2030 SUSTAINABILITY PLAN: EVOLVING TO MEET A CHANGING WORLD'S NEEDS

This is our 2030 Sustainability Plan

THIS IS OUR 2030 SUSTAINABILITY PLAN

Today, building and preserving health is more important and complex than ever, with impacts ranging from infectious and chronic diseases, to malnutrition, to widening social and economic gaps across society.

For more than 130 years and through all of that history's uncertainty, Abbott's purpose has never wavered: We help people live fuller lives through better health. That's why health is at the core of how we think about sustainability and is central to our strategy for sustainable growth.

MOUNTING A RESPONSE TO ESCALATING CHALLENGES

The world's healthcare systems were already overburdened by the growing impacts of aging populations and chronic disease — and that was before COVID-19. Access to care is limited. Cost is always a concern and health gaps are widening across society.

third of people today lack access to essential health products and technologies.

There's an 18-year difference in life expectancy between rich and poor countries.

Humanity will need nearly 20 million additional health workers over the next 10 years.

Global annual healthcare spending is projected to reach $16 trillion in 2029.

Those are big numbers. They demand a big response. This is ours.

OUR 2030 TARGETS

Make access and affordability core to new product innovation

We'll design our technologies and products for broader access and affordability at every step – from every phase of our R&D process, to the materials we use, to manufacturing, to the ways we reach the people who need them.

  • Integrate access, affordability and data insights as design principles into our R&D work and portfolio.

Transform care for chronic disease, malnutrition and infectious diseases

Across our business and through collaboration, we'll create new technologies and find new answers for chronic health conditions like diabetes and cardiovascular disease, malnutrition, and infectious diseases such as COVID-19, HIV, malaria and hepatitis, as well as tomorrow's pandemic threats.

  • Support global efforts to address noncommunicable diseases, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

    • Innovate to transform the standard of care for diabetes and support efforts to bend the diabetes curve through innovative technology, prevention and education, early diagnosis, treatment and nutrition.
    • Deliver breakthrough technologies, improve clinical outcomes and impact the lives of people with or at risk of cardiovascular disease.
  • Deliver scalable, integrated solutions to help reduce preventable deaths and infectious diseases (malaria, hepatitis B/C, HIV, COVID-19 and others) with diagnostics, treatment and education programs, especially in high-prevalence areas.

Advance health equity through partnership

We will work side-by-side with people and communities we serve, partners, governments and other stakeholders to address health disparities, expand access and remove barriers that prevent people from living healthy lives, wherever they are.

  • Expand affordable access to healthcare for underserved, diverse and at-risk communities, including women and children, by delivering innovative, decentralized models of care that advance prevention and early diagnosis, improve nutrition, provide quality treatment and care, and lower total costs.
  • Partner with stakeholders to improve health outcomes by advancing standards and building access to affordable, integrated solutions.

HOW WE'RE TAKING ACTION

Decade of Impact: Transforming Care in Tanzania READ MORE
Decade of Impact: Transforming Care in Tanzania
Ten years ago, pioneers helped introduce emergency medicine. Now, they care for more than 1.2 million people. 
Can a ‘Food as Medicine’ Approach Help Manage Diabetes? READ MORE
Can a ‘Food as Medicine’ Approach Help Manage Diabetes?
In Stockton, Calif., delivering healthy meal boxes to people with diabetes has led to encouraging results.
Sharing the Access Code to Help Open Up Diabetes Care READ MORE
Sharing the Access Code to Help Open Up Diabetes Care
We’re working to expand access and get our life-changing continuous glucose monitoring technology to more people. 
One Size Does Not Fit All: The Future of Clinical Trials READ MORE
One Size Does Not Fit All: The Future of Clinical Trials
Our new initiatives are increasing diversity of participants and investigators, expanding impact to more patients.
Less is More: Abbott’s Approach to Packaging Innovation READ MORE
Less is More: Abbott’s Approach to Packaging Innovation
Abbott is making meaningful strides in its commitment to reduce the environmental impact of its product packaging.
OUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE  WORLD'S COVID-19 RESPONSE READ MORE
OUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE WORLD'S COVID-19 RESPONSE
We're developing tech, expanding access, sharing resources to help limit coronavirus.
BRINGING QUALITY CARE CLOSER TO HOME READ MORE
BRINGING QUALITY CARE CLOSER TO HOME
Shared value collaboration expands access to care and testing in Rwanda – providing a model for sustainable rural care.
Our Diabetes Number: How Many People Can We Help? READ MORE
Our Diabetes Number: How Many People Can We Help?
At ADA's Scientific Sessions, new data show how our CGM system helps more people in more places.
How Do We Help Prevent the Next Pandemic? Collaboration. READ MORE
How Do We Help Prevent the Next Pandemic? Collaboration.
Our Pandemic Defense Coalition is here to help stop future pandemics in their tracks through global partnership.

OUR 2030 TARGETS

Build the diverse, innovative workforce of tomorrow

New ideas come from different places and points of view. To achieve our ambitions, we're actively shaping our organization for the future by prioritizing diversity and inclusion, advancing STEM education and internships, and empowering our teams with skills to meet the health needs of tomorrow.

  • Provide 1 million development and job opportunities for current and future employees.
  • Create opportunities in Abbott's STEM programs and internships for more than 100,000 young people, including 50% from underrepresented groups.
  • Continue to drive diversity and inclusion strategies that create a meaningful employee experience and advance Abbott's culture to:

    • Achieve gender balance across our global management team with at least 45% female representation.
    • Achieve gender balance in STEM roles with at least 45% female representation.
    • Ensure one-third of our leadership roles are held by people from underrepresented groups by 2025.
    • Continue to drive 100% leadership accountability by tying executive compensation to diversity outcomes.
  • Anticipate Abbott's future workforce needs and achieve talent readiness.
  • Maintain or improve rates of internal succession for leadership roles.
  • Fill 50% of targeted new jobs with internal talent by upskilling, cross-skilling and creating learning opportunities.
  • Continue to provide industry-leading programs that help people achieve their personal health and well-being.
  • Support financial security of employees by helping those with college debt to save for retirement, expanding Abbott's Freedom 2 Save program by providing $10 million in matching contributions to participant retirement accounts.

Responsibly connect data, technology and care

Our data insights and connected technologies help people and their doctors make better, faster and more complete decisions about their health in ways that fit easily into their lives. Just as important, we protect our patients and customers through secure and responsible data collection.

  • Be a trusted healthcare leader in secure and responsible data collection, use, management and privacy in order to protect our patients and customers, empower them to make better, more complete decisions about their health and drive innovation through insights and analytics.

Create a resilient, diverse and responsible supply chain

We're building a more resilient supply chain, including working with suppliers to expand opportunities for diverse and small businesses, and actively engaging with suppliers to meet our high quality standards.

  • Certify that 80% of newly contracted direct material spends are linked to contracts that incorporate social responsibility requirements.
  • Ensure ethical sourcing from all suppliers with high-risk sustainability factors through 100% auditing.
  • Ensure an inclusive environment by increasing spending with diverse and small businesses 50% by 2030, and Black- and women-owned businesses 150% by 2025, from a 2020 baseline.

Protect a healthy environment

We're working across our operations and with key suppliers to sustainably manage our water use and address climate change by reducing carbon emissions and expanding renewable energy. And we'll reduce the environmental impact of our product packaging and minimize waste in our operations through reuse and recycling programs across our company.

  • Reduce absolute Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions by 30% from 2018 baseline by the end of 2030, consistent with the objectives of the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).
  • Work with our key carbon-intensive suppliers to implement sustainable programs to reduce our Scope 3 carbon emissions. (Quantitative Scope 3 target is forthcoming.)
  • Achieve water stewardship certification at all high-water-impact manufacturing sites in water-stressed areas.
  • Implement accredited water stewardship management practices in more than 75% of all manufacturing sites operating in water-stressed areas.
  • Work with 50 key suppliers in high water-stressed areas to reduce water quality and quantity risks to Abbott and the community.
  • Address 50 million pounds of packaging through high-impact sustainable design programs that:

    • Employ circularity principles through smart design and material selection
    • Eliminate and reduce materials
    • Improve the energy efficiency of Abbott's products
    • Optimize packaging, pallet and truckload efficiency
  • Reduce waste impacts using a circular economy approach to achieve and maintain at least a 90% waste diversion rate.
  • Engage with key suppliers to reduce the environmental impact of materials sent to Abbott that become waste in our operations and develop and track supplier waste diversion initiatives.

HOW WE'RE TAKING ACTION

Sustainability Reporting HUB

SUSTAINABILITY REPORTING HUB

For Abbott's sustainability performance reporting and data insights:

 

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