Commitment to Quality and Integrity

Irene Marchi is Head of CP Compliance responsible for technical and operational maintenance of the E&I program globally across all business units.

As a representative of our five LivaNova Values, she embodies the value Commitment to Quality and Integrity, in which we dedicate ourselves to high quality and integrity in everything we do.

Q: Why is Commitment to Quality and Integrity important to you and your work?

A: It’s important for myself as a person as well as a professional. It’s about my reputation, both at work and in my personal life. I like it to be my “business card.” That doesn’t mean I don’t make mistakes, but doing something to the best of my abilities and without cutting corners makes me feel good about myself. I also like to be somebody that people can rely on.

At work, you can’t have a team without having respect and trust. There’s no trust without transparency, communication and accountability. There’s no quality without proper work ethics and diligence. All of these elements are important to my work life, and all of them can be summed up in one word: integrity.

From a company perspective, the quality of the little things we do every day bundles up into the quality of our products, which translates into better treatments for patients. That’s what really makes us the company that we are. Moreover, operating in an ethical manner has also become more important to companies for competitive reasons. With a greater focus on ESG, it’s not only what we do, but how we do it that matters.

Q: Who has influenced or inspired you the most during your career?

A: My work ethics was first influenced by my family, who taught me the fundamentals of honesty, respect, trust and diligence. My family members are hard workers. Also, being involved in sports showed me that cutting corners isn’t going to help me at the end of the day. During my university studies, I met some people who inspired me and taught me the importance of being authentic. At work, all of these things come together and I have been trying to uphold these values since my initial steps into professional life.

Q: What are you most proud of when it comes to your and your team’s work at LivaNova?

A: We try to draw attention to the principles rather than just the rules. Very often people think about compliance as a ticking-the-box exercise or making sure you stick to that rule. Rules are important and are there for a reason, but they are hard to embrace without knowing the underlying “why.” I’m very proud that, on top of explaining rules and requirements, we try to convey ethical principles and how to apply them to various scenarios. We try to empower the businesses and enable associates to do their jobs successfully, while maintaining high quality and integrity standards.

Q: How do you feel a sense of belonging at LivaNova?

A: LivaNova is a company that values people — patients first, but also employees. When you get to hear patient stories directly from them, with all the details on how their conditions have changed and all the emotions that come with it, it resonates with me on a moral level. I like being with a company that ultimately does good for people.

On a more personal level, I feel like I’m being “seen” and I have a seat at the table. I also feel like I belong when I see someone proactively providing support, as opposed to waiting for a request for help. I really appreciate when I hear someone saying, even across functions, “would you like me to do this for you?” It’s nice because it’s not easy to offer to do more when your day is already full. I see that as a very nice thing and it makes me feel like I’m a part of a bigger team, or a family, if you will.

Q: What is something people may not know about you?

A: I really love sports, especially combat sports like boxing and kickboxing, in which I used to compete years ago. I still enjoy training regularly and I don’t mind waking up early in the morning to work out. But don’t get fooled — outside of my training hours, I always choose the easiest, laziest options possible! I’ll always choose the elevator over the stairs, or hotel over camping. So, I’m a bit of a walking contradiction in that sense!

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