ABBOTT PARK, Ill., Sept. 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- For the fourth consecutive year, Abbott (NYSE: ABT) has been named the leading company in its industry by the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI), one of the most prestigious global benchmarks for corporate sustainability and responsibility. As the Industry Group Leader in Health Care Equipment & Services, Abbott is one of only two U.S.-based companies of the 24 recognized for leading their respective global industry groups.

The DJSI leaders are chosen from among 3,400 of the largest companies worldwide, including companies in developed and emerging markets. This is the 12^th consecutive year that Abbott has been recognized for sustainability through its inclusion on the DJSI, including both the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index and North America Index.

"When I'm asked what we do at Abbott, my answer is that we help people live the best and fullest lives they can," said Miles D. White, chairman and chief executive officer, Abbott. "The primary way we do that is by bringing high-quality healthcare products to people around the world. But we apply that same fundamental purpose to all we do as a company."

Abbott earned the highest industry scores across all three areas of overall economic, environmental and social performance. The company's score of 85 was more than double the average score of 38 for other companies in the industry.

Abbott also achieved the top industry scores in 13 of DJSI's 22 specific economic, environmental and social criteria, including corporate governance; talent attraction and retention; human capital development; customer relationship management; strategy to improve access to drugs or products; health outcome contribution; innovation management; supply chain management; risk and crisis management; tax strategy; environmental reporting; operational eco-efficiency; and social reporting.  

ABOUT THE DOW JONES SUSTAINABILITY INDICES
The Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) are maintained collaboratively by S&P Dow Jones Indices (S&P DJI), one of the world's leading index providers, and RobecoSAM, the investment specialist focused exclusively on Sustainability Investing (SI). Launched in 1999, the DJSI World is the gold standard for corporate sustainability and the first global index to track the leading sustainability-driven companies based on RobecoSAM's analysis of financially relevant Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors and S&P DJI's robust index methodology. RobecoSAM invited the world's largest 3,400 companies from developed and emerging markets to take part in its annual Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA).

For additional information on the DJSI and the changes to its components numbers, please visit: RobecoSAM's DJSI review page and www.djindexes.com/sustainability.

ABOUT ABBOTT'S APPROACH TO CITIZENSHIP
At Abbott, we're working to create a more responsible, sustainable and inclusive business that builds better lives and stronger communities around the world. We focus on three priority areas that are most important for our business and the many people we serve: delivering product excellence, improving access and safeguarding the environment. By applying our science, products and expertise in these three areas, we're working to maximize the promise of human potential around the world.

In addition to being included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for 12 years, Abbott has been named one of the 100 Best Corporate Citizens by Corporate Responsibility magazine for eight consecutive years. To learn more about Abbott's sustainability initiatives and reporting, please visit www.abbott.com/citizenship.

ABOUT ABBOTT
At Abbott, we're committed to helping you live your best possible life through the power of health. For more than 125 years, we've brought new products and technologies to the world – in nutrition, diagnostics, medical devices and branded generic pharmaceuticals – that create more possibilities for more people at all stages of life. Today, 74,000 of us are working to help people live not just longer, but better, in the more than 150 countries we serve.

Connect with us at www.abbott.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Abbott and on Twitter @AbbottNews and @AbbottGlobal.

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SOURCE Abbott