Company bio

Philip Morris International is a leading international tobacco company, with a diverse workforce of around 71,000 people who hail from every corner of the globe.

We are committed to being a great employer. We strive to be environmentally and socially responsible. We are dedicated to fighting the illegal cigarette trade. We proudly support the communities where we source tobacco and where our employees live and work.

Business Highlights

We are dedicated to doing something very dramatic—we want to replace cigarettes with smoke-free products as fast as possible.

That’s why we have more than 430 scientists, engineers, and technicians developing less-harmful alternatives to cigarettes at our two research facilities in Switzerland and Singapore.

It’s the biggest shift in our history. And it’s the right one for our consumers, our company, our shareholders, and society.

“If you don’t smoke, don’t start; if you smoke, quit; if you can’t quit, change, this motto that accompanied your “Unsmoke” movement, is unusual for a brand that operates in the tobacco industry. What’s the meaning?

It is always a great pleasure to introduce the “Unsmoke” campaing. An almost revolutionary campaign in the global tobacco industry. "Unsmoke" started in 2019. We launched a campaign we believe can change “the course of history” and mark the future of both Philip Morris and the whole world. I would like to bring in attention one of the studies: “The last cigarette in the UK will be extinguished in 2050”. We believe we have a way to make it happen sooner, not only in the UK, but also here, in the Balkans. The “UNSMOKE” campaign believes that smokers will make the best possible choice if they stop consuming tobacco and nicotine products. At the same time, it does not turn a blind eye to the fact that a large portion out of 1.3 billion smokers, as the number estimated by the World Health Organization, will simply not do it. It is necessary to offer less harmful alternatives than cigarettes to them. And it does not matter whether those alternatives are produced by Philip Morris or some other company; what matters is that the product should be scientifically proven to be a better option than cigarettes and that it is commercialized responsibly. We want to change the world with this campaign, and that goes beyond narrow commercial gain. But it also goes beyond the capacities of one company, regardless of how big it is, and that is why we want to ask media, public health experts, and regulators across the world for assistance to make cigarettes a history as soon as possible.

Will PMI’s operations continue to be focused on innovation?

Always! Technology and innovation are an integral part of our company. It would be illogical and irresponsible to simply halt that process of investing in innovation and a better future after 15 years. More than 6 billion dollars are invested in innovative products that today are less harmful. A lot of effort has been made to find a perfect proportion - a high-quality product that is less harmful, and which will both satisfy the needs of smokers and preserve a ritual which is very important for smokers to accept these alternatives. Philip Morris works with so many scientists from the areas of toxicology, pharmacy, medicine, biology, and about 30 more scientific areas on developing better choices for smokers.  I believe that our industry can also contribute to the improvement of quality of life for all of us.

What are your plans and expectations for the years ahead?

The leadership position with unique values is imperative in our business, as in any other industries. Just like we were the leader in the production of conventional cigarettes for a whole century, today we are the leader in the production of safer and verified alternatives. Today there are over 20 million fewer smokers who smoke cigarettes in the world because they fully switched to IQOS. There are still a lot of challenges ahead and I expect us to overcome them successfully in the near future.

What is the most valuable asset for Philip Morris Alb30ania?

People, of course. PMI has become one of the leading working places in Albania for its culture and dedicated professional people, young talents with creative skills - an employer with an inclusive and diverse work environment. And the best thing you can do with creative people is to create a space that allows them to be themselves, so they can contribute their best and support each other. This is how we naturally drive innovation and consumer-centricity. Every achievement matters here. We believe and know by experience that excellence should be celebrated and rewarded. So we created rewarding programs that recognize those employees who have truly made a difference. Leaders and managers are always nurturing the team, they help everyone develop their professional skills, and inspire by showcasing experience and offering example.