OREANDA-NEWS. For the 17th consecutive year, Baxter has been recognized in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World) and the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index (DJSI North America) — among the most prestigious global benchmarks for corporate responsibility and sustainability. Baxter was recognized this year for industry-leading performance in corporate citizenship and philanthropy, environmental policy and management systems and environmental reporting and is distinguished by its representation as one of only a few companies that has been included in the Index each year since its creation in 1999. The DJSI tracks the performance of the leading sustainability-driven companies worldwide, enabling investors to integrate sustainability considerations into their portfolios. 

“We believe that our ultimate statement of corporate responsibility is embedded in our mission to save and sustain lives,” said Baxter Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jos? (Joe) Almeida. “The global impact of our products, presence and activities will always be appraised through this lens." Baxter also recently released its annual corporate responsibility report, Making a Meaningful Difference, which describes the company's corporate responsibility strategy, and provides performance updates on its associated goals and initiatives.

In this year's report, Baxter introduces its new corporate responsibility priorities and goals for 2020, with areas of focus that include employee health and safety; serving its communities; product innovation; innovation that expands access to care; operations; ethics and compliance; responsible procurement and logistics; and workplace culture.

The report also highlights a number of Baxter’s 2015 achievements, including:

  • Employee Wellness: More than 10,000 employees logged over 125,000 hours of exercise as part of the BeWell@Baxter Exercise Challenge.
  • Access to Care: Baxter products were used in 35 countries as a part of 134 medical outreach trips supported by AmeriCares, an emergency response and global health organization.
  • Community Engagement: Nearly 5,200 Baxter employees volunteered 92,000 hours in their communities, addressing local concerns.
  • Philanthropy: Baxter and the Baxter International Foundation donated more than $24 million in products, cash contributions and Foundation grants.
  • Sustainable Operations: Baxter used nearly 5% less water, largely due to improvements in manufacturing practices at numerous facilities globally. By the end of 2015, 24% of the company’s energy use for operations was from renewable sources exceeding the goal.

About Baxter

Baxter provides a broad portfolio of essential renal and hospital products, including home, acute and in-center dialysis; sterile IV solutions; infusion systems and devices; parenteral nutrition; biosurgery products and anesthetics; and pharmacy automation, software and services. The company’s global footprint and the critical nature of its products and services play a key role in expanding access to healthcare in emerging and developed countries. Baxter’s employees worldwide are building upon the company’s rich heritage of medical breakthroughs to advance the next generation of healthcare innovations that enable patient care.