Biogen Idec has been added to the prestigious Dow Jones Sustainability World Index becoming the first and only U.S. based biotech sector firm to make the list. The company was also named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) North America for the fourth consecutive year, one of only three biotech companies included.
Additionally, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) released the results of its Annual Investor Survey, awarding Biogen Idec the top Carbon Disclosure Score for the biotech sector, and in the top 10 overall in the broader, highly-competitive Healthcare category. The CDP is an international non-profit organization focused on assessing the business risks and opportunities from the environmental impact disclosure data of thousands of the worldâs largest companies. Biogen Idec significantly improved its score from the prior year, demonstrating a high degree of transparency regarding its carbon footprint and the companyâs continued focus on being a more sustainable organization globally.
âBiogen Idec has put great focus on citizenship and environmental sustainability, directly incorporating them into our business activities and making them a cultural imperative across our organization,â said George Scangos, chief executive officer of Biogen Idec. âThese accomplishments are a testament to the commitment of our more than 6,000 employees worldwide to exemplify high standards and create economic, social and environmental value for our company and our stakeholders.â
Only 333 companies worldwide were named to the DJSI World in 2013, a report that tracks the performance of the 2,500 largest companies in the S&P Global Broad Market Index SM. Biogen Idecâs overall DJSI score was significantly above the industry average and represented an improvement over the year prior — even as the overall industry average dropped. The company scored in the 100 th percentile for its industry on 10 specific social, environmental and economic dimensions including: corporate citizenship and philanthropy, talent attraction and retention, occupational health and safety, and operational eco-efficiency.
Biogen Idec publishes an annual Corporate Citizenship Report based on internationally recognized Global Reporting Initiative Guidelines. In its most recent report, the company announced that it had achieved its goal of reducing its overall environmental footprint by 15 percent in 2012, several years ahead of schedule. The company also reported on its efforts to engage its employees in improving the lives of patients and in the communities where it operates.
