Perspectives on the Development of

Sustainability Metrics

U.S. EPA NACEPT Meeting

Washington, D.C. August 2, 2012

Ronald E. Meissen, Ph.D., P.E.

Sr. Director Sustainability

Corporate Environment, Health and Safety

Baxter Healthcare Corporation

6/4/2013 – Reserved for Baxter Use Only 1
Leading Supplier of Healthcare Products

– 2011 Global Sales $US 14 Billion 

– 48,000 employees

– Over 60 manufacturing facilities in 27 countries

– Presence/ sales

in more than 

100 countries

Baxter’s Principal Global 

Manufacturing Facilities

6/4/2013 2
Leading Supplier of Healthcare Products
Community

Customers

Business partners

Regulators

Team Members

Investors

Patients

Suppliers

Stakeholders

Sustainability Expectations Increasing ....

9/20/11 4
Driving/ Integrating Sustainability 

Executive Sustainability Steering Committee

Proposed in June 2005 and launched 

in late 2006 - executives from multiple 

business functions

Tasked with setting companywide 

strategy and goals (beyond reporting) 

to support achieving defined long-term 

sustainability priorities

Report back to Bob Parkinson, Baxter 

CEO – and his team

Bob Parkinson Baxter 

CEO

6/4/2013 5
Sustainability Steering Committee 

Executive-level Members

Executive Sponsor: Executive V.P. Global Manufacturing

Chair: VP, Environment, Health, Safety and Sustainability

Members: Biotherapeutics Global Franchise Head

President, Medical Products (U.S.)

VP, Ethics and Compliance (Legal)

VP, Finance (Manufacturing & Supply Chain)

VP, Manufacturing

VP, Talent Acquisition (HR)

VP, Technology Resources (R&D)

VP, Global Supply Chain

VP, Corporate Communication

6/4/2013 6
7

EHS - Internal use only

Baxter’s Sustainability Priorities and Goals

Baxter’s nine priorities reflect issues of key concern to Baxter and its stakeholders. 

Long-term goals for each priority demonstrate the company’s commitment, 

motivate continual improvement and help stakeholders assess performance. 
Baxter Will Drive a Sustainable Supply Chain

By 2015 incorporate sustainable 

principals into Baxter’s purchasing 

program with select (largest) 100 

suppliers 

By 2015 reduce Baxter’s U.S. car 

fleet greenhouse gas emissions 

per kilometer 20% from 2007 

baseline
Sustainable Supply Chain Program

Baxter Supply Chain - 20 Sustainability Criteria 

Reductions in Carbon Footprint

7) Has a Program & Goal to Reduce Greenhouse Gas 

(GHG) Emissions

8) Use of Renewable Energy [Solar, Wind, Renewable 

Energy Certificates (RECs)] 

Protection of Human Rights

5) Has ethical & legal employment practices assuring 

compliance with all applicable employment laws 

impacting employees & suppliers

6) Has goal & programs to prevent & reduce workrelated employee injuries & illnesses 

Reductions in Natural Resource use 

9) Has a Goal & Programs to Reduce Energy Use

10) Has a Goal & Programs to Reduce Packaging Material 

11) Has a Goal & Programs to Reduce Waste Generation 

12) Has a Goal & Programs to Reduce Water Use

Environmental / Sustainability Program 

1) Company has an Environmental/Sustainability

Policy

2) Use of ISO 14001, EMAS (EU), or other 

Environmental Standard or official certificate 

3) US EPA SmartWay Transport Partner (or equivalent) 

4) Measures & Reports Environmental Information

Enhanced Product Stewardship 

13) Uses a Product Stewardship / Lifecycle Approach to 

reduce the environmental impacts of its product(s)

14) Electronic Products RoHS (restriction of hazardous 

substances) Compliant 

15) EU Battery Directive Compliant 

16) Products REACH Compliant 

17) Packaging void of Heavy Metals 

18) Use of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Products 

19) Provides a Product Reuse / Recycling Program 

20) Provides a Product Take-back Program of products / 

packaging 

6/4/2013 Global Purchasing & Supplier Management 9
2011 Results: Sustainable Supply Chain Program

* 2009 Results modified to include Suppliers responding positively to programs in progress /under development

Suppliers considered green in a category if it responds positively to 90% of the questions in that category

“Positively” defined by answering yes or in progress / under development

6/4/2013 Global Purchasing & Supplier Management 10

36%

96%

60%

63%

46%
Example: 2011 Survey Results for one Supplier

Environmental / Sustainability Program

1 Company has an Environmental/Sustainability Policy

2 Use of ISO 14001, EMAS (EU), or other Environmental Standard or official certificate

3 US EPA SmartWay Transport Partner (or equivalent)

4 Measures & Reports Environmental Information

Protection of Human Rights

5 Has ethical & legal employment practices

6 Has goal & programs to prevent & reduce work-related employee injuries & illnesses

Reductions in Carbon Footprint

7 Has a Program & Goal to Reduce GHG Emission

8 Use of Renewable Energy (Solar, Wind, RECs)

Reduction in Natural Resource use

9 Has a Goal & Activities to Reduce Energy Use

10 Has a Goal & Activities to Reduce Packaging Material

11 Has a Goal & Activities to Reduce Waste Generation

12 Has a Goal & Activities to Reduce Water Use

Enhanced Product Stewardship

13 Uses a Product Stewardship / Lifecycle Approach

14 Electronic Products RoHS Compliant (hazardous substances)

15 EU Battery Directive Compliant

16 Products REACH Compliant

18 Packaging void of Heavy Metals

18 Use of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Products

19 Provides a Product Reuse / Recycling Program

20 Provides a Product Take-back Program of products / packaging

1 Completed (Yes)

2 Under Development

3 Not Complete (No)

4 Not Applicable

6/4/2013 11
Sustainability Report

Sustainability 

at Baxter

2010 

Sustainability 

Priorities 

Highlights 

Report on Baxter’s Website

• Presents comprehensive 

sustainability-related material

• Baxter Sustainability Report 

issued annually beginning with 

report year 1999

• Annual Environmental or 

Environmental, Health and 

Safety Reports issued for 

report years 1993-1998 

Co Report
Baxter – Sustainability Recognition

Baxter is recognized by or associated with many 

organizations or programs, including:

6/4/2013 13

Newsweek 2011 Green Rankings Logo, ©2011 Newsweek/The Daily Beast Company LLC. Used by permission and 

protected by the Copyright Laws of the United States. For more information, visit www.newsweek.com/green.