Lilly Outlines Robust Plans to Strengthen ESG Commitments Across the Globe

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05/04/2021 - 07:00 AM

INDIANAPOLIS, May 4, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) will outline its newly updated Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategy, highlighting its commitments in key areas during the company's Sustainability Webcast today at 10:30 am ET. In addition, Lilly has launched a new comprehensive resource to provide transparency around the company's ESG goals and progress at esg.lilly.com.

"As Lilly celebrates its 145th anniversary in a moment when we've all been challenged in unimaginable ways, we are reflecting on our long history of developing life-changing medicines for patients and making meaningful contributions to our world. Sustainability, which flows directly from our purpose and core values, is integral to everything we do at Lilly and we are keenly aware that how we work is just as important as what we do," said David A. Ricks, Lilly Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "While this focus is not new, we are redoubling our efforts—increasing our investment in sustainability, setting new goals and communicating our progress in new ways to all of our stakeholders who want to learn more."

Lilly's focus areas for ESG include access and affordability, diversity and inclusion, community engagement, employee well-being, human rights, patient safety, climate, waste, water, product stewardship, corporate governance, business ethics and supply chain management. Lilly is also adopting standard ESG reporting frameworks from the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board and the Taskforce on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures. Highlights of Lilly's ESG commitments include:

Access and Affordability

Improving access to quality health care for 30 million people globally living in limited resource settings annually by 2030 through the Lilly 30x30 initiative

Implementing solutions to improve accessibility and affordability in the U.S. for patients who depend on Lilly's medicines, including steps that make anyone, regardless of insurance status, eligible to obtain their monthly prescription of Lilly insulin for $35

Diversity and Inclusion

Ensuring female representation at Lilly, with women comprising 50% of Lilly's global workforce at the end of 2020 and continuing to increase the number of women in management roles globally

Increasing the current representation of Black Americans in Lilly's U.S. workforce from approximately 10% to 13%

Doubling the company's annualized spend with African American suppliers and vendors over the next two years

Racial Justice

Making a $30 million commitment to the Unseen Capital Health Fund LP to help support minority-owned, early-stage health care companies

Signing the Indy Racial Equity Pledge along with a coalition of leading corporate and civic organizations across Central Indiana

Lilly Foundation pledging $25 million and Lilly committing to 25,000 volunteer hours over five years to combat racial inequality

Environment (by 2030)

Climate goals enhancing our commitment to renewable electricity and achieving carbon neutrality

Waste goals aimed at achieving zero waste to landfill with a focus on reducing plastic waste and increasing recycling

Water goals that preserve this precious resource in water stressed areas and protect our waterways from harmful discharges

"Lilly has a proud history of sustainability, but today, more than ever, we believe performance in these areas is central to our overall success," said Lilly's newly appointed Senior Advisor for ESG strategy, Jim Greffet. "Greater transparency is a mandate for all businesses and we are excited to implement standard ESG frameworks to report on our progress."

More information about Lilly's ESG strategy and progress is available at esg.lilly.com.

About Eli Lilly and Company 
Lilly is a global health care leader that unites caring with discovery to create medicines that make life better for people around the world. We were founded more than a century ago by a man committed to creating high-quality medicines that meet real needs, and today we remain true to that mission in all our work. Across the globe, Lilly employees work to discover and bring life-changing medicines to those who need them, improve the understanding and management of disease, and give back to communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. To learn more about Lilly, please visit us at www.lilly.com and www.lilly.com/news. I-LLY

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements (as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) about Lilly's ESG efforts, plans, and objectives, and reflects Lilly's current beliefs and expectations. There can be no assurance that Lilly will be successful in reaching the goals discussed above or in its other ESG communications. For additional information about the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking statements, see Lilly's Form 10-K and Form 10-Q filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as required by law, Lilly undertakes no duty to update forward-looking statements to reflect events after the date of this release.

Refer to:	Molly McCully; mccully_molly@lilly.com; 317-478-5423 (Media)
	Kevin Hern; hern_kevin_r@lilly.com; 317-277-1838 (Investors)
	Jim Greffet; greffet_james_f@lilly.com; 317-277-0032 (ESG)