Better Health, Brighter Future
Dow Jones Sustainability Index Recognizes Takeda's Efforts in Sustainability
At Takeda, we believe that making a positive economic, social and environmental impact is critical to our mission of striving towards Better Health and a Brighter Future for people worldwide through leading innovation in medicine. That’s why we make every effort to incorporate sustainability into everything we do, for example, understanding today more than ever that protecting our environment is part of our responsibility to our patients and society as a whole.
Recognizing that commitment, the Dow Jones Sustainability Index has once again named Takeda as a leader in operating ethically and sustainably.
Recognizing that commitment, the Dow Jones Sustainability Index has once again named Takeda as a leader in operating ethically and sustainably.
This year is the first time that we have been included in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index and the 10th consecutive year that we have been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Asia Pacific Index. These indices evaluate the sustainability performance of more than 2,000 publicly traded companies using environmental, social and governance metrics.
“Takeda’s commitment to creating and preserving value through environmental, social and governance initiatives is an important part of our role as a patient-centric and values-based global biopharmaceutical leader,” said Christophe Weber, President and CEO. “We understand the significance of sustainable business practices, and we are proud to be recognized for Takeda’s global impact and long-term commitment to building a brighter future.”
While our efforts to make the business more sustainable are ongoing and expansive, as detailed in our 2018 Sustainable Value Report, Takeda scored especially high in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices for our work in protecting the environment and improving access to medicines for our patients.
Tackling Environmental Issues
Takeda continued to rank higher than the industry average for our environmental protection activities, which we believe are essential in delivering Better Health and a Brighter Future for all.
We view our environmental responsibilities as critical to our ability to act according to our four core values of Integrity, Fairness, Honesty and Perseverance. We consider the impact of our operations on the environment and are working to be responsible stewards of our natural resources, setting ambitious goals to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, water use and waste going to landfill.
Takeda's commitment to conservation and the environment goes back decades. In addition to our initiatives aimed at combatting climate change and water scarcity, we are proud of our work to uphold the biodiversity of natural habitats, which are home to vital resources used in the research and development of innovative medicines.
Since 1933, the Takeda Garden for Medicinal Plant Conservation in Kyoto has collected, grown, and used herbs and other plants with medicinal value from around the world. Importantly, this program preserves the original plant sources of medicines that will benefit future generations.
Today, the garden grows about 2,800 species of plants, which includes 230 endangered species. The garden also conducts a seed exchange program with other botanical gardens around the world. In 2016, we contacted 198 gardens in 30 countries to facilitate exchanges.
Today, the garden grows about 2,800 species of plants, which includes 230 endangered species. The garden also conducts a seed exchange program with other botanical gardens around the world. In 2016, we contacted 198 gardens in 30 countries to facilitate exchanges.
Beyond our conservation efforts, Takeda is also working with suppliers to improve the sustainability of our entire value chain. In 2015, we joined the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Initiative (PSCI), which provides collaborative and educational opportunities for companies and suppliers in the industry. Today, hundreds of suppliers have been through our rigorous screening process based on the PSCI principles for environmental stewardship.
Access to Medicines
Another area where Takeda ranked highly in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices was our strategy to increase access to medicines for complex and rare diseases in countries that lack strong healthcare systems, where there are significant unmet patient needs and affordability barriers due to the difficulty in diagnosing, treating and managing these conditions. In fact, the company scored more than three times the average for the pharmaceutical industry.
Takeda’s Access to Medicines initiative is a global and cross-functional effort and we have implemented wide-ranging programs in 52 countries and territories. Since launching our Access to Medicines Strategy in 2016, we have supported over 125,000 patients to receive treatment; supported Healthcare providers to screen 1.1m patients for cancer, hypertension and diabetes; and trained over 4,000 community health workers to provide improved patient care.
Recognizing the quality and ambition of our programs, the Access to Medicine Foundation ranked Takeda 5th globally among leading pharmaceutical companies in their 2018 Access to Medicine Index.
While there is more to do with regards to access to medicines, we are continuing to learn how to be more effective and deliver significant impact on the lives of our patients through innovative medications.
Recognizing the quality and ambition of our programs, the Access to Medicine Foundation ranked Takeda 5th globally among leading pharmaceutical companies in their 2018 Access to Medicine Index.
While there is more to do with regards to access to medicines, we are continuing to learn how to be more effective and deliver significant impact on the lives of our patients through innovative medications.
Looking Forward
Recognitions such as the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices reflect what Takeda has already achieved and what we are looking forward to continuing to do.
As we work toward our 2020 environmental goals and Better Health and a Brighter Future for all, we are developing new sustainability targets for fiscal 2030 that will continue to reflect and embody our four core values – Integrity, Fairness, Honesty and Perseverance.
For more information on Takeda's sustainability efforts and results, visit Takeda.com/corporate-responsibility/.
