group. 

Initiatives such as the Future of  
Work employee listening exercise,  
our second hugely successful  
Relay for Hope event and our 
commitment to setting transparent 
and ambitious carbon reduction 
targets aligned to the science-based 
target initiative are examples of how 
our sustainability agenda continues to 
gain momentum across the Group.

Mergers & Acquisitions
Since IPO in 2019, we have 
successfully executed 12 value 
accretive acquisitions, including  
five acquisitions announced in 
2021. In Commercial & Clinical, 
we completed the acquisitions 
of CoRRect Medical in Germany, 
BESTMSLs Group in the US and 
E4H in the UK. In Product Access, 
we completed the acquisition of 
Devonshire Healthcare Services  
in the UK.

Performance Review  
Read more on page 47

8

9

 
 
Overview

Uniphar plc Annual Report 2021

12 

We have successfully executed 
twelve value accretive 
acquisitions since IPO in 2019

5 

A further five acquisitions 
announced in 2021, two in the 
UK, one in Germany, one in 
Ireland and one in the US

€4.4m 

A total dividend of €4.4m  
for the year including the  
interim dividend paid in  
October, subject to shareholder 
approval at the AGM

STRATEGIC 
REVIEW

Chief Executive’s Report  

Our Strategy 

Business Model 

Key Performance Indicators 

People & Culture  

Risk Management 

Sustainability and Governance Report 

12

16

18

20

22

24

32

Dividend
The Board remains committed to a 
progressive dividend policy as stated 
at the time of the IPO. The Directors 
are proposing a final dividend of 
€2.9m subject to approval at the 
Company’s AGM. It is proposed to 
pay the dividend on 13 May 2022 
to ordinary shareholders on the 
Company’s register on at 5pm on  
22 April 2021.

Together with the interim dividend 
of €1.5m paid in October 2021, this 
brings the total dividend for the year 
to €4.4m, an increase of 5% on 2020.

Looking forward
The Board remains confident that 
the Group’s business model and 
strategies will continue to deliver 
long-term value for our shareholders. 
Acquisitions continue to play an 
important part in Uniphar’s growth 
strategy, and the Group’s Balance 
Sheet is well positioned to support 
our objectives.

We are well positioned to continue 
to grow in line with our medium-term 
divisional guidance.

On behalf of the Board, I would 
like to thank Ger and the Executive 
Management team for their 
exceptional leadership, and  
everyone throughout the organisation 
for their hard work and dedication 
during the year.

Maurice Pratt
Chairman

In Supply Chain & Retail, we 
announced the acquisition of the  
Navi Group, which is subject to 
approval by the Irish Competition and 
Consumer Protection Commission 
(CCPC). Work has already begun 
on the integration of the completed 
acquisitions, and we look forward 
to seeing the positive impact on the 
Group in the coming months.

Acquisitions completed in 2020, 
including RRD International, Diligent 
Health Solutions, Innerstrength and 
the Hickey’s Pharmacy Group have 
all been successfully integrated 
into the business and are adding 
significant value to the organisation 
with previously identified synergies 
coming through. 

Macro-economic impacts
In common with many companies, 
Uniphar has felt the impact of Brexit, 
particularly in the UK and Irish 
markets. However, the diversity of 
our service offering coupled with our 
ever-widening geographical reach 
has notably mitigated the impact to 
the Group. In 2019 and 2020, we 
saw pre-wholesale stockpiling by 
manufacturers to ensure that they 
had sufficient product to serve the 
market when the full impact of Brexit 
commenced. During 2021, like most 
in the value chain, we have seen some 
further impact to the stability of the 
supply chain, including a reduction 
in reliability of timing and increased 
costs. However, conscious of the 
potential impact on patients, Uniphar 
were well prepared and successfully 
supported our pharmaceutical and 
MedTech partners throughout. 
While the ongoing impact of the 
pandemic has offered operational 
challenges in many parts of the 
business, these were managed well 
in 2020 and this continued to be the 
case in 2021. I would like to take 
this opportunity to highlight the huge 
effort and commitment shown by 
Uniphar colleagues all across the 
Group in this the second year of the 
pandemic. They have shown great 
strength and team spirit, holding the 
line and maintaining high standards 
of service to our customers through 
lockdowns, Covid-related staff 
shortages and uncertainty.  

On behalf of the Board, I thank them. 

10

11

 
Strategic Review

Uniphar plc Annual Report 2021

CHIEF 
EXECUTIVE’S 
REPORT

Over the last twelve months we 
have seen a considerable growth in 
profitability with gross profit increasing 
by 26.3% for the full year and a strong 
organic gross profit growth of 8.5%. 

26.3%

Gross profit growth of 26.3%  
with Gross profit margin increasing  
from 11.9% to 14.1%

€86.5m

EBITDA of €86.5m increased  
by 29.6% in the year

16.2 (cent) 

Adjusted EPS increased by  
28.6% to 16.2 (cent) 

Performance Review  
Read more on page 47

Our business performed strongly 
in 2021, with our teams delivering 
impressive results despite the 
continuing challenges caused by 
the Covid-19 pandemic. Over the 
last twelve months, we have seen a 
considerable growth in profitability, 
with gross profit increasing by 26.3% 
for the full year and a strong organic 
gross profit growth of 8.5%. 

We work with seven out of ten of both 
the world’s largest pharma companies 
and medical device companies 
globally. Our three divisions, 
Commercial & Clinical, Product 
Access and Supply Chain & Retail 
share a common culture, a thread of 
DNA, that insists on always putting 
the customer at the centre of what 
we do. This is what has allowed us 
to hit our targets and outperform the 
market through another challenging 
year for the healthcare sector.

Financial Review 
2021 has been a strong year for 
Uniphar with our EBITDA increasing 
by 29.6% year-on-year, finishing at 
€86.5m compared to €66.7m in 2020. 
This strong profitability is reflected in 
a robust Return on Capital Employed 
for the year of 17.6%. 

The Group has a solid capital 
structure in place with significant 
cash resources available. Finishing 
the year with leverage of 0.7x, and 
net bank debt of €48.3m, the Group 
is in a strong position to continue to 
invest in growth opportunities. 

We took the opportunity during  
the year to expand our banking 
syndicate with the addition of two 
new international banking partners, 
HSBC and RBC. This expanded 
syndicate provides a strong platform 
to support our growth strategy as we 
move forward, both organically and 
through acquisition.

Sustainability
Sustainability continues to be a key 
focus for both the executive team 
and the Board and is at the core of 
our business, in providing patients 
with access to medicines and 
medical technology in the markets 
we serve. 2021 saw progress across 
all five of the Group’s sustainability 
pillars. Our new Chief People Officer 
implemented a number of people and 
culture focused initiatives, including 
our Group-wide Future of Work 
employee listening exercise which 
drove the implementation of our global 
Hybrid Working Guidelines. On the 
environmental front, we took our first 
step in setting carbon reduction targets 
with the Group’s formal commitment in 
December 2021 to setting a science-
based carbon reduction target. While 
we continue to work on assessing our 
Scope 3 emissions, we have set an 
internal target to reduce our Scope 1 
and 2 emissions by 5% per annum 
between 2019 and 2030, which would 
see us achieve our climate ambition of 
at least 50% reduction in our absolute 
Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030.

Quality, compliance and innovation 
were, as always, at the heart of how 

we ran our business in 2021. Our 
corporate governance agenda was 
further strengthened by the resolution 
of the Board to adopt the UK Code as 
our corporate governance framework 
in early 2022.

Under our community pillar, I was once 
again extremely proud of the charitable 
efforts of our teams in supporting both 
the second year of Relay for Hope 
in aid of our global cancer charity 
partners and The West End Tour in aid 
of the Mayo-Roscommon Hospice. As 
a Group, we succeeded in raising a 
phenomenal €350,000 for our charity 
partners across these two events, 
which brings our total charitable 
contributions over the past two years 
to well in excess of €600,000.

Mergers & Acquisitions

We were very pleased to 
announce five acquisitions 
during the year across 
our three divisions, noting 
that the acquisition of the 
Navi Group is subject to 
approval by the CCPC. 

CoRRect Medical is a Germany-
headquartered company that 
specialises in the commercialisation 
and distribution of medical device 
products in the interventional 
cardiology sector across Germany  
& Switzerland. 

12
12

13

 
 
 
Strategic Review

Uniphar plc Annual Report 2021

BESTMSLs Group is a New York-
headquartered company that 
provides outsourced medical affairs 
services including the provision of 
contract Medical Science Liaison 
(MSL) teams, recruiting, training, 
education and a range of innovative 
digital solutions for its pharma 
partners. BESTMSLs Group also 
operates The Doctors Channel, a 
digital platform which delivers expert 
medical information condensed into 
short streaming videos. 

E4H is a UK based company 
offering a wide range of digital 
and communications solutions 
to the pharmaceutical industry, 
including brand and strategy 
commercialisation, digital 
development, omni-channel delivery, 
engagement and data analysis.

Devonshire Healthcare Services is a 
UK based company providing access 
to unlicensed and difficult to source 
medicines across the Middle East 
and North Africa (MENA) region for 25 
years to a broad variety of healthcare 
authorities, hospitals, and overseas 
ministries of health.

The Navi Group, whose acquisition 
is subject to CCPC approval, drives 
innovation within the Irish pharmacy 
sector through leading digital 
platforms and consistent supply of 
quality pharmaceutical products 
to its Irish and MENA partners. 
On completion of this acquisition, 
the unique technology and value 
proposition of Navi combined 
with Uniphar’s scalable high-tech 
distribution facilities and digital 
platforms would deliver an even 
stronger offering to our independent 
community pharmacy customer base.

Each completed acquisition 
included an upfront payment plus 
contingent consideration payable 
upon achievement of certain financial 
hurdles and each is expected to deliver 
a Return on Capital Employed to the 
Group in line with Uniphar’s target rate 
of 12%-15% within three years.

The acquisitions completed during 
2020 are now successfully integrated 
and mark a further milestone in 
developing our platform for growth, 
with previously identified efficiencies 
and margin synergies evident in 
our 2021 performance. We have 
successfully acquired innovative 

companies, with talented teams 
who are culturally aligned to the 
Group and whose value-add services 
complement and broaden our existing 
capabilities. We have worked hard 
to integrate them and continue to 
support and invest in them to ensure 
that, together, we can deliver on 
our ambitious growth expectations. 
We are now seeing the benefit of 
our disciplined approach coming 
through as both organic and inorganic 
growth. Looking at the divisions, all 
three have made significant progress 
this year in line with or ahead of our 
expectations:

Commercial & Clinical 
Our Commercial & Clinical division 
is speciality focused and built on 
two elements – an extensive clinical 
understanding of the specialised 
products and complex therapeutic 
areas we service and a long history 
of building a partnership approach 
with our customers. Our MedTech 
business delivers a fully integrated 
model of sales, marketing and 
distribution services to MedTech 
manufacturers, while our Pharma 
business provides an insights-
driven omni-channel solution to 
commercializing brands. Our unique 
combination of skills and resources 
has allowed us to provide a range 
of services ideally suited to the 
fragmented European market, 
whose widely varying healthcare 
systems, reimbursement regimes and 
regulatory nuances, can make the 
market very challenging for specialty 
manufacturers working to bring 
high-tech products to market across 
multiple territories.

M&A will continue to play an important 
role to accelerate our ability to provide 
a fully integrated commercial service 
for our clients in Europe.

Our Commercial & Clinical division 
continues to grow, with revenues 
reaching €300m and gross profit 
increasing by 13.2% on 2020. As we 
move forward we will look to leverage 
our expanding European platform 
with new and existing clients. 

Product Access
Product Access performed ahead 
of expectations, reaching 35.8% 
gross profit growth on revenues 
of €157m. Our strategic focus in 
Product Access is to become a global 
leader in providing access to ethically 

sourced unlicensed medicines and 
the delivery of ‘Expanded Access 
Programs’ on a global basis. Our 
On Demand business supplies 
medicines which are unlicensed or 
otherwise difficult to source. Our 
Exclusive Access business works 
closely with the manufacturers of 
speciality medicines to manage the 
release of innovative and often high 
value treatments to specific patients. 
We have strengthened our capability 
in bespoke distribution through 
Durbin. Our more recent acquisitions 
of Innerstrength, RRD International, 
and Devonshire Healthcare Services 
bring expertise in the management of 
medicines in the early stage of the life 
cycle. Our digital platforms, combined 
with our deep expertise and global 
reach, give us a compelling value 
proposition for manufacturers seeking 
to manage the complexity and cost 
of bringing high-tech and speciality 
products to market.

Supply Chain & Retail
Our Supply Chain & Retail division 
continues to outperform the market, 
due in a large part to our focus on 
digital innovation providing us with 
a competitive advantage, both in 
terms of providing a superior service 
resulting in increasing market share 
and in managing our own costs. 
While lockdowns and restrictions 
have provided challenges for the 
retail business, our pharmacy staff 
have worked tirelessly throughout 
2021 to make sure that customers 
and patients were looked after and 
received the products and services 
they required. During 2021, the retail 
business was focused on integrating 
the Hickey’s Pharmacy Group, with 
the 36 Hickey’s pharmacies migrated 
onto Uniphar IT systems and our 
digital expertise used to grow the 
brand’s online presence.

When the current management 
team was appointed in 2010, this 
division held a c.25% market share 
in Ireland with no retail presence 
nor did our international divisions 
exist. Today we have c.53% market 
share in Supply Chain and are the 
market leading provider of pharmacy 
retail services and have created 
two international divisions from this 
solid foundation in Supply Chain & 
Retail. We believe that the success 
in this division in Ireland can be 
replicated in other markets through 
leveraging a divisional management 

continue to grow our market share in 
Ireland while evaluating other growth 
opportunities through organic and 
inorganic investment, domestically 
and abroad.

Looking at 2022, we are confident we 
have the strategy, market opportunity, 
platform, competitive edge and, most 
importantly, the team to deliver on our 
growth plan for our business.

Gerard Rabbette
Chief Executive Officer

team with a proven track record. We 
have demonstrated such operations 
provide a strong cash generative core 
and platform for our international 
divisions expansion of higher margin 
and high value-add services across 
the Group.

Looking forward
Over the last two years we have made 
excellent progress in building out our 
growth platforms in each division and 
we now have a strong position from 
which to address our target markets, 
with a growing global footprint, a 
focus on leveraging technology 
efficiently and a depth of expertise 
across our teams. In the Commercial 
& Clinical and the Product Access 
divisions, our focus on speciality 
products, and providing the often 
complex and multi-layered services 
that are needed by our manufacturer 
clients across the life cycle of their 
product, remains the cornerstone of 
our strategy. While in Supply Chain 
& Retail, we have the track record 
and management team in place to 

14

15

Strategic Review

Uniphar plc Annual Report 2021

OUR 
STRATEGY

Uniphar’s vision is focused 
on improving patient access 
to pharmaco-medical 
products and treatments 
by enhancing connectivity 
between manufacturers and 
healthcare stakeholders.

€1.9bn

Revenue of €1.9bn, 6.5%  
increase year-on-year

8.5% 

Organic gross profit growth  
of 8.5% achieved

€274.5m 

€274.5m Gross profit,  
26.3% increase year-on-year

Since IPO in 2019, our vision and 
business strategy has served 
us well. Our vision is to improve 
patient access to pharmaco-
medical products and treatments 
by enhancing connectivity between 
manufacturers and healthcare 
stakeholders. There is significant 
market opportunities in the markets 
we serve and we will continue 
to grow both organically while 
also accelerating growth through 
acquisitions.

Continued focus on our key strategic 
objectives - becoming a global 
leader in Product Access, providing 
best-in-class Commercial & Clinical 
services on a pan-European basis 
and maintaining and growing our 
market leadership position in Supply 
Chain & Retail across Ireland – have 
enabled us to deliver the results we 
committed to in 2019 and allowed us 
to remain on track to achieve our goal 
of doubling 2018 pro-forma EBITDA 
within five years of IPO.

Performance Review  
Read more on page 47

We continue to leverage 
M&A to accelerate 
these objectives and in 
2021 completed four 
acquisitions, with a fifth, 
the acquisition of the 
Navi Group, subject to 
CCPC approval. All these 
acquisitions are in line  
with our growth strategy. 

We completed three acquisitions in 
the Commercial & Clinical division. 
CoRRect Medical enables the 
provision of a fully integrated offering 
across the important German 
and Swiss medtech markets. 
Uniphar have brought their existing 
manufacturer relationships to the 
German and Swiss markets and have 
leveraged the highly experienced 
CoRRect management team and their 
local knowledge to launch a number 
of products, with more launches to 
come. This acquisition is an important 
step in our strategic objective  
of providing high value services  
to our manufacturer clients on a  
pan-European basis. 

1616

The acquisition of New York-
headquartered BESTMSLs Group 
provides outsourced medical affairs 
services including the provision of 
contract MSL teams, recruiting, 
training, education and a range of 
innovative digital solutions for its 
pharma partners. In addition, The 
Doctors Channel, a digital platform, 
delivers expert medical information 
condensed into short streaming 
videos. A valuable operational 
addition to the Commercial & Clinical 
Pharma stable in itself, BESTMSLs 
Group is also of significant strategic 
value to our Product Access 
business, with the role MSLs play 
becoming increasingly important 
across late-stage clinical trials 
through to commercialisation.
E4H offers a wide range of digital 
and communications solutions 
to the pharmaceutical industry, 
including brand and strategy 
commercialisation, digital 
development, omni-channel 
delivery and data analysis. E4H 
will be integrated into the Group’s 
Commercial & Clinical division, 
enhancing Uniphar’s value 
proposition of creating a  
truly differentiated omni-channel 
offering for pharmaceutical clients 
looking to commercialise their  
brands across Europe.

Devonshire Healthcare Services 
has provided access to unlicensed 
and difficult to source medicines 
across the MENA region for 25 years 
to a broad variety of healthcare 
authorities, hospitals, and overseas 
ministries of health. 

Devonshire will be integrated into the 
Product Access division, expanding 
its global access into key hospitals 
in the MENA region for the benefit of 
both its On Demand and Exclusive 
Access businesses. Devonshire 
will benefit from Uniphar’s existing 
operational infrastructure and drive 
cross-selling opportunities. 

The Navi Group, the acquisition of 
which remains subject to CCPC 
approval, drives innovation within the 
Irish pharmacy sector through leading 
digital platforms and consistent 
supply of quality pharmaceutical 
products to its Irish and MENA 
partners. On completion of this 
acquisition, the unique technology 
and value proposition of the Navi 
Group combined with Uniphar’s 
scalable high-tech distribution 
facilities and digital platforms would 
deliver an even stronger offering 
to our independent community 
pharmacy customer base.

As we look forward to the next five 
years, we must consider how markets 
have changed and what we have 
learnt on our journey:

»  The pandemic has reinforced 
our core strategy, founded 
on innovative solutions, high 
value-add healthcare services 
and supply chain expertise.

»  Expert, resilient teams, supported 
by a strong culture and ethos, 
is core to our success. We must 
continuously adapt to the evolving 
work environment and continue to 
listen to and invest in developing 
our growing workforce. 

»  Our ongoing focus on digital 

innovation, delivery excellence 
and technical expertise are 
the essential drivers of our 
competitive advantage – we 
continue to invest to stay ahead.

»  There is no lasting success 

without meaningful sustainability 
in our approach to how we  
do business. 

The thread that connects it all is 
a laser focus on the needs of the 
customer and patient. These insights 
are part of our armoury as we look to 
adapting and planning the next five 
years for the Uniphar Group. 

»  Our deep relationships with 
healthcare stakeholders give 
us a unique global insight into 
emerging trends and pressures, 
allowing us to ensure we are 
ready to provide high value-add 
healthcare services that our 
customers need not just today, 
but also into the future.

17
17

Uniphar plc Annual Report 2021 
 
Strategic Review

Uniphar plc Annual Report 2021

OUR  
BUSINESS 
MODEL

Our business model is to look for opportunities to 
offer specialist, outsourced services to manufacturers 
across the pharmaco-medical value chain, from the 
manufacturer’s gate to the patient’s home.

Our consistent results demonstrate the robustness  
of our business model, which focuses on:

Building 
Relationships

Understanding 
Client Needs

Digital  
First

Building long term 
relationships of trust 
with manufacturers 
through our delivery 
excellence.    

By creating links 
at multiple points 
and levels in the 
organisation to 
maximise our 
understanding of  
the client’s needs  
and expectations.

Using digital 
innovation to help us 
to meet those needs, 
constantly evolving 
and improving the 
client experience and 
our own productivity. 

Multiple 
Geographies

Reducing  
Environmental
Impact

Always 
Growing

By replicating this 
approach across 
multiple geographies 
and markets.

Operating our business 
in a sustainable, 
responsible and 
ethical manner, whilst 
reducing our impact on 
the environment.

By acquiring 
companies and 
growing leaders 
and teams that are 
excellent at what  
they do and share  
our insistence on 
putting the customer 
and their patient at the 
centre of what we do. 

18

19

KEY  
PERFORMANCE 
INDICATORS

Uniphar plc Annual Report 2021

The Group has a range of Key 
Performance Indicators (KPIs) which are 
used to monitor Group performance, and 
measure progress against our strategy.

Financial

Non-Financial

Key Performance Indicators

Why we measure it

Performance in 2021

Key Performance Indicators

Why we measure it

Performance in 2021

Gross Profit (€m)

€274.5

2020: €217.3m
2019: €180.6m

2019 2020 2021

Gross profit is viewed by the  
Board as the best measure of top-line 
performance. It allows management 
to assess the performance of the 
business and is a key measure in the 
assessment of divisional performance.

EBITDA (€m)*

€86.5 

2020: €66.7m
2019: €58.6m

2019 2020 2021

EBITDA provides management  
with an assessment of the underlying 
trading performance of the Group and 
excludes transactions that are not 
reflective of the ongoing operations 
of the business, allowing comparison 
of the trading performance of the 
business across periods and/or  
with other businesses.

Gross profit has increased by  
26.3%, driven by strong organic  
gross profit growth of 8.5% in 
conjunction with the full year 
impact of 2020 acquisitions and the 
contribution from 2021 acquisitions. 
This performance includes growth 
across all three divisions.

Continued strong EBITDA 
performance increasing by  
29.6% to €86.5m.

Growth in EBITDA is driven by 
the expansion into higher margin 
businesses both organically and 
through acquisition, despite 
Covid-19 challenges. 

We remain on track to achieve  
our strategic objective of doubling 
2018 pro-forma EBITDA within  
5 years of IPO.

Free cash flow conversion of 76.6%, 
reflects a strong performance and 
tight working capital management 
and growth delivered from cash 
reinvestment, offset by the unwind of 
2020 Brexit related stock positions 
and Covid related contracts.

Free Cash Flow  
Conversion*

76.6% 

2020: 111.0% 
2019: 85.7%

Return on  
Capital Employed*

17.6%

2020: 18.7% 
2019: 17.3%

Adjusted Earnings  
per Share (cent)*

16.2 

2020: 12.6
2019: 14.3

2019 2020 2021

2019 2020 2021

2019 2020 2021

Free cash flow conversion represents 
the funds generated from the  
Group’s ongoing operations. These 
funds are available for reinvestment, 
and for future acquisitions as part of 
the Group’s growth strategy. A strong 
level of free cash flow conversion is 
key to maintaining a strong, liquid 
balance sheet.

This measure allows management  
to monitor business performance, 
review potential investment 
opportunities and the allocation  
of internal resources.

The Group’s ROCE for 2021  
was 17.6%, reflecting the  
impact of the Group’s successful 
integration of acquisitions and 
strategic global expansion. 

Adjusted EPS is used to assess  
the after-tax underlying performance  
of the business in combination with the 
impact of capital structure actions on 
the share base. This is a key measure 
used by management to evaluate the 
businesses operating performance, 
generate future operating plans, and 
make strategic decisions.

The Group’s Adjusted EPS for 2021 
was 16.2 cent. Underlying earnings 
have increased by 33.0% from 
€32.9m in 2020 to €43.8m in 2021 
driving growth. This is offset by the 
Group’s LTIP and the consequent 
impact on the weighted average 
number of shares.

Number of Expanded  
Access Programs

 65

2020: 61 
2019: 46 

2019 2020 2021

A key strategic priority of 
Product Access is the successful 
operation of Expanded Access 
Programs (EAPs), enabling the 
connection of the manufacturer 
to the patient. The number of 
these programs in operation 
during the year is a key metric in 
measuring progress against this 
priority, as well as the strength of 
ourmanufacturer relationships. 

During 2021 the number of Expanded 
Access Programs in progress or 
completed by the Group grew to over 
65, with Covid-19 having minimal 
impact on world-wide EAPs. The 
acquisition of Durbin in 2019 continues 
to enable synergistic growth across 
the Product Access division and 
provides a unique value proposition of 
technical and global market expertise 
to manufacturers. 

Healthcare  
Professional  
Interactions

800k+ 

2020: 600k+ 
2019: 580k+

2019 2020 2021

In Commercial & Clinical, 
interactions with healthcare 
professionals form an integral 
part of connecting the 
manufacturer to the patient and 
the success of the business. 

Symbol Group  
Pharmacy Numbers

378 

2020: 346 
2019: 287

2019 2020 2021

The Uniphar Symbol Group 
consists of owned and franchised 
pharmacies operating under 
our Allcare, Life and Hickey’s 
pharmacy brands as well as 
wholesale customers who we 
support through our range of 
innovative retail support services. 
The number of pharmacies 
operating under the Symbol 
Group provides management 
with insight into the strength of 
these brands in the marketplace.

Covid-19 lockdown measures 
and restrictions have resulted in a 
significant proportion of interactions 
with healthcare professionals taking 
place digitally rather than through 
more traditional methods. This has 
highlighted the importance of Uniphar’s 
investment in digital solutions, allowing 
the organisation to respond effectively 
to evolving circumstances, further 
cementing our relationship with key 
healthcare stakeholders, and enabling 
the delivery of strong organic growth 
across the business.

The acquisition of the Hickey’s 
Pharmacy Group in 2020 together 
with the addition of new members 
joining our symbol groups in 2021 
has created a market leading offering 
of 378 pharmacies. This growth in 
pharmacy numbers demonstrates the 
strength of our market presence and 
the key role we play in the national 
health infrastructure. We support our 
pharmacies through our best-in-class 
supply chain e-commerce platform 
which enables a tailored solution to be 
provided to each group member.

*Details on how this was calculated are included in the APMs section on page 186 to 190. 

Our Strategy  
Read more on page 16

20

21

Strategic ReviewPEOPLE 
& CULTURE

People & Culture – A key pillar
Our business is built on the talent, 
ingenuity and commitment of our 
people. People & Culture is one of 
the five pillars of our Sustainability 
strategy. When we acquire a 
business, the cultural fit is always 
at the heart of the transaction; this 
is what has led to the success of 
our M&A strategy.  We have built 
a diverse portfolio of businesses 
working together to provide 
integrated solutions to our healthcare 
clients, with a shared passion for 
delivering world-class solutions for 
our customers. 

Who we are: 

We are straight forward, 
can-do, with a strong 
entrepreneurial spirit 
that runs through every 
aspect of our business. 
We’re always open to 
new and better ways 
of doing what we do. 
We are proud of what 
we do for our clients 
and we have fun working 
together to get it done.

Appointment of Chief People Officer
In February 2021, we appointed our 
first Chief People Officer, Lorraine 
Kenny, who has been tasked with 
developing a long-term people and 
culture strategy across Uniphar 
Group, uniting HR teams across our 
businesses and building on the great 
work already underway. 2021 has been 
about building solid foundations for the 
future, integrating the recently acquired 
businesses and, most importantly, 
supporting our teams as they coped 
with the ongoing challenges of the 
Covid-19 pandemic. In 2020, the 
pandemic enforced sudden changes 
to how we worked. This year, we have 
taken the important learnings from the 
pandemic and reimagined our work 
environment for the future.

Appointment of Jim Gaul,  
Workforce Engagement Director
Experienced non-executive director 
and people leader, Jim Gaul, was 
appointed to the Board in January 
2021 and designated as our Non-
Executive Director with responsibility 
for Workforce Engagement. His 
remit is to ensure that the views and 
experiences of our wider workforce 
have a formal voice at our Board 
table. Throughout 2021, Jim has 
been partnering with the Chief 
People Officer and the HR team to 
reimagine the future of work, post-
pandemic. Jim has been instrumental 
in keeping the Workforce Engagement 
agenda active at Board level and 

providing guidance and support to the 
executive leadership and HR team, 
as we navigate the next steps of the 
pandemic journey.

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
Our people are our most valuable 
asset. The aim is for our workforce 
to be truly representative of all 
sections of society and for each 
employee to feel respected and able 
to give their best. The collective 
sum of the individual differences, 
life experiences, knowledge, 
inventiveness, innovation, self-
expression, unique capabilities, and 
talent that our employees invest in 
their work represents a significant 
part of not only our culture, but 
our reputation and company’s 
achievement as well. We embrace 
and encourage our employees’ 
differences that make our employees 
unique. In 2021, we launched a 
Group-wide Equity, Diversity & 
Inclusion (ED&I) Policy. In 2022, we 
aim to strengthen our commitment to 
ED&I with the launch of a number of 
Employee Resource Groups.

Uniphar is committed to gender 
diversity and pay equity and is 
focused on building strong female 
leadership across the Group:

 » Two out of eight of our Board 
members are female which 
represents 25% of the Board.  
The Board remain committed  
to keeping diversity and,  
in particular, gender diversity  
as a key consideration in 
succession planning 

 » Uniphar is also committed to an 
ongoing focus on developing our 
global talent pool and building a 
more diverse leadership team for 
the future. As at 31 December 
2021, women accounted for 24% 
of senior management and 60% 
of total employees.

‘ The resilience  
is phenomenal…  
the feeling was  
“ We’re in it, but  
  we’re all in it”.’

The research showed a number  
of key attitudes consistent  
across divisions:

Wellbeing 
In 2021, we strengthened our resolve 
to support employees through the 
ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and 
continued to focus our efforts on 
keeping our employees healthy 
and mentally well during these 
challenging times. 

Across the Group, we implemented 
a wide range of initiatives to support 
our teams, including the launch of 
I AM HERE in our Commercial & 
Clinical division, a mental wellness 
programme grounded in the principle 
that “It is ok not to feel ok, and it is 
absolutely ok to ask for help”. 

Awards
In 2021, Uniphar’s StarOUTiCO was 
awarded the prestigious Platinum level 
by Investors in People in the UK. Less 
than 1% of all companies who apply 
for accreditation gain Platinum level 
status, as this requires demonstration 
of the highest standards in how people 
are led, supported and developed 
within the business. 

Future of Work
In July 2021, we embarked upon our 
first ever global employee listening 
exercise, and to date we have 
engaged with more than 50% of 
our global workforce through a 
series of one to ones, focus groups 
and pulse surveys. Our colleagues 
have shared with us their experiences 
working through Covid, the lessons 
we can all learn from this, and 
their expectations moving forward. 
Building upon this, our divisions and 
businesses are developing a number 
of initiatives and programmes in 
response to the feedback we heard 
and we continue to engage with our 
workforce to understand how we can 
best support their needs. 

“The importance of family, and work 
life balance, really is the biggest thing 
we should learn from the pandemic  
in terms of people’s mental health.”

In October 2021, Uniphar launched 
Global Hybrid Working Guidelines, 
designed to support leaders and 
their teams to shape the future 
of work, based on the feedback 
gathered through the employee 
listening exercise. At the heart of the 
guidelines is a simple philosophy; 
think customer, think team, think 
individual. Across our network, 
leaders and teams are exploring 
more flexible ways of working,  
while maintaining our laser focus  
on delivering for our customers  
and each other. At the heart of this 
sits trust and our desire to grow a 
global organisation where people  
can flourish. 

We acknowledge that there are many 
roles that require the individual to be 
on-site or in the field and for whom 
hybrid working is not an option. 
We will continue to work with these 
teams to support work-life balance. 
We recognise that an improved 
work-life balance can enhance 
employee motivation, performance, 
and productivity. The health and well-
being of our staff remains our number 
one priority and we continue to 
encourage participation in well-being 
initiatives and support programmes 
in conjunction with continued open 
dialogue with managers. Our over-
riding concern is to ensure that our 
workplaces provide a safe and secure 
working environment for our people, 
our customers and our partners.

Looking forward
As we look to 2022, we will continue 
to actively engage across our 
organisation to ensure our work 
environment, policies and practices 
are progressive and reflective of 
the evolving needs of our global 
workforce. We have multiple exciting 
initiatives and programmes under 
development under the pillars of 
Talent, Learning and Development, 
and Equity, Diversity & Inclusion, 
that will enable our talented teams 
to thrive at Uniphar, providing 
opportunities for growth and 
development, both personally and 
professionally. Building out our 
Employee Value Proposition to 
support our expanding workforce is 
key to ensuring that we can continue 
to attract, grow and retain the very 
best industry talent at every level.

22

23

Strategic ReviewUniphar plc Annual Report 2021    
RISK 
MANAGEMENT

The Group’s Risk Management Policy provides 
the framework to identify, assess, monitor and 
manage the risks associated with the Group’s 
business. It is designed to enable the Group to 
meet its business objectives by appropriately 
managing, rather than eliminating, these risks. 

Risk Management Policy Standards and Guidelines

Principle Risks

Board/Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee

1st line of defence 

2nd line of defence 

3rd line of defence 

Operational Level
Processes and Controls in 
the ordinary operations of the 
business which identify, assess 
and reduce or mitigate risk 
exposure through management or 
internal control measures. 

Risk Co-Ordinator
Responsible for overseeing 
and executing the Group’s 
risk management process and 
maintaining the Group’s Risk 
Management Policy and Risk 
Appetite Statement.

Internal Audit
Ensures independent oversight of the Risk 
Management Policy and the execution of 
the Group’s risk management process. The 
Internal Auditor is responsible for testing 
the design and effectiveness of the Group’s 
control environment and ensuring the risk 
management responsibilities of the 1st and 
2nd lines of defence have been discharged.

Risk Management and  
Internal Control
The Directors have overall 
responsibility for the Group’s system 
of internal control and for reviewing its 
effectiveness. Through the activities 
of the Audit, Risk and Compliance 
Committee, the effectiveness of these 
internal controls is regularly reviewed. 

The Group operates a Group-wide 
Risk Register which is reviewed and 
updated on a regular basis and is 
presented to the Audit, Risk and 
Compliance Committee where they 
consider the risks identified and the 
effectiveness of the mitigating actions 
taken, focusing on those deemed 
most critical. 

The Group has a dedicated Head 
of Internal Audit who meets with 
the Audit, Risk and Compliance 
Committee to monitor the adequacy 
of the Group’s internal control 
systems. The Audit, Risk and 
Compliance Committee also meets 
with and receives reports from the 
external auditors. The Chairman 
of the Audit, Risk and Compliance 
Committee reports to the Board  
on all significant issues considered  
by the Committee. 

Where necessary, the Board draws on 
the expertise of appropriate external 
consultants to assist in dealing with 
or mitigating risk.

Risk Management Framework 
The Group’s risk management 
framework provides the structure 
by which the principal risks 
are managed. The Group has 
implemented a ‘three lines of 
defence’ approach to ensure that 
risks are effectively managed across 
the Group. Each of these three “lines” 
play a distinct role within the Group’s 
wider governance framework.

g
n

i
t

n
e
m
e
p
m

l

I

M o nito r

Audit and
Investigation

Governance

Internal
Controls

Risk 
Management
Process

Communication 
& Training

Policies

Risk
Matrix

M

i
ti

g

a

tio

n

I
d

e

n

t
i
f

y

Risk
Register

Risk
Appetite
Statement

A s s ess

M
o
n

i
t

o

r
i
n
g

Board/Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee

Senior Management

Board 
Ensure prudent risk 
management is implemented 
in the Group. Review 
and approve the Group 
Risk Register along with 
Risk Appetite and Risk 
Management Policy.

Audit, Risk and 
Compliance Committee 
Oversee the adequacy 
and effectiveness of the 
Group’s internal controls. 
Responsible for the review 
and assessment of the 
effectiveness of the Group’s 
risk management process. 

Overall responsibility for establishing and embedding the  
risk management processes within the Group. The Group
Risk Manager is responsible for monitoring, maintaining,  
and presenting the Group Risk Register to the Audit,  
Risk and Compliance Committee and the Board.

24

25

Strategic ReviewUniphar plc Annual Report 2021Principal Financial and Reporting 
Risks and Uncertainties
Set out in the following tables are the 
principal risks and uncertainties facing 
the business, which have the potential 
to have a direct impact on the key 
strategic objectives of the Group. 
The principal risks are categorised as 
Strategic, Operational and Financial. 
These have been developed from a full 
review of the Group Risk Register, the 
business performance and evolving 
global trends. 

These are not listed in order of priority 
nor do they represent an exhaustive 
list of all risks currently affecting the 
business. They represent what the 
Board deems to be the principal risks 
and uncertainties facing the Group 
at this time. Some risks may not be 
known to the Board at this time or may 
not be of material consequence at this 
time. The mitigating factors that are 
in place do not represent an absolute 
level of protection and elimination 
against the risk, rather they are 
designed to give reasonable protection 
against the impact of the risk. 

Risk Register Process
The Group’s Risk Register process 
is based on a Group-wide approach. 
Risks are identified, assessed and 
monitored with a clear focus on the 
assignment of responsibility to each 
risk owner.

2021 Highlights
The Group continues to ensure that 
the risk management framework is 
integrated in the day-to-day activities 
across the business. During the year 
ended 31 December 2021, the Group 
carried out the following:

Individual risks are assessed and 
assigned a rating based on the 
likelihood of occurrence and potential 
impact. The Risk Register is reviewed 
regularly, and any new or emerging 
risks are added as they are identified 
and assessed.

Divisional management are 
responsible for completing and 
maintaining divisional Risk Registers, 
setting out the risks and mitigating 
factors pertaining to their area. The 
Group Risk Manager reviews these 
and updates the Group Risk Register 
as required for any significant risks 
arising. The Risk Manager reports 
to the Audit, Risk and Compliance 
Committee and the Board on risk 
during the year.    

The Audit, Risk and Compliance 
Committee and the Board carry out a 
robust review of the Risk Register and 
communicate any required changes in 
mitigating actions back to executive 
and divisional management levels.

 » Reviewed the Group Risk 

Register, updating for all the key 
risks facing the Group at this time; 

 » Performed a review of emerging 
and new risks, including the risk 
associated with Environment  
& Sustainability; and

 » Continued to focus on Covid-19 
and Cybercrime related risks.    

Emerging Risks
In addition to considering our current 
principal risks, emerging risks are 
also considered as part of our 
overall risk management processes. 
Management identifies, assesses, 
and manages new and emerging 
risks in the same way as the Group’s 
principal risks. Emerging risks can 
arise in two ways for the Group. The 
risk can be newly identified as part 
of the ongoing risk management 
process in existence across the 
Group; or the risk may already be 
identified on the Group Risk Register, 
but its potential impact has changed 
leading to a reassessment. 

Enhanced focus has been brought 
to key risk areas in 2021, including 
Cybercrime and Environment & 
Sustainability. We continue to monitor 
these key areas, and the impact they 
may have on the Group. 

Link to Strategic Initiatives Key

Strategic Initiatives Key to Trending

Continued Client Growth 

Stable  

Focused Market Leadership  

Increasing 

Scaling Through Digital

Decreasing   

↕

↗

↗

Key Principal Risks and Uncertainties
The key principal risks and uncertainties for the year ended 31 December 2021 are summarised below.

Impact

Mitigation

Strategic Risks

Risk

Brexit 

Acquisitions

The post-Brexit environment poses 
several risks for the Group due to 
uncertainty and complexities as to the 
future fiscal and regulatory landscape 
in the UK. This may have a negative 
impact on supply and trade. However, 
as the Group has traded through the 
initial Brexit uncertainty with Brexit 
plans in operation, this risk has 
decreased year-on-year.

Brexit also has the potential to create 
market uncertainty and currency 
fluctuations which could impact the 
translation of our UK operations into 
the Group reporting currency.

Growth through acquisition 
continues to remain a key strategy 
for the Group. Failure to identify, 
complete and integrate acquisitions 
successfully may directly impact the 
Group’s projected growth.

Economic & 
geopolitical 
risk 

The global macroeconomic, 
regulatory, political, and legal 
environment may impact the markets 
in which we operate and in turn our 
client and supplier base. This may 
adversely affect the financial and 
operational results of the Group.

A Brexit Plan is in operation to manage the risks 
across the Group. The Group has worked with its 
customers and suppliers to minimise the impact of 
any related disruption on the business, customers,  
and patients. 

The Group is continuing to expand its operations  
in Europe and the US creating geographical  
diversity. The Group monitors currency fluctuations  
for subsidiaries that operate in countries outside of  
the Eurozone.

Brexit also presents opportunities in Commercial 
& Clinical for outsourced services and in Product 
Access for specialist procurement services.

All potential acquisitions are assessed to measure 
their strategic fit and financial return. Specialist 
advisors are appointed to provide robust and 
thorough due diligence. 

Experienced management and project teams 
ensure integration is managed effectively to achieve 
identified benefits and minimise potential risks.  
The Group carries out a Goodwill Impairment 
Assessment annually, or more frequently if required, 
to ensure the carrying value remains appropriate.

The Group closely monitors global political and 
economic conditions and responds quickly to  
any changes in circumstances or events. 

The Group has increased its geographical footprint  
to now include Ireland, the UK, the US, Benelux,  
the Nordics, and Germany, thus decreasing the 
reliance on one geographic market. 

The Group are monitoring the evolving situation  
in the Ukraine.

Trending

↗

↕

↕

↕

Key personnel 
& succession 
planning

The success of the Group is directly 
correlated to the effectiveness 
and talent of its people, including 
Directors, senior management, and 
colleagues across all divisions.

Succession planning and talent management is 
implemented across the Group ensuring that the 
appropriate skills, knowledge, and diversity are in 
place to ensure the future success of the Group.  
The Group looks to appropriately incentivise teams. 

If the Group fails to attract, retain, and 
develop the skills and expertise of 
colleagues, this may adversely impact 
the Group’s performance.

The Group’s Chief People Officer further supports  
the development of our teams across our growing 
global platform.

26

27

Strategic ReviewUniphar plc Annual Report 2021Strategic Risks continued

Operational Risks

Risk

Impact

Mitigation

Market 
perception & 
reputational 
risk 

Uniphar plc is a publicly listed 
company and must communicate 
to the market and stakeholders 
regularly with updates on financial 
performance and key metrics. 

The Group has financial reporting structures 
and timelines in place to ensure accurate and 
timely reporting. The Board reviews the financial 
and operating performance, together with the 
implementation of the strategic plan. 

Trending

↕

Failure to deliver in line with 
expectations may result in 
reputational damage impacting  
the Group’s ability to achieve 
strategic targets.

The Group Investor Relations team actively engage 
with the investment community. The team ensure  
a timely and accurate communication of information  
to the market. 

A positive corporate culture reinforces ethically 
responsible behaviour in the business.

Loss of 
competitive 
position 

Changes in the competitive 
environment in which the Group 
operates may occur as a result of 
new market entrants, loss or material 
change in the terms of key customers 
or key suppliers, new technologies or 
regulatory changes. 

The Group continues to monitor market trends and 
demands to maintain its competitive edge. Individual 
business management teams manage the supplier 
and customer relationship and keep informed of 
any changes in their business strategies. Value-add 
and unique services are offered to enhance the 
relationship and promote customer loyalty. 

↕

Failure of the Group to respond to 
any of these may result in the loss 
of its competitive edge and market 
share, which may put pressure on 
profitability and margins.

Strategic acquisitions enhance the commercial 
relationships within the pharmaco-medical market 
and provide a wider and more diverse service  
offering protecting the competitive position.

Environment & 
Sustainability

The increasing global focus on 
environmental and sustainability 
governance is recognised by the 
Group, and also its stakeholders. 

The Group recognises the lasting impact their  
actions can have on the environment and is 
committed to operating sustainably and reducing  
its environmental impact. 

NEW 
RISK

The Group has identified specific 
sustainability and climate related 
risks in line with Taskforce for Climate 
related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) 
under various risk headings in the 
course of the Group’s overall risk 
reporting framework. For example, 
the Group has identified a risk of 
loss of competitive position where 
the Group fails to progress its 
environmental and sustainability 
agenda in line with market 
expectations. 

Failure to appropriately assess, 
monitor and manage the Group’s 
impact on the environment and the 
communities in which it operates 
may result in reputational damage, 
impacting the Group’s ability to 
deliver results.

The Group’s Sustainability Council drives the 
sustainability agenda across the Group and ensures 
that sustainability targets are integrated across all 
businesses. 

In 2021 the Group completed a Group-wide carbon 
foot-printing exercise and submitted a full Carbon 
Disclosure Project (CPD) submission covering 
emissions across the entire business. The Group 
also formally committed to setting a science-based 
carbon reduction target across its Scope 1, 2 and 
3 emissions and put in place an internal target to 
achieve a 5% annual reduction in Scope 1 and 2 
emissions between 2019 and 2030. 

The Groups banking facilities incorporate 
Sustainability linked targets, and bonus metrics for 
Executive Directors and some senior management 
include specific sustainability and governance targets 
to ensure focus to achieve continuous improvements 
in this area.

Cybercrime
The Group continues to 
review and strengthen its IT 
infrastructure and controls. 

Trending

↕

Risk

Impact

Mitigation

Pandemic  
Risk – 
Covid-19 

Covid-19 and its implications continue 
to evolve and change. The pandemic 
has caused financial, economic, and 
social disruptions globally, and new 
variants and further waves have the 
potential to cause further disruptions. 
The risks outlined below are based on 
current knowledge and projections of 
the circumstances:

 » Risk to product availability due 
to potential disruption to supply 
chains or shipping routes;

 » Risk to the health, safety, and 

wellbeing of our teams from the 
impact of ongoing outbreaks  
of Covid-19;

 » Operational impact due to 

unavailability of the teams caused 
by measures taken by either the 
Group or Government to contain 
an outbreak; and

 »

The Group recognises the wider 
risk of a change in demand and 
lower general economic activity  
in the countries where it operates 
in the event of recurring outbreaks 
of the virus.

Uniphar continues to play a critical role in the 
healthcare infrastructure. Warehouse capacity across 
multiple locations, together with strong manufacturer 
relationships and exclusive distribution agreements, , 
enables the Group to ensure continuity of services and 
to meet the needs of customers in the event of any 
disruption to normal supply chain routes.

The Group continues to follow Government guidance 
in each country it operates in. The Group has 
implemented several measures to protect our teams 
including remote working where possible, segregation 
and zoning, use of appropriate protective equipment 
and increased sanitisation and screening measures. 
Regular communications and updates are sent to all 
colleagues advising them of necessary precautions. 

Business continuity and contingency plans were put 
in place at the start of the pandemic and continue to 
evolve to respond to the changing environment.

The nature of the product and services provided 
means that there is a continued requirement for 
pharmaco-medical products. While there may be 
a disruption in the demand for certain products 
and services and in elective procedures during the 
pandemic, the requirement for these services and 
procedures remain. 

Uniphar have continuously monitored the developing 
situation that the pandemic has created and 
responded dynamically throughout. The Group 
will continue in their approach to protect its key 
stakeholders and the wider community.

IT systems

Digital capabilities are a specific 
strategic offering of Uniphar, and 
the alignment of IT strategy with the 
business strategy is essential.

IT strategy is a key factor in the Group’s strategic 
planning process, ensuring the development of 
IT systems and processes remains aligned with 
Group objectives.

↕

Cybercrime

The Group is reliant on the 
effectiveness of its IT systems and 
network. Any interruption or downtime 
may have a negative impact on 
the Group’s operations, financial 
conditions, and competitive position. 

Failure to protect against the ongoing 
threat of a cyber-attack could lead 
to a breach in security, impacting 
operations, financial transactions,  
and sensitive information. 

The Group actively monitors the performance and 
robustness of IT systems in place. The in-house IT 
team works in tandem with external providers to ensure 
all business-critical processes are safeguarded. 

A business continuity plan is in place to ensure the 
uninterrupted provision of services and to enable the 
restoration of key systems if necessary. 

The Group have IT security processes in place to 
minimise the occurrence of cyber-attacks. 

↗

Continuous user awareness is a key measure  
used in helping to protect against the threat of  
a cyber-attack.

The knock-on impact from an attack 
on one of our business partners is 
also an area of risk for the Group. 

External audit and penetration testing is also carried 
out to identify vulnerable areas and put in place 
mitigating controls.

IT infrastructure and controls have been continuously 
reviewed and strengthened to respond to the 
additional requirements arising from Covid-19. A 
cyber incident occurred in Q4 2021 with a 3rd party 
external service provider, resulting in an IT outage 
in one of our MedTech subsidiaries. Temporary 
replacement operational controls together with 
additional preventative and detective controls were put 
in place during the outage period. The experience and 
learnings from this incident further enhance the Group’s 
continuity plans in responding to such an incident.

For further details of the response see page 74 in  
the Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee Report.

28

29

Strategic ReviewUniphar plc Annual Report 2021Operational Risks continued

Financial Risks

Uniphar plc Annual Report 2021

Risk

Impact

Mitigation

A business continuity plan is in place and is updated 
and reviewed continuously to mitigate the risks to 
operational continuity.

Trending

↕

Business 
interruption

The Group may be unable to 
provide a service to customers 
due to external factors affecting its 
operations such as, natural disasters, 
environmental hazards, or industrial 
disputes, resulting in potential lost 
sales and loss of customer loyalty. 

Health & safety Uniphar distributes pharmaceuticals 
and medical devices to pharmacies, 
hospitals, and patients. Failure to 
follow all applicable regulations and 
guidance could impact patient safety. 

The health & safety and wellbeing 
of our staff is also paramount. With 
large operational facilities in various 
locations, it is essential we adhere 
to the highest standards of health & 
safety throughout the organisation. 
Failure to implement and follow 
proper health & safety procedures 
could have adverse effects on our 
people or patients.

The Covid-19 pandemic presents an 
additional health & safety risk to our 
teams and wider community.

Laws, 
regulations & 
compliance

Uniphar operates in a highly regulated 
environment and as such is subject 
to both local and international laws 
and regulations in the jurisdictions it 
operates in.

Failure to operate under any of 
these stringent laws and regulations 
could result in financial penalties, 
reputational damage, and risk to 
business operations.

Dedicated quality functions are in operation across 
the Group ensuring adherence and compliance with 
good distribution practice, pharmacovigilance, and 
regulatory requirements.

↕

A robust health & safety framework is in place to 
ensure effective health & safety processes are in 
operation.

In line with Covid-19 guidelines, additional PPE has 
been provided, restricted site access, sanitising 
stations and social distance measures have been  
put in place across all sites to protect our teams  
and the community from the impact of Covid-19.  
All measures have been taken to ensure the safety  
of all our stakeholders at this time. 

The Board has overall responsibility for the corporate 
governance environment within the Group. A strong 
corporate governance culture exists with emphasis 
on continuous improvement. 

↕

The Group General Counsel and Company  
Secretary has responsibility for the oversight of 
compliance across the Group. The Group also has 
an extensive quality and regulatory team who ensure 
compliance with all applicable regulations relating to 
our service offerings.

In the area of GDPR, the Group has a dedicated 
Data Protection Compliance Officer and divisional 
Data Protection Officers for each division. The 
Data Protection Compliance Officer provides group 
guidance and governance to the divisional Data 
Protection Officers.

In addition, the Group ensures that professional 
appropriately qualified personnel are employed in 
positions of responsibility. 

Education and internal training are provided on 
updates to laws and regulations as appropriate. 

Risk

Impact

Mitigation

Foreign 
currency

The Group’s reporting currency is 
Euro. Exposure to foreign currency 
is present in the normal course of 
business, together with the Group 
operating in jurisdictions outside of 
the Eurozone.

The Groups’ activities are primarily conducted in the 
local currency of the operation, which results in low 
levels of transactional risk. The foreign currency risk 
has increased in recent years due to acquisitions in 
jurisdictions outside of the Eurozone.

The Group reduces its exposure to currency 
fluctuation by matching foreign currency payments 
and receipts across business units. The current 
banking facility permits drawdown across multiple 
currencies which can create a natural hedge. 

Trending

↗

Treasury

The Group is exposed to liquidity, 
interest rate and credit risks.

The Group Treasury Policy sets out how these risks 
are managed. The policy is reviewed and approved 
by the Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee.

↕

Cash forecasting and effective management reports 
are in place to monitor and minimise the financial 
risk. The current banking facility agreement provides 
sufficient headroom for the Group in terms of liquidity. 

The Group continues 
to ensure that the risk 
management framework 
is integrated in the  
day-to-day activities.

30

31

Strategic Review 
Strategic Review

SUSTAINABILITY 
AND GOVERNANCE 
REPORT

CEO Sustainability Statement  

Pillars & Materiality  

People & Workplace 

Community Involvement 

Environment & Sustainability 

Governance, Quality & Compliance 

Business Solutions & Innovation 

33

34

36

38

41

44

46

CEO SUSTAINABILITY STATEMENT

2021 was another significant year for Sustainability at Uniphar.  
Our Sustainabilty Council, established in 2020, saw progress across 
all five of our Sustainability pillars with a continued focus on the 
Sustainable Development Goals identified by the Group last year. 

The ongoing Covid-19 crisis 
continued to present challenges for 
our business, like all others, but the 
resilience and dedication of our teams 
and our diverse business strategy 
meant that the Group continued to 
serve our customers, teams and 
communities throughout the year 
ensuring essential medicines and 
equipment reach patients, through 
retail pharmacy, on-demand and 
hospital channels.

People & Culture
We were delighted to welcome our 
new Chief People Officer in February 
2021. The impact of this new role was 
visible immediately across the Group 
with several Group-wide people 
focused initiatives, including our first 
ever employee listening exercise 
around the Future of Work. 

The Group also enhanced a number 
of key foundations with an updated 
Group-wide Code of Conduct, a new 

Our Sustainability 
Governance Structure

Board
Oversight  

Executives
Oversight, responsibility,  
recommendations,  
directly reporting to the Board 

Sustainability Council 
Comprised of a senior executive team  
from across the Group. Oversees the process  
across the business, sets and monitors targets.

Sustainability Working Groups 
(Cross-divisional groups across common functional 
areas e.g. environmental working group)  
Design and delivery of site projects.

Group-wide Equity, Diversity and 
Inclusion Policy and the expansion of 
our Whistleblower Policy to include an 
external reporting line. Our business is 
built on our people, and keeping them 
safe and well have been key objectives 
for us during the year. 

Supporting our Community
During 2021 the Group ran its second 
Relay for Hope event which aimed 
at clocking up 300,000 activity 
minutes in August-September to 
raise €300,000 for our chosen cancer 
charities. The Group was also the 
lead sponsor to The West End Tour,  
a Dublin to Mayo cross-country cycle 
in aid of the Mayo-Roscommon 
Hospice. I am delighted and very 
proud to say that across these 
events we succeeded in raising 
a phenomenal €350,000 for our 
charity partners which brings our 
total charitable contributions over 
the past two years to in excess of 
€600,000. I would like to thank every 
single person who got involved, who 
roped in their friends and family, who 
pushed the boat out to help others – 
a huge thank you to you all.

Emissions Targets and  
Climate Reporting
Our environmental pillar was a key 
area of focus for us across 2021. 
COP26 threw a further global 
spotlight on climate change and the 
need for countries and companies 
to align in setting meaningful carbon 
emission targets for the future. We 
continued our engagement with 
external consultants to assist us on 
our journey to become best-in-class 
in this important area. 

Having completed our first Group-wide 
carbon foot-printing exercise across 
Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions during 
2020, our aim was to build on this 
progress and to focus on assessing 
our Scope 3 emissions with a view to 
setting meaningful reduction targets 
for the future. We took the next step in 
that regard during 2021 by making a 
formal commitment to set a Science 
Based Target before the end of 2023, 
and we hope to be in a position to 
achieve that well in advance of that 
deadline. Our Scope 3 emissions 
assessment is well underway and 
we are focused on engaging with 
our value chain and suppliers as we 
work together to reduce our collective 
impact on the environment. In light of 
our commitment to the Science Based 
Target Initiative (SBTi), and while we 
work on gathering all data to enable us 
to set our SBTi targets, we have set an 
internal target to reduce our absolute 
Scope 1 & 2 emissions by 5% per 
annum between 2019 and 2030 in line 
with the SBTi 1.5˚ C aligned pathway 
for targets which would see us achieve 
our climate ambition of at least 50% 
reduction in our absolute Scope 1 & 2 
emissions by 2030.

Our Sustainability linked banking 
facility together with the inclusion of 
sustainability remuneration targets  
for senior management ensures  
focus to achieve the targets we set for 
the business. 

During the year we also made our first 
full CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project) 
Climate Change submission which 
covered our entire business globally 
and we are delighted to have obtained 
a “C” rating on foot of that submission. 
We are focused on improving that 
rating as we begin to set targets and 
take meaningful steps to decarbonise 
our business. 

32

33

Uniphar plc Annual Report 2021Strategic Review

Uniphar plc Annual Report 2021

Sustainability Engagement -  
A Five Pillar Approach
Our Sustainability framework is centred 
on our five sustainability pillars and we 
understand that in order to meaningfully 
progress our sustainability agenda 
we must drive improvement across all 
pillars. The importance of excellence 
across all pillars was highlighted as 
we embarked on engagement with 
sustainability rating agencies during 
the year. We are delighted to have 
achieved an outstanding score of 
10.9 from Sustainalytics, ranking us 
in the 1st percentile (out of 560) of 
global healthcare companies and 
the 3rd percentile (out of 13,609) of all 
companies rated by Sustainalytics 
globally. Our MSCI rating has also 
recently increased from “A” to “A A”.  
We believe these scores are testament 
to our focus across all of our 
sustainability pillars and demonstrate 
that sustainability has always be at the 
heart of how we operate our business. 

We recognise that the area of 
Sustainability is fast moving and requires 
continuous monitoring, improvement 
and innovation and we look forward to 
improving all of our sustainability ratings 
and scores in the near term. 

Looking Forward
I would like to thank everyone in our 
business who supported our various 
sustainability initiatives this year, 
particularly our hugely successful 
Relay for Hope charity event. The spirit, 
dedication and resilience of our teams 
has shone through once again this year. 

As we look ahead to 2022, we will 
continue to put our sustainability 
principles of Integrity, Inclusivity, 
Legacy, Stewardship and 
Transparency, at the heart of what 
we do and with a commitment in all 
aspects of our business to manage and 
continuously improve our environmental 
and social responsibilities effectively,  
through all our collective actions. 

Ger Rabbette
Chief Executive Officer

Pillars & Materiality

Sustainable Development Goals

Uniphar have identified five strategic pillars that define our approach to 
sustainability and, in line with the Sustainability Accounting Standards 
Board (SASB) and Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), we have identified the 
areas and metrics that are perceived as the most material in our industry. 

Pillar

What this pillar means to us:

Relevant SDGs

Materiality

Initiatives during 2021

People &  
Workplace

Our people are our most 
important asset, and we are 
committed to making Uniphar  
a fulfilling and inclusive place 
to work.

Community 
Involvement

Environment & 
Sustainability

Supporting employees to 
actively participate in the 
local communities where we 
are based is a long-standing 
objective for the Group and is 
achieved through serving the 
community and supporting  
good causes.

As the business grows and 
our geographical footprint 
expands, we remain committed 
to managing our environmental 
responsibilities effectively.

Governance,  
Quality &  
Compliance

Business  
Solutions  
& Innovation

Operating in healthcare markets 
that are highly regulated and 
demand high quality and 
compliance standards, drives 
our quality focus and culture 
of continuous improvement. 
Ensuring the highest standards 
of governance, quality and 
compliance is fundamental to  
our business.   

We believe a positive difference 
will be achieved through 
collaboratively developing 
innovative business solutions 
across all our divisions 
resulting in a more sustainable 
business and better outcomes 
for our stakeholders.

 » Diversity & Inclusion Practices
 » Employee Health & Safety
 » Employee Wellbeing
 » Employee Training
 » Employee Labour Practices

 » Charity & Fundraising
 » Active Community Support
 » Customer Privacy
 » Customer Welfare

 » Energy Management
 » Greenhouse Gas Emissions
 » Waste & Hazardous Waste     

Management

 » Pollution Prevention
 » Sustainable Transport & Logistics

 » Product Quality & Patient Safety
 » Business Ethics
 » Systemic Risk Management
 » Critical Incident Risk 

Management

 » Legal & Regulatory Requirements
 » Selling Practices &  
Product Labelling

 » Business Model Resilience
 » Innovation
 » Supply Chain Management

 » CPO Appointment
 » Future of Work strategy  
& Employee Listening

 » H&S Appointments 
 » New ED&I Policy
 » Whistleblower Helpline
 » Wellness Initiative -  

I AM HERE

 » Appointment of Non-Executive 

Director for workforce engagement

 » Critical Covid-19 Response
 » Relay for Hope & West End Tour 

raised €350,000

 » Sponsorship of Irish Under 21s  
and Development Hockey Team

 » Local Charity Initiatives
 » Data Privacy & Cyber Security

 » Group-Wide Carbon Footprint 

(Scopes 1&2)

 » Internal Scope 1 & 2  
Target in line with SBTi

 » Scope 3 Assessment
 » Commitment to set  

Science Based Targets

 » Planning Supplier  

Engagement Programme

 » Step-up to UK Corporate 

Governance Code
 » Updated Group-Wide  

Code of Conduct

 » External Whistleblower  

line introduced

 » Data Protection Structure

 » Continued strong performance  

through Covid-19

 » Digital Focus & CTO Appointment
 » Acquisitions
 » Business Solutions
 » Planning Supplier  

Engagement Programme

34

35

Wellbeing
In 2021, our focus on wellbeing 
continued as we looked to further 
support our employees through the 
ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, and 
to focus our efforts on keeping our 
colleagues healthy and mentally well 
during these challenging times. 

Our Future of Work employee 
listening exercise involved 
discussions around how Covid-19 
has changed our working habits 
for the future and we saw a huge 
emphasis on work-life balance 
coming through in the responses.  
It is fundamental that our people  
feel supported in achieving this 
balance and we hope that the launch 
of our Hybrid Working Guidelines in 
2021 will assist those who can avail 
of hybrid working to find that balance. 
We will continue to work with our  
on-site and field-based staff who 
cannot avail of hybrid working to 
support work-life balance. 

During 2021, we implemented a  
wide range of initiatives to support 
our teams across the Group, 
including the launch of the I AM 
HERE programme in our Commercial 
& Clinical division, a mental wellness 
programme grounded in the principle 
that “It is ok not to feel ok, and it is 
absolutely ok to ask for help”. 

Uniphar teams demonstrated great 
positivity and resilience in the face 
of adversity during 2021, and we 
recognise how essential our people 
are in supporting the sustainable 
development of our business. 

Training & Development
Uniphar is committed to supporting 
and investing in the professional 
development of our employees.  
The Group provides a range of  
career development opportunities 
which enable our employees to reach 
their full potential and grow within 
our business. We also continue to 
support our employees through further 
education and professional exams.

Labour Practices
The Group is committed to complying 
with the highest labour standards 
across all jurisdictions in which we 
operate. Attracting and retaining the 
right people is essential for the success 
of our business. Equality underpins 
our recruitment activity ensuring that 
recruitment and selection processes 
promote fairness. In 2021, the Group 
introduced a new ED&I Policy which 
outlines the Group’s approach and 
reaffirms our commitment to equality 
for all employees and potential 
employees. The Group’s Dignity at 
Work Policy recognises the right 
for all employees to be treated with 
dignity and respect and the Group is 
committed to providing all employees 
with a safe working environment which 
is free from bullying, harassment and 
sexual harassment. The Group has a 
Modern Slavery Policy in place which 
is available on the Group website  
www.uniphar.ie. 

The Group also recognises the 
Trade Unions of which some of 
its employees are members and 
engages with them as necessary.

Strategic Review

People & 
Workplace

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
At Uniphar, our people are our most 
valuable asset. We benefit from the 
increasingly global nature of our 
business which brings together 
different ideas, experiences, and 
capabilities from across the globe. 
The aim is for our workforce to be 
truly representative of all sections 
of society and for each employee 
to feel respected and able to give 
their best. The collective sum of the 
individual differences, life experiences, 
knowledge, inventiveness, innovation, 
self-expression, unique capabilities, 
and talent that our employees invest 
in their work represents a significant 
part of not only our culture, but our 
reputation and Group’s achievement 
as well. We embrace and encourage 
the differences that make our 
employees unique. 

Male

Female

%

100

80

60

40

20

0

Directors

Senior 
Management

All 
Employees

Directors

Male
%

Female 
%

75% 25%

Senior Management

76% 24%

All Employees 

40% 60%

In 2021, the Group launched a 
new Groupwide Equity, Diversity & 
Inclusion (ED&I) Policy and in 2022,  
we aim to strengthen our commitment 
to ED&I with the launch of a number  
of Employee Resource Groups.

Uniphar is committed to gender 
diversity and equal pay and have 
strong female leadership across  
the Group. Two out of eight (25%)  
of our Board members are female.  
The Board remain committed to 
keeping diversity (including gender, 
social and ethnic backgrounds,  
and cognitive and personal  
strengths) as key considerations  
in succession planning. 

Uniphar is also committed to an 
ongoing focus on developing our 
global talent pool and building a 
more diverse leadership team for  
the future. As at 31 December 2021, 
women accounted for 24%  
of senior management and 60%  
of total employees.

Health & Safety
At Uniphar, the health & safety and 
wellbeing of our staff is paramount. With 
large operational facilities in various 
locations, it is essential we adhere to the 
highest standards of health and safety 
throughout the organisation, ensuring 
best practice is adhered to at all times. 

2021 saw the appointment of a number 
of new individuals with designated 
health & safety remit across the Group’s 
various divisions. The Group is also 
focused on continuing to improve the 
Group’s reporting framework in relation 
to health & safety incidents. 

Uniphar provides training courses on a 
regular basis including training on Good 
Distribution Practices (GDP), manual 
handling and first aid. We monitor 
and investigate all safety concerns 
and analyse this data in order to 
continuously improve. 

The number of reported health & safety 
incidents remained relatively static 
in 2021, with motor vehicle incidents 
accounting for 47% of all recorded 
incidents across the Group in 2021,  
a slight reduction on 2020 figures. 

200

150

100

50

0

2019

2020

2021

Number of H&S incidents

2019

2020

2021

140

121

122

36

37

Uniphar plc Annual Report 2021 
Strategic Review

Community 
Involvement

Uniphar’s Charity Partners
2021 marked our second annual 
Relay for Hope event aimed at raising 
much needed funds for global cancer 
charities. At the outset of this year’s 
event our goal was to clock up 
300,000 activity minutes in August and 
September to raise €300k for our four 
chosen cancer charities. In order to 
cater for the diverse interests of all of 
our participants we moved away from 
a kilometre target to minutes of activity 
so everyone could take part by doing 
something they enjoyed. Activities 
undertaken included yoga, running, 
playing music, walking, knitting and 
baking. We are incredibly proud 
that together we exceeded both our 
minutes and financial targets.

This year our initiative also saw 
participants pin a Baton of Hope 
with names of loved ones who 
would benefit from the charities 
we were raising money for, to our 
Walls of Hope located in each of our 
global locations. A very moving and 
motivational initiative to remind us 
that the money we collectively raised 
really does change lives. 

During the year the Group was also the 
main sponsor of The West End Tour in 
aid of the Mayo-Roscommon Hospice. 
Collectively we succeeded in raising a 
phenomenal €350,000 for our charity 
partners across these two events, 
which brings our total charitable 
contributions over the past two years 
to in excess of €600,000.

€350,000 
raised for 
global charity 
partners

Active Community Support
Supporting our communities is at the 
core of what we do. Across each of 
our three divisions, Uniphar provides 
vital medicines, the highest quality 
medical devices and access to life 
saving drugs both nationally and 
across the globe. 

During 2021, our teams continued 
to support our customers and our 
communities through the pandemic 
ensuring pharmacies and hospitals 
were supplied with the medicines and 
essential equipment they needed for 
their patients as well as mobilising 
teams for our pharma clients and 
sourcing and supplying unlicensed 
medicines to global markets.

Uniphar also supports a variety of 
local community initiatives across 
each of our businesses and locations.

Community Sponsorship
During 2021, the Group were delighted 
to announce its sponsorship of the 
Irish women’s Hockey Under-21 and 
Development programme, known 
as the Junior Green Army. The 
sponsorship will extend into 2022, 
taking in a Six Nations tournament  
at home in Ireland. 

38

39

Uniphar plc Annual Report 2021Customer Welfare
The needs of our customers, the 
pharmacies, hospitals, manufacturers 
and patients we serve were 
paramount during 2021. Our 
can-do attitude coupled with our 
commitment to the highest standards 
of product quality and patient safety 
ensured this important item remained 
a priority throughout the year. Further 
details of our commitment to quality 
and ensuring patient safety are set 
out in our Governance, Quality and 
Compliance Report on page 44.

Customer Privacy & GDPR
We are committed to protecting  
the personal data that we process 
as part of our service provision. We 
ensure that customers can trust us 
to keep their personal data safe and 
that they have a clear understanding 
of how and why the data is used. 
Uniphar has a robust GDPR 
framework in place, to ensure that  
we are operating consistently across 
the organisation and in accordance 
with applicable laws. 

The Group applies the following data 
protection principles:  

 » Governance - We have appointed 

designated Data Protection 
Officers within each division. 
Their role is to monitor, advise 
and inform senior management 
regularly regarding compliance 
 » Transparency - We are open and 
honest about how and what data 
we process. We only use personal 
information for specified fair and 
lawful purposes

 » Data Minimisation - We only 

collect necessary and relevant 
personal information

 » Accountability - We continually 
monitor and assess regulatory 
compliance. We provide training 
to all personnel

 » Retention - We do not retain 

personal information for longer 
than is necessary

 » Accuracy - We keep personal 

information accurate, complete, 
and up to date

 » Access Rights - We respect 

 »

individuals’ rights and choices 
 » Security - We use appropriate 
security safeguards to protect 
personal data
International Transfer - We ensure 
protection for international 
transfers of personal information 
 » Privacy by Design - We implement 
appropriate measures to ensure 
the principles of privacy by design 
and default are embedded into 
our processes and systems
 » Risk Assessments - We evaluate 

new business processes to ensure 
that they do not present any risk 
to data subjects 

The Group has a Privacy Policy which 
is available on the Group’s website 
(www.uniphar.ie/privacy-policy), and 
a Data Protection Policy which is 
available to the workforce.

Uniphar plc Annual Report 2021

Environment  
& Sustainability

Energy Management
At Uniphar, we understand that our 
activities can have a lasting impact 
and we believe in protecting our 
environment for the benefit of future 
generations. We are committed 
to achieving our Sustainable 
Development Goals (SDGs) of 
Responsible Consumption and 
Climate Action. 

Our efforts have to date centred 
around data collection and 
understanding our energy usage 
with a view to identifying the areas 
where we can achieve the greatest 
reductions in energy usage. 

Our Citywest facility, our largest 
facility, has energy monitoring 
software providing a granular view 
of electricity usage throughout the 
facility. This software has enabled 
us to identify areas of inefficient 
electricity usage e.g. lights and 
electrical powered systems  
remaining on in non-operational 
hours. Using this information we  
are able to develop systems to 
reduce energy consumption. 

Greenhouse Gas Emissions
In early 2021, we carried out a  
Group-wide carbon foot-printing 
exercise to assess our Scope 1 
& 2 carbon emissions across the 
entire Group. The outcome of that 
assessment was used to complete 
the Group’s first full CDP submission 
in July 2021 and we are proud to 
have received a CDP “C” rating in 
respect of that submission.

In early 2022, we completed our 
carbon foot-printing exercise for 2021 
in respect of Scope 1 & 2 emissions. 
The results of this exercise are set 
out below (excluding entities acquired 
during 2021 and adjusting all results 
to include entities acquired during 
2020 for the first time). Following 
a 22.5% reduction in Scope 1 & 2 
emissions from 2019 to 2020, 2021 
saw a further reduction of Scope 1 
& 2 emissions of just over 4% on an 
absolute basis representing a 26.5% 
overall reduction in absolute carbon 
Scope 1 & 2 emissions over the 
past two years. The Group’s carbon 
intensity measurement has also 
reduced by 10% during the year. 

Group Intensity Measure

tCO2e/Million € Revenue

2018

4.98

2019

4.32

2020

3.20

2021

2.88

Emissions (tCO2e)

2018

2019

2020

2021

Scope 1

3954.88

4158.42

2784.96

2655.25

Scope 2 (Location Rate)

3794.84

3345.85

3026.24

2920.53

Total:

7749.72

7504.27

5811.20

5575.78

Group Intensity Measure
tCO2e/Million € Revenue

Uniphar Group Emissions by Emission Source

2018

2019

2020

2021

4.98

4.32

3.20

2.88

5

4

3

2

0

4000.00

3500.00

3000.00

2000.00

1500.00

1000.00

500.00

0.00

2018

2019

2020

2021

Natural Gas

Oil

Vehicles

Leaked 
Refridgerants

Electricity 
(Location Rate)

40

41

Strategic ReviewSBTi

Formal commitment during 2021  
to set a Science Based Target

84% 

In 2021, 84% of the Group’s waste 
(approximately 870 tonnes of waste) 
were diverted from landfill

Sustainable Transport
We are conscious that a significant 
portion of our carbon footprint arises 
through outsourced activities such as 
logistics and through our supply chain 
and we are committed to working 
with our supply chain partners in this 
area. As part of our commitment to 
set a Science Based Target we are in 
the process of identifying our material 
suppliers with a view to engaging with 
them on setting their own emissions 
targets. We are also in the process of 
implementing our Supplier Code of 
Conduct and Responsible Sourcing 
Guidelines for the Group which we 
aim to roll out during 2022. 

Waste and Hazardous  
Waste Management
Across all our sites we are 
continuously exploring ways to 
reduce, reuse and recycle. We have 
been a member of Repak since 1999 
and we make considerable efforts 
across the business to reduce plastic 
waste. As part of our overall Scope 
3 emissions assessment, the Group 
collated data from all locations across 
the business in relation to waste. In 
2021, 84% of the Group’s waste 
(approximately 870 tonnes of waste) 
were diverted from landfill.

Relevant parts of our business are 
compliant with the Waste Electrical and 
Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE). 

Pollution Prevention
The Group recognises the importance 
of protecting the environment around 
us and ensuring that our operations do 
not emit pollution into our surrounding 
environment. During 2021, there were 
no reportable instances of pollution 
across the Group. 

Strategic Review

Throughout the year we continued 
our engagement with external 
environmental consultants who 
assisted us in commencing our 
assessment of our Scope 3  
emissions with a view to setting 
meaningful carbon emissions targets 
for the future. 

In December 2021, we formally 
committed through the Science 
Based Target Initiative (SBTi) to 
setting a science based target 
before the end of 2023 and we hope 
to be in a position to achieve this well 
ahead of the deadline. While we work 
on gathering all data to enable us to 

set our science based targets, we 
have set an internal target to reduce 
our absolute Scope 1 & 2 emissions 
by 5% per annum between 2019 
and 2030 in line with the SBTi 1.5° 
C aligned pathway for targets which 
would see us achieve our climate 
ambition of at least 50% reduction in 
our absolute Scope 1 & 2 emissions 
by 2030.

2021 also saw increased discussion 
around environmental matters and 
emissions at the Board table. Regular 
reports from the Sustainability 
Council to Board, as well as a 
focus on climate related risks 

when reviewing our Risk Register 
represent the dawn of a new era 
on how we integrate these matters 
into our business. The Group is 
currently assessing to what extent 
the Group’s activities are aligned to 
the EU Taxonomy Regulations and 
are preparing to report in line with the 
Corporate Sustainability Reporting 
Directive (CSRD). Our CDP response 
is broadly aligned to the Taskforce for 
Climate related Financial Disclosures 
(TCFD) and we have set out below 
an indication of where the disclosure 
recommendations of TCFD can be 
found elsewhere in this Report. 

Taskforce for Climate related Financial Disclosures (TCFD)

a)  Describe the board’s oversight of climate-

related risks and opportunities.

Link to Annual 
Report Section

CEO Sustainability 
Statement 33

Disclose the 
organisation’s 
governance 
around climate-
related risks and 
opportunities.

Disclose the actual 
and potential 
impacts of climate-
related risks and 
opportunities on 
the organisation’s 
businesses, strategy, 
and financial 
planning where  
such information  
is material.

Disclose how 
the organisation 
identifies, assesses, 
and manages 
climate-related risks.

Governance

Strategy

Risk  
Management

Metrics &  
Targets

b)  Describe management’s role in assessing and 

managing climate-related risks and opportunities.

Risk Management 
Report Page 24 to 31

a)  Describe the climate-related risks and 

opportunities the organisation has identified 
over the short, medium, and long term.

b)  Describe the impact of climate-related risks 
and opportunities on the organisation’s 
businesses, strategy, and financial planning.

c)  Describe the resilience of the organisation’s 
strategy, taking into consideration different 
climate-related scenarios, including a 2°C or 
lower scenario.

a)  Describe the organisation’s processes for 
identifying and assessing climate-related risks.

b)  Describe the organisation’s processes for 

managing climate-related risks.

c)  Describe how processes for identifying, 

assessing, and managing climate-related 
risks are integrated into the organisation’s 
overall risk management.

Risk Management 
Report Page 24 to 31

Risk Management 
Report Page 24 to 31

Business Model Page 
18 and 19

Not yet identified

Risk Management 
Report Page 24 to 31

Risk Management 
Report Page 24 to 31

Risk Management 
Report Page 24 to 31

Disclose the metrics 
and targets used to 
assess and manage 
relevant climate-
related risks and 
opportunities where 
such information  
is material.

a)  Disclose the metrics used by the organisation to 
assess climate-related risks and opportunities in 
line with its strategy and risk management process.

Environment & 
Sustainability Report 
Page 41 to 43

b)  Disclose Scope 1, Scope 2, and, if appropriate, 
Scope 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, 
and the related risks.

Environment & 
Sustainability Report 
Page 41 to 43

c)  Describe the targets used by the organisation to 
manage climate-related risks and opportunities 
and performance against targets.

Environment & 
Sustainability Report 
Page 41 to 43

‘ We recognise the importance of 
protecting the environment around us’.

42

43

Uniphar plc Annual Report 2021 
 
Strategic Review

Governance,  
Quality & 
Compliance

Governance, Quality & Compliance 
Adopting the highest standards of 
Governance, Quality & Compliance 
is essential to the success of our 
business. The governance of our 
business is dealt with in extensive 
detail in the Corporate Governance 
section of this report on page 62.

Product Quality & Patient Safety
The healthcare industry is a highly 
regulated industry, and this regulation 
is essential to protect the health 
& safety of people who use the 
products and services we supply. The 
Group is committed to ensuring that 
the products we supply reach the 
patient in perfect condition and that 
we provide all services in an ethical 
and compliant manner. Through 
extensive training the Group places 
a focus on a quality culture and a 
strong understanding of quality risk 
management which allows us to  
meet or exceed the requirements  
and expectations of our customers 
and partners.

Uniphar has a robust digital quality 
management system (QMS) in 
place, underpinned by the core 
GxP regulatory requirements, which 
ensures alignment and ongoing 
certification with ISO 9001 2015. 

The Group’s ISO 9001 2015 
certification was renewed during 
2021. This allows us to comply 
with the many regulatory regimes, 
including importation, storage, 
distribution of products in accordance 
with EU GDP regulations as well as 
promotion of and engagement with 
pharmaceutical and medical device 
manufacturers in an ethical and 
compliant manner.

Business Ethics
Uniphar is committed to promoting 
a corporate culture that is based on 
sound ethical values and behaviours 
and using it as an asset and a 
source of competitive advantage 
within its business. During 2021, the 
Board approved an updated Group-
wide Code of Conduct. The Code 
of Conduct is an overview of our 
responsibilities to each other and to 
the many different constituencies 
we serve – to our clients, customers, 
principals and to the communities 
where we live and work, and it 
defines business conduct standards 
for everyone who works for us, in all 
business areas, in every function, 
geography and role. The Group 
also has a Whistleblower Policy in 
place establishing a structure where 
behaviours which depart from this 
ethical culture can be reported whilst 
protecting the rights of the whistle-
blower. This policy was updated 
during 2021 to include an external 
reporting line.

Anti-bribery & Corruption
The Group has in place an Anti-
Bribery and Corruption Policy and 
adopts a zero-tolerance approach to 
all forms of bribery and corruption. 
These standards are communicated 
to, and expected of, all employees.

Human Rights
The Group is opposed to any form 
of slavery and human trafficking and 
conducts its business in line with the 
UK Modern Slavery Act 2015 and 
has a Modern Slavery Policy in place 
which is available on the Group’s 
website (www.uniphar.ie).

Conflict of Interest 
The Group is conscious that at times, 
interests of our employees may 
conflict with those of the Group or our 
customers. The Group has a Conflict 
of Interest Policy in place which 
seeks to manage or avoid ethical, 
legal, financial or other conflicts of 
interest and to ensure that activities 
and interests of our employees do not 
conflict with their obligations to the 
Group or its welfare.

Risk Management

Systemic Risk Management
The Group has a robust risk 
management framework in place 
which provides the structure for 
managing the principal risks of 
the business. Details of this risk 
management framework are detailed 
on pages 24 to 31. In addition, the 
quality and regulatory personnel 
across the Group perform regular 
risk assessments and have robust 
validation processes in place. 

Critical Incident Risk Management
Critical incident management 
requires a coordinated response from 
multiple teams to ensure any critical 
incidents (regardless of severity) are 
appropriately managed. Our internal 
reporting lines and focus on open 
communication across divisions and 
functions ensures that any critical 
incident identified is managed 
appropriately. 

The Group is also required to comply 
with standards relating to the 
provision of information to healthcare 
professionals (HCP), patients and 
the public. The Group is committed 
to enabling doctors and healthcare 
professionals to offer their patients 
the best possible therapeutic care 
by providing them with complete, 
accurate and up to date information 
in accordance with the applicable 
legislation on the promotion of 
medicinal products.

Legal and Regulatory 
Requirements
The Group appreciates the 
importance of regulatory expertise 
in navigating the ever-changing 
regulatory environment in which 
we operate. The Group’s General 
Counsel heads the legal and 
compliance function across the  
Group with external legal and 
regulatory support sought where 
necessary. Our extensive quality 
teams specialise in healthcare 
regulation and the requirements of 
GDP and other regulatory codes 
relevant to our business. Appropriate 
training of our teams on the 
applicable regulations in the areas 
in which they work is essential to 
maintaining the Group’s reputation  
for quality and regulatory excellence. 

Selling Practices &  
Product Labelling
As a healthcare business engaged in 
the sale, marketing and distribution 
of pharmaceutical products and 
medical devices, the Group is subject 
to extensive regulation on Selling 
Practices and Product Labelling. 
Regulations, together with industry 
codes of practice, set down strict 
requirements within which the Group 
must operate and the Group’s quality 
policies, manuals, extensive standard 
operating procedures (SOPs), and 
employee training programmes are 
designed to ensure the Group meets 
its obligations and ensures compliance 
to the fullest extent. The Group’s 
internal procedures are the core of 
the Group’s Quality Management 
System and it is through these robust 
procedures and ongoing training and 
development that the Group continues 
to meet the regulatory standards 
across all engaged activities.

44

45

Uniphar plc Annual Report 2021Uniphar plc Annual Report 2021

PERFORMANCE 
REVIEW

Financial Review 

Commercial & Clinical  

Product Access  

Supply Chain & Retail  

48

52

54

56

Strategic Review

Business 
Solutions  
& Innovation

Business solutions & innovation is 
something we are passionate about. 
It underpins our “can-do” culture and 
entrepreneurial spirit and is central to 
not only our organic growth but also 
a key factor in identifying appropriate 
M&A targets. 

Business Resilience
Business resilience remained a key 
focus during 2021 as businesses 
globally were impacted by a full year 
of Covid-19 and further restrictions. 
The resilience and dedication of our 
teams coupled with clear strategic 
objectives and agility to adapt 
traditional business models meant 
the Group was well positioned to 
continue to deliver for all of our 
stakeholders. The Group’s diversity 
in product portfolios and services 
offerings as well as our digital 
capabilities were key to the Group’s 
continued success during 2021. 

Innovation
Uniphar prides itself on its innovative 
and entrepreneurial culture. This is 
evident in all areas of the business 
from implementing improvements 
in existing systems, identifying new 
market opportunities, evaluating 
acquisition targets, and enhancing 
our digital capabilities.

During 2021, the Group appointed a 
new Chief Technology Officer, who is 
tasked with coordinating our digital 
strategy across the Group. Our digital 
focus has been a key differentiator 
for our business and meant that the 
Group was in a better position to 
respond to some of the challenges 
presented by the Covid-19 pandemic. 
Our new Chief Technology Officer will 
ensure that the Group has a strategic 
cohesive digital programme across 
all divisions and that we are in a 
position to scale our infrastructure as 
our business continues to grow and 
expand geographically. 

The acquisition of BESTMSLs Group, 
headquartered in New York, re-
enforces the group’s commitment to 
deliver innovative solutions for our 
customers. Among its many services, 
BESTMSLs Group offer HCPs a 
digital platform, via it’s ‘Peer Now’ 
service, to communicate directly with 
qualified medical science liaisons. 
While The Doctor’s Channel offers 
an additional stream, via short 
online videos, to provide educational 
material to HCPs relating to specific 
illnesses and therapeutic areas.

The Group’s multi-channel account 
management model has evolved 
further during the year and following 
the acquisition of E4H now represents 
a truly ‘Omni-Channel’ approach to 
commercialising pharma brands. 
Digital services such as webinars, 
advisory boards, podcasts & 
microsites now all form part of the 
Group’s unique service offering.

Supply Chain Management
As part of our commitment to setting 
a Science Based Target, we are 
cognisant of the need to increase 
engagement with our supply chain on 
key areas of sustainability, including 
business ethics and environmental 
matters. During 2021, the Group 
commenced work on a supply chain 
engagement programme including a 
new Supplier Code of Conduct and 
Responsible Sourcing Guidelines 
which the Group intends to roll out 
during 2022. We appreciate that 
some of the objectives we have set 
for ourselves cannot be achieved 
without meaningful engagement  
with our supply chain. 

46

47

Performance Review

Uniphar plc Annual Report 2021

FINANCIAL 
REVIEW

16.2c

Adjusted EPS  
(2020: 12.6c)

€48.3m

Net Bank Debt €48.3m  
(2020: €34.4m)

2021  
Financial Highlights

Gross Profit 

2021

2020

€274.5m

€217.3m

Organic Gross Profit Growth

2021

2020

EBITDA

2021

2020

Net Bank Debt

2021

2020

ROCE

2021

2020

8.5%

6.7%

€86.5m

€66.7m

€48.3m

€34.4m

17.6%

18.7%

Basic Earnings Per Share 

2021

2020

17.8c

10.6c

Adjusted Earnings Per Share

2021

2020

16.2c

12.6c

Significant growth of 28.6% in adjusted EPS, 
driven by a strong performance across the three 
divisions and from our acquisitions. The Group’s 
strength is underpinned by a robust Balance 
Sheet, strong liquidity and low net debt.

Summary financial performance

Year ended 31 December

2021
€’000

2020
€’000

Reported

Constant
 currency

Growth

IFRS measures

Revenue

Gross profit 

Operating profit

Basic EPS (cent)

Alternative performance measures

Gross profit margin

EBITDA

EBITDA %

Adjusted EPS (cent) 

Net bank debt

Return on capital employed

6.5%

26.3%

13.0%

6.3%

25.8%

12.2%

29.6%

29.1%

1,943,149

1,823,854

274,497

45,147

17.8

14.1%

86,481

4.5%

16.2

(48,297)

17.6%

217,252

39,944

10.6

11.9%

66,713

3.7%

12.6

(34,419)

18.7%

Revenue
Revenue increased by 6.5% in the year (6.3% constant currency) to over €1.9bn. The increase was largely due to 
the strong performance in Supply Chain & Retail, which includes the benefit of the 2020 acquisition of the Hickey’s 
Pharmacy Group together with a strong market share and growth in the consumer business.  

Gross profit
Gross profit growth of 26.3% (25.8% constant currency) was achieved through our acquisitions completed in 2020 
and 2021, together with organic growth of 8.5% (2020 6.7%). Strong organic growth was delivered across all three 
divisions, with the highest being in our Product Access division with organic growth of 19.9% as the Exclusive Access 
business continued to deliver new programs. Gross profit margin has also increased from 11.9% to 14.1% delivering 
on our strategy of expanding into higher growth, higher margin sectors and businesses. Our geographical footprint has 
expanded during the year with an increase of 32% of gross profit generated from outside of Ireland which is due to the 
recent acquisitions and expansion of the pan-European footprint in Commercial & Clinical, and the expansion of the 
global footprint of the Product Access division.

4848

49
49

Uniphar plc Annual Report 2021 
 
 
Performance Review

Divisional gross profit

Year ended 31 December

Commercial & Clinical

Product Access

Supply Chain & Retail

2021
€’000

104,398

41,318

128,781

274,497

2020
€’000

92,193

30,423

94,636

217,252

Growth

Reported

Constant 
Currency

Organic

13.2%

35.8%

36.1%

26.3%

12.0%

35.9%

36.1%

7.9%

19.9%

5.8%

8.5%

EBITDA
EBITDA has increased by €19.8m (29.6%, constant currency 29.1%) to €86.5m reflecting the full year impact of the 2020 
acquisitions, the organic growth in 2021 together with the investment in our teams and our infrastructure for further growth.

Exceptional items
Pre-tax exceptional credit of €5.4m was recognised in 2021, which includes a net release of deferred consideration of 
€19.8m following a review of the expected performance against earn-out targets and contractual obligations. This was 
offset by costs of €14.4m which relate to redundancy and restructuring, acquisitions, and integration related costs. See 
note 4 in the financial statements for further details.

Strong financial indicators

17.6%

ROCE

76.6%

Free Cash Flow  
Conversion

Earnings per share
Basic earnings per share increased from 10.6 cent to 17.8 cent in 2021. The increase is a result of a significant increase 
in underlying earnings partially offset by an increase of 2.8% in the weighted average number of shares when compared 
to 2020.

Adjusted earnings per share is calculated after adjusting for amortisation of acquisition related intangibles and 
exceptional costs. The Group’s adjusted earnings per share for 2021 was 16.2 cent (2020: 12.6 cent). Underlying 
earnings have increased by 33.0% from €32.9m in 2020 to €43.8m in 2021. This was partially offset by a 2.8% increase 
in the weighted average number of shares in issue as a result of the satisfaction of performance conditions attached to 
LTIP shares during the year.

Cash flow and net bank debt
The Group delivered a strong cash performance during the year, with a free cash flow conversion of 76.6% and a net 
bank debt position of €48.3m (2020: €34.4m).

Year ended 31 December

Net cash inflow from operating activities

Net cash outflow from investing activities

Net cash inflow/(outflow) from financing activities

Foreign currency translation movement

Increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents in the year

Movement in restricted cash

Non-cash movement in borrowings

Cash flow from movement in borrowings

Movement in net bank debt

2021
€’000

2020
€’000

52,177

(49,658)

13,259

1,837

17,615

(3,097)

350

(28,746)

(13,878)

65,978

(110,326)

(8,715)

(567)

(53,630)

955

-

(8,366)

(61,041)

Strong working capital management continues to be a focus for the Group, and this is reflected in the cash generated from 
operating activities of €52.2m. Trade and other receivables have increased due to strong sales growth across businesses 
particularly in Q4 which in turn has also impacted trade and other payables at the end of the period. Free cash flow 
conversion for the period was 76.6% which exceeds the medium-term free cash flow conversion target of 60-70%. 

The net cash outflow from investing activities of €49.7m principally consisted of deferred and deferred contingent 
consideration payments of €12.3m, capital investment of €14.4m (including a new regional distribution facility, 
operational since May 2021), and acquisitions completed during the year of €32.3m. This is offset by net cash acquired 
on acquisition of €5.4m and a receipt of €3.4m in respect of working capital adjustments relating to acquisitions 
completed in 2019. Other movements included receipts from disposal of assets held for sale of €0.4m, and receipts of 
deferred consideration receivable of €0.2m.

The net cash inflow from financing activities of €13.3m was due to an increase in borrowings and the release of 
restricted cash into cash and cash equivalents offset by repayment of borrowings, principal lease payments and the 
payment of dividends.

New banking partners
With the addition of two new international banking partners, RBC, and HSBC joining the existing banking syndicate 
during the year, the Group is in a strong position to continue to invest in growth opportunities. Net bank debt was 
€48.3m (2020: €34.4m) and leverage remained low at 0.7x, providing a solid platform to support future growth and 
investment as opportunities arise.

Taxation 
The Group’s tax charge inclusive of prior year adjustments has increased by €2.0m to €7.7m in 2021 reflecting the tax 
arising on both organic and acquisition related profit growth. The effective tax rate year-on-year has increased from 
14.9% to 16.8% following the increased contribution of profits from higher rate tax jurisdictions outside of Ireland. The 
effective tax rate is calculated as the pre-exceptional income tax charge for the year as a percentage of the profit before 
tax and exceptional items.

Foreign exchange
The Group continues to expand into new geographies, together with the continued growth in existing geographies 
outside of the Eurozone results in a foreign exchange exposure for the Group being the translation of local income 
statements and balance sheets into Euro for Group reporting purposes.

On a constant currency basis, revenue increased by 6.3% vs 6.5% reported growth, gross profit increased 25.8% vs 
26.3% reported growth and operating profit increased by 12.2% vs 13.0% reported growth. 

GBP

US Dollar

Swedish Krona

2021

Average

0.8596

1.1824

10.1449

2020

Average

0.8888

1.1401

10.4815

Return on capital employed (ROCE)
Group ROCE in 2021 of 17.6% (2020: 18.7%), is a modest decrease versus the prior year reflecting the impact of 
current and prior year acquisitions as the Group continued to invest in higher margin, higher value businesses and 
expand into new geographies. The investment made during 2021, both from a capital and acquisitions perspective,  
will deliver further benefits and growth in the coming years.

Details on how this was calculated are included in the APMs section on page 186 to 190. 

Dividends
The Board remains committed to a progressive dividend policy as stated at the time of the IPO. The Directors are 
proposing a final dividend of €2.9m (€0.011 per ordinary share), subject to approval at the Company’s AGM. It is 
proposed to pay the dividend on 13 May 2022 to ordinary shareholders on the Company’s register at 5pm on 22 April 
2022. Together with the interim dividend of €1.5m (€0.005 per ordinary share) paid in October 2021 this brings the total 
dividend for the year to €4.4m (€0.016 per ordinary share), an increase of 5% on 2020.

Tim Dolphin
Chief Financial Officer

50

51

Uniphar plc Annual Report 2021 
Performance Review

COMMERCIAL & CLINICAL

Commercial and Clinical continued to 
deliver a strong performance in 2021 
with organic gross profit growth of 
7.9%, reinforcing our role as a trusted 
partner to our clients and customers. 

The Business
Commercial & Clinical provides 
outsourced sales, marketing 
and distribution solutions to 
pharmaceutical and medical device 
manufacturers on a pan-European 
basis, with a bespoke service offering 
in the US. The division is focused on 
the commercialisation of speciality 
products for our manufacturer clients. 
Our continued focus in expanding our 
geographic and client base means 
we are now active in 15 markets, 
representing 67 manufacturers across 
two or more of these geographies. 
We are able to deliver flexible 
commercial solutions ensuring our 
healthcare customers had access 
to critical information and products 
throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Highlights
Commercial and Clinical continued to 
deliver a strong performance in 2021 
with organic gross profit growth of 
7.9%, reinforcing our role as a trusted 
partner to our clients and customers. 
The expertise and agility of our 
teams, our speciality focus,  
the diversity of our product portfolio 
and our digitally enabled sales  
teams ensured the business  
achieved a robust performance  
in a challenging environment. 

Key performance highlights include:

 » Revenue growth of 11.2% 

2021

Number of employees

1,350+

Number of countries 
operating in:

15

Revenue generated  
outside of Ireland (%)

61%

achieved across the division;
 » Strong revenue growth of 29.7% 
in our Pharma business unit 
achieved through our insight 
driven, digitally enabled customer 
centric solutions;

 » An increase of 30.6% in gross 
profit achieved from outside  
of Ireland;
Increase in the number of 
manufacturers represented in 
more than one geography to  
67 (2020: 47); and

 »

 » Completion of the acquisitions 

of CoRRect Medical, BESTMSLs 
Group and E4H significantly 
enhancing the division’s 
capabilities. 

MedTech
Our MedTech offering provides a fully 
integrated solution for our clients in 
sales, marketing and distribution of 
medical devices across interventional 
cardiology/radiology, orthopaedics, 
ophthalmology, minimally invasive 
surgery, diagnostic imaging and 
critical care. 

Covid-19 continued to have an 
impact on all markets in which 
MedTech operates. Lockdowns 
and continued restrictions saw 
the cancellation of many elective 
procedures across Europe throughout 
2021, and the increased Covid-19 
activity across our health systems 
challenged the traditional face-to-
face interactions with stakeholders.

52

Commercial & Clinical

Year ended 31 December

Revenue

Gross profit

Gross profit margin 

2021
€’000

299,908

104,398

34.8%

2020
€’000

269,780

92,193

34.2%

Growth

Reported

11.2%

13.2%

60bps

Constant 
Currency

9.8%

12.0%

BESTMSLs Group are US-based, 
our focus is to continue to enable 
these service offerings across our 
Commercial & Clinical and Product 
Access targeted geographies. 

Looking Forward
The ability of the Commercial & 
Clinical division to continue to 
grow through the market disruption 
caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, 
demonstrates the inherent strength 
in Uniphar’s offering. Expansion into 
mainland Europe, the Nordics and 
the US has been successful and will 
continue to provide opportunities to 
grow our long–standing manufacturer 
partnerships into new geographies. 
The extension of the US acquisitions 
service offerings to the European 
market provides a further growth 
opportunity from 2022 onwards. 
In the medium-term, the Group is 
focused on identifying further Pharma 
and MedTech acquisitions to build 
out our growing platform, serving our 
clients across multiple geographies.

The diverse nature of the products 
in our portfolio, combined with 
our geographic spread, allowed 
our business to achieve growth 
in this challenging period. By 
combining clinically trained teams, 
strong manufacturer relationships 
and established supply chain 
infrastructure we were able to source, 
supply and educate our customers 
on the best use of new technologies 
and products during this period. Our 
critical care speciality in particular 
continued to outperform during 2021.

The acquisition of CoRRect Medical 
was completed in July 2021, and 
the integration is now substantially 
complete. With a significant presence 
in Germany and Switzerland, the 
acquisition further enhances our pan-
European offering, strengthens our 
interventional portfolio, and provides 
further new opportunities to bring 
existing agencies to new markets. 

Pharma
Our Pharma business unit focusses 
on providing insight-driven, digitally 
enabled customer centric solutions 
for pharmaceutical partners. This 
allows Uniphar to engage with 
healthcare professionals with targeted 
information by utilising the channel 
that is most convenient for them.

In addition, Uniphar’s Pharma 
business unit has continued to 
invest in digital technology to 
develop omni-channel sales 
solution capabilities with the goal 
of optimising commercial outcomes 

for our partners. This investment 
in our digital platforms has been 
of particular benefit during the 
Covid-19 pandemic, where face-to-
face meetings have become more 
difficult and the structural shift in the 
healthcare market towards digital 
communications has accelerated. 
The acquisition of E4H which was 
completed in December, enhances 
Uniphar’s value proposition of 
creating a truly differentiated omni-
channel offering for pharmaceutical 
clients looking to commercialise their 
brands across Europe. E4H offers a 
wide range of digital communications 
solutions to the pharmaceutical 
industry, including brand and 
strategy commercialisation, digital 
development, omni-channel delivery, 
engagement and data analysis. 

The recent acquisitions of Diligent 
Health Solutions (Q4 2020), and 
BESTMSLs Group (Q3 2021) have 
extended our presence into the 
strategically important US market, 
and significantly enhances the 
capabilities of the Pharma business 
unit. Diligent, with its enhanced call 
centre services, brings additional 
capabilities to our Commercial & 
Clinical division, and their capabilities 
have now been extended to the 
European market with the first 
programme launched in Q4 2021. 
BESTMSLs Group, a New York-
headquartered Group, provides 
outsourced medical affairs services 
including the provision of contract 
MSL teams, and innovative digital 
solutions. While Diligent and 

53
53

GovernanceUniphar plc Annual Report 2021 
Performance Review

PRODUCT ACCESS

The Product Access business 
has exceeded expectations 
this year, hitting 19.9% 
organic gross profit growth.

The Business
We work to ensure equitable access to 
medicines for patients on a worldwide 
basis. Partnering with manufacturers, 
we provide the global reach and world 
class execution required to help them 
to ensure patients can get access 
to their early stage, high-tech or 
otherwise difficult to source medicines. 
Our digital capabilities and our expert 
multilingual teams enable us to offer 
a high standard of service quality and 
implementation. 

Highlights
 »

 »

35.8% gross profit growth 
achieved across the division;
10 new EAPs in 2021 bringing our 
cumulative experience on EAPs in 
the Group to over 65; and 
 » One strategically valuable 
acquisition, Devonshire 
Healthcare Services Limited  
in Q4 2021.

The Product Access business has 
exceeded expectations this year, 
hitting 19.9% organic gross profit 
growth. Our Exclusive Access business 
has performed strongly during the year, 
we have comfortably hit our target 
of new Expanded Access Programs 
and are now well-established as a 
significant player in this growing global 
market. The reduction in revenue 
during the period reflects the planned 
discontinuation of a legacy contract 
with minimum gross profit contribution.

Over the last three years we have 
actively acquired companies with 
the expertise, reputation and 

reach to complement our existing 
capabilities and we have integrated 
them seamlessly into our existing 
operations. Through Durbin, we have 
built out our capability in new regions, 
and the acquisition of Devonshire 
Healthcare Services will add direct 
access into the MENA market. The 
acquisition of RRD International in 
2020 and, more recently, BESTMSLs 
Group have strengthened our expertise 
in the management of medicines in 
the early stage of product life cycle. 
We have accelerated our progress 
towards our goal of providing 
speciality manufacturer clients with an 
unparalleled product access  
service on a global basis. 

Uniphar Patient Portal 
The Uniphar patient portal, Uniphi, 
went live in 2021 as planned and is 
now fully operational. Every Expanded 
Access Program (EAP) can benefit 
from the support offered by the Uniphi 
technology, which combines patient 
enrolment with personalised patient 
education. The portal is operated 
by Innerstrength who have already 
become an integral part of the  
Product Access offering. 

On Demand
While Pharmasource, our Irish based 
On Demand business had a record 
year, achieving double digit growth in 
a mature market, Brexit impacted our 
UK On Demand business as exports 
from the UK to other markets became 
slower and more complex. This 
impacted every UK-based company 
operating in the market. 

2021

Number of employees

250+

Number of countries 
operating in:

130

Revenue generated  
outside of Ireland (%)

56%

Product Access

Year ended 31 December

Revenue

Gross profit

Gross profit margin 

2021
€’000

157,152

41,318

26.3%

2020
€’000

187,505

30,423

16.2%

 Growth

Reported

(16.2%)

35.8%

1010bps

Constant 
Currency

(16.9%)

35.9%

The change in the market encouraged 
us to accelerate our strategy of 
targeting non-EU markets, and 
together with the acquisition of 
Devonshire Healthcare Services, 
gives us direct access to MENA 
markets. Through providing On 
Demand services, the Devonshire 
Healthcare Services acquisition will 
enable us to build up a strong trading 
relationship with customers that 
will support growth in our Exclusive 
Access business in these markets in 
the near to medium term. 

Exclusive Access - size of 
Expanded Access Programs (EAPs) 
growing
In 2021, we have really started to feel 
the benefit of our acquisition strategy 
which has given us the firepower 
to become a globally successful 
player in this space. Our 2020 
acquisitions of RRD International 
and Innerstrength have played a 
pivotal role in expanding our ability 
to address the important US market. 
RRD’s deep early-stage experience 
in clinical development allows us to 
offer a world class standard of clinical 
support that our speciality pharma 
manufacturer clients, both emerging 
and well-established, really value. In 
addition, Innerstrength’s technological 
leadership ensures that we can 
deliver a superior offering than any  
of our competitors in the areas of 
patient education and adherence. 

In 2021, we have made significant 
investment in delivering 
excellence, by strengthening 

strategic management and project 
management capabilities within our 
team. This year, we are seeing the 
high quality of our program delivery 
being recognised by our clients. 
In addition, we have expanded 
the therapeutic areas in which we 
operate; we have built a strong 
reputation in areas such as Oncology, 
Neurology, HIV and Gene Therapy 
over recent years, and this year, 
we have broadened into CAR T-cell 
Therapy and Transplant. We are 
now seeing a significant increase in 
the size of the opportunities we are 
working on with emerging, mid-size 
and big pharma clients. 

While we see the bulk of the growth in 
the market with our traditional targets 
of emerging and mid-size biotech 
innovators, one of the strategic 
goals for the division this year has 
been to attract EAPs from top 10 
pharma manufacturers. With their 
larger programs and more exigent 
requirements, working with these 
companies stretches us to achieve 
constant improvement in compliance, 
governance and service which benefit 
all our EAP customers. We expect 
to continue to attract larger EAPs 
from companies of all sizes as our 
investment in scalable infrastructure 
continues and our reputation for 
excellence grows in the market. 

Looking ahead
We continue to focus on delivering 
double digit gross profit growth. 
With another strong performance of 
19.9% organic gross profit growth, 

we have positioned ourselves as 
a significant player in this growing 
market. Our recent acquisitions are 
not only enhancing the attractiveness 
of our EAP offering, but they also 
offer considerable cross-selling 
opportunities. We see 2022 as a year 
where we will continue to develop 
our On Demand and Expanded 
Access Programs services, investing 
in digital technology and scalable 
infrastructure, expanding into new 
regions beyond Europe and the US. 

All this development, however, will be 
happening against the backdrop of a 
market that has taken a knock from 
Covid-19. The pandemic has slowed 
the rate of growth in the market by 
delaying product developments, and 
we expect a considerable amount 
of reorganisation and consolidation 
in the pharmaceutical market. This 
may delay some decisions in 2022, 
but it will ultimately mean additional 
opportunities for us in an 18-36 
month timeframe.

We see our strong digital 
infrastructure, combined with our 
deep expertise and increasingly 
global reach, as well as our growing 
reputation for managing the most 
sensitive products and complex 
supply chains successfully, giving 
us a compelling value proposition 
for manufacturers of high-tech and 
speciality products. 

54

55
55

GovernanceUniphar plc Annual Report 2021 
Performance Review

SUPPLY CHAIN & RETAIL 

Growth in the year in the Supply 
Chain & Retail division was achieved 
through the strong performance of 
the Hickey’s Pharmacy Group and 
through organic gross profit growth, 
with significant new business wins. 

The Business
The Supply Chain & Retail division 
comprises of our pre-wholesale 
and wholesale pharmaceutical 
distribution business, with 1,850 
community pharmacy customers and 
a vertically integrated model with 
378 owned, franchised or supported 
pharmacies. Uniphar holds c. 53% 
of the current market share and is an 
essential part of the national health 
infrastructure in Ireland. 

Highlights
 »
36.1% growth in gross profit; 
 » New €10m distribution hub in 

Annacotty now live – facilitating 
capacity for growth;

 » Proof of concept of new managed 
service model in Retail with the 
Cara Pharmacy Group; and
 » Digital innovation and omni-

channel capability assisting our 
retail pharmacy partners.

Wholesale
Growth in the year was achieved 
through the strong performance of the 
Hickey’s Pharmacy Group and through 
organic gross profit growth with 
significant new business wins. The 
Wholesale business had a particularly 
strong second half of the year, 
following the lifting of the most severe 
lockdown restrictions mid-year. 

Uniphar’s robust operations 
infrastructure proved itself capable 
of dealing with the pressures of 
the pandemic, and we saw more 
independent pharmacies turning to 
Uniphar for support. The Group’s new 
distribution centre in Annacotty, Co. 
Limerick, was fully operational in Q2 
2021 and provides an additional 30% 
capacity. This investment has given 
additional flexibility to our operational 
infrastructure and allowed us to 
rebalance our regional volumes, in 
line with customer growth and the 
wider market recovery in H2 2021. 

Prescription and OTC products 
continue to be at the core of what we 
provide to our community pharmacy 
customers, however, we have also 
seen considerable growth in our 
consumer products business, with 
sales rising by 51% year-on-year as 
we added new agencies and our own 
brands. A strong consumer offering is 
a key part of providing our community 
pharmacy customers with a ‘one stop 
shop’ for everything they need to run 
their pharmacy.

In our retail business we developed 
a full-service managed model and 
trialled it in the market, with the 
successful negotiation of a three-year 
supply and franchise agreement with 
the owners of the Cara Pharmacy 
Group. We see future potential in this 
approach for growth in wholesale 
market share. 

2021

Number of employees

1,150+

Market Share

53%

Retail Pharmacy 
Network

378

Supply Chain & Retail 

Year ended 31 December

Revenue

Gross profit

Gross profit margin 

2021
€’000

2020
€’000

1,486,089

1,366,569

128,781

8.7%

94,636

6.9%

Growth

Reported

8.7%

36.1%

180bps

Constant 
Currency

8.7%

36.1%

our supported pharmacies. Allcare 
and Life pharmacy symbol groups 
both now offer online doctor services, 
patient apps and online shopping. 
The acquisition of Navi Group (subject 
to CCPC approval), with its focus 
on technological innovation in retail 
pharmacy, will allow us to accelerate 
and strengthen our digital offering to 
our pharmacy partners and customers. 

Looking forward
This division offers significant benefits 
to the Group’s overall capabilities 
through our high-tech distribution 
facilities, our scalable digital 
infrastructure, our long-standing 
manufacturer relationships and our 
highly skilled people, who have deep 
insights into the healthcare eco-
system. The integration of the Navi 
Group (subject to CCPC approval) 
will be a major focus for the division 
in 2022. As we look for additional 
growth, we cannot ignore the 
potential of other small/medium sized 
markets in which our successful Irish 
model might be replicable.  

In December 2021, we announced 
the acquisition of the Navi Group, a 
company we have partnered closely 
with for half a decade. The acquisition 
remains under consideration by the 
CCPC. Should we get agreement to 
proceed, this strategic investment 
brings with it market share in the form 
of additional pharmacy customers, an 
innovative and experienced trading 
team and most importantly, a number 
of innovative digital solutions for retail 
pharmacy based on proprietary digital 
technologies. This will complement 
our own technologies and will 
accelerate our ability to support 
our customers to achieve a fully 
connected pharmacy.

Pre-wholesale 
Both the business and the underlying 
market experienced growth in the 
year. The Brexit readiness strategy 
implemented in 2020 allowed us 
to support our manufacturers and 
ensure continuity of supply to the  
Irish market. We worked in 
partnership with our manufacturers 
who had products coming from the 
UK to ensure we had the relevant 
licences and procedures in place  
to mitigate against any impact.

A new four-year IPHA agreement 
comes into effect in 2022 and  
will bring with it market changes 
across our client manufacturer 
portfolios, as we see the growing 
penetration of biosimilar products. 
We are in a strong position as we 
enter 2022, with contract renewals 

completed with a number of our  
long-standing manufacturers. 

Retail
Covid-19 impacted the retail 
pharmacy business in the first half 
of the year with decreased footfall 
and operational challenges. One 
of the biggest challenges for the 
sector as a whole has been staffing, 
with pharmacists, technicians 
and floor staff difficult to recruit, 
bringing with it increased pressure 
on pay costs. Despite this, our retail 
stores continued to deliver for their 
customers, supporting them with 
courtesy, expertise and kindness,  
as they have done throughout  
the pandemic.

The successful integration of the 
Hickey’s Pharmacy Group was a key 
milestone in 2021. The acquisition 
was earnings accretive from day one, 
with the 36 pharmacies migrated on 
to Uniphar IT systems and using our 
digital expertise to grow the brand’s 
online presence. 

Online/Digital
By focusing on digital solutions in our 
own operations and in the back office 
for pharmacies, we have brought our 
pharmacy customers on a journey with 
us, reducing reliance on paper and 
progressing to simplified workflows 
and administration for pharmacy 
teams. There was significant progress 
made on bringing digital to front of 
house in 2021, with strides made in 
eCommerce and digital innovation in 

56

57
57

GovernanceUniphar plc Annual Report 2021 
 
 
Governance

GOVERNANCE

Company Information 

Board of Directors 

Corporate Governance Statement 

Corporate Governance Report 

Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee Report 

Nominations and Governance Committee Report 

Remuneration Committee Report 

Directors’ Report 

59

60

62

63

71

75

79

91

COMPANY INFORMATION  
AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2021

Board of Directors 
M. Pratt  (Chairman)
G. Rabbette (Chief Executive Officer)
T. Dolphin (Chief Financial Officer)
J. Berkowitz
J. Gaul
L. Hoctor
P. Hogan
S. Webb

Company Secretary and  
Registered Office
A. McCarthy
Uniphar plc
4045 Kingswood Road
Citywest Business Park
Co. Dublin 
D24 V06K

Registered Number
224324

Auditors
PricewaterhouseCoopers
Chartered Accountants and  
Statutory Audit Firm
One Spencer Dock
North Wall Quay
Dublin 1
D01 X9R7

Legal Adviser
William Fry
2 Grand Canal Square
Dublin 2
D02 A342

Nomad and Euronext  
Growth Adviser
Davy
Davy House
49 Dawson Street
Dublin 2
D02 PY05

Registrar
Computershare Investor Services  
(Ireland) Limited
3100 Lake Drive
Citywest Business Campus
Dublin 24 
D24 AK82

Principal Bankers
Bank of Ireland
Allied Irish Banks
Royal Bank of Canada 
HSBC Bank

Joint Brokers
Davy
Davy House
49 Dawson Street
Dublin 2
D02 PY05

RBC Europe Limited
100 Bishopsgate
London 
EC2N 4AA

Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited
150 Cheapside
London
EC2V 6ET

Investor Relations
B. O’Shaughnessy
Uniphar plc
4045 Kingswood Road
Citywest Business Park
Co. Dublin
D24 V06K

Website
Further information on Uniphar plc  
is available on the Group’s website:  
www.uniphar.ie

58

59

Uniphar plc Annual Report 2021BOARD OF 
DIRECTORS

Maurice Pratt
Non-Executive Chairman

Nationality: Irish
Appointed: July 2003
Independent: No

Tim Dolphin
Chief Financial Officer

Nationality: Irish
Appointed: July 2010
Independent: No

Jeff Berkowitz
Non-Executive Director

Nationality: American
Appointed: September 2020
Independent: Yes

Committee Memberships 
Nominations and Governance

Experience 
An industry veteran, Ger joined 
Uniphar from Celesio, where he 
was Managing Director of 
Movianto Ireland and Head of 
Celesio Manufacturing Solutions 
Ireland. He is a Chartered 
Accountant by training and has 
held a range of senior positions 
in the healthcare sector with 
Cahill May Roberts and the 
wider Celesio Group.

Principal Skills 
Industry, Leadership, Strategy, 
Finance, International Markets, 
Sustainability and Governance, 
M&A

Committee Memberships 
Audit, Risk & Compliance
Nominations and Governance

Experience 
A Chartered Accountant by 
training, Paul is CFO of Brook 
& Whittle Limited, a private 
equity owned packaging group 
headquartered in Connecticut, 
US. Paul was previously CFO at 
Nelipak Healthcare and Director 
of Development and CFO of the 
Clondalkin Group. He trained 
in Audit and Business Advisory 
in PwC. 

Principal Skills 
Industry, Leadership, Strategy, 
Finance, International Markets, 
M&A

Ger Rabbette
Chief Executive Officer

Nationality: Irish
Appointed: March 2010
Independent: No

Paul Hogan
Non-Executive Director

Nationality: Irish/American
Appointed: June 2019
Independent: Yes

Committee Memberships 
Nominations and Governance

Experience 
Maurice was appointed 
Chairman in 2009, having joined 
the Board as a non executive 
director in July 2003. 
Former Chief Executive Officer 
of Tesco Ireland Limited and 
C&C plc, Maurice is currently 
Chairman of Nursing Homes 
Ireland, Serious Fun Children’s 
Network and B&B Ireland and 
is a non-executive director of 
Powerscourt Distillery Limited.

Principal Skills 
Leadership, Strategy, 
International Markets, 
Sustainability and Governance

Committee Memberships 
N/A

Experience 
Tim joined Uniphar from 
Topaz Energy Limited where 
he was a member of the senior 
management team. Prior to this, 
Tim held various senior finance 
positions with Royal Dutch Shell 
plc in Ireland. He is a Chartered 
Accountant by training and is a 
director of the Pharmaceutical 
Distributors Federation 
Ireland CLG. 

Principal Skills 
Industry, Leadership, Strategy, 
Finance, Legal & Regulatory, 
International Markets, M&A

Committee Memberships 
Nominations and Governance
Remuneration

Experience 
Jeff has extensive global 
healthcare experience, 
having held senior executive 
positions at UnitedHealth 
Group-Optum, Walgreens 
Boots Alliance Inc. and 
Merck & Co Inc. Jeff is CEO of 
Real Endpoints LLC, and serves 
on the board of directors of 
H. Lundbeck A/S, Esperion 
Therapeutics, Inc., and Zealand 
Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Principal Skills 
Industry, Leadership, Strategy, 
Legal & Regulatory,
International Markets, 
Sustainability and Governance, 
M&A

Audit, Risk  
and Compliance  
Committee

Nominations 
and Governance 
Committee

Remuneration  
Committee

Chair
Paul Hogan

Chair
Jeffrey Berkowitz

Chair
Sue Webb

Chief  
Executive  
Officer

Ger Rabbette

See pages  
71 to 74 for our  
Committee Report

See pages  
75 to 78 for our 
Committee Report

See pages  
79 to 90 for our 
Committee Report

See pages  
12 to 15 for our  
CEO Report

Committee Memberships 
Audit, Risk & Compliance 
Nominations and Governance

Experience 
Jim is a Certified Public 
Accountant and former Chief 
Financial Officer of Sanofi 
Ireland & Mount Carmel Private 
Hospital. He has a strong track 
record in financial management 
and global healthcare and is 
a former director of Carraig 
Insurance and Valeant 
Pharmaceuticals Ireland. 
He is currently a non-executive 
director of a number of OPKO 
Health subsidiaries.

Principal Skills 
Industry, Leadership, Strategy, 
Finance, International Markets, 
Sustainability and Governance

Experience 
Aisling joined Uniphar in 
May 2019 from William Fry 
where she spent 12 years 
specialising in Corporate M&A 
transactions and restructurings. 
She is responsible for the 
Group’s legal, company 
secretarial, risk and compliance 
functions and also Chairs the 
Group’s Sustainability Council. 

Committee Memberships 
Audit, Risk & Compliance
Remuneration

Experience 
Sue held a variety of sales 
and marketing roles for 
Novartis Pharmaceuticals, 
UK, Ltd, including Country 
President, UK & Region Head 
of Country Management, 
Europe. Previously, Sue 
worked for Ortho McNeil in 
the US and Janssen-Cilag in 
the UK, gaining significant 
experience in pricing, strategy, 
country re-organisation 
and pharmaceutical 
product launches.

Principal Skills 
Industry, Leadership, Strategy, 
International Markets, M&A

Committee Memberships 
Audit, Risk & Compliance

Experience 
Liz is a qualified pharmacist 
and former president of the 
Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU). 
With over twenty years’ 
experience advocating at both 
political and administrative 
levels of Government on behalf 
of the pharmacy profession, 
Liz has developed an in-depth 
understanding of the Irish, 
European and International 
Healthcare Systems. Liz recently 
completed a Diploma  
in Corporate Governance.

Principal Skills 
Industry, Leadership,  
Legal & Regulatory,
Sustainability and Governance 

Jim Gaul
Non-Executive Director

Nationality: Irish
Appointed: January 2021
Independent: Yes

Aisling McCarthy
General Counsel & 
Company Secretary

Nationality: Irish
Appointed: May 2019

Sue Webb
Non-Executive Director

Nationality: English
Appointed: June 2019
Independent: Yes

Liz Hoctor
Non-Executive Director

Nationality: Irish
Appointed: January 2021
Independent: Yes

60

61

GovernanceUniphar plc Annual Report 2021CORPORATE  
GOVERNANCE  
STATEMENT

CORPORATE 
GOVERNANCE 
REPORT

Dear Shareholder
On behalf of the Board, I am pleased to introduce the Group’s 
Corporate Governance Report for 2021. This report outlines 
the clear roles and structures we have in place for managing 
corporate governance and seeking to ensure that the Group is 
positioned to meet corporate governance standards at all times. 

Adoption of UK Corporate 
Governance Code
2021 was another year of significant 
progress for the Group’s corporate 
governance agenda. At the time of 
IPO in 2019, the Board indicated 
its intention to continue to enhance 
corporate governance structures with 
a view to adopting the UK Code as 
the Group’s corporate governance 
code within 3 years of IPO. I am 
delighted to confirm that following 
a number of significant governance 
changes during 2021, the Board 
resolved in early 2022 to adopt the 
UK Code as the Group’s corporate 
governance code and to align the 
corporate governance practices of the 
Group to that Code. The Corporate 
Governance Report on pages 63 to 70 
sets out enhancements we have made 
throughout 2021 in order to comply 
with the Code. We remain committed 
to maintaining the highest standards 
of corporate governance across 
the Group to support the delivery of 
our strategy and provide long-term 
sustainable value to our shareholders 
and other stakeholders.

Board & Committee Composition 
Changes During the Year
There have been a number of 
changes to the Board’s composition 
during the year. 2021 saw the 
resignation from the Board of Marie 
McConn, Padraic Staunton, Ger 
Penny and Padraic Dempsey, each 
of whom contributed hugely to the 
Board during their respective terms 

and on behalf of the Board, I would 
like to extend a warm thanks to each 
of them for their commitment and 
contributions.

our Directors and the Group’s senior 
management that meetings have 
remained so effective during these 
challenging times. 

January 2021 also saw the 
appointment of two new Independent 
Non-Executive Directors – Jim Gaul 
and Liz Hoctor, both of whom bring 
a wealth of experience to our Board. 
Jim Gaul was also designated as the 
Group’s first Non-Executive Director 
with responsibility for workforce 
engagement. The increase in 
independent representation on the 
Board facilitated the re-composition 
of each of our Board Committees in 
early 2021, resulting in Committee 
compositions in line with the 
requirements of the UK Code. A full 
list of Board and Committee changes 
that occurred during the year is set 
out on page 84.

Board operations in the context of 
Covid-19
Since the onset of Covid-19 in March 
2020, Board and Board Committee 
meetings have been held remotely. 
The Board received regular reports 
on the impact of Covid-19 on our 
employees and on the Group’s 
activities since the onset of the 
pandemic. While the lack of in-person 
meetings presents certain challenges, 
and the Directors and I look forward 
to sharing a boardroom table again in 
the not-too-distant future, during this 
time these meetings have continued 
to run efficiently, and it is a credit to 

Looking Ahead
As we look forward, in 2022 the 
Board will continue to focus on the 
strategic objectives of the Group 
and each of the Group’s divisions. 
Monitoring corporate governance 
compliance, and performance against 
sustainability targets will also be 
key objectives for the Board. The 
appointment of the Group’s Chief 
Technology Officer during 2021 will 
ensure that the Group’s digital focus 
and strategy will also be a significant 
focus for the Board during 2022 and 
Jim Gaul’s appointment as Non-
Executive Director with responsibility 
for workforce engagement, together 
with the appointment of the Group’s 
Chief People Officer during 2021, will 
see the people focused agenda of 
2021 continue in 2022. 

Whilst the past 24 months have seen 
extraordinary challenges globally, we 
believe the governance structures 
we have in place enable the Group to 
effectively monitor and manage risk, 
assess opportunities and continue to 
deliver on our strategy in the interests 
of all our stakeholders.

Maurice Pratt
Chairman

The Directors acknowledge the 
importance of good corporate 
governance and believe that it creates 
shareholder value by improving 
performance, whilst reducing or 
mitigating the risks that a company 
faces as it seeks to create sustainable 
growth over the medium to long-term. 

At the time of IPO, the Group adopted 
the QCA Code as the Group’s 
corporate governance code and 
the Group complied with each of 
the ten principles of the QCA Code 
throughout 2021. During 2021 and 
early 2022 the Board made significant 
progress in bringing the Group’s 
corporate governance regime in 
line with the requirements of the UK 
Code and in January 2022, the Board 
resolved to adopt the UK Code as its 
corporate governance code in line with 
commitments made at the time of IPO. 

Following the corporate governance 
changes implemented during 2021 
as outlined below, the Group now 
complies with all provisions of the  
UK Code, save that:

(1)  Provision 18 – The Articles of 
Association currently provide 
for annual retirement by rotation 
of one third of the Directors. 
A resolution will be proposed 
at the 2022 AGM to amend the 
Articles to provide for annual 
retirement by rotation of all 
Directors who may then, if eligible, 
seek re-election. To demonstrate 
commitment to this objective 
all Directors will voluntarily put 
themselves forward for re-election 
at the 2022 AGM.

(2)  Provision 19 – The Chair’s 
tenure exceeds nine years. 
The Board believe that given the 
significant changes to Board 
and Committee compositions 
in the past 3 years including a 
further six board changes during 
2021, Maurice Pratt has been 
instrumental in maintaining a 
sense of stability and continuity 
through this period of change 
and believe that he is best placed 
to continue to steer the Board 
through these transitional times. 

Corporate governance changes implemented during 2021 and early 2022 in line with the UK Code are: 

UK Code

Steps Taken during 2021

Board Leadership  
and Company 
Purpose

 » Jim Gaul appointed as the designated Non-Executive Director for workforce engagement
 » Group-wide Future of Work employee listening exercise 
 » Updated Group-wide Code of Conduct
 » Update to Group Whistleblower Policy to include an externally monitored reporting line

Division of 
Responsibilities

Composition, 
Succession and 
Evaluation

Audit, Risk and 
Internal Control 

Remuneration 

 » Majority of Directors on the Board now deemed to be Independent
 » Number of Directors on the Board reduced from ten to eight
 » Number of Executive Directors on the Board reduced from three to two

 » Board composition refreshed with the resignation of Marie McConn, Padraic Staunton,  

Ger Penny and Padraic Dempsey each of whom were deemed not to be independent and the 
appointment of Jim Gaul and Liz Hoctor each of whom are deemed to be independent
 » Nominations and Governance Committee composition refreshed in line with UK Code
 » Proposal to amend Articles of Association at 2022 AGM to provide for annual retirement  
by rotation of all Directors with all Directors seeking re-election voluntarily at 2022 AGM
 » Annual Board Performance Evaluation conducted including individual director evaluations

 » Composition of Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee refreshed, in line with UK Code

 » Composition of Remuneration Committee refreshed, in line with UK Code
 » Formal clawback policy on annual bonus introduced
 » Minimum shareholding requirement of 200% of base salary introduced for Executive Directors
 » Post-employment shareholding requirement of 200% of base salary for a period of two years 

introduced

 » Reduction in pension entitlement to 7.5% of annual base salary in line with the average 

contributions available to the Group’s wider workforce

62

6363

GovernanceUniphar plc Annual Report 2021Board of Directors
At the date of signing, the Board comprises of eight Directors, two of whom are Executive Directors and six of whom, 
including the Chairman, are Non-Executive Directors, reflecting a blend of different experience and backgrounds. 
Of the Non-Executive Directors, five of these have been deemed by the Board to be independent. Biographies of 
all of the Directors are set out on pages 60 and 61.

Board Diversity

Board Composition

2
25%

6
75%

5
62.5%

1
12.5%

2
25%

  Male
  Female

  Chairman
  Executive
  Independent Non-Executive

During the year the number of 
Executive Directors reduced from 
three to two on the resignation 
of Padraic Dempsey from the 
Board. The Board believes that, 
given the reduction in the size of 
the Board since IPO from twelve 
to eight, the reduction in number 
of Executive Directors improves 
the balance between Executive 
and Non-Executive Directors. 
The Board believes this combination 
of Executive and Non-Executive 
Directors allows it to exercise 
objectivity in decision making and 
control of the Group’s business.

Division of Responsibilities
The Board retains ultimate 
accountability for good governance 
and is responsible for monitoring the 
activities of the executive team. The 
Board has a collective responsibility 
and legal obligation to promote 
the interests of the Group and are 
collectively responsible for defining 
corporate governance arrangements. 
Ultimate responsibility for the quality 
of, and approach to, corporate 
governance lies with the Chairman.

The roles of Chairman and Chief 
Executive Officer are not combined 
and there is a clear division of 
responsibilities between them. 
The Chairman’s responsibility is to 
lead the Board, and this ensures 
that the Board is effective and 
efficient. The Chief Executive 
Officer is accountable to the Board 
for all authority delegated to the 
executive team. 

Chairman
The Chairman has overall 
responsibility for corporate 
governance throughout the Group. 
He leads and chairs the Board, 
ensuring that Committees are 
properly structured and operate 
with the appropriate terms of 
reference. He ensures that all 
Directors contribute effectively in 
the development of the Group’s 
strategy and consider the inherent 
risk included in the implementation 
of the chosen strategy. The Chairman 
is involved in the development of 
strategy and setting objectives 
together with the Chief Executive 
Officer and oversees communication 
between the Company and 
its shareholders. 

Chief Executive Officer
The Chief Executive Officer provides 
leadership and management of the 
Group and leads the development 
of objectives, strategies and 
performance standards as agreed by 
the Board. He monitors, reviews and 
manages key risks and strategies 
with the Board, and ensures that the 
assets of the Group are maintained 
and safeguarded. He also takes a 
leading role on investor relations 
activities to ensure communications 
and the Company’s standing 
with shareholders and financial 
institutions is maintained. The 
Board has delegated responsibility 
for the management of the Group, 
through the Chief Executive Officer, 
to the Executive team. 

Non-Executive Directors
The Non-Executive Directors 
contribute independent thinking and 
judgement through the application 
of their external experience 
and knowledge, scrutinise the 
performance of management, 
provide constructive challenge to 
the Executive Directors and ensure 
that the Group is operating within 
the governance and risk framework 
approved by the Board.

Company Secretary
The Company Secretary is 
responsible for providing a clear and 
timely information flow to the Board 
and its Committees and supports 
the Board on matters of corporate 
governance and risk. All Directors 
have access to the advice and 
services of the Company Secretary, 
who is responsible to the Board for 
ensuring that Board procedures are 
complied with. The appointment and 
removal of the Company Secretary 
is a matter for the Board. 

Senior Independent Director
Paul Hogan holds the position of 
Senior Independent Director of the 
Board. This role provides a sounding 
board for the Chairman and serves 
as an intermediary for the other 
Non-Executive Directors when 
necessary. The Senior Independent 
Director is also available to 
shareholders if they have concerns. 

Committees
The Board is supported in its function 
by the Audit, Risk and Compliance 
Committee, the Nominations and 
Governance Committee and the 
Remuneration Committee and reports 
from each of these Committees are 
contained on pages 71 to 90. 

A formal Schedule of Matters 
Reserved for the Board is in place 
and is reviewed annually. Specific 
responsibilities reserved for the 
Board include:

 »

 »

responsibility for the overall 
leadership of the Group and 
setting the Group’s values and 
standards;
approval of the Group’s purpose, 
strategic aims and objectives;

 » promoting the long-term 

 »

 »

sustainable success of the Group, 
generating value for shareholders 
and contributing to wider society;
embodying and promoting 
a corporate culture that is 
based on sound ethical values 
and behaviours and using 
it as an asset and a source 
of competitive advantage;
undertaking an assessment of 
the prospects of the Group, over 
a defined period and determining 
why it considers that period to be 
appropriate;

 »

 »

 »

 »

ensuring maintenance of an 
effective system of internal control 
and risk management;
approving changes to the 
structure, size and composition 
of the Board, following 
recommendations by the 
Nominations and Governance 
Committee;
undertaking a formal and rigorous 
review of its own performance, 
that of its Committees and 
individual Directors, and the 
division of responsibilities; and
considering the balance of 
interests between shareholders, 
employees, customers and 
the community. 

Appointment of Directors
The Board has a formal Board 
Appointments Policy in place which 
sets out the procedure and criteria 
to be applied when considering the 
appointment of new individuals to 
the Board. As part of this procedure, 
the Nominations and Governance 
Committee evaluate the balance of 
skills, experience, independence, 
diversity and knowledge currently 
on the Board and the formal Board 
evaluation procedure facilitates this 
assessment.

During 2020 and early 2021, in line 
with the Board Appointments Policy, 
a leading firm of organisational 
consultants were engaged in the 
search for additional Independent 
Non-Executive Directors for the Board 
resulting in the appointment of Jim 
Gaul and Liz Hoctor in January 2021. 

Conflicts of Interest
The Group has a Conflicts of Interest 
Policy in place which provides that 
where incoming or existing Directors 
retain or accept new appointments 
with other companies including 
related companies, this should be 
fully disclosed to the Company 
Secretary and the Chairman for 
approval to ensure that any conflicts 
of interests are identified in a timely 
manner. Before accepting any outside 
directorship, a Director must engage 
with and seek approval of the Chair 
and the Company Secretary.

Re-election of Directors
The Articles provide that at least 
one third of the Company’s Directors 
must retire annually by rotation 
and are then eligible for re-election 
in accordance with the Articles. 
In compliance with the UK Code, 
the Board intends to propose 
the amendment of the Articles at 
the 2022 AGM to provide that all 
Directors must retire annually and, 
if eligible, present themselves for 
re-election to the Board. At the 2022 
AGM all directors will voluntarily go 
forward for re-election to the Board.

The Board is cognisant that while 
our Chairman is the longest serving 
member of our Board, the UK 
Code allows some flexibility in 
relation to Chair tenure to facilitate 
effective succession planning 
and the development of a diverse 
board. The Board is also cognisant 
of the significant change to Board 
composition and Committee 
composition over the last two years, 
including a further six Board changes 
during 2021. The Board believe 
Maurice Pratt, as Chairman, has been 
instrumental in maintaining a sense 
of stability and continuity through this 
period of change and believe that he 
is best placed to continue to steer the 
Board through these transitional times.

Induction, development 
and training
The Directors believe that the Board 
has significant industry, financial, 
strategic and governance experience, 
possessing the necessary mix of 
experience, skills, personal qualities, 
and capabilities to deliver the 
strategy of the Group for the benefit 
of shareholders over the medium to 
long-term. The skills of each of our 
directors are highlighted in the director 
biographies on pages 60 and 61.

The Board is kept abreast of key 
developments regarding corporate 
governance and AIM and Euronext 
Growth regulation by its Nominated 
Adviser and Euronext Growth Adviser, 
and its legal advisers. The Company’s 
legal advisers provide updates on 
relevant legal and governance issues 
with the Nominated Adviser and 
Euronext Growth Adviser providing 
the Board with training on the AIM 
Rules and Euronext Growth Rules 
(as applicable) and refresher training 
as and when required. 

64

65

GovernanceUniphar plc Annual Report 2021The Company Secretary also helps 
keep the Board up to date on 
corporate governance developments 
and liaises with the Nominated 
Adviser and Euronext Growth Adviser 
on areas of AIM and Euronext Growth 
Rules requirements.

The Directors have access to the 
Nominated Adviser and Euronext 
Growth Adviser, Company Secretary, 
lawyers, and auditors as and when 
required and are able to obtain 
advice from other external bodies 
when necessary.

The Board also has a formal Board 
induction procedure in place which 
provided the basis for the induction 
of the two new Independent 
Non-Executive Directors to the Board 
in 2021. When new Directors join 
the Board, they are provided with 
extensive briefing materials on the 
Group and its operations, as well 
as training where appropriate.

Board Evaluation
The Board believes that, in addition 
to dealing with any matters as 
they arise, it is appropriate to carry 
out a formal evaluation of the 
performance of the Board each 
year. This is intended to ensure 
that the Board remains effective, 
well-informed, and able to make 
high quality and timely decisions 
for the benefit of all stakeholders 
of the Group. The Chairman is 
responsible for overseeing the 
annual evaluation process.

The annual performance evaluation 
procedure includes an evaluation of:

 »

 »

 »

 »

 »

the composition and structure of 
the Board, to include balance of 
skills, experience and knowledge 
on the Board;
the Boards’ diversity, to include 
gender, social and ethnic 
backgrounds, and cognitive and 
personal strengths;
independence of the Board and 
individual Directors;
how the Board works together as 
a unit to achieve objectives and 
fulfil responsibilities;
how the Board discharges its roles 
and responsibilities;

 » Board processes, to include 
effectiveness of meetings, 
agendas, forward planning 
and reporting; 

 »

the Chairman’s leadership style 
and approach;

 » performance of Committees; and
 »
individual Directors’ performance 
and ability to contribute effectively 
and ongoing commitment to their 
role as Director and, if relevant, 
Committee membership. 

In November 2021, the Board 
conducted a full Board evaluation 
in line with the Annual Performance 
Evaluation Procedure, including 
individual director self-assessments 
led by the Chair. The outcome of the 
Board Evaluation was very positive 
with the open discursive culture 
of the Board and Chair leadership 
key features of responses. 

The evaluation did not identify any 
areas that required particular focus. 
Communication of the Group’s 
mission and vision to all levels within 
the Group, as well as updating the 
Board in relation to all communication 
with internal stakeholders, including 
staff, were two areas identified where 
some improvement could be made. 
The strengthening of the Group HR 
function with the appointment of 
the Group’s Chief People Officer 
and the appointment of Jim Gaul 
as Workforce Engagement Director 
will increase emphasis on these 
topics. Feedback through the Future 
of Work engagement has also led 
to Group-wide Quarterly Leaders 
Updates which gives greater visibility 
to all leaders of key strategic 
objectives and performance across 
all divisions. It was also agreed that 
board evaluation feedback would be 
added as a rolling item on the Board’s 
annual agenda to ensure that matters 
identified in the Board evaluation are 
being addressed. 

The Non-Executive Directors 
also met with the Chair during 
2021 without Executive Directors 
present and discussed a wide 
range of issues, including those 
considered by the various standing 
Board Committees. In addition, 
the Non-Executive Directors, led by 
Paul Hogan as Senior Independent 
Director, met without the Chair 
present in December 2021, to review 
the performance of the Chair during 
the year.

Board succession planning 
The Board plans for its own 
succession with the assistance of 

the Nominations and Governance 
Committee and has prepared a 
succession plan to ensure that the 
Board has continuity of relevant skills 
and independence in the future. In 
so doing, the Board considers the 
skill, knowledge and experience 
necessary to enable it to meet 
the strategic vision for the Group. 
Diversity, to include gender, social and 
ethnic backgrounds, and cognitive 
and personal strengths, is also a key 
feature of the Board succession plan. 

During 2021, the Board made 
significant progress in implementing 
the Board’s succession plan. 
Changes included the appointment 
of Jim Gaul and Liz Hoctor as 
Independent Non-Executive Directors, 
further enhancing the independent 
representation on the Board and the 
resignation of, Marie McConn, Padraic 
Staunton, Ger Penny and Padraic 
Dempsey each of whom were deemed 
by the Board not to meet the UK 
Code’s independence criteria. 

Independence
2021 saw a further increase in the 
independent representation on 
the Board resulting in a majority of 
the Directors now being deemed 
independent. Of the existing 
Non-Executive Directors, the Board 
has determined that Paul Hogan, 
Sue Webb, Jeff Berkowitz, Jim Gaul 
and Liz Hoctor are independent 
in character and judgement and 
that there are no relationships or 
circumstances which could materially 
affect or interfere with the exercise of 
their independent judgement. Maurice 
Pratt is not deemed to be independent 
as a result of his tenure on the Board. 

Time Commitment
Each Board member commits 
sufficient time to fulfil their duties 
and obligations to the Board and 
the Group. Expectations in terms of 
time commitment are clearly set out 
in the terms of appointment of all 
Non-Executive Directors.

There were nine formal meetings 
of the Board during 2021. Details 
of Directors’ attendance at those 
meetings are set out in the table 
below. The Chairman sets the agenda 
for each meeting, in consultation with 
the Chief Executive Officer and the 
Company Secretary. Board papers are 
circulated to Directors in advance of 
meetings. 

Attendance at Board and Board Committee meetings in 2021

Board

Audit, Risk and
Compliance
Committee

Nominations and 
Governance
Committee

Remuneration
Committee

A

9

9

9

9

9

1

9

5

9

9

9

9

B

9

9

9

9

9

1

9

5

9

8

9

8

A

-

-

-

-

9

-

2 

-

9

-

8

8

B

-

-

-

-

9

-

2

-

9

-

8

8

A

3

3

-

-

3

1

-

-

-

3

2

-

B

3

3

-

-

3

1

-

-

-

3

2

-

A

1

-

-

-

-

-

-

1

3

2

-

-

B

1

-

-

-

-

-

-

1

3

2

-

-

Director

M. Pratt

G. Rabbette

T. Dolphin

P. Dempsey

P. Hogan

M. McConn

G. Penny

P. Staunton

S. Webb

J. Berkowitz

J. Gaul

L. Hoctor

Column A indicates the number of meetings held during the period in which the Director was a member of the Board  
and/or Committee. 
Column B indicates the number of meetings attended during the period in which the Director was a member of the Board  
and/or Committee. 
During 2021, Marie McConn, Padraic Staunton, Ger Penny and Padraic Dempsey each stepped down from the Board.  
In January 2021, Jim Gaul and Liz Hoctor were appointed to the Board. 

Board Committees 
The Board has three permanent 
Committees to assist in the execution 
of its responsibilities. These are 
the Audit, Risk and Compliance 
Committee, the Nominations and 
Governance Committee and the 
Remuneration Committee. Ad hoc 
committees are formed from time 
to time to deal with specific matters, 
for example, during 2021 the Board 
constituted a sub-committee to 
finalise the terms of the half year 
results announcement. Each of the 
permanent Committees has terms 
of reference under which authority is 
delegated to them by the Board and 
a copy of the terms of reference of 
each Committee are available on the 
Company’s website www.uniphar.ie. 
The Chair of each Committee reports 
to the Board on its deliberations, 
attends the AGM and is available to 
answer questions from shareholders 
throughout the year.

A number of changes were made to 
the composition of the Committees 
during 2021 resulting in the 

committees composition being in 
line with the UK Code. The current 
membership of each Committee, 
details of attendance, each 
member’s tenure, and the roles and 
responsibilities of each Committee 
are set out in the individual 
Committee reports on pages  
71 to 90. 

Audit, Risk and 
Compliance Committee
The Audit, Risk and Compliance 
Committee consists of four 
Non-Executive Directors: Paul Hogan, 
Sue Webb, Jim Gaul and Liz Hoctor. 
Paul Hogan is Chair of this 
Committee and is considered by the 
Board to be independent. Paul Hogan 
and Jim Gaul also have extensive 
financial experience and expertise. 
It can be seen from the Directors’ 
biographical details appearing on 
pages 60 and 61 that the members 
of the Committee bring to it a wide 
range of experience and expertise. 
The Committee met nine times 
during 2021. 

The Chief Financial Officer, and senior 
members of the Group Finance team, 
normally attend meetings of the 
Committee while the Chief Executive 
Officer attends when necessary. 
The external auditors attend as 
required and have direct access to 
the Committee Chair at all times. 
During the year, the Committee met 
with the external auditors without 
management being present. 

Nominations and 
Governance Committee 
The Nominations and Governance 
Committee consists of the Chairman, 
the Chief Executive Officer and 
three Non-Executive Directors: 
Jeff Berkowitz, Paul Hogan and 
Jim Gaul. Jeff Berkowitz is Chair of 
this Committee and is considered 
by the Board to be independent. 
The Committee assists the Board 
in ensuring that the composition 
of the Board and its Committees 
is appropriate to the needs of 
the Group. 

66

67

GovernanceUniphar plc Annual Report 2021During 2021, the terms of reference 
of this Committee were expanded to 
include general governance matters 
and the Committee was renamed as 
the Nominations and Governance 
Committee. 

In discharging its responsibilities, 
the Committee uses the services of 
independent consultants as required.

Remuneration Committee 
The Remuneration Committee 
consists of two Independent 
Non-Executive Directors: Sue Webb 
and Jeff Berkowitz. Sue Webb is Chair 
of this Committee and is considered 
by the Board to be independent.

Stakeholder Engagement
The Company has established 
a framework for stakeholder 
engagement which identifies the  
key stakeholders of the Group and 
sets out mechanisms for engaging 
and communicating with them and 
details key responsibilities. 

The Committee receives advice  
from leading independent 
compensation and benefits 
consultants when necessary. 

Stakeholder

How we Engage with Stakeholders

Shareholders

Employees

Customers/
Suppliers

Advisers

The Group believes that understanding and meeting shareholder needs and expectations is a key 
business objective in and of itself. The Group has an active investor relations programme and 
details of communications with shareholders during 2021 are set out in greater detail below.

With a workforce of over 2,850, communication is a key priority for the Group. The Group 
recognises that an essential part of its continued success is the support and involvement of its 
employees. Given the diverse range of functions throughout the Group, there is no one size fits 
all approach to employee engagement and communication. The Group also recognises the Trade 
Unions of which some of its employees are members and engages with them as necessary. Jim 
Gaul was appointed designated Non-Executive Director for workforce engagement during 2021 
and further details of workforce engagement during the year are set out in this report. 

Customer and supplier satisfaction is key to the business of the Group and therefore the group 
must continually engage with its customers and suppliers to ensure satisfaction and achievement 
of KPIs. The method of communication depends on the nature of the relationship and the 
effectiveness of the communication strategy is kept under constant review by the Group.

The Group has a number of long-standing and trusted advisers in addition to new engagements 
on an as needed basis. Open communication between the Group and its advisers ensures 
expectations are managed and optimum service levels are achieved. Where appropriate, 
the Group encourages communication between its advisers to ensure a cohesive approach.

Regulators

The Group takes its obligations to make notifications, filings and returns to various Regulators 
seriously and seeks to ensure prompt, effective and transparent communication with 
its Regulators.

Press/Media/
Public

The Group engages the services of Q4 Public Relations to handle its media and press 
communication and the Group Director of Corporate Development also plays a key role 
in communicating with this important stakeholder.

Communications  
with Shareholders
The Board are committed to engaging 
with the international financial 
community and shareholders on a 
regular basis. A dedicated investor 
relations function is in place, focused 
on continuing to increase awareness 
of Uniphar across the international 
financial community and the Group 
has an investor relations policy in 
place to:

 »

 » outline the Company’s methods of 
communication with shareholders;
ensure that the Company 
communicates effectively with all 
shareholders; and
ensure that the Company 
discloses information correctly, 
in a balanced, transparent and 
timely way and simultaneously 
to shareholders.

 »

During 2021, the Company 
conducted more than 200 meetings 
and conferences calls across 127 
existing and prospective investors.  
A summary of key conferences  
is included on the next page  
(not exhaustive): 

Date

January 2021

March 2021

March 2021

May 2021

September 2021

October 2021

November 2021

November 2021

November 2021

Activity

Davy Investor Conference (virtual)

2020 Preliminary Results & Roadshow (virtual)

Davy/Peel Hunt UK & Ireland Equity Ideas Conference (virtual)

AGM

Interim Results & Roadshow (virtual)

Berenberg UK Opportunities Conference (in person)

Paris Roadshow (in person)

Goodbody Conference (virtual)

Investec Best Ideas Conference (virtual)

The Group’s focus on investor relations 
and the growing interest from equity 
market participants is evidenced by 
the growing pool of independent equity 
analysts providing research coverage 
on the Group. Engaging with the 
analyst community is a key part of how 
Uniphar communicates with the capital 
markets. During the year, Uniphar 
carried out over 30 calls with analysts 
providing market updates and ongoing 
company education. Six independent 
research analysts now provide equity 
research on the Group.

Additionally, shareholders are kept 
up to date on matters of a material 
substance and/or a regulatory nature, 
including M&A activity where relevant, 
via announcements made through the 
regulatory news service. On a day-to-
day basis, the Group welcomes ad-
hoc queries directly via telephone, post 
or email and up to date details and a 
variety of information that may be of 
interest to shareholders is available 
on the Group’s website; www.uniphar.
ie. The Chair and the Chairs of each 
Board Committee are also available to 
investors to discuss matters relating to 
their respective roles. 

The Board is kept up to date with the 
views of the shareholders through 
regular updates from the investor 
relations team following engagement 
with shareholders. The Board also 
receives briefings from the Group’s 
brokers on topics such as market 
perception, investor feedback, the 
development of our share register as 
well as regulatory topics. 

The Board views the Annual Report 
as well as its Interim Results as key 
communication channels through 
which progress in meeting the 
Group’s objectives and updating its 

strategic targets can be given to all 
shareholders. The Company’s AGM 
is an opportunity for shareholders to 
meet with the Chairman and other 
members of the Board. The meeting is 
open to all shareholders, giving them 
the opportunity to ask questions and 
raise issues during the meeting or 
more informally following the meeting. 
The results of the Company’s AGM 
are announced via the regulatory news 
service. Whilst restrictions in relation 
to Covid-19 in 2021 meant that the 
Company’s AGM could not take place 
in person, the AGM was transmitted 
via conference call and shareholders 
were given the opportunity to vote and 
raise questions in advance.

The Company has also implemented a 
“Significant Votes Against a Resolution 
Procedure” which will ensure that 
where 20% or more of votes have 
been cast against the Board’s 
recommendation for a resolution at a 
general meeting of shareholders, the 
Board will engage with shareholders 
and seek to understand their views in 
relation to the significant vote against.

Workforce Engagement
In January 2021, Jim Gaul was 
appointed to the Board as designated 
Non-Executive Director for workforce 
engagement. The Board believe 
that having a designated workforce 
engagement role at Board level, 
coupled with the appointment of the 
Group’s Chief People Officer, marks an 
era of more formal engagement with 
the Group’s workforce and increased 
representation of the views of our 
workforce at senior management 
and Board level. 

Jim Gaul’s responsibilities as 
designated workforce engagement 
Non-Executive Director include:

 »

 »

liaising with the Chief People 
Officer and HR teams on employee 
engagement mechanisms in place 
across the Group to ensure that 
they are effective and remain 
relevant over time and developing 
a plan for formal workforce 
engagement;
assessing the output of workforce 
engagement exercises to identify 
issues and trends arising and 
working with the Chief People 
Officer and HR teams to implement 
a plan to address any such issues 
and trends; 

 » briefing the Board regularly on 
proposals for future workforce 
engagement and the outcomes 
from any engagement undertaken; 
ensuring that views and interests of 
employees are considered by the 
Board. 

 »

In 2021, the Group conducted its first 
ever global employee listening exercise 
in relation to the Future of Work. The 
Group directly engaged with over 800 
of our workforce through a series of 
one to ones, focus groups and survey. 
The outcomes from this exercise are 
described in more detail in the People 
and Culture Section of this report at 
pages 22 and 23. 

Compliance with Section 172 
U.K. Companies Act 2006
The UK Code provides that outside 
of shareholders, the Board should 
understand the views of the 
Company’s other key stakeholders and 
describe how their interests and the 
matters set out in section 172 of the 
UK Companies Act 2006 have been 
considered in Board discussions and 
decision-making. While section 172 is 
a provision of UK company law, and 
there is no direct comparator in the 
Irish Companies Act 2014, the Board 

68

69

GovernanceUniphar plc Annual Report 2021 
believe that as a company listed on 
AIM in the UK with significant business 
operations in the UK and in the spirit 
of compliance with the UK Code, it is 

important to address these provisions. 
The Directors are confident that they 
have acted to promote the success 
of the Company for the benefit 

of shareholders, whilst having regard to 
the provisions (a) to (f) of section 172.

Section 172 Matters

How the Board had regard to these matters Relevant Annual Report Section

(a)  The likely consequences of 
any decision in the long term

(b)  The interests of the 

company’s employees

 » Strategic planning
 » Budgets and forecasting
 » Sustainability Metrics
 » ROCE 

 » Designated Workforce Engagement 

Non-Executive Director
 » Future of Work Employee 

Listening Exercise

(c)  The need to foster the company’s 

business relationships with 
suppliers, customers and others

 » Strategic planning
 » Business Model considerations
 » Divisional updates

(d)  The impact of the company’s 
operations on the community 
and the environment

(e)  The desirability of the company 
maintaining a reputation for high 
standards of business

 »

Integrating Sustainability into 
Strategy discussions

 » Regular Sustainability Council  

reports to Board

 » Targets and Metrics to monitor 

performance against KPI

 » Relay for Hope and community 

involvement initiatives

 » Update to the Whistleblower Policy  
to include external reporting line

 » Updated Group-wide Code of Conduct 
 » New Group-wide ED&I Policy
 » Modern Slavery Policy
 » Anti-bribery and Corruption Policy

Strategic Review Pages 12 to 46

People & Culture Pages 22 and 23
Sustainability and Governance Report 
Pages 32 to 46

Our Strategy page 16
Business Model page 18
Performance Review pages 48 to 57

Sustainability and Governance Report 
Pages 32 to 46

People & Culture Pages 22 and 23

Governance, Quality &  
Compliance Report Pages 44 and 45

(f)  The need to act fairly between 
members of the company

 » Extensive Investor Relations Programme
 » 20% Votes Against Policy

Corporate Governance Report  
Pages 63 to 70

Internal control and 
risk management
The Directors have overall 
responsibility for the Group’s system 
of internal control and for reviewing its 
effectiveness. This system is designed 
to help the Group meet its business 
objectives by appropriately managing, 
rather than eliminating, the risks to 
those objectives. Through the activities 
of the Audit, Risk and Compliance 
Committee, the effectiveness of these 
internal controls is regularly reviewed. 

consider the impact of Covid-19 on the 
Group, its customers and employees 
as well as our work environment for the 
future. The “can-do” culture across the 
Group remained evident throughout 
the year as the teams continued 
to pull together to meet client and 
customer needs in changing and 
challenging times. 

The Schedule of Matters Reserved for 
the Board includes an obligation on the 
Board to: 

The Group’s Risk Management Policy 
is designed to provide the framework 
to identify, assess, monitor, and 
manage the risks associated with the 
Group’s business. Further details in 
relation to the Group’s material risks 
and risk management framework are 
set out on pages 24 to 31.

 »

 »

embody and promote a corporate 
culture that is based on sound 
ethical values and behaviors and 
use it as an asset and a source of 
competitive advantage; and
establish a framework for 
setting, promoting, monitoring, 
and assessing culture.

Culture
2021 saw an increased focus 
on culture and values at Board 
discussions as the Board continued to 

The appointment of the Group’s Chief 
People Officer is a significant step in 
driving the focus on culture across 
our continuously growing Group. 

The Chief People Officer has been 
tasked with developing a long-term 
people and culture strategy across 
the Group and during 2021, the Board 
received regular updates on a number 
of initiatives designed to build solid 
foundations for the future including 
the Future of Work employee listening 
exercise, an updated Group-wide 
Code of Conduct, a new Group-
wide Equity, Diversity and Inclusion 
Policy, a re-design of the Group office 
headquarters in Citywest to provide 
a working environment better suited 
to new ways of working as well as 
the strengthening of the HR function 
across the Group. 

The appointment of Jim Gaul as 
designed Non-Executive Director 
for workforce engagement will also 
ensure that the views and opinions of 
the wider workforce will be taken into 
consideration at Board discussions. 

See People & Culture section on pages 
22 and 23.

Uniphar plc Annual Report 2021

AUDIT, RISK AND COMPLIANCE 
COMMITTEE REPORT

On behalf of the Audit, Risk 
and Compliance Committee, 
I am pleased to present the 
report for the year ended 
31 December 2021. This report 
provides a summary of 
the Committee’s role and 
responsibilities, and how the 
Committee discharged these 
during 2021. 

Membership 
The members of the Committee 
are set out in the table below, 
along with the date of each members’ 
appointment, and details of their 
attendance at Committee meetings 
during the year. In January 2021, 
the Committee composition was 
refreshed with the appointment 
of Jim Gaul and Liz Hoctor to the 
Board, and Ger Penny stepped down 
from the Committee. On behalf of 

the Committee I would like to thank 
Ger Penny for his contribution to 
the Committee over the past two 
years. The Committee member’s 
biographies are set out on 
pages 60 and 61. 

The Committee is appointed by the 
Board and the terms of reference 
of the Committee state that the 
composition should comprise of 
a minimum of three Independent 

Non-Executive Directors, to the extent 
possible. The Committee consists 
of four Independent Non-Executive 
Directors and therefore meets 
this independence criteria. 

The members of the Committee 
bring to it a wide range of experience 
and expertise including significant 
financial experience and knowledge 
of financial reporting principles. 

Committee Member

Position

Appointed Resignation Attendance

Paul Hogan

Ger Penny

Sue Webb

Jim Gaul

Liz Hoctor

Committee Chair (Independent)

Jun 2019

N/A

Non-Executive Director

Jun 2019

Jan 2021

Independent Non-Executive Director

Sept 2020

Independent Non-Executive Director

Jan 2021

Independent Non-Executive Director

Jan 2021

N/A

N/A

N/A

9/9

2/2

9/9

8/8

8/8

70

71

GovernanceUniphar plc Annual Report 2021Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee Activities

Financial reporting

Review of the annual and interim reports and related statements

Consider accounting policies and the impact of new accounting standards

Review of the Annual Report, and confirm if it is fair, balanced and understandable

Consider key audit and accounting issues and judgements

Review principal risks and uncertainties

Review goodwill impairment assessments

Review the accounting for significant acquisitions

Approve going concern assessment

Governance

Corporate governance update

Risk management review

Treasury policy review

Data protection review

Internal audit and risk 
management controls

Directors’ Compliance Statement policy and procedures

Approve and review the internal audit plan and resources

Review of internal audit reports and monitor progress on open actions

Assessment of the principal risks and effectiveness of internal control systems

External auditors

Review the independence, objectivity, performance and effectiveness

Approval of the audit engagement letter and audit fees

Approval of the audit plan and identification of significant risks

Role of the Committee 
The Committee is responsible 
for ensuring that the financial 
performance of the Group is 
accurately reported. The Committee’s 
role includes: 

 » monitoring the integrity of the 

 »

 »

financial statements of the Group; 
reviewing significant financial 
reporting issues; 
reviewing the effectiveness of 
the internal controls; 

 » monitoring and reviewing the 

effectiveness of the internal audit 
function; and 

 » making recommendations to 

the Board on the appointment 
or removal of the external 
auditors as well as approving 
their remuneration and terms 
of engagement and evaluating 
their performance. 

A copy of the terms of reference of 
the Committee is available on the 
Group’s website, www.uniphar.ie. 

During the year, the Committee 
reviewed the clarity and integrity 
of the disclosures in the financial 
statements and completed an 
in-depth review of the goodwill 
impairment assessment, going 
concern assessment and acquisition 
accounting. These reviews included 
discussions with both senior 
management and the external auditor. 

The Committee reviewed the Annual 
Report and confirmed to the Board 
that, in its view, it was fair, balanced 
and provides the information 
necessary for shareholders to 
assess the Group’s performance, 
business model and strategy. 

Meetings of the Committee 
The Committee met nine times during 
2021. The Chief Financial Officer 
and senior members of the Group 
Finance team attend meetings of the 
Committee while the Chief Executive 
Officer attends when necessary. 
The external auditors attend as 
required and have direct access to 
the Committee Chair at all times. 
During the year, the Committee met 
with the external auditors without 
management being present. 

Financial Reporting  
and Key Areas of Focus 
The Committee has an important 
oversight role in providing the Board 
with assurance as to the propriety 
of the financial reporting process. 
As part of this role, the Committee 
considers significant accounting 
policies and any changes made 
to them together with material 
judgements and estimates. 

Risk Management 
The Group’s internal control and risk 
management framework is embedded 
within the organisational structure. 
The Committee is responsible 
for reviewing the adequacy and 
effectiveness of the internal control 
system and risk management on 
behalf of the Board. 

During the year, the Committee 
reviewed the process followed by 
the Group to identify and manage risk 
and to determine the principal risks 
faced by the Group. The Committee 
is satisfied that the risk management 
process is robust. 

Further details on the Group’s risk 
management are contained on 
pages 24 to 31. 

Internal Audit 
The Committee is responsible 
for monitoring and reviewing the 
operation and effectiveness of the 
Internal Audit function including its 
focus, plans, activities and resources. 

The Committee reviewed and 
approved the internal audit plan 
for the year having considered 
the adequacy of the team’s size 
and expertise within the function. 
During the year, the Committee 
received regular reports from the 
Head of Internal Audit summarising 
findings from the work of Internal 
Audit and the responses from 
management to address these 
findings. The Committee monitors 
progress on the implementation 
of the action plans on significant 
findings to ensure these are 
completed satisfactorily. 

External Auditor 
The Committee has an important role 
in supporting the Board in discharging 
its duties by providing independent 
oversight over the external audit. 

Independence and Objectivity 
of External Auditor 
The Committee is responsible for 
ensuring that the external auditor is 
objective and independent. PwC as 
external auditor is precluded from 
engaging in certain non-audit 
services which would compromise 
its independence, violate any 
laws and regulations and affect its 
appointment as external auditor. 

The Committee has determined 
that for taxation services which 
are permissible under the relevant 
auditor independence rules that 
such services may be procured 
by the Group from our auditors. 
The Committee has also determined 
that the auditor, subject to 
appropriate safeguards on their 
independence, may be engaged 
to provide permitted financial due 
diligence services. During 2021, 
as presented in the financial 
statements, the level of non-audit 
fees received by PwC was €1m. 
The non-audit services performed 
by PwC during the year related 
taxation services and advisory 
work in connection with due 
diligence on acquisitions completed 
during the year. 

The Committee performed a review 
of the audit and non-audit services 
provided by the external auditor 
and the fees charged for those 
services in respect of the year ended 
31 December 2021. Following this 
review and the confirmation in writing 
received from the Group’s external 
auditor re-affirming its independence 
and objectivity, the Committee is 
satisfied as to PwC’s independence 
and objectivity. 

As a listed entity, the external auditor 
is required to rotate the audit partner 
responsible for the Group audit every 
five years. The current audit partner 
has completed his second year. 

Goodwill Impairment Assessment 
The Committee considered the 
carrying value of goodwill in the 2021 
financial statements together with the 
recoverability of the carrying value 
through future cash flows. For the 
purposes of its annual impairment 
testing process, the Group assesses 
the recoverable amount of each of 
the Group’s cash generating units 
(CGUs) based on the calculation of 
the value-in-use. The Committee 
reviewed the goodwill impairment 
methodology and specifically 
assessed the key assumptions used 
to estimate the recoverable amount 
of each CGU, including future cash 
flows and discount rates applied 
in the calculation of the value in 
use, along with the sensitivity 
analysis performed. 

The Committee found the 
methodology to be robust and the 
results of the assessment, together 
with the disclosures in note 10 
(Intangible Assets), to be appropriate. 
The goodwill impairment test was 
of particular focus by the external 
auditors who provided a detailed 
assessment of their analysis to 
the Committee. 

Acquisition Accounting 
During 2021, the Group completed 
four acquisitions with a strong 
strategic fit and also the acquisition 
of two independent community 
pharmacies. For each of these 
acquisitions, the Committee 
discussed with management and 
the external auditors the accounting 
treatment of the consideration 
paid, the costs incurred for 
each transaction and the related 
judgements. The Committee 
is satisfied that the accounting 
treatment is appropriate. 

Going Concern Assessment 
As part of the process of preparing the 
Going Concern Statement, a thorough 
review is carried out on the Group’s 
forecasts, projections and available 
banking facilities, taking account 
of possible changes in trading 
performance and the principal risks 
and uncertainties facing the Group. 
The Committee reviewed the going 
concern assessment and are satisfied 
that the Group has adequate resources 
to continue in operational existence for 
the foreseeable future, being a period 
of 12 months from the date of approval 
of these financial statements. 

72

73

GovernanceUniphar plc Annual Report 2021Effectiveness 
The Committee is also responsible 
for assessing the effectiveness of 
the external audit process and for 
communicating the results of this 
assessment to the Board. In doing 
so the Audit, Risk and Compliance 
Committee considers the quality 
of service, the quality of the 
reports produced by the external 
auditor, feedback from the finance 
team and meetings held with the 
external auditor. 

The external audit plan for the year 
ended 31 December 2021 was 
presented by PwC to the Committee 
at its meeting in October 2021. 
The Committee reviewed and 
appropriately challenged the 
external auditor before agreeing the 
proposed audit scope and approach. 
PwC subsequently presented a 
detailed report of their audit findings 
to the Committee at its meeting in 
February 2022. 

In its assessment of the external 
auditor, the Committee had full 
regard to the auditor’s competence, 
the quality and efficiency of the 
audit, and whether the audit fee is 
appropriate in relation to the size, 
complexity, and risk and control 
profile of the Group. After taking 
into account all of the above factors, 
the Committee continues to be 
satisfied with the performance 
of PwC and has informed the 
Board accordingly. 

Cyber incident
On 26 October 2021, as a result of 
a cyber incident with a 3rd party 
external service provider, an IT 
outage was experienced by the Sisk 
Healthcare Group, which lasted for 
approximately six weeks. 

The 3rd party IT service provider is 
ISO 27001 certified, and procedures 
and protocols were immediately put 
in place to ensure risk assessments 
were completed, together with 
containment, governance and 
regulatory compliance. All servers 
impacted by the cyber incident were 
shut down and replaced, with the 
production data centre wiped and 
rebuilt. As a result, the IT systems for 
the Sisk Healthcare Group were not 
accessible for a number of weeks 
and alternative manual controls were 
put in place to ensure continuity of 
service. Physical back up tapes were 
verified, and data restored to the 16 
October, with lost data rebuilt from 
alternative company records and the 
manual recording of activities in place 
for the six week period until the IT 
systems were fully reinstated.

As the Sisk Healthcare IT data 
centres and the core Uniphar network 
are not physically connected, there 
was a very low risk of contagion 
spreading to the Uniphar Group’s 
network. As an additional control, all 
Sisk Healthcare data communications 
were quarantined. This ensured that 
no subsequent virus or malicious 
software could be transmitted 
through email or teams. The IT 
team reviewed all potential points 
where the Sisk Healthcare Group IT 
infrastructure could impact Uniphar 
and found that none existed.

A cross functional project team 
consisting of senior members of the 
operations, finance, IT and regulatory 
teams was established to address the 
operational issues, financial risks and 
they ensured regulatory compliance. 
The Executive Directors received 
regular updates and provided briefings 
to both the Board and the Audit, 
Risk and Compliance Committee. In 
addition, the external auditors were 
kept fully informed of the incident. 
Temporary replacement operational 
controls were in place during the 
manual and additional preventative 
and detective controls were put in 
place to ensure the accurate recording 
of the financial information of the  
Sisk Healthcare Group.

In line with all companies the 
threat of cyber crime is constantly 
evolving and the Group has taken 
the experience and learnings from 
this incident to further strengthen the 
teams knowledge in cyber prevention 
and response strategies.

In conclusion the Committee are 
satisfied that the appropriate 
actions were taken, and the financial 
statements are not materially 
misstated.

Areas of Focus for 2022 
Looking ahead to 2022, 
the Committee will continue to 
provide oversight on areas of key 
judgements, in addition to focusing 
on the financial reporting process, 
internal controls (including controls 
integration of new acquisitions) 
and risk management. 

On behalf of the Committee

Paul Hogan 
Chair of the Audit, Risk 
and Compliance Committee

Uniphar plc Annual Report 2021

NOMINATIONS AND GOVERNANCE 
COMMITTEE REPORT

On behalf of the Nominations  
and Governance Committee,  
I am pleased to present the 
report of the Committee for the 
year ended 31 December 2021, 
which provides a summary 
of the Committee’s role and 
responsibilities, and how the 
Committee discharged these 
during 2021. 

Membership
The members of the Committee are 
set out in the table below, along 
with the date of appointment of 
each member and details of their 
attendance at Committee meetings 
during the year. 

2021 saw further changes to the 
composition of the Committee. 
In January 2021, Jim Gaul was 
appointed to the Committee on 
his appointment to the Board and 
Marie McConn resigned from the 
Committee on her resignation from 
the Board. Biographies of each 

Committee member are set out  
on pages 60 and 61. 

The Committee is appointed by the 
Board and the terms of reference 
of the Committee state that the 
composition should comprise 
of a minimum of three Directors, 
the majority of whom must be 
Independent Non-Executive 
Directors. Changes made to the 
composition of this Committee in 
early 2021 mean that this Committee 
now comprises a majority of 
Independent Non-Executive Directors 
in line with UK Code requirements.

Each appointment to the Committee 
is for a term of up to three years, 
which may be extended by up to two 
further three-year terms, provided the 
Director in question continues to meet 
the criteria for membership of the 
Committee. The terms of reference 
of this Committee also provide that 
the Chairperson of the Board shall 
be a member of this Committee and 
as such, Maurice Pratt continues 
his position on this Committee 
notwithstanding he has exceeded 
three consecutive terms. 

Committee Member

Position

Appointed Resignation Attendance

Jeff Berkowitz

Maurice Pratt

Ger Rabbette

Paul Hogan

Marie McConn

Jim Gaul

Committee Chair (Independent)

Non-Executive Chairman

Chief Executive Officer

Sept 2020

Oct 2009

Sept 2020

Independent Non-Executive Director

Sept 2020

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Non-Executive Director

Oct 2009

Jan 2021

Independent Non-Executive Director

Jan 2021

N/A

3/3

3/3

3/3

3/3

1/1

2/2

74

75

GovernanceUnder the terms of reference, the 
Chair of the Committee may be either 
the Chair of the Board or another 
Independent Non-Executive Director. 

Role of the Committee
The Committee is responsible for 
overseeing succession planning for the 
Board and senior management and 
assessing the leadership needs for 
the Group in terms of the ability of the 
Group to compete effectively. In that 
regard the Committee’s roles include:

 » reviewing the structure, size 
and composition of the Board 
including the skills, knowledge and 
experience of the Directors;
 » making recommendations to the 

Board with regard to any changes 
to its composition or that of the 
Committees; 

 » identifying and nominating  

candidates to fill Board vacancies; 

 » overseeing the performance 
evaluation of the Board; and 
 » succession planning for senior 

management.

In January 2021, the terms of 
reference of the Committee were 
expanded to include oversight of 
general governance matters and 
the Committee was renamed as 
the Nominations and Governance 
Committee. A copy of the terms 
of reference of the Committee is 
available on the Group’s website, 
www.uniphar.ie.

During 2021, the Committee  
focused on two principal areas:

1)  Board composition and 

succession planning – resulting in 
several further changes to Board 
and Committee composition; and

2)  Corporate governance 

compliance – conducting 
a gap analysis between 
existing corporate governance 
arrangements and the UK Code. 

In January 2022, on the 
recommendation of the Committee 
following the corporate governance 
compliance review conducted, the 
Board resolved to adopt the UK Code 
as its corporate governance code, 
bringing its corporate governance 
standards in line with that code 
and fulfilling the commitment made 
at the time of IPO to transition to 
compliance with the UK Code within 
three years. Details of the steps taken 

during 2021 to bring compliance in 
line with the UK Code, together with 
details of the provisions of the UK 
Code that the Board consider not 
to have been met, are set out in the 
Corporate Governance Report on 
page 63.

Meetings of the Committee
The Committee met three times 
during 2021. The principal matters 
dealt with by the Committee included 
the following: 

 » Board succession and retirement 

by rotation; 

 » evaluation of potential Independent 

Non-Executive candidates;
 » recommendation of the new 
Independent Non-Executive 
Directors for appointment to the 
Board and Committees; 
 » resignations of the outgoing 

Directors; 

 » composition of the Committees; 
 » review of terms of reference of the 
Committee expanding its remit to 
cover governance matters; and
 » corporate governance review and 
gap analysis with the provisions of 
the UK Code. 

Board and Committee Composition

Resignations of Non-Executive 
Directors
During 2021, Marie McConn, Padraic 
Staunton, Ger Penny and Padraic 
Dempsey resigned from the Board. 
Each of these directors were deemed 
not to be independent by the Board 
in line with the criteria set down in the 
UK Code. 

They each contributed hugely to the 
Board during their respective terms 
and on behalf of the Committee and 
the Board, I would like to extend a 
warm thanks to each of them for their 
commitment and contributions to the 
Group over their respective terms. 

Appointment of Non-Executive 
Directors
In late 2020, the Board engaged 
the services of a leading firm of 
organisational consultants to assist 
with the search for additional 
Independent Non-Executive Directors 
for the Board who possess the skills 
and diversity profile sought by the 
Board. The outcome of this process 
saw the appointment of Jim Gaul 
and Liz Hoctor in January 2021 as 
new Independent Non-Executive 

76

Directors further increasing the 
independent representation on the 
Board. On appointment Jim Gaul was 
designated as Non-Executive Director 
for workforce engagement. 

Elections and re-elections at AGM
The Articles currently provide (1) that 
at least one third of the Directors 
must retire annually by rotation 
and (2) the terms on which they 
are eligible for re-election. Re-
appointment is not automatic. In 
line with the Company’s move to 
comply with the provisions of the 
UK Code, the Board have resolved 
to put forward a resolution at the 
Company’s 2022 AGM to amend the 
Articles to provide that all Directors 
must retire annually at the Company’s 
AGM and, if desired and eligible, seek 
re-election. The Board have further 
resolved that pending shareholder 
approval of the amendment to the 
Articles at the 2022 AGM, all Directors 
will retire by rotation and seek re-
election at the 2022 AGM. Directors 
seeking re-election are subject to 
a performance appraisal which is 
overseen by the Committee. 

At the Company’s AGM on 12 May 
2021, Maurice Pratt, Tim Dolphin 
and Paul Hogan were re-elected 
by the shareholders in line with 
the Company’s rotation policy. Jeff 
Berkowitz, Jim Gaul, and Liz Hoctor 
were elected by the shareholders 
following their appointment to the 
Board by their fellow Board members 
in early 2021. 

Board Committee Composition
The Committee and Board completed 
a review of the composition of the 
main Board Committees (Audit, 
Risk and Compliance Committee, 
Nominations and Governance 
Committee and Remuneration 
Committee) having regard to skills, 
experience, diversity and the 
time required of each of the Non-
Executive Directors in discharging 
their responsibilities, as well as 
the recommendations of the UK 
Code and the terms of reference 
of each Committee in relation 
to recommended Independent 
representation on those committees. 

Significant changes were made to 
the composition of those committees 
in early 2021 with the result that 
the Audit, Risk and Compliance 
Committee and the Remuneration 

Committee now each comprise  
100% Independent Non-Executive 
Directors and the Nominations 
and Governance Committee now 
comprises a majority of Independent 
Non-Executive Directors. 

Each appointment to a Board 
Committee is for a term of up 
to three years, which may be 
extended by up to two further 
three-year terms, provided the 
Director in question continues to 
meet the criteria for membership 
of the relevant committee. With the 
exception of Maurice Pratt’s tenure 
on the Nominations and Governance 
Committee as a result of his position 
as Chair of the Board, none of the 
other committee members have 
served on committees for longer  
than the tenure set out in the terms  
of reference. 

Boardroom Diversity
The Board is keen to ensure the 
Group benefits from the expertise 
and insights of a high-quality Board 
comprising of individuals with an 
appropriate balance of skills and 
experience. Each year the Committee 
reviews the business’ evolving needs 
and the core competencies and 
construct of our Board. 

Details of the skills attributed to each 
Director can be found in the Director 
biographies on pages 60 and 61. 

Diversity and equality in all aspects 
remain key values in relation to Board 
appointments, to include gender, 
social and ethnic backgrounds, and 
cognitive and personal strengths. 
Two out of eight of the Directors 
on the Board are female which 
represents 25% of the Board. 
The Board and the Committee 
remain focused on enhancing the 
broader diversity agenda as well 
as female representation at Board 
and senior management level and 
the Board believe the strong female 
representation at senior management 
level as set out in the Sustainability 
and Governance Report on page 32 is 
testament to the Group’s commitment 
to diversity and equality. In addition, 
the Board approved a new Group-
wide Equity, Diversity and Inclusion 
Policy during 2021 and aim to 
strengthen the Group’s commitment 
to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion with 
the launch of a number of employee 
resource groups in 2022. 

Succession Planning
Board succession was a continued 
focus of the Committee in 2021 and 
significant progress was made in 
implementing the Board’s succession 
plan to move the composition of the 
Board and its committees in line with 
the requirements of the UK Code. 

2021 saw a number of long-serving 
and valued members of the Board 
resign, and two new Independent 
Non-Executive Directors were 
appointed. In 2021, the number 
of Independent Non-Executive 
Directors on the Board increased 
from three to five and the number 
of Executive Directors on the Board 
decreased from three to two. The 
Committee recognises the significant 
change in Board composition in 
the period from IPO to date and 
is satisfied that the Company now 
meets the requirements of the UK 
Code in this regard. The Committee 
also recognises the need for the 
Committee going forward to ensure 
stability and continuity within the 
Board and its committees. 

Length of Tenure
The length of tenure on the Board  
and on the three main Board 
committees as at 31 December  
2021 is set out below: 

Board of
Directors
Years

Audit, Risk and 
Compliance
Committee
Years

Remuneration 
Committee
Years

Nominations 
and Governance 
Committee
Years

Executive Directors

Ger Rabbette

Tim Dolphin

Non-Executive Directors

Maurice Pratt

Paul Hogan

Sue Webb

Jeff Berkowitz

Jim Gaul

Liz Hoctor

Average tenure

-

-

-

2.5

1.3

1

1

1.45

-

-

-

-

2.5

1.3

-

-

1.90

1.3

-

12.2

1.3

-

1.3

1

-

3.42

11.8

11.4

18.5

2.5

2.5

1.3

1

1

6.25

77

GovernanceUniphar plc Annual Report 2021Governance

Uniphar plc Annual Report 2021

Chair Tenure
As noted, 2021 saw a number 
of long serving members of the 
Board step down. Maurice Pratt 
as Chairman is the only remaining 
Non-Executive Director on the Board 
for more than the recommended 
nine-year period. The Board and the 
Committee are cognisant that the 
UK Code allows some flexibility in 
relation to Chair tenure to facilitate 
effective succession planning and 
the development of a diverse board. 
The Board and its Committees have 
seen further significant change during 
2021 with four Director resignations, 
two Director appointments and 
the reconstitution of all Board 
Committees in line with UK Code 
requirements. In the interests of 
maintaining stability at a time of 
significant change, the Board and the 
Committee believe that our current 
Chairman is best placed to continue 
to chair the Board through this 
transitional phase. 

Areas of Focus for 2022
In 2021, the Committee focused 
on the implementation of its Board 
succession plan to ensure an effective 
transition to UK Code compliance. 
As our business continues to grow, 
the Committee will focus on senior 
management succession planning to 
ensure the Group continues to have 
the depth of resources required to 
compete effectively in all markets in 
which it operates. 

On behalf of the Committee

Jeff Berkowitz
Chair of the Nominations and 
Governance Committee

REMUNERATION  
COMMITTEE REPORT

As Chair of the Remuneration Committee, 
I am pleased to present the report for the 
Committee for the year ended 31 December 
2021. The objective of this Report is to provide 
the shareholders with information to enable 
them to understand the remuneration 
structures in place and how they relate to 
the Group’s financial performance. The report 
also provides a summary of the Committee’s 
roles and responsibilities and how these were 
discharged during 2021.

Performance in 2021
The Group continued to demonstrate 
resilience in the face of the ongoing 
challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic 
by delivering a strong financial 
performance for 2021 at both a 
gross profit and EBITDA level, with a 
strong free cash flow conversion 
resulting in lower than projected net 
debt. The Group achieved organic 
gross profit growth in excess of 8%. 
A detailed summary of the Group’s 
financial performance during 2021 
is set out in our Financial Review 
section of this Report at page 48.

Shareholder Return in 2021
In May 2021, the Group paid a final 
dividend to shareholders of €4.2m in 
respect of the year ended 2020 and 
in October 2021, the Group paid an 

interim dividend of €1.5m. As a result 
of the Group’s strong performance in 
2021, it is proposed that, subject to 
shareholder approval at the Group’s 
AGM in May 2022, that a final 
dividend of €2.9m will be paid  
to shareholders on the register  
at 5pm on 22 April 2022. 

UK Code Compliance
Following a number of significant 
changes to the Remuneration Policy 
of the Group during 2020 to align  
the Remuneration Policy of the Group 
to the requirements of the UK Code 
and widely accepted best practice, 
the Board resolved in January 2022 
to formally adopt the UK Code as  
the Corporate Governance Code  
of the Group. 

The remuneration changes that were 
implemented in 2020 saw a number 
of impacts on Executive Director 
remuneration and the Committee 
believe that the current Remuneration 
Policy is effective in aligning to the 
Group’s purpose and values, links to 
the successful delivery of the Group’s 
long-term strategy and shareholder 
interests and reflects the Group’s 
strong performance during the year. 
No changes are proposed to the 
Remuneration Policy for 2022. 

The Committee has ensured that 
the disclosures in relation to the 
remuneration structures reflect best 
corporate governance practice, 
having regard to the Group’s size 
and the markets on which its shares 
are listed. 

Committee Member

Position

Appointed Resignation Attendance

Sue Webb

Maurice Pratt

Padraic Staunton 

Jeff Berkowitz

Committee Chair (Independent)

Jun 2019

N/A

Non-Executive Chairman 

Oct 2009

Jan 2021

Non-Executive Director

Oct 2009

Jan 2021

Independent Non-Executive Director

Jan 2021

N/A

3/3

1/1

1/1

2/2

78

79

Uniphar plc Annual Report 2021Governance

2021 Executive Director Remuneration at a glance*

G. Rabbette

2021

T. Dolphin

2021

EBITDA
€’m

2021

2020

2019

  Salary/Fees  
   Pension/Allowance  
   Other Benefits  
   Fixed Pay  
  Bonus  
   Total 2021  

  LTIP  

€600,000
€45,000
€50,000
€695,000
€585,000
€1,280,000
€nil

  Salary/Fees  
   Pension/Allowance  
   Other Benefits  
   Fixed Pay  
  Bonus  
   Total 2021  

  LTIP  

€400,000
€30,000
€45,000
€475,000
€390,000
€865,000
€nil

Gross Profit
€’m

2021

2020

2019

Dividends
€’m

2021

2020

2019

0 

20 

40 

60 

80

100

0 

50  100  150  200 250 300

0 

1

2

3

4

5

Committee Composition Changes
In January 2021, the Board 
approved a number of changes to 
the composition of the Committee 
with the resignation of long-standing 
members Maurice Pratt and Padraic 
Staunton and the appointment of 
Jeff Berkowitz to the Committee. 

The composition of the Committee 
currently consists of 100% 
Independent Non-Executive Directors 
in line with the provisions of the UK 
Code and the terms of reference of 
the Committee. Biographies of each 
Committee member are set out on 
pages 60 to 61.

Role of the Committee
The Committee’s main duties are to:

 » determine the Group’s policy on 

 »

 »

executive and senior management 
remuneration;
review the suitability of 
performance measurement criteria 
for the Executive Directors, 
the Chairman and senior key 
management; 
review the notice periods for 
Executive Director employment 
contracts; 

 » determine compensation 

 »

 »

arrangements for early termination 
of employment contracts; 
administer LTIP schemes for 
Executive Directors and key senior 
management; and
review the performance of 
Executive Directors against key 
performance indicators for the 
purposes of determining annual 
bonus entitlements and make 
recommendations to the Board 
about pay out level. 

*Total dividend in respect of each financial year.

Meetings of the Committee
The Committee met three times in 
2021 and each member serving on 
the Committee attended all meetings 
arising during their respective terms 
in 2021.

Remuneration Policy in 2022
Following the extensive re-alignment 
of Executive Director remuneration 
performed in 2020, the Committee 
has determined that the core 
substance of the Remuneration Policy 
continues to align with our Group 
business strategy and priorities. 
The performance metrics for the 
2022 annual bonus scheme mirror 
those for 2021. The performance 
targets linked to each metric for 2022 
are commercially sensitive and are 
therefore not disclosed. There are 
no other changes proposed to the 
Remuneration Policy for 2022. 

On behalf of the Committee

Sue Webb
Chair of the Remuneration Committee

Remuneration Policy
The Group is committed to promoting a transparent remuneration structure. The following table outlines the key factors 
considered by the Committee in accordance with the requirements of the UK Code.

UK Code

Clarity

Uniphar Remuneration Policy

Remuneration arrangements should 
be transparent and promote effective 
engagement with shareholders and 
the workforce.

The annual bonus and the LTIP scheme have been designed to 
incentivise Executive Directors to achieve defined, stretch targets in 
line with the Group’s growth strategy. Performance measures and 
targets are reviewed each year by the Committee to ensure that they 
continue to be clear and appropriate. 

Simplicity

Remuneration structures should avoid 
complexity and their rationale and operation 
should be easy to understand.

Risk

There is a grid-based bonus structure in place to reflect a scale of 
performance which has been externally benchmarked. This supports 
the Committee’s aim of operating a simple remuneration structure 
designed to align the Executive Directors interests with those of 
shareholders in achieving the Group’s growth strategy. 

Remuneration arrangements should ensure 
reputational and other risks from excessive 
rewards, and behavioural risks that can 
arise from target-based incentive plans, 
are identified and mitigated.

The Remuneration Policy was designed to provide an appropriate 
level of remuneration to recruit and retain the necessary skill and 
talent to develop and deliver the business strategy, with the objective 
of delivering strong growth in a sustainable and focused way to 
deliver long term value to stakeholders. 

Predictability

The range of possible values of rewards 
to individual directors and any other 
limits or discretions should be identified 
and explained at the time of approving 
the policy.

The Committee believe it is important that a significant proportion 
of the remuneration package of Executive Directors and senior 
management is performance related. The potential value and 
composition of Executive Directors remuneration packages at 
minimum, on target, and maximum scenarios are outlined on page 89.

Proportionality

The link between individual awards, the 
delivery of strategy and the long-term 
performance of the company should 
be clear. Outcomes should not reward 
poor performance.

Payments of the annual bonus requires the delivery against ambitious 
strategic targets for the Group. The performance measures are 
directly aligned to the Group’s strategy and KPIs. The vesting of the 
Group’s LTIP is directly aligned to the delivery of significant growth in 
the Group’s share price over the period to 31 December 2024. 

The Committee has direction to exercise judgement and discretion 
in authorising remuneration outcomes to ensure that they are 
appropriate and reflective of overall performance. 

Alignment to Culture

Incentive schemes should drive behaviours 
consistent with company purpose, 
values and strategy.

The Committee is cognisant that the Remuneration Policy is aligned 
and benchmarked to market leaders, competitors, and industry 
standards, to ensure that it is fair and competitive. 

Uniphar places a strong emphasis on working responsibly and 
sustainably, and for this reason a specific sustainability and 
governance measure is included as part of the bonus grid. Details of 
how the performance measures are linked to the delivery of the 
Group’s strategy are outlined on page 85. 

80

81

Uniphar plc Annual Report 2021Consideration of conditions elsewhere in the Group
Whilst the Committee does not directly consult with employees when formulating Executive Director pay policy, 
the Committee does take into consideration information on pay arrangements for the wider employee population 
when determining the remuneration of Executive Directors. Since 2021, Executive Director pension contributions are 
aligned with that of the wider workforce of Uniphar Group. The appointment of Jim Gaul to the Board in January 2021 
with remit over employee engagement, further enhances consideration of wider workforce conditions when making 
Board decisions.

Consultation with Shareholders on Executive Remuneration
The Committee did not engage in formal shareholder consultation during the year in relation to Executive remuneration. 

Directors’ Remuneration Policy Report
Executive Directors 
Executive remuneration within the Group can be broken down into the following five components which we believe 
provide a fair balance between fixed and performance related remuneration. 

Key

Salary

Purpose & Link to 
Group Strategy 

Provide an 
appropriate level of 
fixed remuneration 
to recruit and retain 
the necessary 
skill and talent to 
develop and deliver 
on the business 
strategy. 

Bonus 

To drive and reward 
for the delivery 
of business 
objectives over the 
financial year. 

Operation 

Detail 

Performance Metric 

An appropriate base 
salary is set and 
reviewed by the 
Committee annually. 
Factors taken into 
consideration include: 

 » skills & experience;
 » specific role 
and level of 
responsibility; and

 » external 

benchmarks, 
including economic 
indicators and 
geographical scope.

The Committee reviews 
the performance of the 
Executive Directors 
for the purposes of 
determining annual 
bonus entitlements 
and makes 
recommendations to 
the Board as to the 
pay-out level.

Base salaries and increases are 
aligned and benchmarked to 
market leaders, competitors and 
industry standards.

Not Applicable.

Future salary increases for 
Executive Directors will be 
linked to those of the wider 
Group workforce.

Based on the 
bonus grid, 80% of 
Executive Directors 
bonus is linked to 
Group performance 
and specifically 
in achieving 
challenging financial 
performance targets. 

The remaining 20% 
opportunity is linked 
to non-financial 
performance targets 
established by the 
Committee, being 
personal as well as, 
sustainability and 
governance objectives.

There is a bonus grid in place 
which is designed to align 
management’s interests 
with those of shareholders. 
The maximum potential bonus 
opportunity for Executive 
Directors is up to a maximum of 
130% of base salary. The bonus 
opportunity for the achievement 
of on-target Group and personal 
performance targets is up to 
75% of maximum opportunity, 
being 97.5% of base salary. 
At the threshold performance 
level of 95% of target, a bonus 
opportunity of 37.5% of 
maximum, being 49% of base 
salary is payable. Where the 
threshold performance of 
95% is not reached, no bonus 
is payable. 

In 2021, the Committee 
approved the deferral of 100% 
of Executive Directors’ gross 
annual bonus entitlement for a 
period of 5 years in the form of 
in-market share purchases. 

Key

Pension 

Benefits

LTIP

Purpose & Link to 
Group Strategy 

To provide a 
competitive, 
flexible retirement 
benefit that does 
not impose any 
unacceptable level 
of financial risk on 
the Group. 

Operation 

Detail 

Performance Metric 

Executive Directors are 
enrolled into a defined 
contribution pension 
plan or are offered the 
alternative of cash 
allowances. 

Pension contributions of 7.5% 
of annual base salary applies to 
all Executive Directors, aligning 
with the average contributions 
available to the Group’s 
wider workforce. 

Not Applicable.

To provide other 
market competitive 
monetary and 
non-monetary 
benefits. 

Provide a level of 
benefits or specified 
monetary allowances 
including, healthcare 
and car.

To reward 
participants for 
the delivery of the 
Group’s long-term 
goals and driving 
shareholder value. 

The LTIP was 
established in 2018 
and represents 4.8% 
of issued share 
capital, with Executive 
Directors and 
key employees 
participating in the 
arrangement.

The level of benefits is set at an 
appropriate market rate.

Not Applicable.

The Group’s current LTIP is fully 
allotted and the details of each 
Executive Director’s interest is 
set out below. 

Vesting of the LTIP 
shares is subject to 
(i) reaching the share 
price targets set 
out below:

€1.75 – 25%
€2.25 – 25%
€2.75 – 25%
€3.30 – 25%

and (ii) remaining 
in employment 
with the Group on 
31 December 2024. 
All share price targets 
were met during 2021.

Non-Executive Directors 
The Board aims to recruit high-calibre Non-Executive Directors, with broad commercial, international or other relevant 
experience. Non-Executive Directors cannot individually vote on their own remuneration. Non-Executive Director 
remuneration is reviewed by the Chairman and the Executive Directors and discussed and agreed by the Board. 
Non-Executive Directors may attend the Board discussion but may not participate in it.

In accordance with the resolution passed at the 2019 AGM, the aggregate fees payable to the Non-Executive Directors 
shall not exceed €750,000. Changes to the total aggregate remuneration of all Non-Executive Directors is subject to 
shareholder approval. 

Non-Executive Directors are paid additional amounts to take account of increased time commitments including acting 
as the Senior Independent Director and Chair of a Board Committee. In addition, all reasonable and documented 
expenses incurred in the performance of the Non-Executive Directors’ duties are reimbursed.

82

83

GovernanceUniphar plc Annual Report 2021Annual Report on Remuneration 2021
The following table sets out the total remuneration for Directors for the years ended 31 December 2021 
and 31 December 2020:

Salary
/Fees
€’000

Pension/
Allowance 
€’000

Other 
Benefits9
€’000

Fixed 
Pay
€’000

Bonus 

€’000

LTIP Variable 
Pay
€’000

€’000

Total 
2021
€’000

Total 
2020
€’000

Director

Executive Directors

G. Rabbette

T. Dolphin
P. Dempsey1

Non-Executive Directors

M. Pratt
J. Berkowitz5

P. Hogan
M. McConn4
G. Penny1
P. Staunton2

S. Webb
J. Gaul3
L. Hoctor3
H. McSharry6
M. Moran7
J. Holly8

Total

 600 

 400 

 400 

176

100

 100 

2 

70 

 25 

85 

65

65

- 

- 

- 

 45 

 30 

 30 

 50 

 45 

 45 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

-

-

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

-

-

 - 

 - 

 - 

 695 

 475 

 475 

176

100

100 

2 

70 

25 

85

65

65

- 

 -

- 

 585 

 390 

 390 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

-

-

 - 

 - 

 - 

 585 

 390 

 390 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

-

-

- 

- 

- 

 1,280 

1,280

 865 

 865 

176

100

100 

2 

70 

25 

85 

65

65

- 

- 

- 

865

865

176

29

 89 

 70 

70 

 70 

81 

-

-

 64 

 40 

 25 

- 

- 

- 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

 - 

-

-

 - 

 - 

 - 

- 

Annual Bonus
For the year ended 31 December 2021, the maximum potential bonus opportunity for Executive Directors was 
up to a maximum of 130% of base salary. The bonus opportunity for the achievement of on-target Group and 
personal performance targets was up to 75% of maximum opportunity, being 97.5% of base salary. At the threshold 
performance level of 95% of target, a bonus opportunity of 37.5% of maximum, being 49% of base salary is payable. 
Where the threshold performance target of 95% is not reached, no bonus is payable. 

In setting the on-target return the Committee and the Board were cognisant of the ambitious strategic targets set for 
the Group and sought to align the Executive Directors interests with those of shareholders in achieving the Group’s 
stated strategy. On this basis the Committee and the Board believe that 75% of the maximum opportunity for 
achieving performance targets is appropriate.

The following table sets out the performance measures applied for Executive Directors for the year ended 
31 December 2021:

% of maximum Link to strategy

EBITDA

Stretch EBITDA

40% Key measure of underlying profitability

25% Delivery of Group’s long-term growth strategy

Organic Gross Profit Growth

7.5% Key measure of continued client growth

Free Cash Flow Conversion

7.5% Cash generation for reinvestment or return to shareholders

Financial targets

Personal Objectives

Sustainability & Governance

Non-Financial Targets

80%

15% Ensure focus on strategic/functional priorities of the Group

5% Drive continuous improvements in sustainability,  
governance and culture across the Group

20%

100%

 2,088 

 105 

 140 

 2,333

 1,365 

 1,365 

 3,698 

 3,724 

The performance targets were set by the Committee based on the Board approved budget for the year. 

1.  P. Dempsey and G. Penny resigned as Directors on 17 December 2021.
2.  P. Staunton resigned as a Director on 12 May 2021.
3.  J. Gaul and L. Hoctor were each appointed to the Board on 26 January 2021.
4.  M. McConn resigned as a Director on 26 January 2021.
5.  J. Berkowitz was appointed as a Director on 18 September 2020. 
6.  H. McSharry resigned as a Director on 18 September 2020.
7.  M. Moran resigned as a Director on 1 August 2020. 
8.  J. Holly resigned as a Director on 26 May 2020. 
9.  Other benefits principally include health and car allowances. 

Executive Directors Remuneration
Executive remuneration within the Group can be broken down into the following five components which we believe 
provide a fair balance between fixed and performance related remuneration. 

Base Salary
The base salaries of Executive Directors are reviewed annually having regard to personal performance, skills and 
experience, changes in levels of responsibility, external benchmarks to market leaders, competitors, and industry 
standards, as well as the pay and conditions in the wider Group. There were no changes to Executive Director base 
salaries during 2021. 

The following table sets out the salaries for the Executive Directors for the relevant financial year:

G. Rabbette

T. Dolphin

2021
€’000

600

400

2020
€’000

600

400

Committee discretion
The Committee has retained the discretionary ability to adjust the value of an award under the annual bonus 
scheme, if the award in the Committee’s opinion taking all circumstances into consideration produces an unfair result. 
In exercising this discretion, the Committee may take into consideration the individual or the Group’s performance 
against non-financial measures. In respect of the financial year ended 31 December 2021, the Committee have 
exercised this discretion in respect of potential awards under the Stretch EBITDA annual bonus metric and, in light of 
the global impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, have concluded it to be appropriate to make no annual bonus award in 
respect of this metric during 2021.

Review of financial targets
Subsequent to the end of the financial year, the Committee reviewed actual performance against the targets set for 
each Executive Director. Following this review, the Committee determined that the Executive Directors should be 
awarded bonuses based on the achievement of financial targets as illustrated in the table below:

EBITDA

Stretch EBITDA

Organic Gross Profit Growth

Free Cash Flow Conversion

Financial targets

% of maximum

Actual %

40%

25%

7.5%

7.5%

80%

40%

0%

7.5%

7.5%

55%

84

85

GovernanceUniphar plc Annual Report 2021 
Due to the commercial sensitivity of the Group’s defined financial targets these targets have not been disclosed. 
The following table summarises performance for each of the financial objectives:

Definition

Performance Targets

Actual Performance

Measure

EBITDA

Earnings before exceptional 
items, net finance expense, 
income tax expense, 
depreciation and intangible 
assets amortisation. 

The impact of unbudgeted 
acquisitions and disposals 
are excluded.

The pay-out of the Group EBITDA 
bonus is based on the achievement 
of defined threshold and 
budget targets. 

100% of the bonus % 
attributed to Group EBITDA 
being achieved has 
been awarded.

Threshold performance equates 
to 95% of budget EBITDA. 
On achievement of threshold 
performance, 50% of the portion 
of the bonus attributable to 
EBITDA performance is payable. 
This increases to 100% pay-out of 
EBITDA bonus when 100% of Group 
EBITDA budget is achieved. Payment 
for performance between threshold 
and budget is on a pro-rata basis.
No portion of basic bonus is paid 
where actual EBITDA is below 
threshold performance. 

Achievement of stretch bonus 
is based on pre-defined Stretch 
EBITDA targets. 

Payment for performance between 
achievement of budget and the 
stretch target is on a pro-rata basis.

Achievement of the bonus  
required organic gross profit  
growth in the year. 

The Group’s free cash flow 
conversion target for the purpose 
of the annual bonus is in line with 
achieving the Group’s medium-
term outlook.  

Threshold performance equates to 
a free cashflow conversion of 5% 
below the target range resulting 
in a payout of 50%. No bonus 
is paid if actual free cash flow is 
below threshold performance. 
100% of bonus is paid if budget free 
cashflow is reached or exceeded. 

Payment between threshold 
and budget performance is on 
a pro-rata basis.

The Committee have 
exercised their discretion, 
and in light of the global 
impact of the Covid-19 
pandemic have concluded 
that the Stretch EBITDA 
element of the annual bonus 
should not be applied in 2021. 

The Committee determined 
that organic gross profit 
growth exceeded the target, 
and accordingly, this element 
of the bonus was achieved 
in full.

Actual free cashflow 
conversion exceeded the 
targeted performance, 
and accordingly, this element 
of the bonus was achieved 
in full.

Stretch EBITDA 

The Stretch EBITDA 
measure is the Group 
EBITDA including the 
contribution of unbudgeted 
acquisitions and disposals.

Organic Gross 
Profit Growth

Free Cash Flow 
Conversion

Organic gross profit growth 
is defined as the growth 
from restated prior period 
gross profit to current 
period gross profit as a % 
of the restated prior period 
value. The restatement to 
the prior year value is to 
include the corresponding 
prior period performance 
of acquisitions and 
exclude the prior period 
performance of disposals.

Free cash flow conversion 
is defined as EBITDA, 
less investment in working 
capital, less maintenance 
capital expenditure, 
divided by EBITDA.  

Review of non-financial targets
20% of the maximum bonus opportunity is linked to non-financial performance targets recommended by the Committee 
and subsequently approved by the Board. Subsequent to the end of the financial year, the Committee reviewed actual 
performance against the targets set for each Executive Director. Following this review, the Committee determined that 
the Executive Directors should be awarded bonuses based on the achievement of non-financial targets as illustrated in 
the table below:

Personal Objectives

Sustainability and Governance

Non-Financial Targets

% of maximum

Actual %

15%

5%

20%

15%

5%

20%

Personal objectives
The Executive Directors are also measured against personal and strategic objectives, which in 2021 focused on 
Leadership and Strategy, Portfolio Optimisation, Operating Model, and Talent and Succession. Performance against 
these objectives is determined by the Committee by reference to key targets agreed with the Executives at the start of 
the year.

These objectives include the achievement of operational goals, the executive’s contribution to Group strategy as a 
member of the Board, and specific goals related to their functional role. 

Achievements

G. Rabbette

Leadership and Strategy: Developed the Group’s strategy and long-term vision and managed  
its implementation during the year.

Portfolio Optimisation: Identified and executed M&A transactions to enable the implementation  
of the Group’s strategy.

Operating Model: Led and embedded significant enhancements to the Group’s operating model, 
driving commercial excellence, global consistency, and agility.

Talent and Succession: Took a leading role in driving talent development within the Group and 
building a succession plan to meet the businesses longer term leadership needs.

T. Dolphin

Leadership and Strategy: Worked across all business and functional areas, supporting the 
development and implementation of the Group’s strategy and long-term vision.

Portfolio Optimisation: Evaluated and executed M&A transactions to enable the implementation  
of the Group’s strategy.

Operating Model: Took an active role in driving changes to the Group’s operating model ensuring 
its cost effectiveness.

Talent and Succession: Actively contributed to identifying and developing potential future talent.

Sustainability & Governance
Uniphar places a strong emphasis on working responsibly and sustainably. The Committee determined that in order to 
align the Executive Directors’ to these interests, specific performance targets should be introduced to drive continuous 
improvements in sustainability, governance and culture across the Group.

The Committee determined that the Executive Directors should be awarded the maximum bonus opportunity 
attributable to Sustainability and Governance as a result of the following: 

 »

 »

 »
 »

the continued successful implementation of the sustainability framework and governance structure across  
the Group as outlined in the Sustainability and Governance Report; 
establishing internal carbon reduction targets and formally committing to setting a Science Based Target  
in respect of carbon emission reduction across the Group; 
supporting the Future of Work employee listening exercise; and
the implementation of initiatives across the Group’s locations as outlined in the Sustainability and 
Governance Report. 

86

87

GovernanceUniphar plc Annual Report 2021 
 
 
 
 
Total annual bonus payable
Following a review of the actual performance for both the financial and non-financial measures against targets, 
the Committee recommended, and the Board approved a total bonus outcome of 75% of maximum bonus opportunity, 
being 97.5% of base salary. 100% of the gross bonus achievement will be deferred for a period of five years in the form 
of in-market share purchases. Shares purchased in-market will be held by an Irish registered employee benefit trust 
established by the Company and the beneficial interest will be held by the Executive Directors subject to restrictions 
on dealing for the five-year period. The restrictions will cease in 2027 in respect of the 2021 deferred bonus amount. 

The Committee considers the level of achievement is appropriate and reflective of the overall performance of the 
Group in the year and the value created for shareholders.

Clawback Policy
Bonus payments made to Executive Directors are subject to clawback for three years from payment in certain 
circumstances including:

a material misstatement of the Company’s audited financial statements;
a material breach of applicable health and safety regulations; or

 »
 »
 » business or reputational damage to the Company or a subsidiary arising from a criminal offence, 

serious misconduct or gross negligence by the individual Executive. 

Pension
All pension benefits for Executive Directors are determined in relation to base salary. Fees payable to Non-Executive 
Directors are not pensionable. Under the current Remuneration Policy pension benefits for Executive Directors are 
7.5% of base salary, in line with average pension contributions available to the Group’s wider workforce.

Other Benefits
Employment-related benefits for Executive Directors provide a level of benefits or specified monetary allowances 
including, healthcare and car allowances.

LTIP
There were no LTIP share awards granted to Executive Directors in 2021 and the existing LTIP, which was put in place 
in 2018, prior to the Company’s IPO, is now fully allotted. The existing share awards granted to Executive Directors, 
which will vest on 31 December 2024, are subject to performance conditions relating to share price targets and 
remaining in employment with the Group on the vesting date. During 2021, all share price performance conditions 
attributable to these LTIP share awards were satisfied. These shares remain subject to the satisfaction of the 
employment condition and as a result are not yet vested. 

The table below sets out details of share awards made under the 2018 LTIP currently held by Executive Directors.

Executive 
Director

Grant Date Exercise 
Price

No of share 
awards at 
1 Jan 2021

Granted 

Vested/
Exercised 

Lapsed  No of share 
awards at 
31 Dec 2021

End of 
Performance 
Period

G. Rabbette

28 Apr 2018

T. Dolphin

28 Apr 2018

 n/a 

 n/a 

3,685,427

2,284,965

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

3,685,427

31 Dec 2024

2,284,965

31 Dec 2024

Minimum Shareholding Requirements
The Committee has sought to promote long-term shareholdings by Executive Directors, to support alignment with 
shareholder interests, and has adopted minimum shareholding requirements for Executive Directors. These guidelines 
specify that Executive Directors should, over a period of five years from the date of appointment, build up and then 
retain a shareholding in the Company with a valuation of at least equal to 2x their annual base salary. 

Additionally, the Committee has adopted guidelines relating to post-employment shareholding guidelines. 
These guidelines require that Executive Directors maintain their full minimum shareholding requirement of 2x base 
salary for a period of two years post-employment.

Current Executive Director shareholdings at 31 December 2021 as a multiple of their base salary: 

G. Rabbette

T. Dolphin

*  Based on closing share price of €5.00 on 31 December 2021.

Minimum

Actual*

2.0x

2.0x

68x

70x

Performance related remuneration outcomes

CEO – Scenario Pay Structure
€’000

CFO – Scenario Pay Structure
€’000

1,600

1,200

800

400

0

1,600

1,200

800

400

0

Minimum At Budget Maximum

Minimum At Budget Maximum

   Fixed Pay
   Bonus

Remuneration consists of fixed pay (base salary, pension, and benefits) and variable pay (annual bonus and LTIP). 
A significant portion of Executive Directors’ remuneration is linked to the delivery of key business goals over the short and 
long-term and the creation of shareholder value. The charts above present scenarios of the remuneration outcomes of: 

Pay-out levels

Minimum

At Budget

Maximum

 » Fixed Pay
 » No bonus pay-out
 » Fixed Pay
 » 75% of maximum bonus opportunity in line with budgeted performance targets
 » Fixed Pay
 » 100% of maximum bonus opportunity in line with budgeted performance targets

Percentage change in Executive Director’s remuneration 
The following table sets out the relative change from 2020 to 2021 in the remuneration earned by the Executive 
Directors compared with the average percentage change for the Group’s employees:

€’000

G. Rabbette

T. Dolphin

Total Executive Directors

Average Employee Remuneration

2021

1,280

865

2,145

57.1

2020

1,280

865

2,145

60.6

% Change

-

-

-

(5.8%)

Relative Importance of Spend on Pay
The table below sets out the amount paid in remuneration to all employees of the Group compared to gross profit, 
EBITDA and dividends declared in respect of the financial year:

€’000

Total Employee Remuneration* 

Gross Profit

EBITDA 

Dividend**

2021

166,861

274,497

86,481

4,400

2020

% Increase

136,717

217,252

66,713

4,200

22.0%

26.3%

29.6%

4.8%

*  Total employee remuneration includes €190,000 (2020: €209,000) of payroll costs which have been capitalised during the year.
** Reflecting progressive dividend commitment made at the time of IPO. 

88

89

GovernanceUniphar plc Annual Report 2021Advisers to the Committee 
During 2021, the Group engaged the services of external remuneration consultants Willis Towers Watson. Their advice 
related to the structuring of remuneration packages for executives, non-executives, and key senior management. 
The total fees paid to Willis Towers Watson during the year were €13,000, these were charged on a time and 
materials basis.

The Group also engaged the services of William Fry and PwC in relation to the implementation of the decisions of the 
Board on remuneration during the year. No other external advisers were engaged in respect of remuneration consulting 
services during the year. 

Payments to former Directors
There were no payments to former Directors during the year. 

Payments for loss of office
There were no payments to Directors for loss of office during the year.

Non-Executive Directors Remuneration
The Board aims to recruit high-calibre Non-Executive Directors, with broad commercial, international or other relevant 
experience. Fees paid to the Non-Executive Directors for the 2020 and 2021 financial years are outlined in the 
Remuneration table on page 84. 

Non-Executive Directors do not participate in any Group share incentive or award scheme.

Service Contracts/Letters of Appointment
Details of the service contracts for the Executive Directors are outlined below:

Name 

Ger Rabbette 

Tim Dolphin 

Title

Date of Contract

Notice Period

Chief Executive Officer

Chief Financial Officer

27 June 2019

27 June 2019

12 months 

12 months 

The Company can terminate Executive Director employment by making a lump sum payment in lieu of notice 
consisting of the basic salary for the notice period. Standard ‘cause’ provisions are included which allow the 
Company to terminate without notice or the obligation to make a payment in lieu of notice. There are also standard 
‘garden leave’ provisions for all Executive Directors together with post-termination restrictions on competing activity 
and non-solicitation of customers or key employees which are effective for a period of 12 months after termination.

Each of the Non-Executive Directors has been appointed under the terms of a letter of appointment. Appointment is 
terminable by either party giving one month’s written notice or otherwise in accordance with the Articles. Continuation 
of appointment is contingent on satisfactory performance, re-election (where applicable) in accordance with the Articles 
and any relevant statutory provisions for the removal of Directors. Standard ‘cause’ provisions are included that entitle 
the Company to terminate a Non-Executive Director’s appointment without notice or payment of compensation.

The appointment letter includes membership of any Board Committees, the fees to be paid and the time commitment 
expected. The letter also covers matters such as confidentiality, data protection and the Company’s share dealing 
policy. Dates of appointment and retirement for the current Non-Executive Directors are set out below:

Name 

M. Pratt

J. Berkowitz

G. Penny

P. Staunton

M. McConn

P. Hogan

S. Webb

J. Gaul

L. Hoctor

Date of Appointment 

Date of Retirement

1 July 2003

18 September 2020

20 August 2018

25 September 2009

25 September 2009

27 June 2019

27 June 2019

26 January 2021

26 January 2021

-

-

17 December 2021

12 May 2021

26 January 2021

-

-

-

-

DIRECTORS’ 
REPORT

The Directors present their director’s 
report and audited Group financial 
statements for the year ended 
31 December 2021.

Principal activities and review of 
the development of the business
The Group is a leading service 
provider within the pharmaceutical 
and healthcare sector headquartered 
in Ireland, with offices in the UK, 
the Benelux, the Nordics, Germany 
and the US. 

By operating a strong service-
based culture and working with our 
partners, we provide an innovative 
range of services, including product 
distribution and the provision 
of specialist services for the 
pharmaceutical and healthcare 
sector. The business is divided into 
three trading divisions: Commercial & 
Clinical, Product Access and Supply 
Chain & Retail.

 » Commercial & Clinical provides 
outsourced sales, marketing 
& distribution solutions to 
multinational pharmaceutical and 
medical device manufacturers. 
Active in Ireland, the UK, the 
Benelux, the Nordics, Germany 
and the US, the Group is growing 
with its clients to provide  
pan-European solutions and a 
bespoke service offering in the US. 
Uniphar has built fully integrated 
digitally enabled customer centric 
solutions that are supported 
by our highly experienced and 
clinically trained teams, leveraging 
our digital technology and 
insights which allows us to deliver 
consistently exceptional  
outcomes for our clients.

 » Product Access consists of two 

service offerings: On Demand and 
Exclusive Access. On Demand 
offers pharmacy led solutions 
for sourcing and supplying 
unlicensed medicines to meet the 
needs of both retail and hospital 
pharmacists; and Exclusive 
Access offers manufacturer 
led solutions for controlling the 
release of speciality medicines 
for specifically approved patient 
populations in agreed markets. 
The Group currently delivers 
product access solutions on a 
global basis.

 » Supply Chain & Retail provides 
both pre-wholesale distribution 
and wholesale distribution of 
pharmaceutical, healthcare 
and animal health products 
to pharmacies, hospitals and 
veterinary surgeons in Ireland. 
The Division is an established 
market leader in Ireland with 
c.53% market share in the 
wholesale/hospital market, 
supported by a network of 378 
owned, franchised and symbol 
group pharmacies. The business 
supports the diverse customer 
base through the provision of 
strong service levels coupled 
with innovative commercial 
initiatives. Supply Chain & Retail 
is an Irish only business for the 
Group, although the manufacturer 
relationships and infrastructure 
are utilised for the benefit of the 
growth divisions, Commercial & 
Clinical and Product Access.

The three trading divisions work 
in synergy to allow us to support 
healthcare professionals and 
manufacturer customers to provide 
their patients and communities 
with the medicines and care that 
they need.

Business review
Our business performed strongly 
in 2021, demonstrating the diversity 
of the Group’s service offering, 
the strength of our teams and 
the continued focus on providing 
technology driven solutions. 
This strong result was against the 
backdrop of another challenging year 
caused by the disruptive impact of 
the Covid-19 pandemic.

Gross profit increased to €274.5m 
from €217.3m which was a rise of 
over 26%. The increase was achieved 
through our acquisitions completed 
in 2020 and 2021, together with 
organic growth of 8.5%. During 2021, 
the Group continued its strategy of 
expanding its geographic footprint 
and market share and completed 
four acquisitions during the year, 
with a fifth, the acquisition of the 
Navi Group pending approval by 
the CCPC. These acquisitions 
led to an increase in the Group’s 
goodwill of €64.4m to €425.2m. The 
acquisitions were spread over our 
three divisions; the Commercial & 
Clinical division acquired CoRRect 
Medical in the MedTech business 
unit, and BESTMSLs Group and 
E4H in its Pharma business unit. 
Product Access also continued 
its expansion with the addition of 
Devonshire Healthcare Services to 
the Division. Supply Chain & Retail 
announced the acquisition of the Navi 
Group, which is subject to approval 
by the Irish CCPC. Acquisitions 
completed in 2020, including 
RRD International, Diligent Health 
Solutions, Innerstrength Limited and 
the Hickey’s Pharmacy Group have all 
been successfully integrated into the 
business and are adding significant 
value to the Group, with previously 
identified efficiencies coming through.

90

91

GovernanceUniphar plc Annual Report 2021Strong cash generation continues 
across the Group, and this is reflected 
in the cash generated from operating 
activities of €52.2m. Free cash flow 
conversion for the period was 76.6%, 
exceeding the medium-term free cash 
flow conversion target of 60-70%.

With the addition of two new 
international banking partners, RBC, 
and HSBC joining the existing banking 
syndicate during the year, the Group 
is in a strong position to continue 
to invest in growth opportunities. 
Net bank debt was €48.3m (2020: 
€34.4m) and leverage remained low 
at 0.7x, providing a solid platform to 
support future growth and investment 
as opportunities arise.

The Group have a number of key 
performance indicators (KPIs) 
which are used to monitor the 
Group’s performance. These KPIs 
are outlined further in our key 
performance indicators section on 
pages 20 and 21.

Covid-19 
The Group continues to monitor 
and respond appropriately to the 
ongoing threat and risks posed by 
the Covid-19 pandemic. Uniphar 
continues to play a significant 
role in healthcare infrastructure 
ensuring the continuity in the supply 
and distribution of much needed 
medicines, medical devices, and 
related services. The nature of the 
products and services offered means 
that there is a continued demand for 
pharmaco-medical products. The 
measures the Group has undertaken 
to respond to the challenges posed 
by the pandemic has resulted in 
change across its business for staff, 
customers, and the community in 
which it operates and serves. 

In Supply Chain & Retail the normal 
pattern of demand was disrupted 
particularly at the start of the year 
when strict lockdowns were in place, 
the additional capacity provided by 
our new regional distribution facility in 
Limerick proved invaluable in dealing 
with peaks in demand above the 
normal expected levels. The Retail 
pharmacy business experienced 
decreased footfall in the first half of 
the year, this recovered well in the 
second half of the year, with high 
demand in consumer and well-
being products, including our own 
brand ranges. 

In Commercial & Clinical the 
continued restrictions saw the 
cancellation of many elective 
procedures across Europe, and the 
increased Covid-19 activity across 
our health systems challenged the 
traditional face-to-face interactions 
with stakeholders. The diverse nature 
of the products in our portfolio, 
combined with our geographic 
spread, provided insulation against 
the disruption caused and as the 
restrictions eased activities have 
resumed at high levels in an effort 
to address hospital backlogs.

Product Access has not 
experienced any significant 
disruption due to the nature of the 
services provided, however the 
pandemic has slowed the rate of 
growth in the market by delaying 
product developments, and we 
expect a considerable amount of 
reorganisation and consolidation 
in the pharmaceutical market, 
which may delay some decisions 
in 2022, but will ultimately mean 
additional opportunities for us in 
an 18-36 month timeframe.

CoRRect Medical accelerates the 
Group’s organic entry into the German 
market, further strengthening our 
pan-European presence across our 
chosen specialities and expanding 
our geographic footprint to grow our 
existing client base. BESTMSLs Group 
provides outsourced medical affairs 
services including the provision of 
contract MSL teams. The acquisition 
increases Uniphar’s presence in the 
strategically important US market 
& BESTMSLs Group will work 
alongside, and benefit from, our recent 
US acquisitions of Diligent Health 
Solutions and RRD International. 
E4H enhances the Group’s brand 
commercialisation and pharmaceutical 
marketing agency offering to large 
pharmaceutical companies.

Product Access acquired 
pharmaceutical distributor Devonshire 
Healthcare Services, a global hospital 
supplies company providing access 
to unlicensed and difficult to source 
medicines across the MENA region 
for 25 years to a broad variety of 
healthcare authorities, hospitals, and 
overseas ministries of health. 

The health, safety and wellbeing of 
our teams has remained a key priority 
during the pandemic. Throughout the 
business, several measures have been 
implemented to protect our teams 
including remote working where 
possible, use of appropriate personal 
protective equipment and increased 
sanitisation and screening measures. 
We are also investing in improving 
working environments, particularly our 
headquarters at Citywest in Dublin, 
Ireland, to adapt them and make them 
more suited to hybrid working, with 
the focus on more collaborative and 
flexible spaces in a safe post-Covid 
working environment.

Supply Chain & Retail announced the 
acquisition of the Navi Group which is 
subject to CCPC approval. The Navi 
Group drives innovation within the 
Irish pharmacy sector through leading 
digital platforms and consistent 
supply of quality pharmaceutical 
products to its Irish and MENA 
partners. On completion of this 
acquisition, the unique technology 
and value proposition of Navi 
combined with Uniphar’s scalable 
high-tech distribution facilities 
and digital platforms would deliver 
an even stronger offering to our 
independent community pharmacy 
customer base.

Acquisitions and disposals
We continue to leverage M&A to 
support our objectives and in 2021 
we completed four acquisitions, 
with the fifth, the Navi Group, 
being subject to CCPC approval. 
Acquisitions completed in 2020, 
including RRD International, Diligent 
Health Solutions, Innerstrength and 
the Hickey’s Pharmacy Group have  
all been successfully integrated 
into the business and are adding 
significant value.

These acquisitions represent another 
important development in the delivery 
of Uniphar’s growth strategy.

Pre-tax exceptional income in 2021 
of €5.4m was driven largely by 
the release of deferred contingent 
consideration. See note 4 for further 
details of exceptional income incurred 
during the year.

92

Results for the year
The Group Income Statement for 
the year ended 31 December 2021 
and the Group Balance Sheet at 
that date are set out on pages 105 
and 107 respectively. The Group’s 
gross profit was €274,497,000 
(2020: €217,252,000) and earnings 
before interest, tax, depreciation, 
amortisation and exceptional 
items (EBITDA) was €86,481,000 
(2020: €66,713,000). 

The Group’s profit on ordinary 
activities before tax was €55,801,000 
in 2021 (2020: €33,531,000). 
After including a tax expense of 
€7,679,000 (2020: €5,720,000) and 
profit attributable to non-controlling 
interests of €45,000 (2020: losses of 
€16,000), the profit for the financial 
year attributable to owners is 
€48,077,000 (2020: €27,827,000). 

There was a strong cash performance 
in 2021, and despite the Group’s 
significant investment in infrastructure 
and strategic acquisitions during 
the year, the strong free cash flow 
performance places the Group in 
a position of strength with a low 
leverage of 0.7x and net bank debt  
of €48.3m at the year end.

Total equity of the Group at 
31 December 2021 was €251,564,000 
(2020: €202,535,000).

Future developments 
Uniphar remains confident in 
delivering on expectations set at 
our IPO and the Group’s medium-
term organic gross profit growth 
targets at a divisional level remain 
unchanged. We have a robust plan 
in place across the three divisions 
and we remain committed to 
building a pan-European offering in 
our Commercial & Clinical division 
in addition to providing bespoke 
services in the US. In Product Access 
we will continue to develop our 
On Demand and Expanded Access 
Programs services, investing in 
digital technology and scalable 
infrastructure, expanding into new 
regions beyond Europe and the US. 
In Supply Chain & Retail, we continue 
to leverage our key assets and grow 
our market share.

M&A will continue to play an 
important part in Uniphar’s growth 
strategy, and we will continue to have 
a disciplined approach and manage 
an active pipeline of acquisition 
opportunities to add further 
scale and breadth to the existing 
platform. The management team 
are committed to maximising the full 
potential of our recent acquisitions 
and delivering long term value for all 
our stakeholders.

Statement of Directors’ 
responsibilities
The Directors are responsible for 
preparing the Directors’ Report and 
the financial statements of the Group 
and Company in accordance with 
Irish law.

Irish law requires the Directors to 
prepare financial statements for 
each financial year. Under that 
law the Directors have elected to 
prepare Group financial statements 
in accordance with International 
Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs) 
as adopted by the European Union 
and Article 4 of the IAS Regulation 
and have also chosen to prepare the 
parent company financial statements 
under IFRSs as adopted by the 
European Union. 

Under Irish law, the Directors shall 
not approve the financial statements 
unless they are satisfied that they give 
a true and fair view of the Group’s 
and Company’s assets, liabilities, 
and financial position as at the end 
of the financial year and the profit or 
loss of the Group and Company for 
the financial year.

In preparing these financial 
statements, the Directors are 
required to:

 »

 »

select suitable accounting policies 
and then apply them consistently;
 » make judgements and estimates 
that are reasonable and prudent; 
state whether the financial 
statements have been prepared in 
accordance with IFRS and ensure 
that the financial statements 
contain the additional information 
required by the Companies Act 
2014; and

 » prepare the financial statements 

on the going concern basis unless 
it is inappropriate to presume 
that the Group and Company will 
continue in business.

93

The Directors are responsible for 
keeping adequate accounting records 
that are sufficient to:

 »

 »

 »

correctly record and explain 
the transactions of the Group 
and Company;
enable, at any time, the assets, 
liabilities, financial position and 
profit or loss of the Group and 
Company to be determined with 
reasonable accuracy; and
enable the Directors to ensure 
that the financial statements 
comply with the Companies Act 
2014 and enable those financial 
statements to be audited. 

The Directors are also responsible 
for safeguarding the assets of the 
Group and Company and hence 
for taking reasonable steps for the 
prevention and detection of fraud 
and other irregularities.

Each of the Directors confirms 
that they consider that the Annual 
Report and Consolidated Financial 
Statements, taken as a whole, is fair, 
balanced and understandable and 
provides the information necessary 
for shareholders to assess the 
Company’s position, performance, 
business model and strategy.

The Directors are responsible for 
the maintenance and integrity of the 
corporate and financial information 
included on the Company’s website. 
Legislation in Ireland governing the 
preparation and dissemination of 
financial statements may differ from 
legislation in other jurisdictions.

Disclosure of information 
to auditors
The Directors in office at the date of 
this report have each confirmed that:

 »

 »

insofar as they are aware, there 
is no relevant audit information of 
which the Company’s statutory 
auditor is unaware; and
they have taken all the steps 
that they ought to have taken 
as a Director in order to make 
themselves aware of any 
relevant audit information and 
to establish that the Company’s 
statutory auditor is aware of 
that information.

GovernanceUniphar plc Annual Report 2021 
Directors’ compliance statement
The Directors acknowledge that 
they are responsible for securing 
the Company’s compliance with its 
relevant obligations as defined in the 
Companies Act 2014 (the ‘Relevant 
Obligations’).

The Directors confirm that:

(1)  A compliance policy statement 
setting out the Company’s 
policies respecting compliance 
by the Company with its relevant 
obligations has been drawn up;

(2)  Appropriate arrangements or 
structures that are designed 
to secure material compliance 
with the Company’s relevant 
obligations have been put in 
place; and

(3)  A review of the arrangements and 
structures, referred to at 2 above 
has been conducted during the 
year ended 31 December 2021. 

Audit, Risk and 
Compliance Committee 
In accordance with Section 167 of 
the Companies Act 2014, the Group 
has established an Audit, Risk 
and Compliance Committee. Full 
particulars are provided in the Audit, 
Risk and Compliance Committee 
Report at pages 71 to 74.

Corporate governance
Statements by the Directors in 
relation to the Group and Company’s 
application of corporate governance 
principles and the Group’s system 
of internal controls are set out in the 
Corporate Governance Report at 
pages 63 to 70.

Going concern 
The Directors have made appropriate 
enquiries and carried out a thorough 
review of the Group’s forecasts, 
projections, and available banking 
facilities, taking account of possible 
changes in trading performance and 
considering business risk.

Uniphar plays a significant role in the 
healthcare sector, ensuring continuity 
in the supply and distribution of much 
needed medicines, medical devices, 
and related services.

The Group has a robust capital 
structure with strong liquidity, 
supported into the future by the 
banking facility with a remaining 
term of 3.5 years (with two options 
to extend by a further one year). 
This continues to provide a solid 
platform for the Group to deal 
with the disruption caused by the 
Covid-19 pandemic.

Having regard to the factors 
outlined above and noting the 
financial impact of the recently 
announced acquisitions, the Directors 
have a reasonable expectation that 
the Group has adequate resources 
to continue in operational existence 
for the foreseeable future, being 
a period of 12 months from the 
date of approval of these interim 
financial statements. As a result, 
the Directors consider that it is 
appropriate to continue to adopt the 
going concern basis in preparing the 
financial statements.

Accounting records
The measures taken by the Directors 
to secure compliance with the 
Group’s obligation to keep adequate 
accounting records are the use of 
appropriate systems and procedures 
and employment of competent 
persons as outlined in Sections 
281 to 285 of the Irish Companies 
Act 2014. The accounting records 
are kept at 4045 Kingswood Road, 
Citywest Business Park, Co. Dublin, 
D24 V06K.

Principal risks and uncertainties
The principal risks and uncertainties 
facing the Group and its subsidiaries 
are outlined on pages 24 to 31.

Financial risk management
The Group’s operations expose it to 
various financial risks. The Group 
has a risk management programme 
in place which seeks to limit the 
impact of these risks on the financial 
performance of the Group and it is 
the policy to manage these risks in 
a non-speculative manner.

The Group’s financial risk 
management is carried out by 
a central finance department 
under policies approved by the 
Board. Group finance identifies, 
evaluates, and manages financial 
risks in close co-operation with the 
Group’s operating units. The Board 
approves written principles for 
overall risk management, as well 
as policies covering specific areas, 
such as foreign exchange risk, 
interest rate risk, credit risk, use of 
derivative financial instruments and 
non-derivative financial instruments, 
and the investment of excess liquidity. 
The Group uses financial instruments 
throughout its business. Borrowings, 
cash, and liquid resources are used 
to finance the Group’s operations. 
Trade receivables and payables arise 
directly from operations. 

Forward foreign exchange contracts 
are used to manage currency risks 
arising from the Group’s operations.

Finance interest and currency risk 
The Group’s procedure is to 
finance operating subsidiaries by a 
combination of retained profits and, 
to a lesser extent, non-recourse 
financing arrangements, invoice 
discounting and overdrafts, and 
to finance investments with a 
combination of Group funds and 
borrowings. The majority of the 
Group’s activities are conducted in 
Euro. Foreign exchange exposure 
arises from transactional currency 
exposures arising from the sale and 
purchase of goods in currencies 
other than the Group’s functional 
currency (i.e., Euro). The Group takes 
appropriate measures to manage 
its exposure to fluctuating foreign 
exchange rates associated with both 
transaction activity and the translation 
into Euro of its net investment 
in its non-Euro subsidiaries. 
Forward foreign exchange contracts 
and the holding of foreign currency 
cash balances are used to hedge 
these currency exposures, 
where material. 

Non-Financial Reporting Statement
Pursuant to the European Union (Disclosure of Non-Financial and Diversity Information by certain large undertakings 
and groups) Regulations 2017 (‘Regulations’), the Group is required to report on certain non-financial information to 
provide an understanding of its development, performance, position and the impact of its activities, relating to, at least, 
environmental matters, social matters, employee matters, respect for human rights, and bribery and corruption. 
The table below provides additional detail on the information required to be provided by the Regulations and highlights 
where the information has been provided in this Annual Report and Financial Statements, where applicable.

Reporting requirements Our policies

Commentary

Environmental matters

 » Sustainability Policy

Social and 
employee matters

 » Sustainability Policy
 » Health and Safety Policy
 » Whistleblower Policy

Human rights

 » Code of Business Conduct
 » Equality & Dignity at Work Policy
 » Modern Slavery Policy

Anti-bribery 
and corruption

 » Anti-Bribery and Corruption Policy
 » Code of Business Conduct
 » Whistleblower Policy
 » Conflicts of Interest Policy

For further information on the Group’s approach 
to Environmental matters see the Environment 
& Sustainability section of our Sustainability and 
Governance report on pages 41 to 43.

For further information on the Group’s approach 
to Social and Employee matters see the People 
& Workplace section and the Community 
Involvement section of our Sustainability and 
Governance report on pages 36 to 40.

The Group is committed to conducting all our 
activities in accordance with high standards of 
business conduct, respecting the fundamental 
freedoms and rights of our people. The Group is 
also committed to ensuring that our supply chain 
is free from human rights abuses, including forced 
labour, slavery and trafficking.

The Group does not tolerate any form of bribery, 
prohibits facilitation payments, and does not make 
political contributions.

Description of the 
business model

Details are set out in the principal activities and review of the development of the business 
section of this report.

Non-financial key 
performance indicators

The Group’s planning and financial reporting procedures include financial and 
non-financial Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) which benchmark progress towards our 
strategic priorities. KPIs are reviewed and monitored on a regular basis by the Board, 
the Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee or the applicable business manager and 
are amended to better reflect the Group’s key performance measures when required. 
Our KPIs in connection with the above matters relates to the level of reported breaches of 
applicable legislation or incidents reported, of which there were none in the current year. 

In addition to the KPIs which are reviewed and monitored at a business level, the Group 
have a number of KPIs which are used to monitor the Group’s performance. These KPIs 
are outlined further in our key performance indicators section on pages 20 to 21.

Principal risks

Details are set out in the Risk Management section of this report on pages 24 to 31 and 
discuss each of the above areas where relevant.

Substantial Holdings
The table below shows all notified shareholdings in excess of 3% of the issued ordinary share capital of the Company 
as at 31 December 2021 and 23 February 2022, being the closest possible date to the date of signing of this report:

Mackenzie Investment

Polar Capital

Sisk Family
Gerard Rabbette1

Allianz Global Investors

23 February 2022

31 December 2021

Number of shares

% Holding Number of shares

% Holding

17,374,939

19,052,574

16,152,373

8,203,310

19,304,961

6.4%

7.0%

5.9%

3.0%

7.1%

17,374,939

19,116,145

16,152,373

8,203,310

19,304,961

6.4%

7.0%

5.9%

3.0%

7.1%

1  Including Ordinary Shares issued under the 2018 LTIP.

94

95

GovernanceUniphar plc Annual Report 2021FINANCIAL 
STATEMENTS

Independent auditors’ report 

Group Income Statement  

Group Statement of Comprehensive Income  

Group Balance Sheet 

Company Balance Sheet 

Group Cash Flow Statement 

Company Cash Flow Statement 

Group Statement of Changes in Equity  

Company Statement of Changes in Equity  

Accounting Policies 

Notes to the Financial Statements 

Alternative Performance Measures 

Glossary of Terms 

98

105

106

107

108

109

110

111

112

113

125

186

191

Directors, secretary and their interests in shares
The names of the persons who, at any time in the twelve months to 31 December 2021, were Directors are 
set out below. 

M. Pratt

G. Rabbette

T. Dolphin

P. Dempsey (resigned 17 December 2021)

G. Penny (resigned 12 May 2021) 

P. Staunton (resigned 12 May 2021)

S. Webb

J. Berkowitz 

P. Hogan

J. Gaul (appointed 26 January 2021)

M. McConn (resigned 26 January 2021)

L. Hoctor (appointed 26 January 2021)

The beneficial interests, including family interests, of the Directors and Company Secretary of Uniphar plc in office at 
31 December 2021 in the share capital of Uniphar plc and subsidiary undertakings were:

G. Rabbette

T. Dolphin

31 December 2021
ordinary shares 

31 December 2020
ordinary shares 

8,203,310

5,586,322

8,758,310

5,586,322

The Directors and secretary who hold less than 1% of the Company’s issued share capital are not disclosed as the 
Company is exempt under Section 260, Companies Act 2014. For further details on Director’s share awards under LTIP 
schemes, see the Remuneration Committee Report. 

Political donations
The Electoral Act, 1997, (As amended by the Electoral Political Funding Act 2012) requires companies to disclose all 
political donations to any individual party over €200 in value made during the financial year. The Directors, on enquiry, 
have satisfied themselves that no such donations in excess of this amount have been made by the Group or any of 
its subsidiaries.

Events after the Balance Sheet Date
The Group acquired three pharmacies on 31 January 2022, two from Kiely’s Chemist Limited and one from Edenmore 
Pharmacy Limited.

There have been no other material events subsequent to 31 December 2021 that would require adjustment to or 
disclosure in this report.

Dividends
Following another set of positive results for the Group, the Directors are proposing a final dividend of €2.9m. Together 
with the interim dividend of €1.5m paid in October 2021, this brings the total dividend for the year to €4.4m which is an 
increase of 5% on 2020. Subject to approval at the AGM, the proposed dividend will be paid to ordinary shareholders 
on the Company’s register at 5pm on 22 April 2022.

The Board intends to adopt a progressive dividend policy to reflect the expectation of future cash flow generation and 
the long-term earnings potential of the Group.

Auditors
The independent auditors, PricewaterhouseCoopers, have indicated their willingness to continue in office.

On behalf of the Board

M. Pratt 

G. Rabbette

96

97

Governance 
Independent auditors’ report to the members of Uniphar plc

Independent auditors’ report to the members of Uniphar plc
continued

Report on the audit of the financial statements
Opinion

In our opinion, Uniphar plc’s Group financial statements and Company financial statements (the “financial statements”):
 » give a true and fair view of the Group’s and the Company’s assets, liabilities and financial position as at 31 December 2021 

and of the Group’s profit and the Group’s and the Company’s cash flows for the year then ended;

 » have been properly prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRSs”) as adopted by the 
European Union and, as regards the Company’s financial statements, as applied in accordance with the provisions of the 
Companies Act 2014; and

 » have been properly prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2014.

We have audited the financial statements, included within the Annual Report, which comprise:
 »
 »
 »
 »
 »
 »
 »

the Group and Company Balance Sheets as at 31 December 2021;
the Group Income Statement for the year then ended;
the Group Statement of Comprehensive Income for the year then ended;
the Group and Company Cash Flow Statements for the year then ended;
the Group and Company Statements of Changes in Equity for the year then ended;
the accounting policies; and
the notes to the financial statements.

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (Ireland) (“ISAs (Ireland)”) and applicable 
law. Our responsibilities under ISAs (Ireland) are further described in the Auditors’ responsibilities for the audit of the financial 
statements section of our report. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a 
basis for our opinion.

Independence
We remained independent of the Group in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial 
statements in Ireland, which includes IAASA’s Ethical Standard as applicable to listed entities, and we have fulfilled our other 
ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements.

Our audit approach

Overview

Materiality

Materiality

Audit 
scope

Key audit 
matters

 » €2.5 million (2020: €1.9 million) - Group financial statements
 » Based on c. 5% of profit before tax, before exceptional items.
 » €2.8 million (2020: €2.6 million) - Company financial statements
 » Based on c. 1% of net assets. For Group audit purposes a materiality level 
that is lower than the Group financial statements materiality was applied to 
balances that did not eliminate in the Group financial statements.

Audit scope

 » Our audit work addressed each of the Group’s three operating segments: 
Commercial & Clinical Services, Product Access Services and Supply 
Chain & Retail Services. Each of these consists of a number of 
reporting components.

 » We performed full scope audits of the complete financial information of eight 
reporting components, which in our view required an audit of their complete 
financial information due to their size and financial significance or risk 
factors to the Group, and a further two reporting components.

 » These components account for in excess of 80% of Revenues, in excess of 
70% of Profit before tax, before exceptional items and in excess of 80% of 
Total assets of the Group.
In addition, specified audit procedures on selected account balances, 
classes of transactions or disclosures were performed at ten other reporting 
components within the Group.

 »

Key audit matters

 » Goodwill impairment assessment.
 » Accounting for material acquisitions.
 »
IT Systems outage - Sisk Healthcare.

The scope of our audit
As part of designing our audit, we determined materiality and assessed the risks of material misstatement in the financial 
statements. In particular, we looked at where the directors made subjective judgements, for example in respect of significant 
accounting estimates that involved making assumptions and considering future events that are inherently uncertain. As in all 
of our audits we also addressed the risk of management override of internal controls, including evaluating whether there was 
evidence of bias by the directors that represented a risk of material misstatement due to fraud.

Key audit matters
Key audit matters are those matters that, in the auditors’ professional judgement, were of most significance in the audit of the 
financial statements of the current period and include the most significant assessed risks of material misstatement (whether 
or not due to fraud) identified by the auditors, including those which had the greatest effect on: the overall audit strategy; the 
allocation of resources in the audit; and directing the efforts of the engagement team. These matters, and any comments we 
make on the results of our procedures thereon, were addressed in the context of our audit of the financial statements as a 
whole, and in forming our opinion thereon, and we do not provide a separate opinion on these matters.

This is not a complete list of all risks identified by our audit.

98

99

Financial StatementsUniphar plc Annual Report 2021Independent auditors’ report to the members of Uniphar plc
continued

Independent auditors’ report to the members of Uniphar plc
continued

Key audit matter

How our audit addressed the key audit matter

Key audit matter

How our audit addressed the key audit matter

Goodwill impairment assessment

Refer to “Intangible assets” and “Impairment of assets” 
on pages 115 and 116 (Accounting policies), “Impairment 
assessment of goodwill and other non-current assets” in 
note 1 (“Significant estimates and judgements”) and note 
10 (“Intangible Assets”).

The carrying value of goodwill at 31 December 2021 is 
c. €425m, representing approximately 45% of the Group’s 
total assets.

The carrying amount of goodwill attributed to each Cash 
Generating Unit (“CGU”) is tested for impairment annually, 
or more frequently if events or changes in circumstances 
indicate that it might be impaired.

We determined this to be a key audit matter due to 
the level of judgement required by management in 
determining the recoverable amount of goodwill, and the 
assumptions used in the calculation of its value-in-use.

Key assumptions used to develop the estimation of value- 
in-use at 31 December 2021 include the growth rates for 
revenue, cost inflation, terminal growth values and the 
discount rate.

We considered management’s impairment model for each 
CGU and evaluated the methodology used and the key 
assumptions therein. We also tested the mathematical 
accuracy of the impairment models.

We agreed the cash flow forecasts for 2022 to 2026 to 
Board approved plans.

We assessed the reasonableness of estimates of future 
revenue from product sales and costs included in the 
cash flow forecasts by comparing relevant assumptions 
to historical performance and economic forecasts, as 
appropriate. We challenged management’s long-term 
growth rates and long-term inflation rates with reference 
to OECD published economic forecasts data.

We evaluated the discount rate used by management 
and the terminal growth value used, with the assistance 
of PwC valuation experts, through comparison to 
industry peers.

We also performed a sensitivity analysis using alternative 
reasonably possible assumptions for estimating the 
value- in-use.

Based on the results of our procedures we were satisfied 
that no impairment charge was required.

We also assessed the appropriateness of the disclosures in 
note 10 regarding the impairment assessment of goodwill.

Accounting for material acquisitions

Refer to “Business combinations” on page 118 
(Accounting policies), “Business combinations” and 
“Provisions” under note 1 (“Significant estimates and 
judgements”), note 19 (“Provisions”), note 10 (“Intangible 
Assets”) and note 35 (“Acquisitions of subsidiary 
undertakings and business assets”).

During 2021, the Group completed six acquisitions. 
Management determined that all acquisitions met the 
definition of a business combination under IFRS 3 
‘Business Combinations’. For certain of the acquisitions the 
total consideration includes an estimate for consideration 
that is contingent on future trading performance. As set out 
in note 10, goodwill of €55.3m was recognised in the year.

We determined the accounting for acquisitions to be a 
key audit matter due to their significance to the financial 
statements and the complexity and judgement involved 
in determining the fair value of the deferred contingent 
consideration payable, and the remeasurement of 
deferred contingent consideration from prior year 
acquisitions, which are based on achievement of specified 
future profitability targets. Management’s assessment in 
relation to these targets is a significant assumption.

IT Systems outage - Sisk Healthcare

On 26 October 2021, an IT outage was experienced by 
the Sisk Healthcare Group, which lasted for approximately 
six weeks. This matter, including the Group’s response 
and governance, has been set out in the Audit, Risk and 
Compliance Committee report on page 74.

We determined this incident to be a key audit matter as it is 
a significant event in the period that impacted on our audit.

We read the legal agreements for each acquisition to 
obtain an understanding of the structure and key terms of 
each transaction.

We challenged the reasonableness of the significant 
assumptions used in the measurement of the fair value 
of the deferred contingent consideration pertaining to the 
acquisitions. This included considering management’s 
assessment of the likelihood of the specified future 
profitability targets being achieved, including considering 
the growth rates used against OECD published economic 
forecasts for the region in which each acquired entity 
operates and other relevant factors.

We also assessed, with the assistance of a PwC 
valuations expert, the discount rate applied.

We found that the assumptions used fell within a 
reasonable range.

We also assessed the appropriateness of the disclosures 
in the financial statements.

We obtained an understanding of management’s project 
plan to review, assess and address the impact of the 
incident on financial reporting, including the controls put in 
place by management. We performed a risk assessment 
of the impact of the incident on the financial statements 
and amended our originally planned audit approach. Our 
revised approach included additional substantive audit 
testing on transactions recorded in the outage period and 
on selected year end balances.

How we tailored the audit scope
We tailored the scope of our audit to ensure that we performed enough work to be able to give an opinion on the financial 
statements as a whole, taking into account the structure of the Group, the accounting processes and controls, and the industry 
in which the Group operates.

The Group is structured along three operating segments being Commercial & Clinical, Product Access and Supply Chain 
& Retail. Each operating segment comprises a number of reporting components. The Group financial statements are a 
consolidation of 46 reporting components across the three operating segments. In establishing the overall approach to the 
Group audit, we identified eight reporting components, which in our view required an audit of their complete financial information 
due to their size and financial significance or risk factors to the Group, and a further two reporting components. These 
components account for in excess of 80% of Revenues, in excess of 70% of Profit before tax, before exceptional items and in 
excess of 80% of Total assets of the Group. In addition, specified audit procedures on selected account balances, classes of 
transactions or disclosures were performed at ten other reporting components within the Group.

This together with the work we performed at Group over central functions, IT systems and areas of judgement including the key 
audit matters noted above, taxation and business combinations gave us the comfort we required in respect of our audit of the 
financial statements.

100

101

Financial StatementsUniphar plc Annual Report 2021Independent auditors’ report to the members of Uniphar plc
continued

Independent auditors’ report to the members of Uniphar plc
continued

Materiality
The scope of our audit was influenced by our application of materiality. We set certain quantitative thresholds for materiality. 
These, together with qualitative considerations, helped us to determine the scope of our audit and the nature, timing and 
extent of our audit procedures on the individual financial statement line items and disclosures and in evaluating the effect of 
misstatements, both individually and in aggregate on the financial statements as a whole.

Based on our professional judgement, we determined materiality for the financial statements as a whole as follows:

Group financial statements

Company financial statements

Overall materiality

€2.5 million (2020: €1.9 million).

€2.8 million (2020: €2.6 million).

How we 
determined it

c. 5% of profit before tax, before 
exceptional items.

Rationale for 
benchmark applied

The Group is profit-oriented and profit 
before tax before exceptional items 
is one of the key metrics used by 
shareholders in reviewing performance 
of the Group. We consider this to be the 
most appropriate relevant performance 
metric for the shareholders of the Group.

c. 1% of net assets. For Group audit 
purposes a materiality level that is lower 
than the Group financial statements 
materiality was applied to balances 
that did not eliminate in the Group 
financial statements.

We consider net assets to be the 
appropriate benchmark given the 
Company is a holding Company with its 
main activity being the management of 
investments in subsidiaries.

We agreed with the Audit Committee that we would report to them misstatements identified during our audit above €0.1 million 
(Group audit) (2020: €0.1 million) and €0.1 million (Company audit) (2020: €0.1 million) as well as misstatements below that 
amount that, in our view, warranted reporting for qualitative reasons.

Conclusions relating to going concern

Our evaluation of the directors’ assessment of the Group and Company’s ability to continue to adopt the going concern basis of 
accounting included:

 » We checked the mathematical accuracy and estimated headroom in the going concern assessment for the period of 12 

months from the date on which the financial statements are authorised for issue.

 » We evaluated management’s assumptions for the going concern assessment.
 » We agreed the key growth and cost assumptions to the approved budgets for 2022 and 2023.
 » We considered whether the assumptions within the assessment were consistent with the assumptions made in other areas of 

our audit work, for e.g. the goodwill impairment assessment.

 » We agreed the banking facilities to the relevant loan documentation and assessed the calculations to support the expected 

covenant compliance.

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, 
individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the Group’s or the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern for 
a period of at least twelve months from the date on which the financial statements are authorised for issue.

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the directors’ use of the going concern basis of accounting in the 
preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.

However, because not all future events or conditions can be predicted, this conclusion is not a guarantee as to the Group’s or 
the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern.

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the directors with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections 
of this report.

Reporting on other information

The other information comprises all of the information in the Annual Report other than the financial statements and our auditors’ 
report thereon. The directors are responsible for the other information. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover 
the other information and, accordingly, we do not express an audit opinion or, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in 
this report, any form of assurance thereon.

In connection with our audit of the financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider 
whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit, or 
otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify an apparent material inconsistency or material misstatement, we are 
required to perform procedures to conclude whether there is a material misstatement of the financial statements or a material 
misstatement of the other information. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement 
of this other information, we are required to report that fact. We have nothing to report based on these responsibilities.

With respect to the Directors’ Report, we also considered whether the disclosures required by the Companies Act 2014 
(excluding the information included in the “Non Financial Statement” as defined by that Act on which we are not required to 
report) have been included.

Based on the responsibilities described above and our work undertaken in the course of the audit, ISAs (Ireland) and the 
Companies Act 2014 require us to also report certain opinions and matters as described below:

 »

In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit, the information given in the Directors’ Report 
(excluding the information included in the “Non Financial Statement” on which we are not required to report) for the year 
ended 31 December 2021 is consistent with the financial statements and has been prepared in accordance with the 
applicable legal requirements.

 » Based on our knowledge and understanding of the Group and Company and their environment obtained in the course of the 
audit, we have not identified any material misstatements in the Directors’ Report (excluding the information included in the 
“Non Financial Statement” on which we are not required to report).

Responsibilities for the financial statements and the audit

Responsibilities of the directors for the financial statements
As explained more fully in the Statement of Directors’ Responsibilities set out on page 93, the directors are responsible for the 
preparation of the financial statements in accordance with the applicable framework and for being satisfied that they give a true 
and fair view.

The directors are also responsible for such internal control as they determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial 
statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, the directors are responsible for assessing the Group’s and the Company’s ability to 
continue as a going concern, disclosing as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of 
accounting unless the directors either intend to liquidate the Group or the Company or to cease operations, or have no realistic 
alternative but to do so.

Auditors’ responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material 
misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditors’ report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a 
high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (Ireland) will always detect a material 
misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, 
they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

Our audit testing might include testing complete populations of certain transactions and balances, possibly using data 
auditing techniques. However, it typically involves selecting a limited number of items for testing, rather than testing complete 
populations. We will often seek to target particular items for testing based on their size or risk characteristics. In other cases, we 
will use audit sampling to enable us to draw a conclusion about the population from which the sample is selected.

A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the IAASA website at:

https://www.iaasa.ie/getmedia/b2389013-1cf6-458b-9b8f- a98202dc9c3a/Description_of_auditors_responsibilities_for_audit.pdf

This description forms part of our auditors’ report.

102

103

Financial StatementsUniphar plc Annual Report 2021Independent auditors’ report to the members of Uniphar plc
continued

Group Income Statement 
Year Ended 31 December 2021

Use of this report
This report, including the opinions, has been prepared for and only for the Company’s members as a body in accordance 
with section 391 of the Companies Act 2014 and for no other purpose. We do not, in giving these opinions, accept or assume 
responsibility for any other purpose or to any other person to whom this report is shown or into whose hands it may come save 
where expressly agreed by our prior consent in writing.

Other required reporting
Companies Act 2014 opinions on other matters

 » We have obtained all the information and explanations which we consider necessary for the purposes of our audit.
 »

In our opinion the accounting records of the Company were sufficient to permit the Company financial statements to be 
readily and properly audited.

 » The Company Balance Sheet is in agreement with the accounting records.

Other exception reporting

Directors’ remuneration and transactions
Under the Companies Act 2014 we are required to report to you if, in our opinion, the disclosures of directors’ remuneration and 
transactions specified by sections 305 to 312 of that Act have not been made. We have no exceptions to report arising from this 
responsibility.

Prior financial year Non Financial Statement
We are required to report if the company has not provided the information required by Regulation 5(2) to 5(7) of the European 
Union (Disclosure of Non-Financial and Diversity Information by certain large undertakings and groups) Regulations 2017 in 
respect of the prior financial year. We have nothing to report arising from this responsibility.

Damian Byrne
for and on behalf of PricewaterhouseCoopers
Chartered Accountants and Statutory Audit Firm
Dublin
28 February 2022

 » The maintenance and integrity of the Uniphar plc website is the responsibility of the directors; the work carried out by the 
auditors does not involve consideration of these matters and, accordingly, the auditors accept no responsibility for any 
changes that may have occurred to the financial statements since they were initially presented on the website.

 » Legislation in the Republic of Ireland governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from 

legislation in other jurisdictions.

2021
Pre-
exceptional
€’000

2021
Exceptional
(note 4)
€’000

Notes

2021
Total

€’000

2020
Pre-
exceptional
€’000

2020
Exceptional
(note 4)
€’000

2020
Total

€’000

2

3

6

7

1,943,149
(1,668,652)

274,497
(60,712)
(154,471)
237

-
-

1,943,149
(1,668,652)

1,823,854
(1,606,602)

-
-

1,823,854
(1,606,602)

-
-
(14,404)
-

274,497
(60,712)
(168,875)
237

217,252
(55,446)
(115,328)
241

-
-
(6,775)
-

217,252
(55,446)
(122,103)
241

59,551

(14,404)

45,147

46,719

(6,775)

39,944

(9,107)

19,761 

10,654

(8,352)

1,939

(6,413)

50,444
(8,456)

5,357
777

55,801
(7,679)

38,367
(5,720)

(4,836)
-

33,531
(5,720)

Revenue 
Cost of sales 

Gross profit
Selling and distribution costs
Administrative expenses
Other operating income

Operating profit

Finance income/(cost) 

Profit before tax
Income tax expense

Profit for the financial year

41,988

6,134

48,122

32,647

(4,836)

27,811

27

Attributable to:
Owners of the parent
Non-controlling interests

Profit for the financial year

Attributable to:
Continuing operations

Profit for the financial year

Earnings per ordinary share (in cent):
Continuing operations

Basic and diluted earnings per share 
(in cent)

8

48,077
45

48,122

48,122

48,122

17.8

17.8

27,827
(16)

27,811

27,811

27,811

10.6

10.6

104

105

Financial StatementsUniphar plc Annual Report 2021Group Statement of Comprehensive Income 
Year Ended 31 December 2021

Group Balance Sheet
As at 31 December 2021

Notes

2021
€’000

2020
€’000

Notes

2021
€’000

2020
€’000

Profit for the financial year

48,122

27,811

Other comprehensive income
Items that may be reclassified to the Income Statement:
Unrealised foreign currency translation adjustments

Items that will not be reclassified to the Income Statement:
Actuarial (loss)/gain in respect of defined benefit pension schemes
Deferred tax charge on defined benefit pension schemes

Total comprehensive income for the financial year

Attributable to:
Owners of the parent
Non-controlling interests

Total comprehensive income for the financial year

Attributable to:
Continuing operations

Total comprehensive income for the financial year

20
13

27

6,464

(4,564)

(9)
-

303
(38)

54,577

23,512

54,532
45

54,577

54,577

54,577

23,528
(16)

23,512

23,512

23,512

106

ASSETS
Non-current assets 
Intangible assets – goodwill
Intangible assets – other assets
Property, plant and equipment, and right-of-use assets 
Financial assets – Investments in equity instruments
Deferred tax asset 
Other receivables
Employee benefit surplus

Total non-current assets

Current assets
Assets held for sale
Inventory 
Trade and other receivables 
Cash and cash equivalents 
Restricted cash

Total current assets

Total assets 

EQUITY 
Capital and reserves
Called up share capital presented as equity
Share premium
Share based payment reserve
Other reserves
Retained earnings

Attributable to owners 
Attributable to non-controlling interests 

Total equity

LIABILITIES 
Non-current liabilities 
Borrowings 
Provisions 
Lease obligations
Other non-current payables 

Total non-current liabilities

Current liabilities 
Borrowings 
Lease obligations
Trade and other payables

Total current liabilities

Total liabilities 

Total equity and liabilities 

On behalf of the Board
M. Pratt 

G. Rabbette

107

10
10
11
12
13
16
20

14
15
16
17
17

23
24
28
25
26

27

18
19
21
22

18
21
22

425,160
20,777
152,483
25
2,166
388
-

600,999

1,600
112,312
152,057
78,025
-

343,994

944,993

21,841
176,501
183
5,364
47,555

251,444
120

251,564

124,601
90,401
104,720
-

319,722

1,721
14,358
357,628

373,707

693,429

944,993

360,745
19,211
153,745
25
3,933
1,097
12

538,768

2,300
115,566
124,876
60,410
3,097

306,249

845,017

21,841
176,501
-
(1,100)
5,218

202,460
75

202,535

95,615
86,768
107,203
4,603

294,189

2,311
13,334
332,648

349,293

642,482

845,017

Financial StatementsUniphar plc Annual Report 2021 
Company Balance Sheet
As at 31 December 2021

ASSETS
Non-current assets 
Intangible assets 
Property, plant and equipment, and right-of-use assets 
Financial assets – Investments in subsidiaries 
Financial assets – Investments in equity instruments
Deferred tax asset 
Other receivables

Total non-current assets

Current assets
Trade and other receivables 
Amounts due from subsidiaries
Cash and cash equivalents 
Restricted cash

Total current assets

Total assets 

EQUITY 
Capital and reserves
Called up share capital presented as equity
Share premium
Share based payment reserve
Other reserves
Retained earnings

Total equity

LIABILITIES 
Non-current liabilities 
Borrowings 
Provisions 
Lease obligations

Total non-current liabilities

Current liabilities 
Lease obligations
Amounts owed to subsidiaries
Trade and other payables

Total current liabilities

Total liabilities 

Total equity and liabilities 

Group Cash Flow Statement
Year Ended 31 December 2021

Notes

2021
€’000

2020
€’000

Notes

2021
€’000

2020
€’000

10
11
12
12
13
16

16
16
17
17

23
24
28
25
26

18
19
21

21
22
22

1,519
41,228
291,500
25
1,871
202

336,345

1,223
266,428
2,105
-

269,756

606,101

21,841
176,501
183
60
76,367

274,952

124,601
2,428
41,230

168,259

3,804
143,015
16,071

162,890

331,149

606,101

-
44,355
291,407
25
2,232
412

338,431

4,923
362,271
3,234
2,100

372,528

710,959

21,841
176,501
-
60
60,766

259,168

95,336
32,440
42,443

170,219

3,377
270,023
8,172

281,572

451,791

710,959

Operating activities
Cash inflow from operating activities
Proceeds from non-recourse financing 
Payment of deferred contingent consideration
Interest paid
Interest paid on lease liabilities 
Corporation tax payments

Net cash inflow from operating activities

Investing activities 
Payments to acquire property, plant and equipment – Maintenance 
Payments to acquire property, plant and equipment – Strategic projects
Receipts from disposal of property, plant and equipment
Payments to acquire intangible assets – Maintenance 
Payments to acquire intangible assets – Strategic projects 
Receipts from disposal of assets held for sale 
Payments to acquire subsidiary undertakings
Cash acquired on acquisition of subsidiary undertakings
Restricted cash acquired on acquisition of subsidiary undertakings
Debt acquired on acquisition of subsidiary undertakings
Receipts/(payments) on prior year acquisitions
Payment of deferred and deferred contingent consideration
Receipt of deferred consideration receivable

Net cash outflow from investing activities

Financing activities 
Proceeds from borrowings
Repayments of borrowings 
Decrease in invoice discounting facilities 
Movement in restricted cash 
Payment of dividends
Payment of facility termination fee 
Principal element of lease payments 

Net cash inflow/(outflow) from financing activities

Increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents in the year
Foreign currency translation on cash and cash equivalents
Opening balance cash and cash equivalents 

Closing balance cash and cash equivalents

29
32

21

14

35
35
35

30

32

30

17

17

68,376
-
(1,250)
(3,118)
(3,772)
(8,059)

52,177

(8,795)
(1,730)
35
(3,904)
-
350
(32,285)
5,718
-
(352)
3,428
(12,323)
200

66,371
12,000
-
(2,870)
(2,988)
(6,535)

65,978

(6,487)
(7,832)
123
(1,412)
(6)
5,685
(54,447)
7,689
1,027
(16,800)
(2,916)
(35,305)
355

(49,658)

(110,326)

42,692
(13,946)
-
3,097
(5,731)
-
(12,853)

113,799
(103,928)
(1,505)
(955)
(1,993)
(5,000)
(9,133)

13,259

(8,715)

15,778
1,837
60,410

78,025

(53,063)
(567)
114,040

60,410

The profit recorded in the financial statements of the Company for the year ended 31 December 2021 was €21,332,000 
(2020: €34,428,000). As permitted by Section 304 of the Companies Act 2014, the Income Statement of the Company has 
not been separately presented in the financial statements.

On behalf of the Board
M. Pratt 

G. Rabbette

108

109

Financial StatementsUniphar plc Annual Report 2021 
Company Cash Flow Statement
Year Ended 31 December 2021

Operating activities
Cash outflow from operating activities
Interest paid
Interest paid on lease liabilities 

Net cash outflow from operating activities

Investing activities 
Payments to acquire subsidiary undertakings
Receipts on prior year acquisitions
Payments of deferred and deferred contingent consideration
Receipt of deferred consideration receivable

Net cash outflow from investing activities

Financing activities 
Proceeds from borrowings
Repayments of borrowings 
Movement in restricted cash 
Payment of dividends
Payment of facility termination fee 
Principal element of lease payments 

Net cash inflow from financing activities

Decrease in cash and cash equivalents in the year
Opening balance cash and cash equivalents 

Closing balance cash and cash equivalents

Notes

2021
€’000

2020
€’000

29

21

30

32

30
17

17

(16,283)
(1,881)
(1,403)

(34,328)
(1,260)
(1,398)

(19,567)

(36,986)

-
3,585
(8,147)
200

(990)
-
(29,460)
-

(4,362)

(30,450)

42,340
(13,075)
2,100
(5,731)
-
(2,834)

96,997
(84,284)
42
(1,993)
(5,000)
(2,420)

22,800

3,342

(1,129)
3,234

2,105

(64,094)
67,328

3,234

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111

Financial StatementsUniphar plc Annual Report 2021 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Accounting Policies

Basis of preparation

The consolidated financial statements of Uniphar plc and its subsidiaries (the ‘Group’) have been prepared in accordance 
with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and interpretations issued by the IFRS Interpretations Committee 
(IFRS IC) applicable to companies reporting under IFRS, as adopted by the EU. The financial statements comply with IFRS 
as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB), as adopted by the EU and as applied in accordance with 
the Companies Acts 2014. 

Uniphar plc is incorporated in the Republic of Ireland under registration number 224324 with a registered office at 4045 
Kingswood Road, Citywest Business Park, Co. Dublin, D24 V06K. 

The parent Company’s financial statements are prepared using accounting policies which are consistent with the accounting 
policies applied to the consolidated financial statements by the Group. The accounting policies are set out below and they 
have also been applied consistently by all of the Group’s subsidiaries and joint ventures to all years presented in these 
financial statements.

Going concern

The Directors have made appropriate enquiries and carried out a thorough review of the Group’s forecasts, projections, 
and available banking facilities, taking account of possible changes in trading performance and considering business risk.

Uniphar plays a significant role in the healthcare sector, ensuring continuity in the supply and distribution of much needed 
medicines, medical devices, and related services.

The Group has a robust capital structure with strong liquidity, supported into the future by the banking facility with a remaining 
term of 3.5 years (with two options to extend by a further one year). This continues to provide a solid platform for the Group to 
deal with the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Having regard to the factors outlined above and noting the financial impact of the recently announced acquisitions, the Directors 
have a reasonable expectation that the Group has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable 
future, being a period of 12 months from the date of approval of these financial statements. As a result, the Directors consider 
that it is appropriate to continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the financial statements.

Basis of consolidation

The Group’s financial statements are prepared for the year ended 31 December 2021. The annual financial statements 
incorporate the Company and all of its subsidiary undertakings. A subsidiary undertaking is consolidated by reference to 
whether the Group has control over the subsidiary undertaking. The Group controls an entity when the Group is exposed to, 
or has rights to, variable returns from its involvement with the entity and has the ability to affect those returns through its power 
to direct the activities of the entity.

The results of all Group undertakings are prepared to the Group’s financial year end. The principal subsidiaries of the Group 
are listed in note 37. The attributable results of acquisitions are included in the financial statements from the date of acquisition. 
The results of the subsidiary undertakings disposed of are included in the consolidated Income Statement and Cash Flow 
Statement up to the date control ceases. Intergroup transactions are eliminated on consolidation in the preparation of the 
Group’s financial statements. 

New Standards, Amendments and Interpretations

The Group has applied the following standards and amendments for the first time for their annual reporting period commencing 
1 January 2021:

 »
 »

Interest Rate Benchmark Reform - Phase 2
‘Leases’ – Covid-19 related rent concessions – amendment to IFRS16

These amendments listed above did not have any impact on the amounts recognised in prior periods and are not expected to 
significantly affect the current or future periods.

113

Financial StatementsUniphar plc Annual Report 2021  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Accounting Policies
continued

New standards and interpretations not yet adopted

The following accounting standards and interpretations have been published that are not mandatory for 31 December 2021 
reporting periods and have not been early adopted by the Group:

 » Amendments to IFRS 3, ‘Business combinations’ reference to the conceptual framework
 » Amendments to IAS 16, ‘Property, plant and equipment’ proceeds before intended use
 » Amendments to IAS 37, ‘Provisions, contingent liabilities and contingent assets’ cost of fulfilling a contract
 » Annual improvements to IFRS standards 2018-2020
 » Amendments to IAS 1, ‘Presentation of financial statements’, on classification of liabilities
 » Amendments to IAS 1, Practice statement 2 and IAS 8
 » Amendment to IAS 12 – deferred tax related to assets and liabilities arising from a single transaction

These standards are not expected to have a material impact in the current or future reporting periods and on foreseeable future 
transactions.

Historical cost convention

The financial statements have been prepared on a historical cost basis, except for the following: 

 »

Investments in equity, financial assets and liabilities, certain classes of property, plant and equipment – measured at 
fair value; and

 » Defined benefit pension plans – plan assets measured at fair value. 

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with IFRS requires management to make estimates and assumptions 
that affect the reported amount of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the 
financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ 
from those estimates. The areas involving a high degree of judgement or complexity, or areas where assumptions and estimates 
are significant in relation to the consolidated financial statements are set out in note 1.

Foreign currency translation

(i) 

Functional currency and presentational currency 

Items included in the financial statements of each of the Group’s entities are measured using the currency of the primary 
economic environment in which the entity operates (‘the functional currency’). The functional currency of the parent company 
is Euro. The consolidated financial statements and parent company financial statements are presented in Euro.

(ii) 

Transactions and balances 

Foreign currency transactions are translated into the functional currency using the exchange rates at the dates of the 
transactions. Foreign exchange gains and losses resulting from the settlement of such transactions and from the translation of 
monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies at year end exchange rates are generally recognised in the 
Income Statement.

Accounting Policies
continued

iv) Net investment hedge

Net investment hedges are foreign currency borrowings used to finance or provide a hedge against Group equity investments 
in non-euro denominated operations to the extent that they are neither planned nor expected to be repaid in the foreseeable 
future or are expected to provide an effective hedge of the net investment. When the hedge is deemed to be effective, foreign 
exchange differences are taken directly to the foreign currency translation reserve. The ineffective portion of any gain or loss 
on the hedging instrument is recognised immediately in the Income Statement. Cumulative gains and losses remain in equity 
until disposal of the net investment in the foreign operation at which point the related differences are transferred to the Income 
Statement as part of the overall gain or loss on sale.

Intangible assets 

(i) 

Goodwill

Goodwill on acquisitions of subsidiaries is included in intangible assets. Goodwill is not amortised, but it is tested for impairment 
annually, or more frequently if events or changes in circumstances indicate that it might be impaired and is carried at cost 
less accumulated impairment losses. Goodwill is allocated to cash-generating units for the purpose of impairment testing. 
The allocation is made to those cash-generating units or groups of cash-generating units that are expected to benefit from the 
business combination in which the goodwill arose. The units or groups of units are identified at the lowest level at which goodwill 
is monitored for internal management purposes.

(ii)  Computer software

Computer software, including computer software which is not an integrated part of an item of computer hardware and cloud 
computing arrangements, are stated at cost less any accumulated amortisation and any accumulated impairment losses. Cost 
comprises purchase price and any other directly attributable costs. 

Computer software is recognised if it meets the following criteria:

 » an asset can be separately identified;
 »
 »
 »
 »

it is probable that the asset created will generate future economic benefits;
the development cost of the asset can be measured reliably;
it is probable that the expected future economic benefits that are attributable to the asset will flow to the entity; and 
the cost of the asset can be measured reliably.

Costs relating to the development of computer software for internal use are capitalised once the recognition criteria outlined 
above are met. Computer software is amortised over its expected useful life of five years, by charging equal instalments to 
the Income Statement from the date the assets are ready for use. 

(iii)  Trademarks

Trademarks are shown at historical cost. Trademarks have a finite useful life and are carried at cost less accumulated 
amortisation. Amortisation is calculated using the straight-line method to allocate the cost of trademarks over their estimated 
useful lives of five years.

Foreign exchange gains and losses are presented in the Income Statement on a net basis within administrative expenses.

(iv) 

Intangible Assets – Acquired

Non-monetary items that are measured at fair value in a foreign currency are translated using the exchange rates at the date 
when the fair value was determined. Translation differences on assets and liabilities carried at fair value are reported as part 
of the fair value gain or loss. For example, translation differences on non-monetary assets and liabilities such as equities held 
at fair value through the Income Statement are recognised in the Income Statement as part of the fair value gain or loss and 
translation differences on non-monetary assets such as equities classified as investments in equity instruments are recognised 
in Other Comprehensive Income (OCI).

(iii)  Foreign currency translation

Goodwill and fair value adjustments arising on the acquisition of a foreign operation are treated as assets and liabilities of the 
foreign operation and translated at the closing rate.

Intangible assets that are acquired by the Group in a business combination are stated at cost less accumulated amortisation 
and impairment losses, when separable or arising from contractual or other legal rights and when they can be measured reliably. 

Intangible assets are amortised on a straight-line basis. The Brand Name is amortised over its expected useful life of 10 years, 
the Technology asset is amortised over its expected useful life of three years and the Customer Relationships are amortised 
over five years.

Amortisation periods, useful lives, expected patterns of consumption and residual values are reviewed at each financial year 
end. Changes in the expected useful life or the expected pattern of consumption of future economic benefits are embodied in 
the asset and are accounted for by changing the amortisation period or method as appropriate on a prospective basis.

114

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Financial StatementsUniphar plc Annual Report 2021 
Accounting Policies
continued

Impairment of assets 

Goodwill has an indefinite useful life, is not subject to amortisation and is tested annually for impairment, or more frequently if 
events or changes in circumstances indicate that it might be impaired. Other assets are tested for impairment whenever events 
or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable. An impairment loss is recognised for 
the amount by which the asset’s carrying amount exceeds its recoverable amount. The recoverable amount is the higher of an 
asset’s fair value less costs of disposal and value in use. For the purposes of assessing impairment, assets are grouped at the 
lowest levels for which there are separately identifiable cash inflows which are largely independent of the cash inflows from 
other assets or groups of assets (cash-generating units). Non-financial assets other than goodwill that suffered an impairment 
are reviewed for possible reversal of the impairment at the end of each reporting period. 

Property, plant and equipment

Property, plant and equipment are stated at cost or deemed cost as appropriate less accumulated depreciation. 
Freehold property in Ireland was revalued to fair value and is measured on the basis of deemed cost being the revalued 
amount at the date of that revaluation less accumulated depreciation.

Depreciation is calculated in order to write off the cost of property, plant and equipment, other than land and assets under 
construction, over their estimated useful lives by equal annual instalments.

The estimated useful lives of property, plant and equipment by reference to which depreciation has been calculated are as follows: 

Freehold buildings 
Leasehold improvements 
Plant and equipment 
Fixtures and fittings 
Computer equipment 
Motor vehicles 
Instruments 

Land is not being depreciated.

50 years
10 years
3 - 10 years
10 years
3 - 5 years
5 years
3 years

Property, plant and equipment and intangible assets recognised as a right-of-use asset in accordance with IFRS 16 are 
depreciated over the right-of-use asset’s useful life on a straight-line basis. The average useful life of each of the right-of-use 
asset classes are as follows:

Leasehold buildings 
Plant and equipment 
Motor vehicles 
Computer software 

Assets held for sale

13 years
4 years
3 years
5 years

Non-current assets that are expected to be recovered principally through sale rather than continuing use and meet the IFRS 5 
criteria are classified as held for sale. These assets are shown in the Balance Sheet at the lower of their carrying amount and 
fair value less any costs to sell. Impairment losses on initial classification as non-current assets held for sale and subsequent 
gains or losses on re-measurement are recognised in the Income Statement.

Financial assets – Investments in subsidiaries

Investments in subsidiaries are stated at cost less any accumulated impairment and are reviewed for impairment if there are 
indications that the carrying amount may not be recoverable. They are assessed for impairment annually as part of the Group’s 
overall impairment assessment. 

Investments and other financial assets 

(i) 

Classification

The Group classifies its financial assets in the following measurement categories: 

 »
 »

those to be measured subsequently at fair value (either through OCI or through profit or loss), and
those to be measured at amortised cost.

Accounting Policies
continued

Investments and other financial assets continued

The classification depends on the entity’s business model for managing the financial assets and the contractual terms of 
the cash flows. 

(ii)  Recognition and derecognition 

Financial assets are derecognised when the rights to receive cash flows from the financial assets have expired or have been 
transferred and the Group has transferred substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership. 

(iii)  Measurement

At initial recognition, the Group measures a financial asset at its fair value plus, in the case of a financial asset not at fair value 
through the profit or loss, transaction costs that are directly attributable to the acquisition of the financial asset. Transaction costs 
of financial assets carried at fair value through the profit or loss are expensed in the Income Statement.

Debt instruments
Subsequent measurement of debt instruments depends on the Group’s business model for managing the asset and the cash 
flow characteristics of the asset. There are three measurement categories into which the Group classifies its debt instruments:

 » Amortised cost: Assets that are held for collection of contractual cash flows where those cash flows represent solely 

payments of principal and interest are measured at amortised cost. Interest income from these financial assets is included in 
finance income using the effective interest rate method. Any gain or loss arising on derecognition is recognised directly in the 
Income Statement and presented in other gains/(losses) together with foreign exchange gains and losses. Impairment losses 
are presented as separate line item in the Income Statement; 

 » Fair value through Other Comprehensive Income (FVOCI): Assets that are held for collection of contractual cash flows 

and for selling the financial assets, where the assets’ cash flows represent solely payments of principal and interest, are 
measured at FVOCI. Movements in the carrying amount are taken through OCI, except for the recognition of impairment 
gains or losses, interest income and foreign exchange gains and losses which are recognised in the Group Income 
Statement. When the financial asset is derecognised, the cumulative gain or loss previously recognised in OCI is reclassified 
from equity to the Group Income Statement; and 

 » Fair value through profit or loss (FVPL): Assets that do not meet the criteria for amortised cost or FVOCI are measured 
at FVPL. A gain or loss on a debt investment that is subsequently measured at FVPL is recognised in the Group Income 
Statement in the period in which it arises. 

Loans and receivables
Loans and receivables are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

Financial guarantee contracts
Financial guarantee contracts are recognised as a financial liability at the time the guarantee is issued. The liability is initially 
measured at fair value and subsequently at the higher of:

 »
 »

the amount determined in accordance with the expected credit loss model under IFRS 9 Financial Instruments; and
the amount initially recognised less, where appropriate, the cumulative amount of income recognised in accordance with the 
principles of IFRS 15 Revenue from Contracts with Customers.

The fair value of financial guarantees is determined based on the present value of the difference in cash flows between the 
contractual payments required under the debt instrument and the payments that would be required without the guarantee, 
or the estimated amount that would be payable to a third party for assuming the obligations. Where guarantees in relation to 
loans or other payables of associates are provided for no compensation, the fair values are accounted for as contributions and 
recognised as part of the cost of the investment.

Facility termination fees
Facility termination fees are initially recognised at fair value on the date a contract is entered into and are subsequently 
remeasured to their fair value at the end of each reporting period through the Income Statement.

Equity instruments
Investments in equity instruments are subsequently carried at fair value through OCI. Gains or losses arising from changes, 
due to both translation differences and other changes, in the fair value are recognised in OCI.

Details on how the fair value of financial instruments is determined are disclosed in note 32.

116

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Financial StatementsUniphar plc Annual Report 2021 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Accounting Policies
continued

Investments and other financial assets continued

(iv) 

Impairment

The Group assesses on a forward-looking basis the expected credit losses associated with its debt instruments carried at 
amortised cost and FVOCI. The impairment methodology applied depends on whether there has been a significant increase 
in credit risk.

For trade receivables, the Group applies the simplified approach permitted by IFRS 9, which requires expected lifetime losses 
to be recognised from initial recognition of the receivables.

(v) 

Income recognition

Interest income
Interest income is recognised in the Income Statement as it accrues using the effective interest method.

Dividends
Dividends are recognised as revenue when the right to receive payment is established. This applies even if they are paid out of 
pre-acquisition profits. However, the investment may need to be tested for impairment as a consequence.

Business combinations

Business combinations are accounted for using the acquisition method as at the acquisition date, which is the date on which 
control is transferred to the Group. Under the acquisition method, the assets, liabilities and contingent liabilities of an acquired 
business are initially recognised at their fair value at the date of acquisition.

Accounting Policies
continued

Borrowings

Borrowings are initially recognised at fair value, net of transaction costs incurred. Borrowings are subsequently measured at 
amortised cost. Any difference between the proceeds (net of transaction costs) and the redemption amount is recognised in 
the Income Statement over the period of the borrowings using the effective interest method. Fees paid on the establishment of 
loan facilities are recognised as transaction costs of the loan to the extent that it is probable that some or all of the facility will be 
drawn down. In this case, the fee is deferred until the draw down occurs. To the extent there is no evidence that it is probable 
that some or all of the facility will be drawn down, the fee is capitalised as a prepayment for liquidity services and amortised 
over the period of the facility to which it relates.

Borrowings are removed from the Balance Sheet when the obligation specified in the contract is discharged, cancelled, 
or expired. The difference between the carrying amount of a financial liability that has been extinguished or transferred to 
another party and the consideration paid, including any non-cash assets transferred or liabilities assumed, is recognised in 
the Income Statement as other income or finance costs.

Borrowings are classified as current liabilities unless the Group has an unconditional right to defer settlement of the liability for 
at least 12 months after the reporting period.

Cash and cash equivalents

For the purpose of presentation in the Cash Flow Statement, cash and cash equivalents includes cash on hand, deposits 
held at call with financial institutions, other short-term highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less 
that are readily convertible to known amounts of cash and which are subject to an insignificant risk of changes in value, and 
bank overdrafts.

The Group measures goodwill at the acquisition date as:

Share capital

 » The fair value of the consideration transferred; plus
 » The recognised amount of any non-controlling interests in the acquiree; plus
 »
 » The net recognised amount (generally fair value) of the identifiable assets acquired and liabilities assumed.

If the business combination is achieved in stages, the fair value of the pre-existing equity interest in the acquiree; less

When the excess is negative, a bargain purchase gain is recognised immediately in the Income Statement.

The cost of a business combination is measured as the aggregate of the fair values of any assets transferred, liabilities incurred 
or assumed, and equity instruments issued in exchange for control. The consideration transferred does not include amounts 
related to the settlement of pre-existing relationships. Such amounts are generally recognised in the Income Statement.

The fair value attributable to any non-controlling interest arising on an acquisition is calculated based on the non-controlling 
interest share of the identifiable net assets at the date of acquisition.

Where a business combination agreement provides for an adjustment to the cost of the combination, which is contingent 
on future events, the deferred contingent consideration payable is measured at fair value at the acquisition date. If the 
deferred contingent consideration is classified as equity, then it is not remeasured, and settlement is accounted for within 
equity. Otherwise, subsequent changes in the fair value of the deferred contingent consideration are recognised in the 
Income Statement.

When share-based payment awards (replacement awards) are required to be exchanged for awards held by the acquiree’s 
employees (acquiree’s awards) and relate to past services, then all or a portion of the amount of the acquirer’s replacement 
awards is included in measuring the consideration transferred in the business combination. This determination is based on the 
market-based value of the replacement awards compared with the market-based value of the acquiree’s awards and the extent 
to which the replacement awards relate to past and/or future service. 

When the initial accounting for a business combination is determined provisionally, any adjustments to the provisional values 
allocated to the identifiable assets and liabilities are made within twelve months of the acquisition date.

Transaction costs, other than those associated with the issue of debt or equity securities that the Group incurs in connection 
with completed business combinations are expensed as incurred.

Ordinary shares are classified as equity. Proceeds from the issue of ordinary shares are classified as equity. Incremental 
costs directly attributable to the issue of new shares or options are recognised directly in retained earnings within equity, net of 
any tax effects.

Leases

The Group leases various properties, plant and equipment, software and motor vehicles. Rental contracts are typically made for 
fixed periods of 1 to 30 years but may have extension options as described below. Lease terms are negotiated on an individual 
basis and contain a wide range of different terms and conditions. The lease agreements do not impose any covenants, but 
leased assets may not be used as security for borrowing purposes.

Leases are recognised as a right-of-use asset and a corresponding liability at the date at which the leased asset is available 
for use by the Group. Each lease payment is allocated between the liability and finance cost. The finance cost is charged to the 
Income Statement over the lease period to produce a constant periodic rate of interest on the remaining balance of the liability 
for each period. The right-of-use asset is depreciated over the right-of-use assets useful life on a straight-line basis.

Assets and liabilities arising from a lease are initially measured on a present value basis. Lease liabilities include the net present 
value of the following lease payments:

 » fixed payments (including in-substance fixed payments), less any lease incentives receivable;
 » variable lease payments that are based on an index or a rate;
 » amounts expected to be payable by the lessee under residual value guarantees;
 »
the exercise price of a purchase option if the lessee is reasonably certain to exercise that option; and
 » payments of penalties for terminating the lease, if the lease term reflects the lessee exercising that option.

The lease payments are discounted using the interest rate implicit in the lease, if that rate can be determined; or the Group’s 
incremental borrowing rate which is calculated using a portfolio approach, based on the nature of the lease. The discount rate 
per lease asset class is:

 » Buildings  
 » Plant and equipment  
 » Motor vehicles  
 » Computer equipment 

3%
4%
5% 
4%

118

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Financial StatementsUniphar plc Annual Report 2021Accounting Policies
continued

Leases continued

Right-of-use assets are measured at cost comprising the following:

the amount of the initial measurement of lease liability;

 »
 » any lease payments made at or before the commencement date less any lease incentives received;
 » any initial direct costs, and
 »

restoration costs.

Extension and termination options are included in a number of property and equipment leases across the Group. These terms 
are used to maximise operational flexibility in terms of managing contracts. The majority of extension and termination options 
held are exercisable only by the Group and not by the respective lessor.

Accounting Policies
continued

Income tax continued

Deferred tax assets and liabilities are not recognised for temporary differences between the carrying amount and tax bases 
of investments in foreign operations where the Company and its subsidiaries are able to control the timing of the reversal of 
the temporary differences and it is probable that the differences will not reverse in the foreseeable future.

Deferred tax assets and liabilities are offset when there is a legally enforceable right to offset current tax assets and liabilities 
and when the deferred tax balances relate to the same taxation authority. Current tax assets and tax liabilities are offset where 
the entity has a legally enforceable right to offset and intends either to settle on a net basis, or to realise the asset and settle 
the liability simultaneously.

Current and deferred tax is recognised in the Income Statement, except to the extent that it relates to items recognised in 
OCI or directly in equity. In this case, the tax is also recognised in OCI or directly in equity, respectively.

Payments associated with leases of low-value assets are recognised on a straight-line basis as an expense in the 
Income Statement. 

Trade and other payables

Low-value assets comprise of computer equipment, small items of office furniture, and in-store equipment in our 
retail pharmacies. 

Trade receivables 

Trade receivables are recognised initially at fair value and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest 
method, less provision for impairment. Provision is made using the expected credit loss model which uses a lifetime expected 
loss allowance for all trade receivables.

Inventory 

Inventories are stated at the lower of cost and net realisable value. Cost is based on the moving average cost method (and first 
in first out principle where appropriate). Moving average is a costing method used under a perpetual inventory system whereby, 
after each purchase, average unit cost is recomputed by adding the cost of purchased units to the cost of units in inventory and 
dividing by the new total number of units. The first in, first out principle includes all expenditure which has been incurred in the 
normal course of business in bringing the products to their present location and condition. Net realisable value comprises selling 
price net of trade but before settlement discounts, less all costs to be incurred in marketing, selling and distribution. 

Income tax

Trade and other payables are initially recorded at fair value, which is usually the original invoiced amount, and subsequently 
carried at amortised cost using the effective interest rate method. Liabilities are derecognised when the obligation under the 
liability is discharged, cancelled or expires.

Earnings per share

Basic earnings per share are calculated based on the profit/loss for the year attributable to owners of the Company and the 
basic weighted average number of shares outstanding. Diluted earnings per share are calculated based on the profit/loss 
for the year attributable to owners of the Company and the diluted weighted average number of shares and potential shares 
outstanding. Shares are only treated as dilutive if their dilution results in a decreased earnings per share or increased loss per 
share. Dilutive effects arise from share-based payments that are settled in shares. Conditional share awards to employees have 
a dilutive effect when the average share price during the period exceeds the exercise price of the awards and the market or non-
market conditions of the awards are met, as if the current period end were the end of the vesting period. When calculating the 
dilutive effect, the exercise price is adjusted by the value of future services that have yet to be received related to the awards.

Dividends

Dividends on ordinary shares are recognised as a liability in the financial statements only after they have been approved at the 
Annual General Meeting of the Company.

The income tax expense or credit for the period is the tax payable on the current period’s taxable income based on the 
applicable income tax rate for each jurisdiction adjusted by changes in deferred tax assets and liabilities attributable to 
temporary differences and to unused tax losses.

Employee benefits 

Share-based payments 

The current income tax charge is calculated on the basis of the tax laws enacted or substantively enacted at the end of the 
reporting period in the countries where the Company, and the Company’s subsidiaries and associates operate and generate 
taxable income. Management periodically evaluates positions taken in tax returns with respect to situations in which applicable 
tax regulation is subject to interpretation. It establishes provisions where appropriate on the basis of amounts expected to be 
paid to the tax authorities.

Deferred tax is provided in full, using the liability method, on temporary differences arising between the tax bases of assets 
and liabilities and their carrying amounts in the financial statements. However, deferred tax liabilities are not recognised if they 
arise from the initial recognition of goodwill. Deferred tax is also not accounted for if it arises from initial recognition of an asset 
or liability in a transaction other than a business combination that at the time of the transaction affects neither accounting nor 
taxable profit or loss. Deferred tax is determined using tax rates (and laws) that have been enacted or substantially enacted 
by the end of the reporting period and are expected to apply when the related deferred tax asset is realised or the deferred tax 
liability is settled.

The grant-date fair value of equity-settled share-based payment arrangements granted to employees is recognised as an 
expense, with a corresponding increase in equity, over the vesting period of the awards. The amount recognised as an expense 
is adjusted to reflect the number of awards for which the related service and non-market performance conditions are expected 
to be met, such that the amount ultimately recognised is based on the number of awards that meet the related service and non-
market performance conditions at the vesting date. 

The fair value of the amount payable to employees in respect of cash LTIP awards, which are settled in cash, is recognised as 
an expense with a corresponding increase in liabilities, over the period during which the employees become unconditionally 
entitled to payment. The liability is remeasured at each reporting date and at settlement date based on the fair value of the cash 
LTIP awards. Any changes in the liability are recognised in the Income Statement.

Certain Directors and employees may acquire shares in the Company under long-term incentive plans. The Company accounts 
for the proceeds of these share issues as and when payment of the nominal value of the share is called.

120

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Financial StatementsUniphar plc Annual Report 2021Accounting Policies
continued

Employee benefits continued 

Post-employment obligations 

Accounting Policies
continued

Revenue continued

Product Access

The liability or asset recognised in the Balance Sheet in respect of defined benefit pension plans is the present value of the 
defined benefit obligation at the end of the reporting period less the fair value of plan assets. The defined benefit obligation is 
calculated annually by independent actuaries using the projected unit credit method.

Revenue is measured at the fair value of the consideration received or receivable and represents the amount receivable for 
goods supplied or services rendered, net of value-added tax and trade discounts. Revenue arises from the sale of goods to 
retailers and hospitals.

The present value of the defined benefit obligation is determined by discounting the estimated future cash outflows using market 
yields of high-quality corporate bonds that are denominated in the currency in which the benefits will be paid, and that have 
terms approximating to the terms of the related obligation. 

The net interest cost is calculated by applying the discount rate to the net balance of the defined benefit obligation and the fair 
value of plan assets. This cost is included in finance costs in the Income Statement. 

Remeasurement gains and losses arising from experience adjustments and changes in actuarial assumptions are recognised 
in the period in which they occur, directly in OCI. They are included in retained earnings in the Statement of Changes in Equity 
and in the Balance Sheet. Changes in the present value of the defined benefit obligation resulting from plan amendments or 
curtailments are recognised immediately in the Income Statement as past service costs.

The defined contribution pension charge to operating profit comprises the contribution payable to the scheme for the year.

Revenue

Revenue is measured at the fair value of the consideration received or receivable and represents the amount receivable for 
goods supplied or services rendered, net of returns, discounts and rebates allowed by the Group and value-added tax. 

The Group bases its estimate of returns, discounts, and rebates on historical results, taking into consideration the type of 
customer, the type of transaction and the specifics of each arrangement. 

Where the consideration receivable in cash or cash equivalents is deferred, and the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, 
the fair value of the consideration is measured as the present value of all future receipts using the imputed rate of interest.

The Group recognises revenue in the amount of the price expected to be received for goods and services supplied at a point in 
time or over time, as contractual performance obligations are fulfilled, and control of goods and services passes to the customer.

In certain of the Group’s contracts where another party is involved in providing goods or services to its customer, the Group 
determines whether it is a principal or an agent in these transactions by evaluating the nature of its promise to the customer. 
The Group is a principal and records revenue on a gross basis if it controls the promised goods or services before transferring 
them to the customer. In circumstances where the Group’s role is only to arrange for another entity to provide the goods 
or services, then the Group is an agent and revenue is recognised at the net amount that it retains for its agency services. 
The Group has concluded that it is the principal in its revenue arrangements, except for certain agreements in Product Access 
where the Group’s role is only to arrange for another entity to provide the goods or services.

An analysis of the revenue recognition principles applied in each of the Group’s operating segments is provided below: 

Commercial & Clinical

Revenue is derived from the provision of goods and services falling within the Group’s ordinary activities after deduction of 
trade discounts and value-added tax. 

Sales of goods are recognised on despatch to the customer, and there is no unfulfilled performance obligation that could 
affect the customer’s acceptance of the product. Despatch occurs when the goods have been shipped to the location specified 
by the customer, the risks of obsolescence or loss have been transferred to the customer, the customer has accepted the 
products in accordance with the sales contract, the acceptance provisions have lapsed, or the company has objective evidence 
that all criteria for acceptance have been satisfied. Where sales are on a consignment basis, revenue is not recognised until 
a sale has been made to a third party. In some circumstances, goods are sold with volume rebates. Sales are measured at 
the prices specified in the sale contract, net of estimated volume rebates. Volume rebates are assessed based on anticipated 
annual purchases and historical experience.

Revenue arises from the provision of resourcing and outsourcing services and the provision of patient solution services. 
Revenue from service contracts is recognised in the financial year in which the services are rendered and when the outcome 
of the contract can be estimated reliably. 

The Group bases its estimate of returns, discounts, and rebates on historical results, taking into consideration the type of 
customer, the type of transaction and the specifics of each arrangement. The Group recognises revenue in the amount of 
the price expected to be received for goods supplied at a point in time as contractual performance obligations are fulfilled, 
and control of goods passes to the customer. Service revenue arises on the provision of product development solutions and the 
delivery of Expanded Access Programs. Revenue from service contracts is recognised in the financial year in which the services 
are rendered and when the outcome of contract can be estimated reliably.

Supply Chain & Retail – pre-wholesale and wholesale

Revenue is derived from the provision of goods and services falling within the Group’s ordinary activities after deduction of 
trade discounts and value-added tax. Revenue arises from the sale of goods to wholesalers, retailers, hospitals,the operation of 
retail pharmacies and the provision of services to retail pharmacies.

Sale of pharmaceutical and healthcare related products are recognised on delivery to the purchaser, hospital or retail 
pharmacy, when the purchaser has full discretion over the channel and price to sell the product and there is no unfulfilled 
obligation that could affect the purchaser’s acceptance of the product. Delivery occurs when the products have been shipped to 
the location specified by the purchaser, the risks of obsolescence or loss have been transferred to the purchaser, the purchaser 
has accepted the products in accordance with the sales contract, the acceptance provisions have lapsed, or the Group has 
objective evidence that all criteria for acceptance have been satisfied. 

Products sold to customers are often sold with volume rebates and also with the provision for the customer to return faulty 
goods. Sales are measured at the prices specified in the sale contract, net of estimated volume rebates and returns. 
Volume rebates are assessed based on anticipated annual purchases and historical experience.

Sales are normally made with credit terms of between 30-90 days. This element of financing is deemed immaterial and is 
disregarded in the measurement of revenue. 

Supply Chain & Retail – retail pharmacies

The Group operates retail shops for the sale of pharmacy and certain related products. Sales of products are recognised 
on sale to the customer, which is considered the point of delivery. Retail sales are usually by cash, credit or debit card and 
government reimbursement.

Cost of sales

Commercial & Clinical

The cost of sales attributable to the supply of goods includes all costs of purchase of inventory and other costs incurred net of 
value-added tax in bringing inventories for resale to their present location and condition. When inventories are sold, the carrying 
amount of those inventories is recognised as an expense in the period in which the related revenue is recognised.

The cost of sales attributable to the supply of services includes all direct costs attributable to the provision of resourcing and 
outsourcing services net of value-added tax. The cost of service is recognised as an expense in the period in which the related 
revenue is recognised.

Product Access

The cost of sales includes all direct costs attributable to the provision of services and cost of purchase of inventory for resale 
net of value-added tax. When a service is provided or inventory is sold, the cost of service or carrying amount of inventory is 
recognised as an expense in the period in which the related revenue is recognised.

The cost of sales attributable to the supply of services includes all direct costs attributable to the provision of resourcing and 
outsourcing services net of value-added tax. The cost of service is recognised as an expense in the period in which the related 
revenue is recognised.

122

123

Financial StatementsUniphar plc Annual Report 2021Accounting Policies
continued

Cost of sales continued

Supply Chain & Retail

The cost of sales includes all costs of purchase of inventory and other costs incurred net of value-added tax in bringing 
inventories for resale to their present location and condition. When inventories are sold, the carrying amount of those inventories 
is recognised as an expense in the period in which the related revenue is recognised. In addition to all direct costs attributable 
to the provision of services, the cost of service is recognised as an expense in the period in which the related revenue 
is recognised.

Exceptional items

With respect to exceptional items, the Group has applied an Income Statement format which seeks to highlight significant items 
within Group results for the year. Such items may include restructuring costs, professional fees including directly attributable 
acquisition costs, cessation of supplier contracts, acquisition integration costs, impairment of non-current assets, profit and 
loss on disposal of tangible assets and investments and deferred contingent consideration. The Group exercises judgement 
in assessing the particular items which, by virtue of their scale and nature, should be disclosed in the Income Statement and 
related notes as exceptional items.

Notes to the Financial Statements

1 

Significant estimates and judgements 

The preparation of financial statements requires the use of accounting estimates which, by definition, will seldom equal the 
actual results. Management also needs to exercise judgement in applying the Group’s accounting policies.

Management estimates and judgements

Information about critical estimates and judgements in applying accounting policies that have the most significant effect on 
the amounts recognised in the financial statements are included in the following notes:

Impairment assessment of goodwill and other non-current assets
The Group tests annually whether goodwill has suffered any impairment. Determining whether goodwill is impaired requires 
comparison of the value in use for the relevant CGUs to the net assets attributable to these CGUs. The value in use calculation 
is based on an estimate of future cash flows expected to arise from the CGUs and these are discounted to net present value 
using an appropriate discount rate. In calculating value in use, management judgement is required in forecasting cash flows of 
CGUs, in determining terminal growth values and in calculating an appropriate discount rate. The goodwill impairment test is 
sensitive to these estimates. The Group has performed sensitivity analysis over the value in use calculation with respect to the 
key estimates. Management have performed detailed sensitivity analysis on each of the CGUs by applying sensitivities to each 
of the key assumptions. This analysis resulted in an excess in the recoverable amount over their carrying amount for all CGUs. 
Management believe that any reasonable change in any of the key assumptions would not cause the carrying value of goodwill 
to exceed the recoverable amount. Further information is detailed in the intangible assets note 10. 

Business combinations
In accounting for business combinations, the identifiable assets, liabilities, and contingent liabilities acquired have to be 
measured at their fair values. Judgement is required in; estimating the fair value of inventory with reference to current selling 
prices and an assessment of obsolescence and demand for inventory; the fair value of trade debtors with reference to the 
ageing and recoverability of these, onerous contracts, the fair value of leased assets and estimating the deferred contingent 
consideration. Additionally, management judgement is also required in the identification and valuation of any potential intangible 
assets arising on acquisitions. Details concerning acquisitions and business combinations are outlined in note 35 and provisions 
relating to deferred contingent consideration are included in note 19.

IFRS 16 “Leases”
IFRS 16 “Leases” required management judgement in the selection of the appropriate discount rates to be used in the 
discounting of the expected future payments to present value. The discount rate applied is the interest rate implicit in the 
lease, if that rate can be determined, or the Group’s incremental borrowing rate which is calculated using a portfolio approach, 
based on the nature of the lease. The discount rate per lease asset class is:

 » Buildings  
 » Plant and equipment  
 » Motor vehicles  
 » Computer software 

3%
4% 
5%
4%

Impairment of inventory
The Group sells pharmaceutical, health and beauty products and medical devices. Pharmaceutical includes ethical medicines, OTC, 
hospital, and veterinary products. As a result, it is necessary to consider the recoverability of the carrying amount of inventory at the 
end of each financial year. When calculating any inventory impairment, management applies judgement in considering the nature 
and condition of the inventories, current estimated selling prices, as well as applying assumptions around anticipated saleability of 
goods held for resale. See note 15 for the carrying amount of the inventories and the provision recognised.

Revenue recognition
Management judgement is required in the assessment of whether the Group acts as an agent or a principal in transactions and 
accordingly whether revenue should be recorded on a gross or net basis. As part of this assessment, the Group has considered 
its responsibilities for fulfilling contracts, inventory risk, and establishing selling prices.

Income taxes
The Group is subject to income taxes in numerous jurisdictions and judgment is therefore required in determining the provision 
for income taxes. Provisions for taxes require judgement and estimation in interpreting tax legislation, current case law and the 
uncertain outcomes of tax audits and appeals. Where the final outcome of these matters differs from the amounts recognised, 
differences will impact the tax provisions once the outcome is known. In addition, the Group recognised deferred tax assets, 
mainly relating to unused tax losses, when it is probable that the assets will be recovered through future profitability and tax 
planning. The assessment of recoverability involves judgement. Further information is contained in note 7, income tax expense.

124

125

Financial StatementsUniphar plc Annual Report 20211 

Significant estimates and judgements continued

Provisions
The amount recognised for a provision is management’s best estimate of the expenditure to be incurred. Provisions are 
measured at each Balance Sheet date based on the best estimate of the expected settlement amount. Changes to the best 
estimate of the settlement amount may result from changes in the amount of timing of the outflows or changes in discount rates. 

Deferred contingent consideration is recognised in the Group Balance Sheet as provisions. The expected payment is 
determined in respect of each individual agreement taking into account the expected level of profitability of each acquisition. 
Deferred contingent consideration is recognised at fair value at the acquisition date and included in the cost of the business 
combination. Deferred contingent consideration arrangements are based on earn-out agreements providing for future payment 
if certain pre-defined profit targets are achieved. The fair value of deferred contingent consideration is estimated using an 
income-based approach, by estimating the expected payment based on the forecasted performance of the acquired business 
and discounting the expected future payment to present value using an appropriate discount rate. The movement in deferred 
contingent consideration in the period is outlined in note 19. Further details on measurement, sensitivities applied, and maturity 
profile are outlined in note 32.

Useful economic lives of property, plant and equipment (including lease assets) and intangible assets
Determining the useful life of property, plant and equipment and intangible assets requires judgement. Management regularly 
reviews the useful economic lives and residual values. They are amended when necessary to reflect current estimates, based 
on technological advancement, economic utilisation and the physical condition of the assets. See note 10 and note 11 for the 
carrying amount of intangible assets and property, plant and equipment, and the depreciation charge for each class of asset, 
and the accounting policies for the useful economic lives for each class of asset.

Exceptional items
The Group Income Statement separately identifies results before exceptional items. Exceptional items are those that in our 
judgment need to be disclosed by virtue of their size, nature or incidence. The Group believes that this presentation provides 
additional analysis as it highlights one-off items and non-trading items. The determination of “significant” as included in our 
definition uses qualitative and quantitative factors which remain consistent from period to period. Management uses judgment 
in assessing the particular items, which by virtue of their scale and nature, are disclosed in the Group Income Statement and 
related notes as exceptional items. Management considers the Group Income Statement presentation of exceptional items to 
be appropriate as it provides useful additional information and is consistent with the way that financial information is measured 
by management and presented to the Board. In that regard, management believes it to be consistent with paragraph 85 of 
IAS 1 “Presentation of financial statements” (IAS 1), which permits the inclusion of line items and subtotals that improve the 
understanding of performance.

2 

Revenue

Revenue 

Commercial & Clinical
Product Access
Supply Chain & Retail

Total Revenue

2021
€’000

2020
€’000

1,943,149

1,823,854

2021
€’000

2020
€’000

299,908
157,152
1,486,089

269,780
187,505
1,366,569

1,943,149

1,823,854

The Commercial & Clinical revenue of €299,908,000 (2020: €269,780,000) consists of revenue derived from MedTech of 
€208,137,000 (2020: €199,044,000) and Pharma of €91,771,000 (2020: €70,736,000).

Segmental information

Segmental information is presented in respect of the Group’s geographical regions and operating segments. The operating 
segments are based on the Group’s management and internal reporting structures.

Geographical analysis

The Group operates in two principal geographical regions being the Republic of Ireland and the UK. The Group also operates 
in other European countries and the US which are not material for separate identification.

The following is a geographical analysis presented in accordance with IFRS 8 “Operating Segments” which requires disclosure 
of information about country of domicile (Ireland) and countries with material revenue.

Ireland
UK
Rest of the World (ROW) 

2021
€’000

2020
€’000

1,672,158
161,714
109,277

1,540,380
214,352
69,122

1,943,149

1,823,854

126

127

Financial StatementsUniphar plc Annual Report 2021Notes to the Financial StatementscontinuedNotes to the Financial Statementscontinued 
2 

Revenue continued

At 31 December 2021
Intangible assets (excluding goodwill)
Property, plant and equipment
Deferred tax asset/(liability)
Other receivables 
Financial assets – Investment in equity instruments

Non-current assets (excluding goodwill)

Goodwill

Non-current assets

At 31 December 2020
Intangible assets (excluding goodwill)
Property, plant and equipment
Deferred tax asset/(liability)
Other receivables 
Employee benefit surplus
Financial assets – Investment in equity instruments

Non-current assets (excluding goodwill)

Goodwill

Non-current assets

Ireland
€’000

17,951
141,576
2,227
313
25

162,092

Ireland
€’000

15,824
141,789
4,247
1,097
12
25

162,994

UK
€’000

429
7,670
988
-
-

9,087

UK
€’000

391
8,913
671
-
-
-

9,975

ROW
€’000

Total
€’000

2,397
3,237
(1,049)
75
-

20,777
152,483
2,166
388
25

4,660

175,839

ROW
€’000

2,996
3,043
(985)
-
-
-

5,094

425,160

600,999

Total
€’000

19,211
153,745
3,933
1,097
12
25

178,023

360,745

538,768

2 

Revenue continued

Operating segments

IFRS 8 “Operating Segments” requires the reporting information for operating segments to reflect the Group’s management 
structure and the way the financial information is regularly reviewed by the Group’s Chief Operating Decision Maker (CODM), 
which the Group has defined as the Board of Directors.

The Group operates with three divisions, being, Commercial & Clinical, Product Access, and Supply Chain & Retail. 
These divisions align to the Group’s operational and financial management structures: 

 » Commercial & Clinical provide outsourced services, specifically sales, marketing and multichannel account management 

to pharmaco-medical manufacturers, and distribution and support services to medical device manufacturers. Uniphar offer 
a fully integrated digitally enabled customer centric solution that is supported through market data, insights and digital 
programmes. We integrate these programmes with our supply chain and distribution capability to provide a full end to end 
service to manufacturers;

 » Product Access consists of two service offerings, being: On Demand and Exclusive Access. On Demand provides access to 
pharmaco-medical products and treatments, by developing valuable relationships and interactions between manufacturers 
and other healthcare stakeholders. This business operates in both the retail and hospital markets in both the Irish, UK and 
MENA markets. Exclusive Access provides bespoke distribution partnerships to pharmaceutical partners around key brands, 
with new programs focused on speciality pharmaceutical products. Delivering a unique patient support program that allows 
healthcare professionals to connect with patients, on a global basis; and

 » Supply Chain & Retail provides both pre-wholesale distribution and wholesale distribution of pharmaceutical, healthcare and 

animal health products to pharmacies, hospitals and veterinary surgeons in Ireland. Uniphar operate a network of pharmacies 
under the Life, Allcare and Hickey’s brands. Additionally, through the extended Uniphar symbol group, the business provides 
services and supports that help independent community pharmacies to compete more effectively.

Operating segments results

The Group evaluates performance of the operational segments on the basis of gross profit from operations.

Revenue

Gross profit

Revenue

Gross profit

2021
Commercial
& Clinical 
€’000

2021
Product
Access
€’000

2021
Supply Chain 
& Retail
€’000

2021
Total

€’000

299,908

104,398

157,152

1,486,089

1,943,149

41,318

128,781

274,497

2020
Commercial
& Clinical 
€’000

2020
Product
Access
€’000

2020
Supply Chain 
& Retail
€’000

2020
Total

€’000

269,780

187,505

1,366,569

1,823,854

92,193

30,423

94,636

217,252

Assets and liabilities are reported to the Board at a Group level and are not reported on a segmental basis.

128

129

Financial StatementsUniphar plc Annual Report 2021Notes to the Financial StatementscontinuedNotes to the Financial Statementscontinued3   Other operating income

5 

Operating profit

Other income and commission
Profit on disposal of property, plant & equipment

4  

Exceptional income/(charge)

Professional fees including acquisition costs
Redundancy and restructuring costs
Acquisition integration costs
Settlement loss on closure of defined benefit pension scheme
Foreign exchange revaluation of deferred contingent consideration
Cessation of supplier contracts – inventory write off
Other exceptional costs

Exceptional charge recognised in operating profit

Decrease in deferred contingent consideration
Refinancing costs

Exceptional credit recognised in finance cost

Exceptional credit recognised in income tax

Total exceptional income/(charge)

Redundancy & Restructuring

2021
€’000

217
20

237

2021
€’000

(3,339)
(4,610)
(2,295)
(211)
(1,373)
(1,754)
(822)

(14,404)

19,761
-

19,761

777

6,134

2020
€’000

241
-

241

2020
€’000

(4,300)
(2,596)
(559)
(488)
1,168
-
-

(6,775)

2,077
(138)

1,939

-

(4,836)

Redundancy and restructuring costs include restructuring costs relating to recent acquisitions and other Group entities.

Acquisition integration costs

Acquisition integration costs relate to the integration of the Hickey’s Pharmacy Group, Durbin Ireland and RRD International 
including payments made to staff agreed as part of the RRD International acquisition which are not classified as consideration. 

Cessation of supplier contracts

Cessation of specific MedTech supplier contracts relating to the supply of PPE and decontamination equipment, giving rise to 
inventory write offs.

Deferred contingent consideration

Deferred contingent consideration relates to a release of €21,739,000 following a review of expected performance against earn 
out contractual targets in relation to the Durbin Group, and a release of €2,853,000 due to the completion of the earnout period 
and contractual terms in relation to the Sisk Healthcare Group. In addition, a provision of €4,831,000 has been recognised in 
respect of increased deferred contingent consideration payable in relation to the EPS Group. 

In the prior year, deferred contingent consideration relates to a release of €4,348,000 following a review of expected 
performance against earn out and contractual targets. Additionally, a provision of €1,896,000 was recognised in respect of 
deferred contingent consideration payable in relation to the EPS Group and a payment of €375,000 in respect of Outcome 
Medical Solutions.

Operating profit is stated after charging/(crediting):

Directors’ remuneration:
 » Emoluments
 » Defined contribution pension*
 » Fees
Depreciation (note 11)
Amortisation – admin. costs (note 10)
Foreign exchange net loss/(gain)
Profit on disposal of property, plant and equipment

2021
€’000

2020
€’000

2,980
30
688
22,225
4,705
748
20

2,980
29
715
17,626
2,368
(628)
-

*  Defined contribution pension costs included in Directors’ remuneration which were charged to the Group Income Statement 

relate to pension contributions relating to one Director (2020: one).

Auditors’ remuneration (including expenses) for the statutory audit of the Group’s financial statements, subsidiary financial 
statements and other services carried out for the Group by the Company’s auditors and subsidiary auditors. Included in fees 
payable for the audit of the Group accounts are total fees of €80,000 (2020: €80,000) which are due to the Group’s auditor in 
respect of the Parent Company. The non-audit services performed by PwC during the year largely related to due diligence and 
tax advice on acquisitions completed during the year. 

Group Auditors – PwC
 » Audit of group accounts
 » Tax compliance services
 » Tax advisory services
 » Other non-audit services
Subsidiary company auditors – Non PwC
 » Audit of subsidiary accounts
 » Tax compliance services

Staff costs (including Directors):
 »
 »
 »

 Wages and salaries
 Social welfare costs
 Pension costs (note 20)

2021
€’000

2020
€’000

961
153
535
274

-
-

685
80
842
315

208
49

147,466
14,892
4,313

120,496
11,793
4,219

166,671

136,508

€190,000 (2020: €209,000) of payroll costs were capitalised to freehold land and buildings as these costs are directly related to 
development and construction work completed in the year to 31 December 2021.

The increase in staff costs is largely due to the acquisitions completed in the current year, and the full year impact of the 
acquisitions which were completed in 2020. 

130

131

Financial StatementsUniphar plc Annual Report 2021Notes to the Financial StatementscontinuedNotes to the Financial Statementscontinued5 

Operating profit continued

Employees

The average number of persons employed by the Group (including Directors) during the year was as follows:

Company

Group

2021
Number

2020
Number

2021
Number

2020
Number

Administration
Selling, distribution and warehouse

6 

Finance (income)/cost

96
-

96

90
-

90

Interest on lease obligations (note 21)
Interest payable on borrowings 
Fair value adjustment to deferred and deferred contingent consideration
Amortisation of refinancing transaction fees
Net interest expense from pension scheme liabilities (note 20)
Interest receivable
Other fair value adjustments

Finance cost before exceptional credit

Decrease in fair value deferred contingent consideration (note 4)
Refinancing costs (note 4)

Exceptional credit recognised in finance cost

Total finance (income)/cost

621
2,299

2,920

2021
€’000

3,772
3,154
1,915
303
-
(37)
-

9,107

(19,761)
-

(19,761)

(10,654)

480
1,776

2,256

2020
€’000

2,988
2,878
2,112
268
3
(11)
114

8,352

(2,077)
138

(1,939)

6,413

7 

Income tax expense

Recognised in the Income Statement:

Current income tax:
Republic of Ireland
Overseas

Total current income tax expense

Deferred income tax:
Origination and reversal of temporary differences:
Property, plant and equipment
Employee benefits
Tax losses
Other timing differences

Total deferred income tax expense/(credit)

Total income tax expense

Attributable to:
Continuing operations

Total income tax expense

2021
€’000

2020
€’000

3,129
4,522

7,651

148
(38)
(47)
(35)

28

7,679

7,679

7,679

4,002
3,307

7,309

206
(96)
(326)
(1,373)

(1,589)

5,720

5,720

5,720

Other timing differences relate to the deferral of taxes on Swedish profits of €173,000, the amortisation of the Hickey’s 
Pharmacy brand name (credit €70,000) and the amortisation of the acquired customer relationships associated with the 
2020 US acquisitions of Diligent Health Solutions and RRD International (credit €138,000). Included in the other timing 
differences for 2020 was €1,452,000 associated with the reversal of the deferred tax liability recognised on the acquisition of 
M3 Medical Limited.

Factors affecting the tax expense in future years

In addition to the Republic of Ireland, the Group has operations in the overseas tax jurisdictions of the UK, the Netherlands, 
the Nordics and the US. The total tax charge for future periods will be affected by changes to applicable tax rates in force in 
jurisdictions in which the Group operates and other changes in tax legislation applicable to the Group’s businesses.

 » From 2023, Ireland is expected to adopt a global minimum corporate tax rate of 15%.
 » The UK tax authority has announced that its statutory corporate tax rate of 19% will increase to 25% for profits over £250,000 

from 1 April 2023.

 » The Netherlands standard corporate income tax rate of 25% increased to 25.8% on 1 January 2022. The lower 15% Dutch 

tax rate for the first tier of profits increased from €245,000 to €395,000 on 1 January 2022.

There are no expected corporate income tax changes in the other jurisdictions from current 2021 rates which range from 20% to 
26% inclusive of Federal and State charges.

132

133

Financial StatementsUniphar plc Annual Report 2021Notes to the Financial StatementscontinuedNotes to the Financial Statementscontinued7 

Income tax expense continued

8 

Earnings per share continued

Reconciliation of effective tax rate
Profit on ordinary activities before tax

Profit on ordinary activities multiplied by standard rate of corporation tax  
in the Republic of Ireland of 12.5%

Effects of:
Disallowable expenses
Research & Development tax credits
Exceptional gains not taxable
Higher overseas income tax rates
Utilisation of tax losses not previously recognised
Tax base asset adjustments in respect of prior years
Over provision of corporation tax in prior year

Total income tax expense for the year

8 

Earnings per share

Basic and diluted earnings per share have been calculated by reference to the following:

2021
€’000

2020
€’000

55,801

33,531

6,975

4,191

2,582
(68)
(2,470)
1,893
(993)
205
(445)

7,679

1,452
-
(242)
1,199
(752)
214
(342)

5,720

2021
€’000

2020
€’000

Adjusted earnings per share has been calculated by reference to the following:

Profit for the financial year attributable to owners

48,077

27,827

Exceptional charge recognised in operating profit (note 4)
Exceptional credit recognised in finance costs (note 4)
Exceptional credit recognised in income tax
Tax credit on acquisition related intangibles
Amortisation of acquisition related intangibles 

Profit after tax excluding exceptional items

Weighted average number of shares in issue in the year (000’s)

Adjusted basic and diluted earnings per ordinary share (in cent)

14,404
(19,761)
(777)
(207)
2,063

43,799

6,775
(1,939)
-
-
279

32,942

269,752

262,436

16.2

12.6

The weighted average number of ordinary shares includes the effect of 6,218,620 shares (3,663,023 on a weighted basis 
in the year) (2020: 6,218,620 shares (2,582,596 on a weighted basis)) granted under the LTIP that have met the share 
price performance conditions, but will not vest until 31 December 2024. It also includes the impact of 16,964 shares 
(2020: nil) granted under the new senior management share option scheme. The options in this scheme do not vest 
until 31 December 2024.

2021

2020

9 

Dividends

Profit for the financial year attributable to owners (€’000)

48,077

27,827

Weighted average number of shares (‘000)

269,752

262,436

Earnings per ordinary share (in cent):

 » Basic

 » Diluted

17.8

17.8

10.6

10.6

The Directors have proposed a final dividend of €2.9m (€0.011 per ordinary share), subject to approval at the AGM. This results 
in a total shareholder dividend of €4.4m (€0.016 per ordinary share) in respect of the year ended 31 December 2021 as the 
Board declared and paid a 2021 interim dividend of €1.5m (€0.005 per ordinary share). If approved, the proposed dividend 
will be paid on 13 May 2022 to ordinary shareholders on the Company’s register on 22 April 2022. This dividend has not been 
provided for in the Balance Sheet at 31 December 2021, as there was no present obligation to pay the dividend at year end.

A final dividend of €4.2m (€0.015 per ordinary share) relating to 2020 was paid in May 2021.

134

135

Financial StatementsUniphar plc Annual Report 2021Notes to the Financial StatementscontinuedNotes to the Financial Statementscontinued10 

Intangible assets

10 

Intangible assets continued

Computer
software
€’000

Trademark
€’000

Goodwill
€’000

Technology 
asset
€’000

Brand  
name
€’000

Customer 
Relationships
€’000

Total
€’000

Cost 
At 1 January 2020
FX movement
Acquisitions (note 35)
Additions 
Disposals/retirements

At 31 December 2020

At 1 January 2021
FX movement
Acquisitions (note 35)
Additions 
Disposals/retirements
Reclassifications

At 31 December 2021

Amortisation
At 1 January 2020
Amortisation
Disposals/retirements

At 31 December 2020

At 1 January 2021
FX movement
Amortisation
Disposals/retirements 
Reclassifications

At 31 December 2021

Net book amounts
At 31 December 2020

At 31 December 2021

Intangible assets
Right-of-use assets

At 31 December 2021

33,109
(7)
-
1,418
(4,352)

30,168

30,168
31
25
5,803
(160)
313

36,180

27,939
2,058
(4,331)

25,666

25,666
4
2,610
(156)
3

28,127

4,502

8,053

6,534
1,519

8,053

153
-
-
-
-

153

153
-
-
-
-
-

153

91
31
-

291,253
(5,096)
93,297
-
-

379,454

379,454
9,119
55,296
-
-
-

443,869

18,709
-
-

122

18,709

122
-
31
-
-

153

18,709
-
-
-
-

18,709

31

360,745

-

-
-

-

425,160

425,160
-

425,160

-
-
723
-
-

723

723
-
-
-
-
-

723

-
188
-

188

188
-
241
-
(10)

419

535

304

304
-

304

-
-
11,238
-
-

11,238

11,238
-
-
-
-
-

11,238

-
91
-

91

91
-
1,124
-
-

1,215

11,147

10,023

10,023
-

10,023

Acquisitions of €55,296,000 comprise of the following transactions (note 35): 

 » Goodwill of €19,486,000 arising on the acquisition of 100% of the ordinary share capital of CoRRect Medical GmbH.
 » Goodwill of €21,207,000 arising on the acquisition of 100% of the membership interests of BESTMSLs Group.
 » Goodwill of €9,480,000 arising on the acquisition of 100% of the ordinary share capital of Events 4 Healthcare Limited.
 » Goodwill of €3,549,000 arising on the acquisition of 100% of the ordinary share capital of Devonshire Healthcare 

Services Limited.

 » Goodwill of €995,000 arising on the acquisition of 100% of the ordinary share capital of Hudson Park Athlone Limited.
 » Goodwill of €579,000 arising on the acquisition of 100% of the ordinary share capital of Hogan’s Life Pharmacy Limited.

The Group continues to have a registered trademark known as Life Pharmacy. This trademark is used by customers of Uniphar 
who operate under the common symbol of Life Pharmacy and this trademark symbol is a central part of developing the Life 
brand. The trademark is now fully amortised.

The Group recognised a customer relationship asset on the acquisitions of Diligent Health Solutions, LLC and RRD 
International, LLC (see note 35). Amortisation of these assets commenced at the date of acquisition, and they are being 
amortised over the remaining useful life of five years.

The Group recognised a technology asset on the acquisition of Innerstrength Limited and a brand name on the acquisition of 
the Hickey’s Pharmacy Group in 2020. Amortisation of these assets commenced at the date of acquisition, and they are being 
amortised over the remaining useful life ranging from three to ten years.

-
-
2,996
-
-

324,515
(5,103)
108,254
1,418
(4,352)

2,996

424,732

2,996
130
-
-
-
-

424,732
9,280
55,321
5,803
(160)
313

3,126

495,289

Cash-generating units

-
-
-

-

-
30
699
-
-

729

46,739
2,368
(4,331)

44,776

44,776
34
4,705
(156)
(7)

49,352

2,996

379,956

2,397

445,937

2,397
-

444,418
1,519

2,397

445,937

Goodwill acquired in business combinations is allocated, at acquisition, to the cash-generating units (CGUs) that are expected 
to benefit from that business combination, based on the Group’s existing CGUs or where more appropriate the recognition 
of a new CGU. The CGUs represent the lowest level at which the associated goodwill is assessed for internal management 
purposes and are not larger than the operating segments determined in accordance with IFRS 8 Operating Segments. 

As disclosed in note 35 the initial accounting for the business combinations completed during the year has been determined 
provisionally. For 31 December 2021, the goodwill arising on business combinations completed during 2021 has been tested for 
impairment by reference to the CGUs determined in accordance with the businesses acquired. 

During 2021, the goodwill arising on the acquisition of CoRRect Medical GmbH and the goodwill arising on the acquisition of 
BESTMSLs Group were allocated to the Commercial and Clinical MedTech CGU, and the goodwill arising on the acquisitions of 
Hudson Park Athlone Limited and Hogan’s Life Pharmacy Limited were allocated to the Retail Pharmacy CGU. Goodwill arising 
on the acquisition of Events 4 Healthcare Limited was allocated to the Commercial and Clinical Pharma CGU and the goodwill 
arising on the acquisition of Devonshire Healthcare Services Limited was allocated to the Product Access CGU, based on 
the CGUs that are expected to benefit from that business combination.

Commercial & Clinical MedTech
Supply Chain Services
Commercial & Clinical Pharma
Retail Pharmacies
Product Access

2021
€’000

171,625 
43,569
71,218
67,041
71,707

2020
€’000

151,639
43,569
36,573
65,465
63,499

Net book value of goodwill at 31 December

425,160

360,745

136

137

Financial StatementsUniphar plc Annual Report 2021Notes to the Financial StatementscontinuedNotes to the Financial Statementscontinued10 

Intangible assets continued

COMPANY
Cost

At 1 January 2021
Additions

At 31 December 2021

Accumulated depreciation
At 1 January 2021
Charge for the year

At 31 December 2021

Net book amounts

At 31 December 2021

Intangible asset
Right-of-use assets

Net book value at 31 December 2021

Computer 
Software
€’000

-
1,899

1,899

-
380

380

Total
€’000

-
1,899

1,899

-
380

380

1,519

1,519

-
1,519

1,519

-
1,519

1,519

10 

Intangible assets continued

Impairment testing of goodwill

Goodwill is not amortised but it is tested for impairment annually, or more frequently if events or changes in circumstances 
indicate that it might be impaired, and is carried at cost less accumulated impairment losses. An impairment loss is recognised 
for the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds its recoverable amount. The recoverable amount is the higher of an 
asset’s fair value less costs of disposal and value in use. For the purposes of assessing impairment, assets are grouped at the 
lowest levels for which there are separately identifiable cash inflows which are largely independent of the cash inflows from 
other assets or groups of assets (CGUs). 

The recoverable amount of each CGU is determined based on value-in-use calculations. The carrying value of each CGU is 
initially compared to its estimated value-in-use. There were no impairments during the year (2020: €nil). 

As part of this assessment the Group continued to review the carrying value of goodwill associated with subsidiary companies 
previously acquired as at 31 December 2021. 

Value-in-use calculations
The value-in-use is calculated on the basis of estimated future cash flows discounted to present value. Estimated future 
cash flows were determined by reference to the budget for the period 2022 to 2023 and management forecasts for each of 
the following years from 2024 to 2026 inclusive. The terminal value was calculated using a long-term growth rate in respect 
of the years after 2026. The estimates of future cash flows were based on consideration of past experience together with an 
assessment of the future prospects for each of the businesses within the CGUs. The assumptions used are also referenced 
against external industry data.

The key assumptions used in the value-in-use calculations are the discount rate, the long-term growth rate, and the cash flow 
forecasts. The pre-tax discount rates used were based on the Group’s estimated weighted average cost of capital, adjusted to 
reflect risks associated with each CGU. The discount rate applied for each CGU was determined to be 10% (2020: 11%). The 
rate applied for the purpose of the Group impairment testing was 10% (2020: 11%). In determining the terminal value of the 
value-in-use, it was assumed that cash flows after the first five years will increase at a long-term growth rate ranging from 2.0% 
to 2.5% (2020: 2.1% to 2.5%). The rate assumed was based on an assessment of the likely long term growth prospects of the 
individual CGUs based on the weighted average growth rate by geographies in which the CGU operates.

The value-in-use calculations assume that the markets in which each CGU operates will grow in accordance with publicly 
available data, the Group will maintain its current market share, gross margin percentage will be maintained at current levels 
and overheads will increase in line with expected levels of inflation. The cash flow forecasts assume appropriate levels of 
capital expenditure and investment in working capital to support the growth in individual CGUs.

Fair value less cost of disposal calculations
The fair value less cost of disposal calculations are only prepared when the value-in-use calculations indicate a potential 
impairment. At the Balance Sheet date this comparison did not indicate any potential impairment. 

The fair value less cost of disposal is calculated as the maintainable EBITDA of each CGU multiplied by the appropriate 
EBITDA valuation multiple attributable to that CGU. The fair value measurement is considered a Level 3 fair value based on 
certain unobservable pricing inputs.

Sensitivity Analysis

The Group has conducted a sensitivity analysis on each of the CGUs by applying the following sensitivities; decreasing free 
cash flows by 10%, increasing discount rates by 1%, and reducing long-term growth rates by 1%.

This analysis resulted in an excess in the recoverable amount over their carrying amount under each approach for all CGUs. 
Management believe that any reasonable change in any of the key assumptions would not cause the carrying value of goodwill 
to exceed the recoverable amount.

138

139

Financial StatementsUniphar plc Annual Report 2021Notes to the Financial StatementscontinuedNotes to the Financial Statementscontinued0
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A

Financial StatementsUniphar plc Annual Report 2021Notes to the Financial StatementscontinuedNotes to the Financial Statementscontinued 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
11   Property, plant and equipment, and right-of-use assets continued

12  Financial assets

COMPANY
Cost 
At 1 January 2020
Additions
Disposals

At 31 December 2020

At 1 January 2021
Additions
Disposals

At 31 December 2021

Accumulated depreciation
At 1 January 2020
Charge for the year
Disposals

At 31 December 2020

At 1 January 2021
Charge for the year
Disposals

At 31 December 2021

Net book amounts
At 31 December 2020

At 31 December 2021

Property, plant & equipment
Right-of-use assets

Net book value at 31 December 2021

Freehold
land and
buildings
€’000

Plant and
equipment

Total

€’000

€’000

50,442
-
-

50,442

50,442
-
-

50,442

3,162
3,162
-

6,324

6,324
3,162
-

9,486

44,118

40,956

-
40,956

40,956

153
296
(153)

296

296
150
(64)

382

98
114
(153)

59

59
114
(63)

110

237

272

-
272

272

50,595
296
(153)

50,738

50,738
150
(64)

50,824

3,260
3,276
(153)

6,383

6,383
3,276
(63)

9,596

44,355

41,228

-
41,228

41,228

Long-term receivables

Investments
in equity
instruments

€’000

Loans to
IPOS entities 
and other 
loans
€’000

Loans to
retail holding
companies

Total

€’000

€’000

353

353

353

353

328

328

328

328

25

25

17

17

17

17

17

17

17

17

-

-

9,249

9,249

9,249

9,249

9,249

9,249

9,249

9,249

-

-

9,266

9,266

9,266

9,266

9,266

9,266

9,266

9,266

-

-

GROUP
Cost 
At 1 January 2020

At 31 December 2020

At 1 January 2021

At 31 December 2021

Provision for impairment
At 1 January 2020

At 31 December 2020

At 1 January 2021

At 31 December 2021

Net book amounts
At 31 December 2020

At 31 December 2021

142

143

Financial StatementsUniphar plc Annual Report 2021Notes to the Financial StatementscontinuedNotes to the Financial Statementscontinued12  Financial assets continued

COMPANY
Cost 
At 1 January 2020
Additions

At 31 December 2020

At 1 January 2021
Additions

At 31 December 2021

Provision for impairment
At 1 January 2020

At 31 December 2020

At 1 January 2021

At 31 December 2021

Net book amounts
At 31 December 2020

At 31 December 2021

Long-term receivables

Shares in
subsidiary
companies

Investments
in equity
instruments

€’000

€’000

Loans to
IPOS entities 
and other 
loans
€’000

Loans to
retail holding
companies

Total

€’000

€’000

290,622
2,675

293,297

293,297
93

293,390

1,890

1,890

1,890

1,890

291,407

291,500

224
-

224

224
-

224

199

199

199

199

25

25

17
- 

17

17
- 

17

17

17

17

17

-

-

9,249
-

9,249

9,249
-

9,249

9,249

9,249

9,249

9,249

-

-

9,266
-

9,266

9,266
-

9,266

9,266

9,266

9,266

9,266

-

-

12  Financial assets continued

GROUP AND COMPANY

Investments in equity instruments
The fair value of €25,000 (2019: €25,000) is represented by the Group’s investment in Independent Life Pharmacy plc (Life) 
comprising of 78 A ordinary shares of €0.01 each and 25,000 C shares of €1.00 each. The C shares are non-voting and do 
not confer any dividend entitlement. Independent Life Pharmacy plc represents the Life symbol group and is owned jointly 
by pharmacy owners through B shares and Uniphar plc through A shares. The pharmacy owners are entitled to nominate the 
majority of the directors to the Life Board in addition to Uniphar nominees.

Loans to retail holding and management companies
These loans represent amounts advanced to Riverchem and Inischem. 

The Group has recognised an impairment provision for the full value of these loans, and at 31 December 2021 the carrying 
value of amounts due from the retail holding companies amounted to €nil (2020: €nil).

COMPANY

Shares in subsidiary companies
Financial assets of the parent company, Uniphar plc, include shares in subsidiary companies with a net book value of 
€291,500,000 (2020: €291,407,000). The main movements in 2021 and 2020 were:

Additions:
 » Additions of €93,000 in 2021 relates to capital contributions to subsidiary companies in relation to share-based payment 

 »

expenses incurred on the subsidiaries’ behalf.
In March 2020, the Company acquired an 82.3% controlling interest of the ordinary share capital of Innerstrength Limited, for 
consideration of €2,675,000.

144

145

Financial StatementsUniphar plc Annual Report 2021Notes to the Financial StatementscontinuedNotes to the Financial Statementscontinued13  Deferred tax asset

13  Deferred tax asset continued

The following is an analysis of the movement in the major categories of deferred tax assets recognised by the Group for 
the years ended 31 December 2021 and 2020:

GROUP
At 1 January 2020
Acquisitions
Recognised in Income Statement 
Recognised in Other Comprehensive Income 
Utilisation of loss relief
Translation adjustment 

At 31 December 2020

At 1 January 2021
Acquisitions 
Recognised in Income Statement 
Utilisation of loss relief
Reclassification
Translation adjustment 

At 31 December 2021

Deferred tax asset
Deferred tax liability

Employee
benefits

€’000

Property
plant and
equipment
€’000

Tax losses

Other

Total

€’000

€’000

€’000

26
-
96
(38)
-
(7)

77

77
-
38
-
44
10

169

169
-

169

619
-
(206)
-
-
9

422

422
-
(148)
-
-
-

274

513
(239)

274

5,779
-
326
-
(962)
(24)

5,119

5,119
-
47
(1,566)
(44)
63

3,619

3,619
-

3,619

(1,748)
(1,288)
1,373
-
-
(22)

(1,685)

(1,685)
(255)
35
-
-
9

(1,896)

-
(1,896)

(1,896)

4,676
(1,288)
1,589
(38)
(962)
(44)

3,933

3,933
(255)
(28)
(1,566)
-
82

2,166

4,301
(2,135)

2,166

The deferred tax asset in relation to losses reflects the Group’s expected utilisation of carried forward tax losses associated with 
parent company activities, Irish nursing services, Dutch outsourcing services and Product Access businesses in Ireland and the UK.

The other deferred tax liability of €1,896,000 relates to:

 » An expected future tax liability of €561,000 associated with the EPS business in Sweden where the taxing authority allows 

the deferring of a percentage of your current profits for taxing in future years.

 » The recognition of a tax liability of €627,000 associated with the tax amortisation benefit attributed to the Hickey’s brand name.
 » The recognition of a tax liability of €453,000 associated with acquired Customer Relationships, arising on the acquisitions of 

Diligent Health Solutions, LLC and RRD International, LLC.

 » The recognition of €255,000 of deferred tax liabilities associated with the acquisitions of BESTMSLs Group and Events 4 

Healthcare during the year.

In 2020 the other deferred tax liability of €1,685,000 related to the recognition of a tax liability of €697,000 associated with the 
tax amortisation benefit attributed to the Hickey’s brand name following the November 2020 acquisition, an expected future tax 
liability of €397,000 associated with the EPS Group where the taxing authority allows the deferring of a percentage of current 
year profits for taxing in future years, and recognition of a deferred tax liability of €591,000 associated with acquired Customer 
Relationships.

The Group has potentially a deferred tax asset of €6,633,000 (2020: €6,678,000) arising from losses forward. The directors 
believe sufficient taxable profits to utilise these potential assets will arise in the future, but that there is currently insufficient 
evidence to support the recognition of a deferred tax asset. These balances may be carried forward indefinitely under current 
tax law and are available for offset against future profits and gains generated by the companies which hold the losses.

Deferred
tax asset
€’000

2,724
188
(680)

2,232

2,232
413
(774)

1,871

COMPANY
At 1 January 2020
Recognised in Income Statement 
Tax losses surrendered to other Irish Group companies

At 31 December 2020

At 1 January 2021
Recognised in Income Statement 
Tax losses surrendered to other Irish Group companies

At 31 December 2021

The Company’s deferred tax asset relates primarily to the recognition of tax losses on its management services trade and 
expenses of management associated with its investment activities. The Directors believe that sufficient taxable profits will arise 
in the future to utilise these deferred tax assets.

14   Assets held for sale

GROUP
At 1 January 2020
Disposals

At 31 December 2020

At 1 January 2021
Disposals
Impairment 

At 31 December 2021

Properties Other assets
€’000

€’000

Total
€’000

3,585
(1,285)

2,300

2,300
(350)
(350)

1,600

4,400
(4,400)

-

-
-
-

-

7,985
(5,685)

2,300

2,300
(350)
(350)

1,600

Properties held for sale relate to properties acquired on completion of the acquisition of Bradley’s Pharmacy Group. 
These properties are presented in the Balance Sheet at the lower of their carrying amount and fair value less any costs to 
sell. Uniphar plc acquired Bradley’s Pharmacy Group from examinership in November 2018, and in accordance with the 
application of the examinership scheme arrangement acquired non-recourse borrowings of €4,000,000 which are secured 
by these properties.

During 2021, the Group disposed of €350,000 (2020: €1,285,000) of property which were previously held for sale. There 
was an impairment on the value of the remaining property of €350,000 during 2021 (2020: €nil), for which there was a 
corresponding write down of the associated bank borrowings for €350,000 (2020: €nil). This has been recorded in accordance 
with the conditions of the examinership scheme. The remaining property held for sale is available for immediate sale in its 
present condition subject to terms that are usual and customary for property of this nature. The property is being actively 
marketed and the Group is committed to its plan to sell this property in an orderly manner. 

The other assets related to certain business assets acquired as part of the acquisition of M3 Medical Limited. These assets 
were disposed of in February 2020 for an amount equal to their carrying value, and the deferred contingent consideration 
attributable to the sale of these assets was paid.

146

147

Financial StatementsUniphar plc Annual Report 2021Notes to the Financial StatementscontinuedNotes to the Financial Statementscontinued15 

Inventory

GROUP
Goods for resale

2021
€’000

2020
€’000

112,312

115,566

The replacement cost of inventories did not differ materially from the Balance Sheet amounts at 31 December 2021 and 
31 December 2020.

Inventory stated above is net of impairment provision of €8,520,000 (2020: €4,978,000). Write-downs of inventories recognised 
as an expense during 2021 amounted to €3,543,000 (2020: €3,838,000).

In 2021, goods for resale recognised as cost of sales amounted to €1,567,470,000 (2020: €1,513,376,000).

16   Trade and other receivables

Current trade and other receivables 

GROUP
Trade receivables
Prepayments 
Accrued income
Other receivables
Deferred consideration receivable 
Corporation tax

COMPANY
Amounts due from subsidiaries

Prepayments 
Other receivables
Value added tax
Corporation tax
Deferred consideration receivable

2021
€’000

2020
€’000

129,494
5,250
9,004
7,246
448
615

108,309
3,368
4,449
8,575
175
-

152,057

124,876

266,428

362,271

592
167
230
113
121

1,223 

499
3,438
698
113
175

4,923

267,651

367,194

Amounts due from subsidiaries are unsecured, interest free and are repayable on demand.

Tax is repayable at various dates over the coming months in accordance with the applicable statutory provisions.

Details of the provision for impairment of trade and other receivables is outlined in note 32.

16   Trade and other receivables continued

Non-current trade and other receivables

GROUP
Other receivables
Deferred consideration receivable

COMPANY
Other receivables
Deferred consideration receivable

Deferred consideration receivable

GROUP
Within one year
Between one and two years

COMPANY
Within one year
Between one and two years

2021
€’000

2020
€’000

388
-

388

202
-

202

2021
€’000

448
-

448

121
-

121

639
458

1,097

270
142

412

2020
€’000

175
458

633

175
142

317

The deferred consideration receivable of €448,000 (2020: €633,000) relates to contractual amounts due from the disposal of 
IPOS Holding 162 Limited and pharmacies disposed by Lindchem DAC. 

148

149

Financial StatementsUniphar plc Annual Report 2021Notes to the Financial StatementscontinuedNotes to the Financial Statementscontinued17  Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash

18   Borrowings continued

Cash and cash equivalents consist of the following:

GROUP
Cash at bank and in hand
Restricted cash deposits at call

COMPANY
Cash at bank and in hand
Restricted cash deposits at call

2021
€’000

2020
€’000

78,025
-

78,025

2,105
-

2,105

60,410
3,097

63,507

3,234
2,100

5,334

The restricted cash deposits in 2020 relate to a rent deposit and an amount held in escrow by RRD International, LLC.  
All restrictions have been removed in 2021.

Reconciliation to Cash Flow Statement

The cash and cash equivalents shown in the Cash Flow Statement at the end of the financial year is reconciled as follows:

GROUP

Cash and cash equivalents

COMPANY

Cash and cash equivalents

18   Borrowings

Bank loans are repayable in the following periods after 31 December:

GROUP
 » Amounts falling due within one year 
 » Amounts falling due between one and five years

COMPANY
 » Amounts falling due within one year 
 » Amounts falling due between one and five years

2021
€’000

2020
€’000

78,025

60,410

2,105

3,234

2021
€’000

2020
€’000

1,721
124,601

126,322

-
124,601

124,601

2,311
95,615

97,926

-
95,336

95,336

The Group’s total bank loans at 31 December 2021 were €126,322,000 (2020: €97,926,000). Bank loans falling due within one 
year include €1,600,000 (2020: €2,300,000) of loans arising on the acquisition of Bradley’s Pharmacy Group which are secured 
by properties acquired on the acquisition which are classified as held for sale. Following the disposal of these properties 
these loans are required to be repaid (note 14).

The Group entered into a new facility on 2 July 2020. The total loan value of the revolving credit facility available for use 
within this agreement is €180,000,000, with an additional uncommitted accordion facility of €60,000,000. This facility runs 
for 5 years to 2025 with an option to extend by a further two years, with repayment of all loans on termination of the facility 
currently at 2 July 2025. 

At 31 December, the Group’s revolving credit facility loans in use were subject to an interest rate of Euribor +1.5% 
(2020: Euribor +1.5%). 

The Company’s total bank loans at 31 December 2021 were €124,601,000 (2020: €95,336,000). At 31 December, 
they were subject to an interest rate of Euribor +1.5% (2020: Euribor +1.5%). 

Bank security 

Bank overdrafts and bank loans of €126,322,000 (2020: €97,926,000) are secured by cross guarantees and fixed and floating 
charges from the Company and certain subsidiary undertakings. 

19   Provisions

GROUP
At 1 January
Recognised during the year
Unwinding of discount 
Arising on acquisition
Utilised during the year
Released during the year
Foreign currency movement

At 31 December

Deferred
contingent
consideration
2021 
€’000

86,195
4,831
1,845
29,195
(13,283)
(24,592)
4,727

88,918

Lease
dilapidation

Warranty
provision

Other

Total

Total

2021 
€’000

2021 
€’000

2021 
€’000

2021 
€’000

2020 
€’000

523
-
-
-
-
-
-

523

50
23
-
-
-
-
4

77

-
828
18
-
-
-
37

883

86,768
5,682
1,863
29,195
(13,283)
(24,592)
4,768

81,069
1,904
2,026
37,168
(28,541)
(4,348)
(2,510)

90,401

86,768

150

151

Financial StatementsUniphar plc Annual Report 2021Notes to the Financial StatementscontinuedNotes to the Financial Statementscontinued19   Provisions continued

19  Provisions continued

Deferred contingent consideration represents the present value of deferred contingent acquisition consideration which would 
become payable based on pre-defined profit thresholds being met. During the year payments of €13,283,000 were made in 
respect of prior year acquisitions. Deferred contingent consideration of €24,592,000 in respect of prior year acquisitions was 
released in the year following a review of expected performance against earn-out targets. As part of this review, separately an 
increase of €4,831,000 was also made in respect of prior period acquisitions. Further details on the measurement of deferred 
contingent consideration is provided in note 32. The balance at 31 December 2021 relates to the following acquisitions:

Innerstrength Limited (2020)

 » Dialachemist Limited (2015)
 » Macromed (UK) Limited (2018)
 » EPS Vascular AB, EP Endovascular AB and EPS Vascular OY (EPS Group) (2019)
 » M3 Medical Limited (2019)
 »
 » Diligent Health Solutions, LLC (2020)
 » RRD International, LLC (2020)
 » CoRRect Medical GmbH (2021)
 » MDea, Inc, The Doctor’s Channel, LLC, and BESTMSLs, Inc (BESTMSLs Group) (2021)
 » Events 4 Healthcare Limited (2021)
 » Devonshire Healthcare Services Limited (2021)

The deferred contingent consideration at 31 December 2020 related to the acquisition of the following:

 » Dialachemist Limited (2015)
 » Macromed (UK) Limited (2018)
 » Sisk Healthcare Group (2018)
 » Angiocare B.V. (2018)
 » Durbin plc and Durbin Inc. (Durbin) (2019)
 » EPS Vascular AB, EP Endovascular AB and EPS Vascular OY (EPS Group) (2019)
 » M3 Medical Limited (2019) 
 »
Innerstrength Limited (2020)
 » Diligent Health Solutions, LLC (2020)
 » RRD International, LLC (2020)

The maturity profile of the deferred contingent consideration at 31 December 2021 is outlined in note 32. 

Lease dilapidation

The lease dilapidation provision covers the cost of reinstating certain Group properties at the end of the lease term. This is 
based on the terms of the individual leases which set out the conditions relating to the return of property. The timing of the 
outflows will match the ending of the relevant leases with various dates up to 2042.

Warranty provision

The warranty provision relates to a product warranty provided to customers on certain medical devices. The estimated cost 
of the warranty is provided for upon recognition of the sale of the product. The costs are estimated based on actual historical 
experience of expenses incurred and on estimated future expenses related to current sales and are updated periodically. 
Actual warranty costs are charged against the warranty provision.

Other

Other provisions relate to a management retention bonus payable in relation to the acquisition of RRD International, LLC 
in 2020.

COMPANY
Deferred contingent consideration:
At 1 January
Arising on acquisition
Unwinding of discount
Utilised during the year
Released during the year
Foreign currency movement

At 31 December

2021
€’000

2020
€’000

32,440
701
653
(8,147)
(24,592)
1,373

56,385
1,685
1,379
(24,253)
(1,597)
(1,159)

2,428

32,440

Deferred contingent consideration represents the present value of deferred contingent acquisition consideration which would 
become payable based on pre-defined profit thresholds being met. During the year payments of €8,147,000 were made in 
respect of prior year acquisitions. Deferred contingent consideration of €24,592,000 in respect of prior year acquisitions was 
released in the year following a review of expected performance against earn-out targets. The balance at 31 December 2021 
relates to the following acquisitions:

 »

Innerstrength Limited (2020)

The deferred contingent consideration at 31 December 2020 related to the acquisition of the following:

 » Sisk Healthcare Group (2018)
 » Durbin plc and Durbin Inc. (Durbin) (2019)
 »

Innerstrength Limited (2020)

20  Employee benefit surplus

The remaining defined benefit plan was wound up in March 2021, the pension entitlements of employees, including Executive 
Directors, now arise under a number of defined contribution schemes and are secured by contributions by the Group to separate 
trustee administered pension funds. A settlement loss of €211,000 was recognised on the closure of the Cahill May Roberts 
Group Pension Scheme. The assets of the scheme were distributed in line with members chosen options and no assets or 
liabilities remain. 

The defined benefit schemes were: 

 » The Cahill May Roberts Limited Contributory Pension Plan (wound up in March 2021)
 » The Whelehan Group Pension Scheme (wound up in January 2020)

The pension charge for the year is €4,313,000 (2020: €4,219,000) which relates to the defined contribution schemes. The net 
finance cost resulting from the scheme surplus is €nil (2020: €3,000). 

The funding requirements in relation to the Group’s defined benefit scheme in the prior year was assessed in accordance with 
the advice of independent qualified actuaries and valuations are prepared at triennial intervals. Annual contributions were based 
on the advice of professionally qualified actuaries using the projected unit method. The actuarial valuation reports are available 
for inspection by members of the scheme at the registered office of the Company but are not available for public inspection. 

152

153

Financial StatementsUniphar plc Annual Report 2021Notes to the Financial StatementscontinuedNotes to the Financial Statementscontinued20  Employee benefit surplus continued

Financial instruments held by the defined benefit scheme 

At 31 December 2020 the scheme assets were invested in a diversified portfolio that consisted primarily of equity and debt 
securities. Scheme assets do not include any of Uniphar plc’s own financial instruments, nor any property occupied by 
Uniphar plc. The fair value of the scheme assets at the Balance Sheet date are shown as follows: 

Equities – Investments in quoted active markets
Bonds – Investments in quoted active markets
Cash
Other

Fair value of the scheme assets

Principal actuarial assumptions at the Balance Sheet date

The main financial assumptions used were:

Rate of increase in pensionable salaries
Rate of increase in pensions in payment
Discount rate
Inflation rate

2021
€’000

-
-
-
-

-

2020
€’000

2,573
6,855
70
2,199

11,697

2021

2020

-
-
-
-

0.0% - 2.5%
0.0%
0.7%
1.2%

The following amounts at the Balance Sheet dates were measured in accordance with the requirements of IAS 19: 

Present value of scheme liabilities
Fair value of scheme assets

Pension asset resulting from employee benefit obligation

The amounts recognised in the Income Statement for the year ended 31 December are as follows:

Charged to operating profit
Current service cost

(Charged)/credited to finance cost
Interest on pension scheme assets
Interest on pension scheme liabilities

Net finance cost

The actual return on scheme assets is a loss of €145,000 (2020: gain of €739,000).

2021
€’000

-
-

-

2021
€’000

-

7
(7)

-

2020
€’000

(11,685)
11,697

12

2020
€’000

-

101
(104)

(3)

20  Employee benefit surplus continued

The amounts recognised in the Statement of Comprehensive Income for the year ended 31 December are as follows:

Analysis of amount recognised in Statement of Comprehensive Income
Actual return less amounts included in interest and expense
Experience gains/(losses) arising on the scheme liabilities
Changes in financial assumptions underlying the present value of the scheme 
assets and liabilities

Actuarial (loss)/gain in the year

2021
€’000

(152)
45

98

(9)

2020
€’000

638
(94)

(241)

303

Pension
assets

Pension
liabilities

€’000

€’000

Pension
surplus/
(deficit)
€’000

Movement in scheme assets and liabilities
At 1 January 2020
Settlement loss
Employer contributions paid
Interest on scheme liabilities
Interest on scheme assets 
Actuarial gain/(loss) in current year 
Benefits (paid)/settled

22,510
-
245
-
101
638
(11,797)

(22,555)
(488)
-
(104)
-
(335)
11,797

At 31 December 2020

11,697

(11,685)

At 1 January 2021
Settlement loss
Employer contributions paid
Interest on scheme liabilities
Interest on scheme assets 
Actuarial (loss)/gain in current year 
Benefits (paid)/settled

At 31 December 2021

11,697
-
208
-
7
(152)
(11,760)

(11,685)
(211)
-
(7)
-
143
11,760

-

-

(45)
(488)
245
(104)
101
303
-

12

12
(211)
208
(7)
7
(9)
-

-

154

155

Financial StatementsUniphar plc Annual Report 2021Notes to the Financial StatementscontinuedNotes to the Financial Statementscontinued 
20  Employee benefit surplus continued

All of the scheme liabilities arose from schemes that were wholly or partly funded. 

Amounts for the current and previous years:
Present value of scheme liabilities
Fair value of scheme assets

Pension asset from employee benefit obligations

Experience losses on scheme liabilities:
Amount (€’000)
Percentage of the present value of the scheme liabilities

Difference between the actual and expected return on scheme assets:
Amount (€’000)
Percentage of scheme assets

2021
€’000

2020
€’000

-
-

-

(11,685)
11,697

12

45
0.00%

(152)
0.00%

(94)
0.80%

638
5.45%

21  Leases continued

COMPANY
Right-of-use assets:
Buildings
Plant and equipment
Computer software

Net book value of right-of-use assets

Lease liabilities:
Current
Non-current

Total lease liabilities

2021
€’000

2020
€’000

40,956
272
1,519

42,747

3,804
41,230

45,034

44,118
237
-

44,355

3,377
42,443

45,820

Right-of-use assets are included in the lines ‘Intangible Assets’ and ‘Property, plant and equipment’ on the Balance Sheet, 
and are presented in notes 10 and 11. Additions to the right-of-use assets during the year ended 31 December 2021 were 
€2,049,000 (2020: €296,000).

Defined contribution scheme

Included in accruals and other payables is an amount of €424,000 (2020: €346,000) due in relation to the defined 
contribution schemes.

(ii) Amounts recognised in the Income Statement:

The Income Statement shows the following amounts relating to leases:

21  Leases

(i)  Amounts recognised in the Balance Sheet:

As at 31 December, the Balance Sheet shows the following amounts relating to leases:

GROUP
Right-of-use assets:
Buildings
Plant and equipment
Motor vehicles
Computer software

Net book value of right-of-use assets

Lease liabilities:
Current
Non-current

Total lease liabilities

2021
€’000

2020
€’000

105,766
686
4,196
1,519

109,967
927
4,207
-

112,167

115,101

14,358
104,720

13,334
107,203

119,078

120,537

Right-of-use assets are included in the lines ‘Intangible Assets’ and ‘Property, plant and equipment’ on the Balance Sheet, and 
are presented in notes 10 and 11. 

Additions to the right-of-use assets during the year ended 31 December 2021 were €9,519,000 (2020: €7,948,000).

Lease liabilities are presented separately on the face of the Balance Sheet. The contractual maturity of the lease liabilities is 
presented in note 32.

GROUP
Buildings
Plant and equipment
Motor vehicles

Right-of-use assets depreciation charge

Computer software

Right-of-use assets amortisation charge

Interest on lease obligations (note 6)
Principal repayments

Total cash outflow in respect of leases

COMPANY
Buildings
Plant and equipment

Right-of-use assets depreciation charge

Computer software

Right-of-use assets amortisation charge

Interest on lease obligations
Principal repayments

Total cash outflow in respect of leases

156

157

2021
€’000

10,657
548
2,660

13,865

380

380

3,772
12,853

16,625

2021
€’000

3,162
115

3,277

380

380

1,403
2,834

4,237

2020
€’000

7,521
556
2,663

10,740

-

-

2,988
9,133

12,121

2020
€’000

3,162
114

3,276

-

-

1,398
2,420

3,818

Financial StatementsUniphar plc Annual Report 2021Notes to the Financial StatementscontinuedNotes to the Financial Statementscontinued22   Trade and other payables

GROUP
Trade payables 
Accruals
Other payables
Corporation tax
Employment related taxes
Value added tax
Deferred acquisition consideration

2021
€’000

2020
€’000

186,826
146,892
8,563
-
4,450
6,602
4,295

202,659
110,022
5,909
1,158
4,522
8,004
374

357,628

332,648

Trade and other payables are payable at various dates in the next three months in accordance with the suppliers’ usual 
and customary credit terms.

Taxes are payable at various dates over the coming months in accordance with the applicable statutory provisions.

COMPANY
Amounts owed to subsidiaries

Trade payables 
Accruals
Other payables
Employment related taxes

2021
€’000

2020
€’000

143,015

270,023

698
14,591
389
393

16,071

700
6,543
603
326

8,172

159,086

278,195

Amounts owed to subsidiaries are unsecured, interest free and are repayable on demand.

Trade and other payables are payable at various dates in the next three months in accordance with the suppliers’ usual 
and customary credit terms.

Taxes are payable at various dates over the coming months in accordance with the applicable statutory provisions.

Other non-current payables

GROUP
Other non-current payables 
Deferred acquisition consideration 

2021
€’000

-
-

-

2020
€’000

516
4,087

4,603

22  Trade and other payables continued

Deferred acquisition consideration

Total deferred acquisition consideration is payable in the following periods after 31 December in the Group: 

GROUP
 » Within one year
 » Between one and two years

2021
€’000

4,295
-

4,295

2020
€’000

374
4,087

4,461

Deferred acquisition consideration reflects the amounts payable relating to the acquisition of Outico Limited, the Hickey’s 
Pharmacy Group and two ICPs. During 2021, payments were made in relation to deferred consideration on the acquisition of 
Outico Limited and the remaining deferred consideration on each acquisition is now payable within one year.

23  Called up share capital

GROUP AND COMPANY
Authorised share capital at 31 December:
Ordinary shares of 8c each
“A” ordinary shares of 8c each

Authorised share capital

Movement in the year in issued share capital presented as equity

Allotted, called up and fully paid ordinary shares 
of 8c each 
At 1 January

At 31 December 

Total allotted share capital:
At 31 December

2021
Number

2020
Number

2021
€’000

2020
€’000

453,205,300
16,000,000

453,205,300
16,000,000

36,256
1,280

37,536

36,256
1,280

37,536

2021
Number

2020
Number

2021
€’000

2020
€’000

273,015,254

273,015,254

273,015,254

273,015,254

21,841

21,841

21,841

21,841

273,015,254

273,015,254

21,841

21,841

158

159

Financial StatementsUniphar plc Annual Report 2021Notes to the Financial StatementscontinuedNotes to the Financial Statementscontinued23  Called up share capital continued

26  Retained earnings

There have been no changes to the authorised or issued share capital during 2021. During 2020, the following transactions 
took place:

 »

In May 2020, following the passing of a resolution at the AGM, the authorised share capital of the Company was increased 
from €25,280,000 divided into 300,000,000 ordinary shares of 8 cent each and 16,000,000 “A” ordinary shares of 8 cent 
each, to €37,536,000 divided into 453,205,300 ordinary shares of 8 cent each and 16,000,000 “A” ordinary shares of 
8 cent each.

24  Share premium

GROUP AND COMPANY
Premium arising on shares issued

25  Other reserves

GROUP
Property revaluation reserve
Foreign currency translation reserve
Capital redemption reserve

COMPANY
Capital redemption reserve

Property revaluation reserve

2021
€’000

2020
€’000

176,501

176,501

2021
€’000

700
4,604
60

5,364

60

60

2020
€’000

700
(1,860)
60

(1,100)

60

60

The property revaluation reserve arose on the revaluation of freehold land and buildings. When revalued land and buildings 
are sold, the portion of the property revaluation reserve that relates to that asset will be transferred directly to retained earnings. 

Foreign currency translation reserve

The foreign currency translation reserve comprises of all foreign exchange differences arising from the translation of the net 
assets of the Group’s non-Euro denominated operations, including the translation of the profits of such operations from the 
average exchange rate for the year to the exchange rate at the Balance Sheet date. The reserve also includes all foreign 
exchange differences arising from the translation of borrowings that hedge the Group’s net investment in foreign operations.

Capital redemption reserve

The capital redemption reserve is a legal reserve which has arisen from the Company buying back and cancelling its ordinary 
shares in 2013. 

GROUP
At 1 January 2020
Profit for the financial year
Other comprehensive income relating to the financial year
Dividend paid
Acquisition of non-controlling interest

At 31 December 2020

At 1 January 2021
Profit for the financial year
Other comprehensive expense relating to the financial year
Dividend paid

At 31 December 2021

COMPANY
At 1 January 2020
Profit for the financial year
Dividend paid

At 31 December 2020

At 1 January 2021
Profit for the financial year
Dividend paid

At 31 December 2021

27  Non-controlling interests

At 1 January 
Acquisition of non-controlling interest
Share of post-acquisition profits/(losses)
Acquisitions (note 35)

At 31 December

€’000

(20,601)
27,827
265
(1,993)
(280)

5,218

5,218
48,077
(9)
(5,731)

47,555

28,331
34,428
(1,993)

60,766

60,766
21,332
(5,731)

76,367

2020
€’000

(285)
280
(16)
96

75

2021
€’000

75
-
45
-

120

Non-controlling interests own the following stakes in the issued ordinary share capital of the entities set out below:

 » 25.0% Citywest Healthcare Limited 
 » 20.0% Dialachemist Limited 
 » 26.6% IPOS Holding 97 Limited 
 » 17.7% Innerstrength Limited 
 » 5.05% Macromed Limited

During 2020, the share of non-controlling interests arising on acquisition relates to Innerstrength Limited. The Group also 
acquired the 30% non-controlling interest of Clinical Pyramid Limited and the 10.7% non-controlling interest of Outico Limited. 
The Group now holds 100% of the ordinary share capital of both entities. On acquisition of the non-controlling interest, the non-
controlling interest share of the net assets of €280,000 were reclassified to retained earnings.

160

161

Financial StatementsUniphar plc Annual Report 2021Notes to the Financial StatementscontinuedNotes to the Financial Statementscontinued 
28  Employee share awards

Share based payments

Share options (equity-settled)
On 26 January 2021, the Board approved the establishment of a new share option scheme with a reserve of 2.5% of the issued 
share capital of the Company. Existing participants in the current Group LTIP are not eligible for the grant of options under this 
scheme which is intended to incentivise key management and senior employees who were not eligible for participation in the 
existing Group LTIP. Currently, these programmes are limited to key management personnel and other senior employees.

The key terms and conditions related to the grants under the 2021 share option programme are as follows:

Grant date/employees entitled

Vesting conditions

Number of 
instruments 
in thousands

Contractual 
life of option

Options granted to key 
management personnel

March 2021

July 2021
October 2021

Service from the grant date to 31 December 2024, 
meeting share thresholds of €3.30 per share, €4.00 per 
share, €4.75 per share and €5.50 per share. (25% at 
each hurdle vest’s subject to the service condition)
Service from the grant date to 31 December 2024, 
meeting share thresholds of €4.00 per share, €4.75 
per share and €5.50 per share. (33% at each hurdle 
vest’s subject to the service condition)
Same as July 2021 vesting conditions

500

250
250

Options granted to senior employees
July 2021
August 2021
Total share options

635
35
1,670

Cash LTIP (cash-settled)

Same as July 2021 vesting conditions
Same as July 2021 vesting conditions

7 years

7 years
7 years

7 years
7 years

On 10 June and 22 July 2021, the Group granted 200,000 and 120,000 cash LTIP awards to employees that entitle them to 
a cash payment at 31 December 2024 based on the service provided up until this date. The amount of the cash payment is 
determined by the increase in the share price of the Company based on the share price hurdles of €3.30, €4.00, €4.75 and 
€5.50 (25% at each hurdle vest’s subject to service conditions) for the cash LTIP awards issued in June and share price hurdles 
of €4.00, €4.75 and €5.50 for the cash LTIP awards issued in July (33% at each hurdle vest’s subject to service conditions). 
The carrying amount of liabilities for the cash LTIP awards at 31 December 2021 was €28,000 (2020: €nil).

Measurement of fair values (equity-settled)

The fair value of the employee share option scheme has been measured using a Monte Carlo simulation. Service and non-
market performance conditions attached to the arrangements were not taken into account in measuring fair value.

The inputs used in the measurement of the fair values at grant date of the equity-settled share-based payment plan were as follows:

Grant date
Fair value at grant date
Share price at grant date
Exercise price
Expected volatility 
Expected life 
Expected dividends
Risk-free interest rate

Key management personnel (2021)
July 21
0.95
3.70
3.33
31%
5.2 years
0.4%
(0.75%)

October 21
1.37
4.19
3.33
31%
5.1 years
0.4%
(0.56%)

March 21
0.41
2.38
2.38
31%
5.4 years
0.4%
(0.63%)

Senior employees (2021)
August 21
0.98
3.70
3.33
31%
5.2 years
0.4%
(0.80%)

July 21
1.01
3.77
3.33
31%
5.2 years
0.4%
(0.79%)

28  Employee share awards continued

Measurement of fair values (cash-settled)

The fair value of the cash LTIP awards have been measured using a Monte Carlo simulation. Service and non-market 
performance conditions attached to the arrangements were not taken into account in measuring fair value.

The inputs used in the measurement of the fair values at grant date of the cash LTIP awards are as follows:

Grant date
Fair value at grant date
Share price at grant date
Exercise price
Expected volatility 
Expected life 
Expected dividends
Risk-free interest rate

Senior employees
 (2021)

June 21
1.54
4.59
3.33
31%
3.2 years
0.4%
(0.57%)

July 21
0.66
3.35
3.33
31%
3.5 years
0.4%
(0.68%)

Expected volatility has been based on an evaluation of the historical volatility of the Company’s share price, particularly over the 
historical period. The expected term of the instruments has been based on general option holder behaviour.

Reconciliation of outstanding share options

The number and weighted-average exercise prices of share options under the 2021 share option programme were as follows:

Weighted Average 
Exercise Price

Number 000’s Weighted Average 
Exercise Price

2021

2020
Number 000’s

As at 1 Jan
Granted during the year
Forfeited during the year
Exercised during the year

As at 31 December

-
3.05
-
-

3.05

-
1,670
-
-

1,670

-
-
-
-

-

-
-
-
-

-

The options outstanding at 31 December 2021 had an exercise price in the range of €2.38 to €3.33 and a weighted-average 
contractual life of 7 years.

Expense recognised in profit and loss

An equity-settled share-based payment charge of €183,000 (2020: €nil) has been recognised in the year.

A cash-settled share-based payment charge of €28,000 (2020: €nil) has been recognised in the year in respect of the cash 
LTIP awards.

Long term incentive plan

The Company operates a long-term incentive plan for certain Executive Directors and managerial employees under which 
shares have been granted subject to vesting conditions linked to the achievement of demanding Group performance measures 
and operational targets as well as continued employment with the Group. The Company can require compulsory transfer of 
these shares if certain criteria are not met.

As at 31 December 2021, the Company had allotted 13,162,240 ordinary shares of €0.08 each (2020: 13,162,240 shares) to 
members of the Uniphar Executive Directors and managerial employees under the long term incentive plan. All shares issued 
under the long-term incentive plan at 31 December 2021 and 31 December 2020 were called up and fully paid. These shares 
remain subject to ‘non-market’ vesting conditions. No charge to the Income Statement arises in either 2021 or 2020 in respect of 
this arrangement.

Expected volatility has been based on an evaluation of the historical volatility of the Company’s share price, particularly over the 
historical period. The expected term of the instruments has been based on general option holder behaviour.

162

163

Financial StatementsUniphar plc Annual Report 2021Notes to the Financial StatementscontinuedNotes to the Financial Statementscontinued29  Reconciliation of operating profit to cash flow from operating activities

30  Reconciliation of net cash flow to movement in net bank debt

GROUP
Operating profit before operating exceptional items
Cash related exceptional items

Depreciation
Amortisation
Decrease/(increase) in inventory
(Increase)/decrease in receivables
Increase in payables
Foreign currency translation adjustments

Cash inflow from operating activities

COMPANY
Operating profit before operating exceptional items
Cash related exceptional items 

Depreciation
Amortisation
Decrease in receivables
Decrease in payables
Foreign currency translation adjustments

Cash outflow from operating activities

2021
€’000

2020
€’000

59,551
(9,072)

50,479
22,225
4,705
3,726
(26,169)
13,388
22

46,719
(10,761)

35,958
17,626
2,368
(11,868)
8,789
13,554
(56)

68,376

66,371

8,842
(1,741)

7,101
3,276
380
95,970
(124,382)
1,372

41,371
(4,178)

37,193
3,276
-
68,073
(141,801)
(1,069)

GROUP
Increase/(decrease) in cash and overdrafts in the year
Movement in restricted cash (note 31)
Cash flow from movement in borrowings (note 31)

Decrease in net debt resulting from cash flows
Debt acquired during the year (note 31)
Restricted cash acquired during the year (note 31)
Non-cash movement in borrowings during the year (note 31)
Foreign currency translation on cash and cash equivalents

Movement in net bank debt in the year
Net bank (debt)/cash at beginning of year

Net bank debt at end of year

COMPANY
Decrease in cash and overdrafts in the year (note 31)
Movement in restricted cash (note 31)
Cash flow from movement in borrowings (note 31)

Decrease in net bank debt resulting from cash flows

Movement in net bank debt in the year
Net bank debt at beginning of year

(16,283)

(34,328)

Net bank debt at end of year

31  Analysis of changes in net debt

2021
€’000

2020
€’000

15,778
(3,097)
(28,394)

(15,713)
(352)
-
350
1,837

(13,878)
(34,419)

(53,063)
(72)
8,434

(44,701)
(16,800)
1,027
-
(567)

(61,041)
26,622

(48,297)

(34,419)

(1,129)
(2,100)
(29,265)

(64,094)
(42)
(12,713)

(32,494)

(76,849)

(32,494)
(90,002)

(76,849)
(13,153)

(122,496)

(90,002)

GROUP
Cash and cash equivalents
Restricted cash

Total Cash

Bank loans repayable within one year
Bank loans repayable after one year

Bank loans

Net bank debt

Lease obligations

Net debt

1 January
2021
€’000

Cash
flow
€’000

Acquisitions
(note 35)
€’000

Non-cash 
movement
€’000

31 December
2021
€’000

60,410
3,097

63,507

10,060
(3,097)

6,963

(2,311)
(95,615)

240
(28,634)

(97,926)

(28,394)

(34,419)

(21,431)

5,718
-

5,718

-
(352)

(352)

5,366

1,837
-

1,837

350
-

350

78,025
-

78,025

(1,721)
(124,601)

(126,322)

2,187

(48,297)

(120,537)

(16,625)

(1,429)

19,513

(119,078)

(154,956)

(38,056)

3,937

21,700

(167,375)

164

165

Financial StatementsUniphar plc Annual Report 2021Notes to the Financial StatementscontinuedNotes to the Financial Statementscontinued31  Analysis of changes in net debt continued

31   Analysis of changes in net debt continued

GROUP
Cash and cash equivalents
Restricted cash

Total Cash

Bank loans repayable within one year
Bank loans repayable after one year

Bank loans

Net bank cash/(debt)

Lease obligations

Net debt

COMPANY
Cash and cash equivalents
Restricted cash

Total Cash

Bank loans repayable within one year
Bank loans repayable after one year

Bank loans

Net bank debt

Lease obligations

Net debt

1 January
2020
€’000

Cash
flow
€’000

114,040
2,142

(60,752)
(72)

116,182

(60,824)

Acquisitions

€’000

7,689
1,027

8,716

(22,583)
(66,977)

(89,560)

37,072
(28,638)

(16,800)
-

8,434

(16,800)

Non-cash 
movement
€’000

31 December
2020
€’000

(567)
-

(567)

-
-

-

60,410
3,097

63,507

(2,311)
(95,615)

(97,926)

26,622

(52,390)

(8,084)

(567)

(34,419)

(92,984)

(12,121)

(30,055)

14,623

(120,537)

(66,362)

(64,511)

(38,139)

14,056

(154,956)

COMPANY
Cash and cash equivalents
Restricted cash

Total Cash

Bank loans repayable within one year
Bank loans repayable after one year

Bank loans

Net bank debt

Lease obligations

Net debt

1 January
2020
€’000

Cash
flow
€’000

Non-cash 
movement
€’000

31 December
2020
€’000

67,328
2,142

(64,094)
(42)

69,470

(64,136)

(16,827)
(65,796)

16,827
(29,540)

(82,623)

(12,713)

(13,153)

(76,849)

-
-

-

-
-

-

-

3,234
2,100

5,334

-
(95,336)

(95,336)

(90,002)

(47,944)

(3,818)

5,942

(45,820)

(61,097)

(80,667)

5,942

(135,822)

1 January
2021
€’000

Cash
flow
€’000

Non-cash 
movement
€’000

31 December
2021
€’000

32  Financial instruments

Financial instruments by category

The accounting policies for financial instruments have been applied to the line items below:

3,234
2,100

5,334

(1,129)
(2,100)

(3,229)

-
(95,336)

-
(29,265)

(95,336)

(29,265)

(90,002)

(32,494)

-
-

-

-
-

-

-

2,105
-

2,105

-
(124,601)

(124,601)

(122,496)

(45,820)

(4,237)

5,023

(45,034)

(135,822)

(36,731)

5,023

(167,530)

Financial
assets at
FVOCI*

Notes

€’000

Financial
assets at
amortised
cost
€’000

Total

€’000

12
16
16
17

12
16
16
17
17

25
-
-
-

25

25
-
-
-
-

25

-
137,128
448
78,025

25
137,128
448
78,025

215,601

215,626

-
117,523
633
60,410
3,097

25
117,523
633
60,410
3,097

181,663

181,688

Financial assets
2021
Investments in equity instruments
Trade and other receivables**
Deferred consideration receivable
Cash and cash equivalents

2020
Investments in equity instruments
Trade and other receivables**
Deferred consideration receivable
Cash and cash equivalents
Restricted cash

*  Fair value through other comprehensive income.
** Excluding prepayments and accrued income.

166

167

Financial StatementsUniphar plc Annual Report 2021Notes to the Financial StatementscontinuedNotes to the Financial Statementscontinued 
 
32  Financial instruments continued

Financial liabilities
2021
Borrowings
Deferred acquisition consideration
Trade and other payables**
Deferred contingent consideration
Lease liabilities

2020
Borrowings
Deferred acquisition consideration
Trade and other payables**
Deferred contingent consideration
Lease liabilities

*  Fair value through profit and loss.
** Excluding non-financial liabilities.

Fair value

Financial
liabilities at
FVTPL*

Notes

€’000

Financial
liabilities at
amortised
cost
€’000

Total

€’000

18
22
22
19
21

18
22
22
19
21

-
-
-
88,918
-

126,322
4,295
195,389
-
119,078

126,322
4,295
195,389
88,918
119,078

88,918

445,084

534,002

-
-
-
86,195
-

97,926
4,461
208,568
-
120,537

97,926
4,461
208,568
86,195
120,537

86,195

431,492

517,687

The following table sets out the fair value of the Group’s principal financial assets and liabilities.

2021
Carrying
value
€’000

2021
Fair value

€’000

2020
Carrying
value
€’000

2020
Fair value

€’000

Notes

Financial assets
Investments in equity instruments
Trade and other receivables
Deferred consideration receivable
Cash and cash equivalents
Restricted cash

Financial liabilities
Borrowings
Deferred acquisition consideration
Trade and other payables
Deferred contingent consideration
Lease liabilities

25
137,128
448
78,025
-

25
137,143
448
78,025
-

25
117,523
633
60,410
3,097

25
117,523
654
60,410
3,097

215,626

215,641

181,688

181,759

126,322
4,295
195,389
88,918
119,078

133,974
4,369
195,389
88,918
119,078

97,926
4,461
208,568
86,195
120,537

105,708
4,625
208,568
86,195
120,537

534,002

541,728

517,687

525,633

12
16
16
17
17

18
22
22
19
21

168

32  Financial instruments continued

Measurement of fair values

In the preparation of the financial statements, the Group finance department, which reports directly to the Chief Financial 
Officer (CFO), reviews and determines the major methods and assumptions used in estimating the fair values of the financial 
assets and liabilities which are set out below:

Investments in equity instruments
Investments in equity instruments are measured at fair value through other comprehensive income (FVOCI). 

Trade and other receivables/trade and other payables
For receivables and payables with a remaining life of less than 12 months or demand balances, the carrying value less 
impairment provision where appropriate, is deemed to reflect fair value.

Cash and cash equivalents, including short-term bank deposits
For short-term bank deposits and cash and cash equivalents, all of which have a remaining maturity of less than three months, 
the carrying amount is deemed to reflect fair value.

Interest-bearing loans and borrowings
For floating rate interest-bearing loans and borrowings with a contractual repricing date of less than 6 months, the nominal 
amount is deemed to reflect fair value. For loans with repricing dates of greater than 6 months, the fair value is calculated based 
on the present value of the expected future principal and interest cash flows discounted at appropriate market interest rates 
(level 2) effective at the Balance Sheet date and adjusted for movements in credit spreads.

Deferred acquisition consideration
Discounted cash flow method was used to capture the present value of the expected future economic benefits that will flow out 
of the Group arising from the deferred acquisition consideration.

Deferred contingent consideration
The fair value of the deferred contingent consideration is calculated by discounting the expected future payment to the present 
value. The expected future payment represents the deferred contingent acquisition consideration which would become payable 
based on pre-defined profit thresholds being met and is calculated based on management’s best estimates of the expected 
future cash outflows using current budget forecasts. The provision for deferred contingent consideration is principally in respect 
of acquisitions completed from 2015 to 2021. A maturity analysis of the deferred contingent consideration on an undiscounted 
basis is presented on page 174.

The significant unobservable inputs are:

 » Expected future profit forecasts which have not been disclosed due to their commercial sensitivities; and
 » Risk adjusted discount rate of between 2% and 3% (2020: between 2% and 3%).

The estimated fair value would increase/(decrease) if the:

 » Expected future profit forecasts were higher/(lower); and
 » Risk adjusted discount rate was lower/(higher).

For the fair value of deferred contingent consideration, a 1% increase in the risk adjusted discount rate at 31 December 2021, 
holding the other inputs constant would reduce the fair value of the deferred contingent consideration by €1.7m. A 1% decrease 
in the risk adjusted discount rate would result in an increase of €1.7m in the fair value of the deferred contingent consideration. 

169

Financial StatementsUniphar plc Annual Report 2021Notes to the Financial StatementscontinuedNotes to the Financial Statementscontinued 
32  Financial instruments continued

Fair value hierarchy

32  Financial instruments continued

Fair value measurements using significant unobservable inputs (level 3)

The following table sets out the fair value hierarchy for financial instruments which are measured at fair value.

The following table presents the changes in level 3 items for the years ended 31 December 2021 and 31 December 2020:

Recurring fair value measurements
At 31 December 2021
Investments in equity instruments
Deferred contingent consideration

At 31 December 2020
Investments in equity instruments
Deferred contingent consideration

Level 1
€’000

Level 2
€’000

Level 3
€’000

Total
€’000

-
-

-

-
-

-

-
-

-

-
-

-

25
(88,918)

25
(88,918)

(88,893)

(88,893)

25
(86,195)

25
(86,195)

(86,170)

(86,170)

There were no transfers between the fair value levels for recurring fair value measurements during the year. The Group’s policy 
is to recognise transfers into and transfers out of fair value hierarchy levels as at the end of the reporting period.

Level 1: The fair value of financial instruments traded in active markets is based on quoted market prices at the end of the 
reporting period. The quoted market price used for financial assets held by the Group is the current bid price. These instruments 
are included in level 1.

Level 2: The fair value of financial instruments that are not traded in an active market is determined using valuation techniques 
which maximise the use of observable market data and rely as little as possible on entity-specific estimates. If all significant 
inputs required to fair value an instrument are observable, the instrument is included in level 2.

Level 3: If one or more of the significant inputs is not based on observable market data, the instrument is included in level 3. 

At 1 January 2020
Payments
Recognised during the year*
Unwinding of discount*
Arising on acquisition
Release*
Foreign currency

At 31 December 2020

Payments
Recognised during the year*
Unwinding of discount*
Arising on acquisition
Release*
Foreign currency

At 31 December 2021

Shares in
unlisted
companies
€’000

Facility
termination
fee
€’000

Deferred 
contingent
consideration
€’000

Derivative 
financial 
instruments
€’000

25
-
-
-
-
-
-

25

-
-
-
-
-
-

25

(5,000)
5,000
-
-
-
-
-

-

-
-
-
-
-
-

-

(80,811)
28,491
(1,896)
(2,026)
(36,808)
4,348
2,507

(86,195)

13,283
(4,831)
(1,845)
(29,195)
24,592
(4,727)

(88,918)

-
-
-
-
-
-
-

-

-
-
-
-
-
-

-

Total

€’000

(85,786)
33,491
(1,896)
(2,026)
(36,808)
4,348
2,507

(86,170)

13,283
(4,831)
(1,845)
(29,195)
24,592
(4,727)

(88,893)

*  These amounts have been credited/(charged) to the Income Statement in finance income/costs. 

Financial risk management

The Group’s operations expose it to various financial risks. The Group has a risk management framework in place which seeks 
to limit the impact of these risks on the financial performance of the Group and it is the Group’s policy to manage these risks in 
a non-speculative manner.

The Group has exposure to the following risks from its use of financial instruments: credit risk, liquidity risk, currency risk, 
interest rate risk and price risk. This note presents information about the Group’s exposure to each of the above risks and the 
Group’s objectives, policies, and processes for measuring and managing the risk. Further quantitative disclosures are included 
throughout this note.

The Group’s risk management is carried out by a central finance department under policies approved by the Board of Directors. 
Group finance identifies, evaluates, and manages financial risks in close co-operation with the Group’s operating units. 
The Board approves written principles for overall risk management, as well as policies covering specific areas, such as foreign 
exchange risk, interest rate risk, credit risk, use of derivative financial instruments and non-derivative financial instruments and 
the investment of excess liquidity.

170

171

Financial StatementsUniphar plc Annual Report 2021Notes to the Financial StatementscontinuedNotes to the Financial Statementscontinued32  Financial instruments continued

Credit risk

Credit risk arises from credit to customers, loans to customers, loans to IPOS entities, loans to retail holding companies, 
deferred consideration receivable, restricted cash, as well as cash and cash equivalents including deposits with banks and 
financial institutions.

The Group manages credit risk through the use of credit limits for customers, regular review of the ageing of trade and other 
receivables, and the review and monitoring of customer and bank credit ratings.

Trade receivables
Credit risk arising in the context of the Group’s operations is not significant with the provision for impairment at the Balance 
Sheet date amounting to 4.7% of gross trade receivables (2020: 4.4%). The Group accounts for its credit risk by appropriately 
providing for expected credit losses on a timely basis. In calculating the expected credit loss rates, the company considers 
historical loss rates for each category of customers and adjusts for forward looking macroeconomic data.

Customer credit risk is managed at appropriate Group locations according to established policies, procedures and controls. 
Customer credit quality is assessed in line with strict credit rating criteria and credit limits are established where appropriate. 
Outstanding customer balances are regularly monitored and a review for indicators of impairment (evidence of financial difficulty 
of the customer, payment default, breach of contract etc.) is carried out at each reporting date. Individual receivables which 
are known to be uncollectible are written off by reducing the carrying amount directly. The other receivables are assessed 
collectively to determine whether there is objective evidence that an impairment has been incurred but not yet identified. 
For these receivables the estimated impairment losses are recognised in a separate provision for impairment. 

The Group considers that there is evidence of impairment if any of the following indicators are present:

 » significant financial difficulties of the receivable;
 » probability that the receivable will enter bankruptcy or financial reorganisation; and
 » default or delinquency in payments (more than 30 days overdue).

Receivables for which an impairment provision was recognised are written off against the provision when there is no expectation 
of recovering additional cash.

Impairment losses are recognised in the Income Statement within selling and distribution costs. Subsequent recoveries of 
amounts previously written off are credited against selling and distribution costs where the initial impairment was recorded.

Movements in the provision for impairment of trade receivables that are assessed for impairment collectively are as follows:

At 1 January
Provision for impairment recognised during the year
Receivables written off during the year as uncollectible
Recovery of balances previously provided for
Reclassification
Foreign currency translation

At 31 December

2021
€’000

4,806
1,521
(8)
(28)
(274)
33

6,050

2020
€’000

3,930
1,800
(895)
-
(3)
(26)

4,806

The trade receivables balances disclosed in note 16 comprise a large number of customers spread across the Group’s activities 
and geographies with balances classified as “not past due” representing 89.4% of the total trade receivables balance at the 
Balance Sheet date (2020: 86.5%). Invoice discounting arrangements are employed in certain of the Group’s operations where 
deemed to be of benefit by management. 

32  Financial instruments continued

Under the terms of this non-recourse agreement, the Group has transferred substantially all credit risk and control of certain 
trade receivables. In July 2020, the non-recourse financing arrangement increased by an additional €14,118,000 with the total 
amount of the facility being €94,118,000. The execution of this agreement resulted in an operating cash inflow of €12,000,000 
for the Group during the year ended 31 December 2020. The balance of the facility as at 31 December 2021 is €94,118,000. 
The Group has recognised an asset within trade and other receivables of €14,118,000 (2020: €14,118,000), being the fair value 
of the amount receivable from the financial institutions, representing 15% of the trade receivables transferred to the financial 
institutions in accordance with the terms of the receivables purchase arrangement.. Total interest expense associated with this 
receivables purchase agreement during the year ended 31 December 2021 was €1,296,000 (2020: €1,203,000).

The ageing of trade receivables at 31 December 2021 and 2020 was:

Not past due

Past due 
0 - 30 days
30 - 60 days
60 days

Total past due

Total trade receivables

2021
€’000

2020
€’000

115,750

93,626

7,701
2,226
3,817

13,744

10,973
2,669
1,041

14,683

129,494

108,309

Cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents give rise to credit risk on amounts due from counterparty financial institutions (stemming from their 
insolvency or a downgrade in their credit ratings). Credit risk is managed by the regular review of the credit ratings of these 
financial institutions and limiting the aggregate amount and duration of exposure to any one counterparty primarily depending 
on its credit rating. All the Group’s cash and cash equivalents are currently held with financial institutions which have investment 
grade credit ratings ranging from A-1 to A-3 (2020: A-1 to A-2). 

Other financial assets
The Group has investments in companies with a strategic interest to the Group which are of a non-speculative nature. 
The investments and any impairment provisions are outlined in note 12. 

The carrying amount of financial assets, net of impairment provisions represents the Group’s maximum credit exposure. 
The maximum exposure to credit risk at year end was as follows:

Trade and other receivables*
Deferred consideration receivable
Cash and cash equivalents
Restricted cash

Total

*  Excluding prepayments and accrued income.

2021
€’000

137,128
448
78,025
-

2020
€’000

117,523
633
60,410
3,097

215,601

181,663

172

173

Financial StatementsUniphar plc Annual Report 2021Notes to the Financial StatementscontinuedNotes to the Financial Statementscontinued32  Financial instruments continued

Liquidity risk

The Group manages liquidity risk through, maintaining sufficient cash and cash equivalents to meet obligations when due, 
credit facilities and overdraft facilities, monitoring and managing the maturity of borrowings, regular review of the ageing of 
trade and other receivables, and review and monitoring of customer and bank credit ratings.

Management monitors forecasts of the maturity of the Group’s borrowings and other obligations. Management forecasts 
cash flows expected to settle the Group’s obligations and actively monitors the level of cash and facilities available to settle 
the Group’s obligations as they fall due. Forecasts of cash flows to settle trade and other payables are generally carried out 
at a subsidiary level in the operating companies of the Group in accordance with practice and limits set up by the Group. 

The following table outlines the undiscounted contractual maturities of the Group’s financial liabilities at the Balance Sheet 
date. The undiscounted cash flows differ from the amount included in the Balance Sheet because the Balance Sheet amount 
is based on the discounted cash flows. 

32  Financial instruments continued

The Group actively monitors the level of foreign exchange exposure and ensures that its net exposure is kept at an acceptable 
level. Currency risks are regularly monitored and managed by utilising spot and forward foreign currency contracts as appropriate 
for settling liabilities arising from the purchase of goods for resale in non-functional currencies. The majority of transactions 
entered into by Group entities are denominated in functional currencies and no significant level of hedging is required.

A portion of the Group’s USD denominated borrowings with a nominal amount of USD 15.0 million (2020: USD nil) is designated 
as a hedge of a portion of the net investment in the Group’s USD net assets amounting to USD 15.0 million (2020: USD nil) and 
a portion of the Group’s GBP denominated borrowings with a nominal amount of GBP 9.1 million (2020: GBP nil) is designated 
as a hedge of a portion of the net investment in the Group’s GBP net assets amounting to GBP 9.1 million. The hedge ratio was 
1:1 and there was no ineffectiveness recognised in the Group Income Statement during the year (2020: nil).’

2021
€’000

24,031
692

2020
€’000

-
-

Less than 6
months

6 to 12
months

Between 1
and 2 years

Between 2
and 5 years

Over  
5 years

€’000

€’000

€’000

€’000

€’000

Total
contractual
cash flows
€’000

Carrying value of net investment hedge
Loss recognised in other comprehensive income

Currency Risk Sensitivity Analysis

Contractual maturity of financial liabilities
At 31 December 2021
Borrowings
Deferred acquisition consideration
Deferred contingent consideration
Lease liabilities
Trade and other payables

At 31 December 2020
Borrowings
Deferred acquisition consideration
Deferred contingent consideration
Lease liabilities
Trade and other payables

Lender covenants

1,676
470
5,594
7,981
195,389

52
3,899
25,224
7,606
-

-
-
21,019
13,911
-

132,246
-
41,074
35,118
-

-
-
-
77,915
-

133,974
4,369
92,911
142,531
195,389

211,110

36,781

34,930

208,438

77,915

569,174

2,375
373
6,412
7,956
208,569

-
71
21,165
7,534
-

204
4,017
28,968
13,983
-

103,129
-
33,651
35,165
-

-
-
-
81,533
-

105,708
4,461
90,196
146,171
208,569

225,685

28,770

47,172

171,945

81,533

555,105

The Group entered into a new banking facility on 2 July 2020. Under this facility the Group are subject to two covenants: 
leverage ratio and interest cover. Banking covenants are subject to bi-annual review, and during 2021 all covenants have 
been fully complied with.

Currency risk

The Group primarily operates in the Republic of Ireland and the majority of the Group’s activities are conducted in Euro. 
Elements of the Group’s operations are carried out in the UK, Europe and the US and, as a result, the Group is exposed 
to structural currency fluctuations in respect of Sterling, Swedish Krona and the US Dollar. To the extent that the non-Euro 
denominated assets and liabilities of the Group do not offset, the Group is exposed to structural currency risk. Such movements 
are reported through the Group Statement of Comprehensive Income.

The Euro is the principal currency of the Group’s Irish and Benelux businesses, Sterling is the principal currency of the Group’s 
UK businesses, the Swedish Krona is the principal currency of our Nordic businesses, and the US Dollar is the principal 
currency of our US businesses. The Group seeks to manage the foreign currency translation risk arising from an investment 
in a foreign operation through the drawdown of borrowings denominated in the relevant currency and designating as a net 
investment hedge against the investment in the foreign operation.

The following table demonstrates the sensitivity of profit after tax and total equity to movements in the STG/US/SEK exchange 
rate with all other variables held constant:

+/- 5% change in STG/US/SEK Exchange rates
Impact on profit after tax*
Impact on total equity**

2021
€’000

541
1,562

2020
€’000

669
1,747

*  The impact on profit after tax is based on changing the STG/US/SEK exchange rate used in calculating profit after tax 

for the year. 

** The impact on total equity is calculated by changing the STG/US/SEK exchange rate used in measuring the closing 

balance sheet plus the impact to profit after tax for the period.

Interest rate risk

The Group has no fixed rate borrowings and its receivables are carried at amortised cost. At 31 December 2021, the Group 
revolving credit facility (RCF) is subject to an interest rate charge based on Euribor (zero floor in operation) +1.5%. Interest 
charged on the RCF is subject to change based on the Group’s leverage ratio. 

Invoice discounting and non-recourse facility are subject to interest rate charges based on Prime/Euribor +1.75%.

Variable rate borrowings (note 18)

2021
€’000

2020
€’000

126,322

97,926

A decrease of fifty basis points in the Euribor interest rate would have reduced interest payable on borrowings in finance costs 
by €636,000 (2020: €495,000) and consequently increased our profit before tax and equity. An increase of fifty basis points 
would have increased interest payable on borrowings in finance costs and consequently reduced our profit before tax and equity 
by an equal and opposite amount. A similar movement with regard the non-recourse facility would result in a reduction/increase 
of €400,000 in interest payable.

Price risk

The Group’s exposure to equity price risk arises from investments held by the Group and classified in the Balance Sheet as 
investments in equity instruments. The investments in equity instruments are measured at fair value through OCI. The Group 
is exposed to the risk of an illiquid market for unlisted companies as these investments are not traded on an active market.

174

175

Financial StatementsUniphar plc Annual Report 2021Notes to the Financial StatementscontinuedNotes to the Financial Statementscontinued32  Financial instruments continued

Capital management

The Group’s objectives when managing capital are to:

 » safeguard their ability to continue as a going concern and to continue to provide a return for shareholders; and
 » maintain an optimal capital structure and reduce the overall cost of capital.

In managing its capital structure, the Group’s capital consists of total equity and net bank debt. The Board monitor the return 
on capital employed and dividend policy in order to optimise shareholder value while allowing the Group to take advantage 
of opportunities that might arise to grow the business and to sustain the ongoing development of the Group. At the year end, 
the Group was in a net bank debt position of €48,297,000 (2020: net bank debt of €34,419,000). Total equity of the Group 
at 31 December 2021 was €251,564,000 (2020: €202,535,000). The Directors periodically review the capital structure of the 
Group, considering the cost of capital and the associated risks. 

33  Future capital expenditure not provided for

At 31 December 2021 the Group had capital commitments of €2,860,000 (2020: €3,268,000).

Contracted for
Computer software
Plant and equipment
Fixtures and fittings 

34  Contingent liabilities

Subsidiaries

2021
€’000

1,453
1,331
76

2,860

2020
€’000

835
2,029
404

3,268

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 357, Companies Act 2014, the Company have put in force in respect of the whole of the 
financial year ended 31 December 2021 an irrevocable guarantee of all commitments entered into by a subsidiary including 
amounts shown as liabilities in the statutory financial statements of the relevant subsidiary. The list of relevant subsidiaries is as 
follows: Uniphar Wholesale Limited, Allphar Services Limited, Unisource Pharma Services Ireland Limited, Allcare Management 
Services Limited, Point of Care Health Services Limited, Lindchem Designated Activity Company, Trennamally Limited, 
Cahill May Roberts Limited, Life Pharmacy Limited, Uniphar Europe Limited, M3 Medical Limited, Pagni Pharmacies Limited, 
Pyramach Limited and Innerstrength Limited.

Guarantees

The Company and certain subsidiaries have issued guarantees totalling €317,000 (2020: €342,000) in respect of bank 
borrowings undertaken by past customers of Cahill May Roberts Limited. The outstanding bank borrowing at the Balance  
Sheet date, for which these guarantees have been provided, gives rise to a contingent liability of €160,000 (2020: €342,000)  
for the Group.

From a Company perspective, the contingent liability at year end is €nil (2020: €nil). 

The change in the level of contingent liabilities is due to movement in underlying loan balances.

Legal

From time to time, in the normal course of business, the Group can be subject to claims from various parties. Having considered 
the status of such matters as at 31 December 2021, the Directors are satisfied that there are no such matters which require 
either a provision or contingent liability disclosure in the financial statements.

35  Acquisitions of subsidiary undertakings and business assets 

A key strategy of the Group is to expand into higher growth and higher margin sectors and businesses. In line with this strategy, 
the Group completed the following acquisitions during the financial year: 

Hudson Park Athlone Limited

The Group acquired 100% of the ordinary share capital of Hudson Park Athlone Limited in February 2021 for consideration 
of €520,000. Hudson Park Athlone Limited currently operates an independent retail pharmacy in Ireland.

Hogan’s Life Pharmacy Limited

The Group acquired 100% of the ordinary share capital of Hogan’s Life Pharmacy Limited in July 2021 for consideration of 
€869,000. Hogan’s Life Pharmacy Limited currently operates an independent retail pharmacy in Ireland.

CoRRect Medical GmbH

The Group acquired 100% of the ordinary share capital of CoRRect Medical GmbH in July 2021 for a consideration of 
€19,771,000, of which €11,864,000 is deferred and contingent on agreed targets being met. CoRRect Medical GmbH, 
a German-headquartered company, specialises in the commercialisation and distribution of medical device products in 
the interventional cardiology sector across Germany and Switzerland. 

MDea, Inc, The Doctor’s Channel, LLC, & BESTMSLs, Inc (together BESTMSLs Group) 

The Group acquired 100% of the membership interests of MDea, Inc, The Doctor’s Channel, LLC, & BESTMSLS, Inc, 
together BESTMSLs Group, in July 2021 for a consideration of €22,966,000, of which €9,829,000 is deferred and 
contingent on agreed targets being met. BESTMSLs Group, a New York-headquartered group, provides outsourced 
medical affairs services including the provision of contract MSL teams, and innovative digital solutions. 

Events 4 Healthcare Limited

The Group acquired 100% of the ordinary share capital of Events 4 Healthcare Limited in December 2021 for 
consideration of €10,122,000 of which €5,747,000 is deferred and contingent on agreed targets being met. Events 4 
Healthcare Limited is a UK-based brand commercialisation and pharmaceutical marketing agency.

Devonshire Healthcare Services Limited

The Group acquired 100% of the ordinary share capital of Devonshire Healthcare Services Limited, in December 2021 for 
a consideration of €8,324,000 of which €1,755,000 is deferred and contingent on agreed targets being met. Devonshire 
Healthcare Services, a UK based company, supplies pharmaceutical products and hospital supplies across the Middle 
East, European and North Africa region, supplying direct to governments, government agencies, hospitals, health 
authorities and wholesalers.

Goodwill is attributable to the future economic benefits arising from assets which are not capable of being individually 
identified and separately recognised. The significant factors giving rise to the goodwill include the value of the teams within the 
businesses acquired, the enhancement of the competitive position of the Group in the marketplace and the strategic premium 
paid by Uniphar Group to create the combined Group. 

The fair value of the deferred and contingent consideration recognised at the date of acquisition is calculated by discounting the 
expected future payment to present value at the acquisition date. In general, for deferred contingent consideration to become 
payable, pre-defined profit thresholds must be exceeded. On an undiscounted basis, the future payments for which the Group 
may be liable in respect of acquisitions completed in the current year range from €nil to €49.3m.

The initial assignment of fair values to net assets acquired has been performed on a provisional basis in respect of the 
acquisitions completed during 2021, due to their recent acquisition dates. The Group has 12 months from the date of 
acquisition to finalise the fair value of the assets/liabilities acquired, and any amendments to these fair values within the 
twelve-month period from the date of acquisition will be disclosable in the 2022 Annual Report as stipulated by IFRS 3, 
Business Combinations. 

176

177

Financial StatementsUniphar plc Annual Report 2021Notes to the Financial StatementscontinuedNotes to the Financial Statementscontinued 
 
 
 
 
 
35  Acquisitions of subsidiary undertakings and business assets continued

35  Acquisitions of subsidiary undertakings and business assets continued

The gross contractual value of the trade and other receivables as at the respective dates of acquisition amounted to €4.9m. 
The fair value of these receivables is estimated at €4.9m (all of which is expected to be recoverable). 

In 2021, the Group incurred acquisition costs of €3.3m (2020: €4.3m). These have been included in administrative expenses 
in the Group Income Statement.

2020 Acquisitions

The initial assessment of the fair values of the major classes of assets acquired and liabilities assumed in respect of the 
acquisitions which were completed in 2020 was performed on a provisional basis. The fair values attributable to the assets and 
liabilities of these acquisitions have now been finalised. The amendments to these fair values were made to the comparative 
figures during the subsequent reporting window within the measurement period imposed by IFRS 3. The provisional fair value 
of these assets and liabilities recorded at 31 December 2020, together with the adjustments made to those carrying values to 
arrive at the final fair values were as follows: 

Hickey’s

Others

€’000

€’000

Provisional 
fair value 
of 2020 
acquisitions
€’000

Measurement
period 
adjustment

Total

€’000

€’000

11,238
28,539

39,777

5,832
5,509
-
5,928

17,269

57,046

723
2,397

3,120

181
4,765
1,027
1,761

7,734

10,854

11,961
30,936

42,897

6,013
10,274
1,027
7,689

25,003

67,900

2,996
15

3,011

-
(321)
-
-

(321)

2,690

14,957
30,951

45,908

6,013
9,953
1,027
7,689

24,682

70,590

ASSETS 
Non-current assets 
Intangible assets 
Property, plant and equipment

Current assets
Inventory 
Trade and other receivables 
Restricted cash
Cash and cash equivalents

Total assets 

The acquisitions completed in 2021 have contributed €8.0m to revenue and €3.6m of gross profit for the year since the date of 
acquisition. The proforma revenue and operating profit for the Group for the year ended 31 December 2021 would have been 
€1,957m and €47m respectively had the acquisitions been completed at the start of the current reporting year. 

The provisional fair value of the assets and liabilities acquired as part of the acquisitions completed during the financial year are 
set out below:

CoRRect 
€’000

BESTMSLs
€’000

Others 
€’000

Total
€’000

ASSETS 
Non-current assets 
Intangible assets
Property, plant and equipment 

Current assets
Inventory 
Trade and other receivables 
Cash and cash equivalents

Total assets 

LIABILITIES 
Non-current liabilities 
Lease liabilities 
Bank borrowings
Other non-current liabilities

Current liabilities 
Lease liabilities 
Trade and other payables

Total liabilities 

Identifiable net assets acquired 

Non-controlling interest arising on acquisition

Group share of net assets acquired

Goodwill arising on acquisition

Consideration

-
133

133

315
510
60

885

1,018

69
-
-

69

60
604

664

733

285

-

285

-
222

222

-
2,018
1,347

3,365

3,587

149
-
-

149

73
1,606

1,679

1,828

25
1,215

1,240

157
2,415
4,311

6,883

8,123

963
352
162

1,477

115
1,299

1,414

2,891

25
1,570

1,595

472
4,943
5,718

11,133

12,728

1,181
352
162

1,695

248
3,509

3,757

5,452

1,759

5,232

7,276

-

-

-

1,759

5,232

7,276

19,486

19,771

21,207

22,966

14,603

19,835

55,296

62,572

The acquisitions in 2021 financial year of CoRRect Medical GmbH and BESTMSLs Group have been determined to be 
substantial transactions and separate disclosure of the fair values of the identifiable assets and liabilities has therefore been 
made. None of the remaining business combinations completed during the period were considered sufficiently material to 
warrant separate disclosure of the fair values attributable to those combinations.

178

179

Financial StatementsUniphar plc Annual Report 2021Notes to the Financial StatementscontinuedNotes to the Financial Statementscontinued35  Acquisitions of subsidiary undertakings and business assets continued

36  Related party transactions

Hickey’s

Others

€’000

€’000

Provisional 
fair value 
of 2020 
acquisitions
€’000

Measurement
period 
adjustment

Total

€’000

€’000

LIABILITIES 
Non-current liabilities 
Lease liabilities 
Other non-current liabilities
Provisions
Deferred tax liabilities

Current liabilities 
Lease liabilities 
Bank borrowings 
Trade and other payables

Total liabilities 

24,223
-
360
697

25,280

3,847
16,800
12,379

33,026

58,306

1,337
536
-
-

1,873

648
-
6,690

7,338

9,211

Identifiable net assets acquired 

(1,260)

1,643

Non-controlling interest arising on acquisition

Group share of net assets acquired

Goodwill arising on acquisition

Consideration

-

(1,260)

44,816

43,556

(96)

1,547

46,019

47,566

25,560
536
360
697

27,153

4,495
16,800
19,069

40,364

67,517

383

(96)

287

90,835

91,122

-
-
-
591

591

-
-
(469)

(469)

122

25,560
536
360
1,288

27,744

4,495
16,800
18,600

39,895

67,639

2,568

2,951

-

2,568

2,462

5,030

(96)

2,855

93,297

96,152

In the ordinary course of business as pharmacists, certain Non-Executive Directors of Uniphar plc have traded on standard 
commercial terms with the Group. The individual and combined value of these transactions are not material in the context of 
the Group’s financial results.

lAS 24 Related Party Disclosures requires the disclosure of compensation paid to the Group’s key management personnel. 
Key management personnel are those persons having authority and responsibility for planning, directing, and controlling the 
activities of the Group. The Group classifies members of its executive team as key management personnel. The executive team 
is the body of senior executives that formulates business strategy with the Directors, follows through on implementation of that 
strategy and directs and controls the activities of the Group on a day to day basis.

The executive team consists of two Executive Directors (2020: three), six Non-Executive Directors (2020: seven), and an 
additional nine (2020: six) individual members at 31 December 2021. 

Remuneration of key management personnel
Short-term employee benefits (including share-based payment charges and termination payments)
Post-employment benefits

2021
€’000

9,411
198

9,609

2020
€’000

6,476
133

6,609

180

181

Financial StatementsUniphar plc Annual Report 2021Notes to the Financial StatementscontinuedNotes to the Financial Statementscontinued37  Group companies

Holding company
Uniphar plc

Principal activity
Investment holding company

The following are the significant subsidiary undertakings of Uniphar plc at 31 December 2021:

Incorporated 
and trading in

Subsidiary name

Ownership
%**

Principle Activity

37  Group companies continued 

The above table includes four pharmacy holding companies, Lindchem Designated Activity Company, Pagni Pharmacies 
Limited, Pyramach Limited and Trennamally Limited. Trading pharmacy entities are individually not deemed significant for the 
purposes of this disclosure. 

Pursuant to Sections 314-316 of the Companies Act, 2014, a full list of subsidiaries, joint ventures and associated undertakings 
will be annexed to the Company’s Annual Return to be filed in the Companies Registration Office in Ireland.

Allcare Management Services Limited*
Allphar Services Limited*
Cahill May Roberts Limited*
Lindchem Designated Activity Company*
M3 Medical Limited*
Pagni Pharmacies Limited*
Point of Care Health Services Limited*
Pyramach Limited*
Sisk Healthcare Unlimited Company
Trennamally Limited*
Uniphar Durbin Ireland Limited
Uniphar Europe Limited*
Uniphar Wholesale Limited*
Unisource Pharma Services Ireland Limited*
Innerstrength Limited
Relay for Hope CLG
Clinical Cube Limited
Clinical Pyramid Limited
Dialachemist Limited
Durbin plc
Macromed (UK) Limited 
Outcome Medical Solutions Limited 
Outico Limited 
Sisk Healthcare (UK) Limited
Star Outico Limited
Star Medical Limited
Unisource Limited 
Events 4 Healthcare Limited
Devonshire Healthcare Services Limited
EPS Vascular OY 
EP Endovascular AB
EPS Vascular AB
Star Outico Nordics A.B.

Ireland
Ireland
Ireland
Ireland
Ireland
Ireland
Ireland
Ireland
Ireland
Ireland
Ireland
Ireland
Ireland
Ireland
Ireland
Ireland
UK
UK
UK
UK
UK
UK
UK
UK
UK
UK
UK
UK
UK
Finland
Sweden
Sweden
Sweden
The Netherlands Angiocare B.V.
The Netherlands Star Medical B.V.
Germany 
US
US
US
US
US
US
US
US
US
US

CoRRect Medical GmbH
Uniphar USA, Inc.
Uniphar PA USA, LLC
Uniphar C&C USA, LLC
Durbin Inc.
Pharmaceutical Trade Services Inc.
Diligent Health Solutions, LLC
RRD International, LLC
MDEA, Inc.
The Doctor’s Channel, LLC
BESTMSLS, Inc

100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
82.3
100
100
100
80
100
94.95
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100

Pharmacy support services
Pharmaceutical supply chain and services
Non-trading property holding company
Pharmacy holding company
Medical device distribution
Pharmacy holding company
Specialist nursing and infusion services
Pharmacy holding company
Medical device distribution
Pharmacy holding company
Specialist provider of pharmaceuticals
Investment holding company 
Pharmaceutical wholesale distributor
Outsourcing and resourcing
Healthcare technology
Charity
Data solutions for pharma industry
Investment holding company
Online pharmacy and product fostering
Specialist provider of pharmaceuticals
Medical device distribution
Investment holding company
Data intelligence and consultancy
Medical device distribution
Outsourcing and resourcing
Outsourcing and resourcing
Investment holding company
Pharmaceutical marketing
Specialist provider of pharmaceuticals
Medical device distribution
Medical device distribution
Medical device distribution
Outsourcing and resourcing
Medical device distribution
Outsourcing and resourcing
Medical device distribution
Investment holding company
Investment holding company
Investment holding company
Investment holding company
Specialist provider of pharmaceuticals
Telecommunications support
Pharmaceutical Advisory
Medical affairs services
Medical affairs services
Medical affairs services

Incorporated in ROI

All Irish incorporated companies

Incorporated in UK

Star Medical Limited
Star Outico Limited
Outico Limited

Sisk Healthcare (UK) Limited 

Events 4 Healthcare Limited

Devonshire Healthcare Services Limited

All other UK incorporated companies

Registered office

4045 Kingswood Road
Citywest Business Park
Co. Dublin
D24 V06K 
Ireland

Registered offices

11 Davy Court
Castle Mound Way 
Central Park 
Rugby 
CV23 0UZ
United Kingdom

6 Wildflower Way
Boucher Road
Belfast
BT12 6TA
Northern Ireland

3 Waterloo Farm Courtyard
Stotfold Road
Arlesey
Bedfordshire
S515 6XP
United Kingdom

1 Maple Grove Business Centre
Lawrence Road
Hounslow
TW4 6DR
United Kingdom

6th Floor
One London Wall
London 
EC2Y 5EB
United Kingdom

*  As disclosed in note 34, each of the above Irish registered wholly-owned subsidiaries of the Company may avail of the 

exemption from filing its statutory financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2021 as permitted by Section 357 of the 
Companies Act 2014 and there is in force an irrevocable guarantee from the Company in respect of all commitments entered 
into by such wholly-owned subsidiary, including amounts shown as liabilities (within the meaning of Section 357 (1) (b) of the 
Companies Act 2014) in such wholly-owned subsidiary’s statutory financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2021.

** With the exception of the USA subsidiaries, where the holding is in the form of membership interests, all holdings are in the 

form of ordinary shares.

182

183

Financial StatementsUniphar plc Annual Report 2021Notes to the Financial StatementscontinuedNotes to the Financial Statementscontinued37  Group companies continued 

Incorporated in The Netherlands

Angiocare B.V.

Star Medical B.V.

Incorporated in the US

Durbin Inc.

Pharmaceutical Trade Services Inc.

RRD International, LLC

Diligent Health Solutions, LLC

MDea, Inc
The Doctor’s Channel, LLC
BESTMSLS, Inc

Uniphar USA, Inc
Uniphar C&C, USA Inc
Uniphar PA, USA Inc

Registered offices

Eemweg 00031 21
3755LC
Eemnes
The Netherlands

De Tweeling 00020
5215MC
S-Hertogenbosch
The Netherlands

Registered offices

William. C. Penick IV
190 East Capitol, Suite 100
Jackson
Mississippi 39201
United States

5820 Gulf Tech Drive
Ocean Springs
Mississippi 39564
United States

7361 Calhoun Place 
Suite 510 
Rockville
MD 20855
United States

4800 East Street Road 
Suite 100 
Feasterville-Trevose
PA 19053
United States

8985 S. Eastern Ave, Suite 200
Las Vegas, 
NV 89123
United States

1209 Orange Street 
Wilmington 
New Castle County 
Delaware 19801
United States

37  Group companies continued 

Incorporated in Sweden

Star Outico Nordics AB

All other Swedish incorporated companies 

Incorporated in Finland

EPS Vascular OY

Incorporated in Germany

CoRRect Medical GmbH

Registered offices

Regeringsgatan 29
111 53 Stockholm
Sweden

Hamnplanen 24
263 61 Viken
Skåne län
Sweden

Registered office

Hauralantie 43
37800 LEMPÄÄLÄ
Finland

Registered office

Bahnhofstrasse 32
82041 Oberhaching
Germany

The following were changes to the Group’s structure during 2021:

 » As set out in note 35, in February 2021, the Group acquired 100% of the ordinary share capital of Hudson Park Athlone 

Limited, a company incorporated in Ireland;

 » As set out in note 35, in July 2021, the Group acquired 100% of the ordinary share capital of Hogan’s Life Pharmacy Limited, 

a company incorporated in Ireland;

 » As set out in note 35, in July 2021, the Group acquired 100% of the ordinary share capital of CoRRect Medical GmbH, 

a company incorporated in Germany;

 » As set out in note 35, in July 2021, the Group acquired 100% of the membership interests of of MDea, Inc, The Doctor’s 

Channel, LLC and BESTMSLS, Inc (together BESTMSLs Group), companies incorporated in the US;

 » As set out in note 35, in December 2021, the Group acquired 100% of the ordinary share capital of Events 4 Healthcare 

Limited, a company incorporated in the UK;

 » As set out in note 35, in December 2021, the Group acquired 100% of the ordinary share capital of Devonshire Healthcare 

Services Limited, a company incorporated in the UK.

During 2021, the Group incorporated the following companies:

 » Relay for Hope CLG, and; 
 » Star Outico Nordics AB.

38  Post balance sheet events

The Group acquired three pharmacies on 31 January 2022, two from Kiely’s Chemist Limited and one from Edenmore 
Pharmacy Limited.

There have been no other material events subsequent to 31 December 2021 that would require adjustment to or disclosure in 
this report.

39  Comparative amounts

The comparative amounts have been updated for amendments to the fair value of assets and liabilities acquired during 2020 
which are set out in note 35, these amendments were within the measurement period imposed by IFRS 3.

40  Approval of financial statements

The Directors approved the financial statements on 28 February 2022.

184

185

Financial StatementsUniphar plc Annual Report 2021Notes to the Financial StatementscontinuedNotes to the Financial StatementscontinuedAlternative Performance Measures

Alternative Performance Measures
continued

The Group reports certain financial measurements that are not required under IFRS. These key alternative performance 
measures (APMs) represent additional measures in assessing performance and for reporting both internally, and to 
shareholders and other external users. The Group believes that the presentation of these APMs provides useful supplemental 
information which, when viewed in conjunction with IFRS financial information, provides stakeholders with a more meaningful 
understanding of the underlying financial and operating performance of the Group and its divisions. These measurements are 
also used internally to evaluate the historical and planned future performance of the Group’s operations.

None of these APMs should be considered as an alternative to financial measurements derived in accordance with IFRS. 
The APMs can have limitations as analytical tools and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for an analysis of 
results as reported under IFRS.

The principal APMs used by the Group, together with reconciliations where the APMs are not readily identifiable from the 
financial statements, are as follows:

Definition

Why we measure it

EBITDA

Earnings before exceptional items, net finance 
expense, income tax expense, depreciation and 
intangible assets amortisation.

&

Adjusted EBITDA Earnings before exceptional items, net finance 

expense, income tax expense, depreciation and 
intangible assets amortisation, adjusted for the 
impact of IFRS 16 and the pro-forma EBITDA 
of acquisitions.

Net bank debt

Net bank debt represents the net total of current 
and non-current borrowings, cash and cash 
equivalents, and restricted cash as presented in 
the Group Balance Sheet.

Net debt

Net debt represents the total of net bank debt, 
plus current and non-current lease obligations as 
presented in the Group Balance Sheet.

Leverage

Net bank debt divided by adjusted EBITDA for the 
period.

EBITDA provides management with an 
assessment of the underlying trading 
performance of the Group and excludes 
transactions that are not reflective of the ongoing 
operations of the business, allowing comparison 
of the trading performance of the business across 
periods and/or with other businesses.

Adjusted EBITDA is used for leverage 
calculations.

Net bank debt is used by management as it 
gives a summary of the Group’s current leverage 
which management will consider when evaluating 
investment opportunities, potential acquisitions, 
and internal resource allocation.

Net debt is used by management as it gives a 
complete picture of the Group’s debt including 
the impact of lease liabilities recognised under 
IFRS 16. 

Leverage is used by management to evaluate 
the group’s ability to cover its debts. This allows 
management to assess the ability for the 
company to use debt as a mechanism to 
facilitate growth. 

Adjusted 
earnings 
per share

& 

Like for Like 
adjusted 
earnings 
per share

Free cash flow 
conversion

Return on 
capital employed 

Definition

Why we measure it

This comprises of profit for the financial period 
attributable to owners of the parent as reported in 
the Group Income Statement before exceptional 
items (if any) and amortisation of acquisition 
related intangibles (and related tax thereon), 
divided by the weighted average number of 
shares in issue in the period.

Adjusted EPS is used to assess the after-tax 
underlying performance of the business in 
combination with the impact of capital structure 
actions on the share base. This is a key measure 
used by management to evaluate the businesses 
operating performance, generate future operating 
plans, and make strategic decisions.

Like for like adjusted earnings per share is 
calculated for both the current and prior period 
by dividing the profit of the relevant period 
attributable to owners of the parent as reported in 
the Group Income Statement before exceptional 
items (if any) and amortisation of acquisition 
related intangibles, by the weighted average 
number of shares in issue in the current period.

Free cash flow conversion calculated as 
EBITDA, less investment in working capital, 
less maintenance capital expenditure and 
foreign currency translation adjustments, 
divided by EBITDA.

ROCE is calculated as the 12 months rolling 
operating profit before the impact of exceptional 
costs and amortisation of acquisition related 
intangibles, expressed as a percentage of the 
adjusted average capital employed for the same 
period. The average capital employed is adjusted 
to ensure the capital employed of acquisitions 
completed during the period are appropriately 
time apportioned.

Like for like adjusted EPS is used to assess the 
after-tax underlying performance of the business 
assuming a constant share base.

Free cash flow represents the funds generated 
from the Group’s ongoing operations. 
These funds are available for reinvestment, 
and for future acquisitions as part of the Group’s 
growth strategy. A high level of free cash flow 
conversion is key to maintaining a strong, 
liquid balance sheet.

This measure allows management to monitor 
business performance, review potential 
investment opportunities and the allocation 
of internal resources.

186

187

Financial StatementsUniphar plc Annual Report 2021Alternative Performance Measures
continued

Alternative Performance Measures
continued

EBITDA

Adjusted earnings per share

Operating profit 
Exceptional charge recognised in operating profit
Depreciation
Amortisation

Income Statement
Note 4
Note 11
Note 10

EBITDA

Adjust for the impact of IFRS 16
Pro-forma EBITDA of acquisitions

Adjusted EBITDA

Net bank debt

Cash and cash equivalents
Restricted cash
Bank loans repayable within one year
Bank loans payable after one year

Balance Sheet
Balance Sheet
Balance Sheet
Balance Sheet

Net bank debt

Net debt

2021
€’000

45,147
14,404
22,225
4,705

86,481

2020
€’000

39,944
6,775
17,626
2,368

66,713

(16,625)
1,847

(12,121)
6,923

71,703

61,515

2021
€’000

78,025
-
(1,721)
(124,601)

2020
€’000

60,410
3,097
(2,311)
(95,615)

(48,297)

(34,419)

2021
€’000

2020
€’000

Net bank debt
Current lease obligations
Non-current lease obligations

Alternative Performance Measures
Balance Sheet
Balance Sheet

(48,297)
(14,358)
(104,720)

(34,419)
(13,334)
(107,203)

Net debt

Leverage

Net bank debt
Adjusted EBITDA

Leverage (times)

2021
€’000

2020
€’000

Alternative Performance Measures
Alternative Performance Measures

(48,297)
71,703

(34,419)
61,515

0.7

0.6

Adjusted earnings per share has been calculated by reference to the following:

Profit for the financial year attributable to owners

48,077

27,827

2021
€’000

2020
€’000

Exceptional charge recognised in operating profit (note 4)
Exceptional credit recognised in finance costs (note 4)
Exceptional credit recognised in income tax (note 4)
Amortisation of acquisition related intangibles (note 19)
Tax credit on acquisition related intangibles (note 22)

Profit after tax excluding exceptional items

Weighted average number of shares in issue in the year (000’s)

Adjusted basic and diluted earnings per ordinary share (in cent)

Like for like weighted average number of shares (000’s)

Like for like adjusted earnings per ordinary share (in cent)

Free cash flow conversion 

EBITDA
Decrease/(increase) in inventory
(Increase)/decrease in receivables
Increase in payables
Foreign currency translation adjustments
Payments to acquire property, plant and equipment – Maintenance
Payments to acquire intangible assets – Maintenance

Note 29
Note 29
Note 29
Note 29
Cash Flow Statement
Cash Flow Statement

Adjustment for settlement of acquired financial liabilities*

EBITDA

Free cash flow conversion

14,404
(19,761)
(777)
2,063
(207)

43,799

6,775
(1,939)
-
279
-

32,942

269,752

262,436

16.2

12.6

269,752

269,752

16.2

12.2

2021
€’000

86,481
3,726
(26,169)
13,388
22
(8,795)
(3,904)

2020
€’000

66,713
(11,868)
8,789
13,554
(56)
(6,487)
(1,412)

64,749

69,233

1,513

4,788

66,262

74,021

86,481

76.6%

66,713

111.0%

*  The adjustment to free cash flow ensures that payments made after an acquisition to settle loans with former shareholders 

of acquired companies, or other similar financial liabilities, are excluded from the movement in payables in the free cash flow 
calculation conversion.

(167,375)

(154,956)

Free cash flow

188

189

Financial StatementsUniphar plc Annual Report 2021Alternative Performance Measures
continued

Return on capital employed 

Rolling 12 months operating profit 
Adjustment for exceptional costs
Amortisation of acquisition related intangibles

Adjusted 12 months rolling operating profit

Total equity
Net bank debt
Facility termination fee
Deferred contingent consideration (note 19)
Deferred consideration payable (note 22)

2021
€’000

45,147
14,404
2,063

61,614

251,564
48,297
-
88,918
4,295

2020
€’000

39,944
6,775
279

46,998

202,535
34,419
-
86,195
4,461

2019
€’000

180,920
(26,622)
5,000
80,811
7,394

Total capital employed

393,074

327,610

247,503

Average capital employed
Adjustment for acquisitions (note A/B below)

Adjusted average capital employed

Return on capital employed

360,342
(9,384)

287,557
(36,302)

350,958

251,255

17.6%

18.7%

Capital 
employed
€’000

Completion
Date

Adjustment

Capital 
employed
€’000

Completion
Date

Adjustment

€’000

(1,914)
(7,470)

(9,384)

€’000

(22,678)
(13,624)

(36,302)

Note A: Adjustment for acquisitions (2021)
BESTMSLs Group
Other acquisitions completed during 2021

Adjustment for acquisitions during 2021

22,966
18,967

July 2021
Various

Note B: Adjustment for acquisitions (2020)
Hickey’s Pharmacy Group
Other acquisitions completed during 2020

Adjustment for acquisitions during 2020

54,428
47,255

Dec 2020
Various

The adjustment ensures that the capital employed of acquisitions completed during the period are appropriately time 
apportioned. The adjustment includes cash consideration, deferred and deferred contingent consideration, debt acquired, 
cash acquired, and any cash impact of shareholder loans or other similar financial liabilities repaid post acquisition.

190

Glossary of Terms

AGM 

APM 

Articles

Annual General Meeting

Alternative Performance Measures

Articles of Association of Uniphar plc

BESTMSLs Group

MDea, Inc, The Doctor’s Channel, LLC, and BESTMSLs, Inc 

Board 

CCPC 

CDP

CEO 

CFO 

CGU 

Company 

Covid-19 

CSO 

CSRD

Diligent

Durbin 

EAPs

EBITDA 

ED&I

EGM

EPS 

The Board of Directors of Uniphar plc

Irish Competition and Consumer Protection Commission

Carbon Disclosure Project

Chief Executive Officer

Chief Financial Officer

Cash-Generating Unit

Uniphar plc

Coronavirus disease

Contract Sales Outsourcing

Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive

Diligent Health Solutions, LLC

Durbin plc and Durbin Inc

Expanded Access Programs

Earnings Before Exceptionals, Interest, Tax, Depreciation and Amortisation

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Policy

Extraordinary General Meeting

Earnings Per Share

EPS Group 

EPS Vascular AB, EP Endovascular AB and EPS Vascular OY

ERP 

ESG

EU 

FDA

FMD 

FVOCI

FVPL

FY

GAAP 

GDP 

GDPR 

GMP 

GP

GxP

GRI

Group 

HCP 

HPRA 

HSBC

HR 

HSE

H&S

IAS 

Enterprise Resource Planning

Environmental, Social and Governance

European Union

Food and Drug Administration

Falsified Medicine Directive

Fair Value through Other Comprehensive Income

Fair Value through Profit or Loss

Financial Year

Generally Accepted Accounting Principles

Good Distribution Practice Regulations

General Data Protection Regulation

Good Manufacturing Practice Regulations

General Practitioner

“good practice” Quality Guidelines and Regulations

Global Reporting Initiative

Uniphar plc and Subsidiary undertakings of Uniphar plc

Healthcare Professional

The Irish Health Products Regulatory Authority

HSBC Continental Europe Bank

Human Resources

Health Service Executive in Ireland

Health and Safety 

International Accounting Standard

191

Financial StatementsUniphar plc Annual Report 2021ICP

ICT

IFRS 

Inc. 

IPHA 

IPO 

IPOS

IT 

KPI 

LTIP 

MAPs 

MENA

MCAM 

MSL

M&A

N/A 

NGO

NHS

OCI

OTC

PAYE 

PLC 

PPE

PwC 

Q1 

Q2 

Q3 

Q4 

Independent Community Pharmacy

Information and Communication Technologies

International Financial Reporting Standards

Incorporated

Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association

Initial Public Offering

Independent Pharmacy Ownership Scheme

Information Technology

Key Performance Indicator

Long Term Incentive Plan

Managed Access Programs

Middle East and North Africa

Multi-Channel Account Managers

Medical Science Liaison 

Mergers and Acquisitions

Not Applicable

Non-Governmental Organisations

National Healthcare Service in the United Kingdom

Other Comprehensive Income

Over the Counter

Pay As You Earn

Public Limited Company

Personal Protective Equipment

PricewaterhouseCoopers

Quarter 1 (1 January to 31 March)

Quarter 2 (1 April to 30 June)

Quarter 3 (1 July to 30 September)

Quarter 4 (1 October to 31 December)

QCA Code 

Quoted Companies Alliance Corporate Governance Code

QMS

RBC

RNS 

ROCE 

ROI 

ROW

RRD

SASB

SBTi

SDG

TCFD

Tc02e

UK 

UK Code 

Uniphar 

UN

US 

VAT 

VPN 

Quality management system

Royal Bank of Canada

Regulatory News Service

Return on Capital Employed

Republic of Ireland

Rest of the World

RRD International, LLC

Sustainability Accounting Standards Board

Science Based Target Initiatives 

Sustainable Development Goals

Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures

Tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent

United Kingdom

UK Corporate Governance Code

Uniphar plc and Subsidiary undertakings of Uniphar plc

The United Nations

United States of America

Value Added Tax

Virtual Private Network

2018 pro-forma EBITDA 

2018 pro-forma EBITDA of €46.3m as disclosed in our Admission document

192

Glossary of TermsUniphar Head Office
4045 Kingswood Road
Citywest Business Park
Co. Dublin
T (01) 428 7777
F (01) 428 7776

www.uniphar.ie