Abbott 2009 Global Citizenship Report Highlights Company's Progress in 'Redefining Responsibility'

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May 06, 2010, 10:01 ET

ABBOTT PARK, Ill., May 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Abbott (NYSE: ABT) today announced the release of its 2009 Global Citizenship Report entitled, "Redefining Responsibility," available online at http://www.abbott.com/citizenship. Abbott is redefining responsibility by applying its core expertise and resources to improve people's lives around the world, focused on four key areas: innovating for the future, enhancing access, safeguarding the environment, and protecting patients and consumers.

"We understand well at Abbott that our citizenship work is never done," said Miles D. White, chairman and chief executive officer, Abbott. "We will keep working to embed citizenship in every aspect of our operations and to build a continually more sustainable business."

Key highlights of Abbott's citizenship work in 2009 include:

Innovating for the Future – Abbott supported scientific advancement in emerging markets by opening new laboratories in China and Singapore, and through partnerships targeting new treatments for neglected diseases.
Enhancing Access – Abbott is applying its expertise in science, public health, technology and engineering to find sustainable approaches to global health challenges. Abbott and its philanthropic foundation the Abbott Fund also invested more than $580 million in grants and product donations to expand access to health care around the world.
Safeguarding the Environment – Abbott reduced its normalized CO2 emissions by 36 percent in recent years by improving energy efficiency and switching to low carbon fuels and renewable energy. The company also is saving 1 billon gallons of water annually through production process improvements across its global operations.
Protecting Patients and Consumers – Abbott holds its suppliers to the same high standards for quality, safety and social responsibility that are applied internally, and conducts audits to ensure compliance. Abbott also partners with many organizations to support patient and health care professional education around the world.

Recent External Recognition of Abbott's Citizenship Efforts

Abbott was included on the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index and North America Index for the fifth consecutive year in 2009 in recognition of continued global leadership in economic, environmental and social performance.
Abbott ranked sixth overall on the global "100 Best Corporate Citizens List 2010" compiled by Corporate Responsibility magazine.
Abbott has been recognized for its sustainability efforts in countries around the world, including Brazil, China, Denmark, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Korea, Mexico, Singapore, Tanzania and the United States.
FORTUNE magazine named Abbott the No. 1 Most Admired Company in its industry sector in 2010, in part for the company's strong performance in social responsibility.

About Abbott's 2009 Global Citizenship Report

Abbott's full report of its 2009 Global Citizenship approach and performance is available online at http://www.abbott.com/citizenship, including a copy of the company's Global Reporting Initiative G3 index. In order to reduce its environmental impact, Abbott produces a shortened printed Global Citizenship Summary Report, which provides an overview of the full information available on Abbott's Web site. The abbreviated print version can be downloaded from the Web site.

About Abbott

Abbott 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 approximately 83,000 people and markets its products in more than 130 countries. Abbott's news releases and other information are available on the company's Web site at www.abbott.com.

SOURCE Abbott