Safeguarding the Environment

Abbott has a longstanding commitment to minimize its impact on the global environment—in our sourcing of raw materials, in the manufacturing and distribution of our products and in the ways consumers use and dispose of them. In every product that we make, in every service we provide and in every market we serve, we strive to be good stewards of the earth and its resources.

We have identified climate change, water use and product stewardship as our most significant environmental impacts, and we treat them as strategic priorities. At the same time we continue to manage the eco-efficiency of our many manufacturing sites around the world as well as protecting the health and safety of all our employees. We have an Environment, Health and Safety Policy and Management system to underpin this work.

Awards & Recognition

Lake County, Illinois

For the tenth time, Abbott received the annual Illinois Governor's Pollution Prevention Award for outstanding environmental excellence. The award recognizes businesses and organizations in Illinois that have successfully reduced the generation of gaseous, liquid and solid waste. Abbott has been honored for implementing four pollution prevention projects at our headquarters that resulted in environmental benefits. These efforts included using a more environmentally friendly product to replace a volatile organic material in a manufacturing process; repairing production lines to reduce energy consumption and CO₂ emissions; reducing waste sent to landfills by providing employees at two Lake County plants with reusable clothing to replace disposable apparel; and lowering the amount of purified water used in a manufacturing process for producing pharmaceuticals.

Abbott Park, Illinois

We were recertified in 2007 by the Wildlife Habitat Council Wildlife at Work SM/International Accreditation Program, which recognizes meaningful wildlife habitat management programs, including environmental education programs. Certification through WHC provides third-party credibility and an objective evaluation of projects completed at our Abbott headquarters and the Abbott Park community at large.

Sturgis, Michigan

The nutrition plant was named Outstanding Business Recycler of the Year by the Michigan Recycling Coalition, a nonprofit environmental organization focused on sustaining and restoring our natural world.

Cootehill, Ireland

The 2008 inaugural Green Business Award was awarded to Abbott Ireland. Also, our nutrition manufacturing plant in Cootehill was the first recipient of the Passion for the World Around Us award, which honors businesses that make positive contributions to their operating communities. Our Cootehill plant also received the 2006 Regional Award for Occupational Safety in the North East Region from the National Irish Safety Organization Awards Scheme.

Barceloneta, Puerto Rico

The Abbott Biotechnology Plant received a Safety Achievement Award from the Puerto Rico Manufacturing Association, which honors employers who have achieved an OSHA Incidence rate between 75 percent and 90 percent lower than the national average rate, for industries under the same SIC Code.

Delkenheim, Germany

Our Delkenheim, Germany plant received the 2006/2007 "Wiesbaden Ecoprofit Plant" for the fourth time running, in acknowledgement of services to the environment including the installation of a rooftile photovoltaics system able to convert light into electricity, replacement of 1,000 fluorescent tubes with lower-wattage systems, reuse of polystyrene cooler boxes, installation of 26 optical flush devices for urinals, and a continuous improvement process for packaging. The combination of measures allows Abbott to generate annual savings of €167,262 in terms of energy/emissions, water/waste and raw materials/disposal.