DEERFIELD, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Baxter International Inc. (NYSE:BAX), a leading global medical products company, today released its 2017 Corporate Responsibility Report, highlighting its efforts to create lasting social, economic and environmental value in the communities the company serves around the world. The report underscores Baxter’s progress toward its 2020 Corporate Responsibility priorities and goals, which span from reducing Baxter’s environmental footprint to addressing healthcare needs within underserved communities.
“Responsible corporate citizenship goes hand in hand with our mission to save and sustain lives. It’s fundamental to our aspirations as a healthcare leader, sparks innovation worldwide and demonstrates the dedication of our employees to doing business the right way,” said José (Joe) E. Almeida, chairman and chief executive officer. “Our 2017 Corporate Responsibility report showcases our active engagement with the concerns of diverse communities and constituencies globally, and our commitment to making a meaningful difference that will be felt today, tomorrow and for generations to come.”
Highlights of the 2017 report include:
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Sustainable Operations
- Baxter continues to implement sustainable practices and reduce its environmental impact across its operations. In 2017, 30% of Baxter’s energy use from its operations was from renewable resources, and the company reduced its absolute greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 17% through increased efficiency and resource conservation, compared to its 2015 baseline and surpassing the 2020 goal of reducing absolute GHG emissions by 10%.
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Workplace Culture
- Nurturing an inclusive, diverse, high-performing culture is directly connected to our aspiration of being a Best Place to Work. The company is focused on cultivating a culture that empowers employees and helps them reach their full potential. Baxter is proud to be recognized in countries around the world as a great place to work, an employer of choice for women in STEM and for its efforts in inclusion and diversity by numerous industry associations and publications. A sampling of 2017 recognitions that celebrate the Baxter workplace include distinctions from Forbes as one of “America’s Best Large Employers” and the Human Rights Campaign as a “Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality.”
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Serving Communities Worldwide
- Baxter and its employees strive to enrich local communities through partnerships, products and cash donations, matching gifts and more. In 2017, Baxter and the Baxter International Foundation donated more than $20 million in cash and products in support of humanitarian aid, care for the underserved and other urgent needs. Baxter employees also participated in 1,200 community events and volunteered more than 57,000 hours across 38 countries.
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Innovation that Expands Access to Care
- Baxter is committed to increasing access to healthcare and addressing unmet medical needs. In 2016, the Baxter International Foundation, in collaboration with the humanitarian organization Direct Relief, activated the mobile healthcare initiative “Driving Your Health” with a focus on improving community health outcomes through preventive care, chronic condition management and transportation assistance. In 2017, its first full year, the program offered direct healthcare services to more than 23,000 people and provided training to 900 healthcare professionals. The three-year program’s full suite of health education, prevention and awareness training is projected to impact more than 350,000 people living in underserved communities in and around Mexico City.
To learn more about Baxter’s corporate responsibility efforts and imperatives, please visit https://www.baxter.com/our-story/corporate-responsibility.
About Baxter
Every day, millions of patients and caregivers rely on Baxter’s leading portfolio of critical care, nutrition, renal, hospital and surgical products. For more than 85 years, we’ve been operating at the critical intersection where innovations that save and sustain lives meet the healthcare providers that make it happen. With products, technologies and therapies available in more than 100 countries, Baxter’s employees worldwide are now building upon the company’s rich heritage of medical breakthroughs to advance the next generation of transformative healthcare innovations. To learn more, visit www.baxter.com and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.
