Baxter Highlights Progress Toward Sustainability Priorities, Including First and Only Carbon Trust Certification for Medical Product, in New Report

21-07-2010

 

Baxter International Inc. (NYSE: BAX) today released its 2009 Sustainability Report - Our Priorities for a More Sustainable Future , marking the 11th consecutive year the company has released a sustainability report about its social, economic and environmental performance. The report features progress the company has made toward its sustainability priorities and goals, and its commitment to addressing global sustainability challenges through a range of initiatives, including advancing product stewardship through product carbon footprint certification and engaging employees in volunteer initiatives in their communities.

 

 

Baxter Highlights Progress Toward Sustainability Priorities
Baxter's 2009 Sustainability Report - Our Priorities for a More Sustainable Future focuses on the company's progress toward its sustainability priorities  and goals, and features various initiatives and performance metrics. 

 

Baxter's sustainability priorities, grouped into the three broad categories of Our People, Our Operations and Products, and Our World, reflect issues of key concern to Baxter and its stakeholders and areas where the company is uniquely positioned to have a positive impact. Corresponding long-term performance goals demonstrate the company's commitment, motivate continual improvement and help stakeholders assess performance. These goals include creating an inclusive workplace, strengthening math and science education, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, waste generation and water usage.

 

"Sustainability is an extension of our business and our culture," said Robert L. Parkinson, Jr., Baxter's chairman and chief executive officer. "Each of our sustainability priorities represents an opportunity to engage employees, as we collectively contribute to a more sustainable world and benefit our business."

 

Initiatives highlighted in the 2009 report include:

  • Decreasing water usage  by 9 percent in absolute terms and 29 percent indexed to revenue compared to 2005;
  • Launching the Global Supplier Sustainability Program , incorporating 20 green criteria into Baxter's purchasing procedures;
  • Achieving a third straight year of improvement in reducing cases resulting in days lost  due to workplace injuries;
  • Realizing environmental benefits at Baxter's European headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, which uses nearly 80 percent less energy than a typical office building of its size due to green-building design elements  such as natural lighting, roof-top solar panels and other innovative features; and
  • Decreasing net greenhouse gas emissions  from operations by 5 percent on an absolute basis and 26 percent indexed to revenue compared to 2005.

 

Links to additional information about the examples listed above are available via the online news release at www.baxter.com. Additional examples and data can be found in the company's comprehensive 2009 Sustainability Report, which is aligned with the Global Reporting Initiative guidelines, available at http://sustainability.baxter.com . The report features in-depth reporting across key sustainability topics, including community support; employees; environment, health and safety; ethics and compliance; governance; and product responsibility.

 

First and Only Medical Product to Receive Carbon Trust Certification
As part of its efforts to advance product stewardship and sustainable practices in manufacturing, Baxter recently received Carbon Reduction certification  from the UK-based Carbon Trust for FLEXBUMIN [Albumin (Human)] - the first and only albumin therapy in a flexible, plastic container, and the first and only medical product to receive this certification.

 

FLEXBUMIN represents an innovative combination of Baxter's BioScience and Medication Delivery core competencies in bringing together a lifesaving therapy in a unique packaging system - the GALAXY container. Historically, albumin was packaged in glass bottles like Baxter's BUMINATE [Albumin (Human)].  FLEXBUMIN received certification from the Carbon Trust based on a verification of comparative carbon footprint analyses combined with a commitment by Baxter to continue to decrease the carbon footprint of FLEXBUMIN during the next two years. The analyses were conducted in accordance with the BSI PAS 2050 Standard for product carbon footprinting and quantified the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the 50ml and 100ml FLEXBUMIN and BUMI