Global reporting initiative - Bristol Myers Squibb Sustainability

The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) is an independent non-profit organization based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, that — in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme — encourages companies worldwide to voluntarily measure and report their economic, environmental and social performance using strict guidelines and protocols.

Thousands of companies in over 90 countries use GRI's Standards for their reporting. Of the world's largest 250 corporations, 93% report on their sustainability performance and 82% of these use GRI's Standards to do so.

The GRI Standards are the global standard for providing a credible framework companies may voluntarily use to benchmark performance and to demonstrate their commitment to transparency, accountability and sustainability. GRI has not verified the contents of this website, nor does it take a position on the reliability of information reported herein.

Global reporting initiative content index

Bristol Myers Squibb reports in alignment with the Global Reporting Initiative’s 2016 Sustainability Reporting Standards. Our index facilitates access to core reporting elements as well as additional comprehensive level elements, where available. We include a link to the pertinent section of the Bristol Myers Squibb website or provide a specific response directly.

Bristol Myers Squibb Global Reporting Initiative Index.

Reporting period and scope

Bristol Myers Squibb updates this sustainability website at least annually. The reporting period for this website is calendar year 2017. This website includes data from our research and development, manufacturing and distribution facilities around the world, including joint ventures, subsidiaries and leased facilities in which Bristol Myers Squibb employees work. In the case of safety, we also include data from Bristol Myers Squibb's administrative and sales offices worldwide. The scope of Bristol Myers Squibb’s report does not include sustainability performance data from external organizations or activities over which the company has limited control or influence (e.g., suppliers, contractors and customers). However, we are tracking carbon emissions from air miles flown and working with a number of vendors on opportunities to reduce our waste and carbon footprint. Unless otherwise noted, the reported data are from 2016 through 2017.

Defining report content

Bristol Myers Squibb worked with internal and external stakeholders to prioritize the topics within this report.

The reporting process on the GRI website provides a useful framework for determining what to include in this report.

Significant changes in operations

In 2015, our former diabetes business was divested and our Mt. Vernon, Indiana, facility was transferred to AstraZeneca. Also in 2015, a new office building in Tampa, Florida, was added to the network. Our office building on Princeton Pike, in Lawrence Township, New Jersey, was added in 2016. In 2017, we divested our manufacturing facility in Swords, Ireland, along with our facilities in Bothell, Washington, and Bloomsbury, New Jersey. In 2018, we vacated our research and development facility in Wallingford, Connecticut, and our offices in Plainsboro, New Jersey. Our new research and development facility in Cambridge, Massachusetts, opened in the fourth quarter of 2018.

Changes in reporting

We are reporting in alignment with the GRI Standards. Otherwise, there have not been significant changes from previous reporting periods in the scope, boundary, or measurement methods applied in this website, or significant restatements of information provided in earlier reports. Bristol Myers Squibb is committed to ongoing improvement of our Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) data gathering systems. As a result, our systems continue to become more robust over time. With over 25 years of experience in public EHS reporting, we recognize the challenges faced by industry when collecting, reviewing and analyzing data from facilities of varying size and complexity around the world. When we make an improvement and change the method used to measure data, or correct data reported in previous years, we provide an explanation in the relevant performance section of this site.

Assuring accuracy and reliability in reporting

We strive to provide stakeholders with factual and balanced information regarding the economic, environmental and social challenges we face; the initiatives we have developed to manage these challenges; and our performance in implementing these initiatives. This website has been prepared in accordance with the following principles:

This report covers our research and development, manufacturing, large offices and distribution facilities worldwide. Deviations in coverage are noted in the report, along with the rationale.
The data reported include the key EHS aspects of the company's operations.
The report contains our EHS policy and goals and our performance against those goals. It also includes our performance against voluntary public EHS commitments. Baseline data are presented for each performance metric.
Key data in the report are compared over a three-year period, in addition to the baseline year for data related to goals.
Standard processes are in place for data collection and data reporting. This website updates information contained in previous printed reports.
We explain if we change the method used from one year to the next to estimate or otherwise determine data.
We follow a system for properly adjusting EHS data to take into account facility acquisitions, divestitures and closings.
Whenever possible, data are presented in absolute terms and normalized to sales.
We strive to present data in this report clearly and without distortion.
The data are presented in a way that accommodates the needs of various stakeholders. We solicit and consider stakeholder feedback on how we present data and what data we collect.
Significant variations and deviations in performance are explained in the text of this report.
Supporting data are retained for at least one year from the date of publication of the report in which the data so supported were last used.

Verification

Since 1997, Bristol Myers Squibb has engaged third-party reviewers to assess the company's EHS evaluation program and the systems for collecting and reporting data from facilities worldwide. Independent statements regarding these reviews are included in this website. See verification statements.