ABBOTT PARK, Ill., Sept. 7, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- For the fifth 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 the only U.S.-based company of the 24 recognized for leading their respective global industry groups.

The DJSI designation recognizes companies with outstanding efforts in the areas of economic, environmental and social sustainability, with a strong focus on long-term shareholder value. Leaders are chosen from among more than 3,400 of the largest companies worldwide, including companies in developed and emerging markets. This is the 13^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.

"We work to create sustainable business solutions that benefit not just Abbott and the people who use our products, but the broader community, as well," said Miles D. White, chairman and chief executive officer, Abbott.

Abbott earned the highest industry scores across all three areas of economic, environmental and social performance. The company's score of 87 was more than double the average score of 41 for other companies in the industry.

Abbott's continued recognition as an industry leader by the DJSI demonstrates the company's longstanding commitment to strengthen the sustainability of its business operations. One example: the company's ambitious 2020 environmental goals, which aim to help protect the planet while boosting efficiency and reducing costs. Since 2010, Abbott has reduced carbon emissions by 28 percent, water use by 18 percent and waste by 39 percent (all adjusted for sales).

Abbott achieved the top industry scores in 16 of DJSI's 25 specific economic, environmental and social criteria, including innovation management, corporate governance, codes of business conduct, talent attraction and retention, human capital development, supply chain management, customer relationship management, materiality, strategy to improve access to drugs or products, health outcome contribution, risk and crisis management, tax strategy, environmental reporting, operational eco-efficiency, corporate citizenship and philanthropy, 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, an investment specialist focused exclusively on Sustainability Investing (SI). Launched in 1999, the DJSI World represents the gold standard for corporate sustainability and is the first global index to track the leading sustainability-driven companies based on RobecoSAM's analysis of financially material Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors and S&P DJI's robust index methodology. RobecoSAM invited more than 3,400 of the world's largest 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 spindices.com/index-family/esg/djsi.

ABOUT ABBOTT'S APPROACH TO SUSTAINABILITY
At Abbott, we're working to create a more responsible, sustainable and inclusive business that helps people build better lives and stronger communities around the world. We focus on operating responsibly, preserving healthy living environments, and earning trust by doing the right things, for the long term, for the benefit of everyone who relies on our products and services. Our sustainability work focuses on the areas where opportunities for our business intersect with positive social impact.

In addition to being included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for 13 years, Abbott has been named one of the 100 Best Corporate Citizens by Corporate Responsibility magazine for nine consecutive years, and also achieved an A- on its CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project) Climate Change score, placing the company in the "Leadership" Category. To learn more about Abbott's sustainability initiatives and reporting, please visit www.abbott.com/sustainability.

ABOUT ABBOTT
At Abbott, we're committed to helping people live their 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, 94,000 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.

SOURCE Abbott