Press Release
Abbott Releases 2007 Global Citizenship Report Highlighting Strong Commitment to Access to Health Care
Company's Report Entitled, "Ingenuity at Work," Discusses Abbott's
Contributions
to Access, Innovation, Science Education and the Environment
June 2, 2008
Learn more about Abbott's Global Citizenship
efforts:
Abbott Park, Illinois (NYSE: ABT)
— Abbott today released its 2007 Global Citizenship Report, "Ingenuity at
Work," which is available online at
www.abbott.com/citizenship. The report highlights Abbott's commitment to
access to care, innovation, science education and the environment.
Named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World and North American Indices in
2007 for the third consecutive year, Abbott remains a leader in economic,
social and environmental performance – with the company and the Abbott Fund
contributing more than $385 million in grants and
products to help improve the lives of millions of people around the world.
"To us, citizenship challenges are core business challenges – they're
part of how we effectively develop, manufacture and market a product," said
Miles D. White, chairman and chief executive officer, Abbott. "We view
citizenship as a matter of competitiveness and business discipline. We find it
invigorating that society is demanding more of business enterprises today, and
we're energized to meet and extend these new standards."
Following are some of Abbott's major accomplishments in 2007:
Access to Care
- Provided support and resources to clinics and laboratories in Africa to
help people in need access medical care and supplies. Abbott plans to help
modernize 23 additional laboratories in Africa in 2010.
- Offered more than $183 million worth of free
Abbott medicines, nutritionals and medical devices through patient assistance
programs worldwide.
Innovation
- Invested more than $2.5 billion in research
and development, an increase of 11.1 percent from the previous year. Through
medical advancements and new scientific technologies, Abbott is tackling some
of today's most pressing chronic diseases – diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular
disease.
- Introduced the first and only co-formulated protease inhibitor tablet
suitable for children with HIV. The tablet does not require refrigeration and
does not need to be taken with food – two important advances in delivering HIV
medicine. Kaletra (known as Aluvia in developing countries) was filed or has
been approved in
156 developed and developing countries.
Science Education
- Supported science education in the United States through a new program
called "Labs Are Vital," which helps to raise awareness of the
life-saving work clinical laboratory professionals provide in improving health
outcomes.
- Launched pilot programs to enhance science education and worked closely
with teachers in several U.S. cities to promote science in the classrooms. In
2008, Abbott aims to expand these programs across the country.
Environment
- Became the first FORTUNE 500 company to go "carbon neutral" with
its fleet of sales vehicles.
- Improved operations to help protect the environment, including reducing
carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions with plans to reduce total emissions
by 30 percent by 2011.
- Continued to work towards 2010 goals to reduce water usage, waste, employee
injuries and commercial vehicle fleet accidents to help generate the greatest
environmental, health and safety benefits.
About Abbott's 2007 Global Citizenship Report
Abbott's full 2007 report is now available online at
www.abbott.com/citizenship, including a copy of the company's Global
Reporting Initiative (GRI) Index. In order to reduce its environmental impact,
the company published a shortened version of the print report and expanded the
information available on its Web site. The abbreviated print version can be
downloaded from the Web site or requested by email at globalcitizenship@abbott.com.
About Abbott
Abbott (NYSE: ABT)
is a global, broad-based health care company devoted to the discovery,
development, manufacture and marketing of pharmaceuticals and medical products,
including nutritionals, devices and diagnostics. The company employs more than
68,000 people and markets its products in more than 130 countries.
Media:
Matt Bedella
Ann Fahey-Widman |
(847) 936-3394
(847) 938-6388 |
Financial:
Angela Duff |
(847) 938-6894 |
Citizenship Community:
Annamaria Pastore |
(847) 938-2616 |
