SOURCE: Biogen
SUMMARY:
- Biogen earns top ESG leadership scores on areas including Innovation Management and Climate Strategy, highlighting efforts to address urgent and long-term challenges facing humanity
- In 2021, Biogen notably bolstered its longstanding corporate responsibility leadership actions by implementing bold climate commitments and publicly disclosing DE&I metrics
- This year marks the 9th consecutive year that Biogen was listed among top performers
DESCRIPTION:
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., November 15, 2021 /3BL Media/ - Biogen Inc. (Nasdaq: BIIB) announced that it has set an industry record as the most frequently recognized biotechnology company on the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World), earning recognition for the ninth consecutive year, more than any other biotechnology company. The acknowledgment highlights the company’s longstanding leadership actions and transparency on environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues.
Biogen’s recognition on the DJSI World is a testament to the company’s ongoing efforts to address the urgent and long-term challenges facing humanity, including health equity; innovation; the climate crisis; and human capital development with a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I). Notably, in 2021, the company released its first public DE&I Report and supported a number of bold, cross-sector climate commitments during the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), including the U.K. NHS Net Zero initiative and the World Economic Forum’s new Alliance for Clean Air.
“At Biogen, we have purposefully integrated corporate responsibility into everything we do because we believe true transformation requires collective, enduring efforts,” said Michel Vounatsos, Chief Executive Officer of Biogen. “We are proud to be recognized on the DJSI World for the ninth consecutive year, an achievement that reflects our pioneering spirit and drive to address the defining issues of our time, such as the interrelated challenges of climate, health and equity. The public is depending on us to act. As leaders, we must be willing to answer their call.”
Every year, the DJSI World recognizes the top 10% of companies in the S&P Global Broad Market Index for performance on ESG issues, which S&P Global considers key to generating long-term stakeholder value. This year saw more than 10,900 eligible companies and a 33% year-over-year increase in participants globally. The DJSI World ranking results from Biogen’s outstanding performance on multiple dimensions of corporate responsibility, including Innovation Management, Climate Strategy and Environmental Reporting, where it received the top scores in industry. In 2013, Biogen was the first U.S.-based biotechnology company to appear on DJSI World.
"We congratulate Biogen for being included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) for DJSI World and DJSI North America,” said Manjit Jus, Global Head of ESG Research, S&P Global. “A DJSI distinction is a reflection of being a sustainability leader in your industry. The record number of companies participating in the 2021 S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment is testament to the growing movement for ESG disclosure and transparency."
Reflecting progress on its ESG commitments, Biogen recently celebrated the one-year anniversary of Healthy Climate, Healthy Lives™, a $250 million, 20-year initiative to eliminate fossil fuels across its operations and collaborate with renowned institutions to address the health impacts of the climate crisis, particularly for vulnerable populations. To recognize this important milestone, the company released a one-year progress report, which outlined efforts to enhance climate solutions that promote public health, including sustaining 100% renewable electricity and directing 24% of its spend to suppliers that have or pledged to set science-based targets.
Details on Biogen’s ESG commitments can be found in the 2020 Year In Review, which is based on internationally recognized guidelines from the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), the UN SDGs and the Stakeholder Capitalism Metrics published by the International Business Council of the World Economic Forum.
About Biogen
As pioneers in neuroscience, Biogen discovers, develops, and delivers worldwide innovative therapies for people living with serious neurological diseases as well as related therapeutic adjacencies. One of the world’s first global biotechnology companies, Biogen was founded in 1978 by Charles Weissmann, Heinz Schaller, Sir Kenneth Murray, and Nobel Prize winners Walter Gilbert and Phillip Sharp. Today, Biogen has the leading portfolio of medicines to treat multiple sclerosis, has introduced the first approved treatment for spinal muscular atrophy, and is providing the first and only approved treatment to address a defining pathology of Alzheimer’s disease. Biogen is also commercializing biosimilars and focusing on advancing the industry’s most diversified pipeline in neuroscience that will transform the standard of care for patients in several areas of high unmet need.
In 2020, Biogen launched a bold 20-year, $250 million initiative to address the deeply interrelated issues of climate, health, and equity. Healthy Climate, Healthy Lives™ aims to eliminate fossil fuels across the company’s operations, build collaborations with renowned institutions to advance the science to improve human health outcomes, and support underserved communities.
The company routinely posts information that may be important to investors on its website at www.biogen.com. To learn more, please visit www.biogen.com and follow Biogen on social media – Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube.
Biogen Safe Harbor
This news release contains forward-looking statements, including statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, about our strategy and plans; anticipated benefits and potential of investments related to Healthy Climate, Healthy Lives, our DE&I initiatives and other related ESG and corporate responsibility initiatives; results that may be achieved through our Healthy Climate, Healthy Lives initiative, our DE&I initiatives and other related ESG and corporate responsibility initiatives; the anticipated timeline of our Healthy Climate, Healthy Lives initiative, our DE&I initiatives and other related ESG and other corporate responsibility initiatives; and capital allocation and investment strategy. These statements may be identified by words such as “aim,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “goal,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “will,” “would” and other words and terms of similar meaning. You should not place undue reliance on these statements or the scientific data presented.
These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in such statements, including without limitation the risks of unexpected hurdles, costs or delays; uncertainty of success in the execution of our strategy and plans; risks that the goals of our Healthy Climate, Healthy Lives, our DE&I initiatives and other related ESG and corporate responsibility initiatives will be completed in a timely manner or at all; uncertainty as to whether the anticipated benefits of our Healthy Climate, Healthy Lives, our DE&I initiatives and other related ESG and corporate responsibility initiatives can be achieved; the direct and indirect impacts of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on our business, results of operations and financial condition; and the risks and uncertainties that are described in the Risk Factors section of our most recent annual or quarterly report and in other reports we have filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The foregoing sets forth many, but not all, of the factors that could cause actual results to differ from our expectations in any forward-looking statement. Investors should consider this cautionary statement as well as the risk factors identified in our most recent annual or quarterly report and in other reports we have filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. These statements are based on our current beliefs and expectations and speak only as of the date of this news release. We do not undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Biogen
Ashleigh Koss
+ 1 908 205 2572
public.affairs@biogen.com
INVESTOR CONTACT:
Biogen
Mike Hencke
+1 781 464 2442
IR@biogen.com
KEYWORDS: NASDAQ:BIIB, Biogen, DJSI, Dow Jones Sustainability Index, esg
