AmerisourceBergen, a global healthcare company, released its 2021 Global Sustainability Report and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Reporting Index, detailing the impact of its robust sustainability and community efforts. The report and ESG Reporting Index, which are available through a microsite, highlight AmerisourceBergen’s commitment to corporate responsibility and global sustainability and contain detailed information on ESG performance. For the fourth year in a row, selected information within the 2021 report was assured by ERM Certification and Verification Services.

“At AmerisourceBergen, we recognize the opportunity we have to advance initiatives that protect our planet and improve the wellbeing of people worldwide,” said Gina Clark, EVP, Chief Communications & Administration Officer at AmerisourceBergen. “As we expand our global footprint, our responsibility as stewards focused on sustainability and health equity grows exponentially. We’ve leaned into this opportunity and continue to prioritize efforts and partnerships that improve access and equity in healthcare, create more sustainable operations across the supply chain and inspire team members to achieve their potential. We look forward to building upon the progress we’ve made as we continue to fulfill our promise of strong global sustainability.”

The Corporate Responsibility and Global Sustainability strategy focuses on key priorities that align with the services and beliefs at AmerisourceBergen. The 2021 report and microsite detail several notable milestones, including initiatives led by Alliance Healthcare, a leading pharmaceutical wholesaler in Europe which AmerisourceBergen acquired in 2021. The highlights include:

COVID-19 Response: The role of AmerisourceBergen in the healthcare supply chain has never been more critical than during a global pandemic. AmerisourceBergen continued to deliver more than four million products daily to providers serving human and animal patients, while also supporting the distribution of COVID-19 therapies and vaccines and prioritizing solutions to support the well-being of team members around the world. Specific initiatives include:

• Distributing COVID-19 therapeutics and vaccines: AmerisourceBergen has supported the delivery of more than 100 million COVID-19 vaccine doses across 30-plus countries. In addition to supporting global vaccine distribution efforts, AmerisourceBergen has worked with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to distribute more than 3.6 million patient courses of COVID-19 therapies to sites of care across the country.
• Protecting Health of Workforce: AmerisourceBergen continued to work with health agencies and other partners to support the evolving and increased needs of its team members. Efforts included increased additional paid time off, mental health resources and telemedicine, and financial support through the Associate Assistance Fund for team members most impacted by COVID-19.

Purpose-Driven Team Members: AmerisourceBergen engages team members and fosters a diverse and inclusive global workforce. The company strives to provide a safe, supportive work environment where team members can thrive, the company’s purpose is shared, and individuality is celebrated. Specific initiatives in 2021 included:

• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: AmerisourceBergen is accelerating workforce diversity at every level by operationalizing DEI in recruiting, setting goals for diverse slates and conducting performance calibrations with leadership to mitigate bias in performance assessments. AmerisourceBergen was recognized as one of the “Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality” by the Human Rights Campaign and ranked No. 8 on DiversityInc’s Top Companies for Philanthropy.
• Supplier Diversity: AmerisourceBergen established an internal Supplier Diversity Council and developed a portal to enable diverse suppliers to join the company’s database for sourcing. AmerisourceBergen also made an initial $25 million investment into J.P. Morgan Asset Management’s Empower money market share class which allows clients to support minority-owned and diverse-led institutions. AmerisourceBergen selected Liberty Bank and Trust Company, headquartered in New Orleans.
• Fostering Talent: AmerisourceBergen continued to make thoughtful investments to build its talent and culture, and unveiled an integrated talent framework featuring a new leadership competency model and enterprise learning strategy. Leadership and professional development programs continue to be key resources for team members, as well as tuition reimbursement, mentorship programs and the opportunity to join Employee Resource Groups.

Resilient and Sustainable Operations: As part of its commitment to efficient and responsible operations across the supply chain, AmerisourceBergen continues to deploy solutions that improve efficiency and product safety and enable the company to create a more sustainable footprint. Highlights include:

• Climate Adaptation & Energy Management: AmerisourceBergen continues to prioritize adaptation strategies. In 2021, AmerisourceBergen committed to set a science-based target in line with the Science Based Target initiative guidance.
• Waste Management, Recycling & Sustainable Packaging: AmerisourceBergen achieved an 80 percent waste diversion across its U.S. human health and Alliance Healthcare locations. The company introduced several sustainability initiatives in 2021, including the addition of an automated packaging solution that reduces void space and cardboard use by ensuring packages are sized appropriately. Alliance Healthcare UK invested in reusable totes which continue to reduce single-use plastic and cardboard by 2 million units each year.

Healthy Communities for All: AmerisourceBergen strives to support equitable access to healthcare services in communities worldwide by making programs and medication accessible where needed most. Highlights include:

• AmerisourceBergen Foundation: An independent, not-for-profit charitable giving organization, the Foundation partnered with organizations on projects to advance health equity, including efforts to improve access to healthcare for underserved populations. The Foundation’s global impact in 2021 included more than $7.7 million in donations to more than 100 nonprofit organizations spearheading efforts in communities worldwide, including campaigns to support individuals or communities impacted by COVID-19. One example is a $700,000 grant to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America to support COVID-19 vaccine education and awareness programs.
• Corporate Giving: AmerisourceBergen and Alliance Healthcare provided more than $3 million in corporate giving to global non-profits and community-based organizations, and more than $4.6 million in over-the-counter product donations to organizations.

For more information on the 2021 Global Sustainability Report, please visit: https://sustainability.amerisourcebergen.com/

In addition to external assurance and verification, this report has been prepared in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards: Core option. This ESG Reporting Index is aligned with the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), World Economic Forum (WEF) Stakeholder Capitalism Metrics, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs).

AmerisourceBergen’s continued progress and commitment to advancing ESG initiatives is reflected by the company’s inclusion in the S&P Global Sustainability Yearbook 2022, one of the most comprehensive publications providing in-depth analysis on corporate sustainability. AmerisourceBergen, which was one of the more than 7,000 companies assessed by S&P Global, scored within the top 15 percent of its industry and achieved an S&P Global ESG score within 30 percent of the industry’s top-performing. AmerisourceBergen was also recently named one of “America’s Most Responsible Companies” by Newsweek magazine.

Source: News Direct