Partner Profile

Baxter International Inc.
Location	Deerfield, IL
Goal	Baxter International Inc pledges to reduce total U.S. GHG emissions by 5 percent from 2005 to 2012. Baxter achieved its initial goal by reducing U.S. GHG emissions by 27 percent per unit of production value from 2000 to 2005.
Environmental Web Site
Company Description Baxter International Inc. is a global health care company that assists healthcare professionals and their patients with the treatment of complex medical conditions including cancer, hemophilia, immune disorders, kidney disease, and trauma. With 2007 sales of $11.3 billion and approximately 46,500 employees, Baxter applies its expertise in medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnology to make a meaningful difference in patients' lives.
Reasons for Joining Climate Leaders As a healthcare company, Baxter understands the connection between the environment and human health, and works toward improving both. Because of the life-saving nature of Baxter's products and the significant impact they have on individuals around the world, Baxter has made environmental stewardship a priority for more than two decades. It has been a pioneer in the areas of environmental financial reporting; management of environmental, safety and health data; and the establishment, tracking and reporting of specific environmental goals, including the reduction of GHG emissions. Baxter's participation in Climate Leaders is a natural extension of its corporate commitment to sustainable business practices and its focus on improving the communities in which it does business. A key driver for Baxter's environmental initiatives over the years has been the realization that sound environmental practices can contribute to a competitive advantage. "We believe that climate change is one of the most serious challenges facing the world today, one that requires immediate action by all parts of society. Our efforts to address this issue have typically led to improved efficiencies and other business benefits. We are honored to join the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Climate Leaders program to continue our search for solutions. Working together, I believe we can show that climate change is not only a serious problem, but a real business opportunity," says Arthur J. Gibson, Vice President, Environment, Health and Safety.
GHG Reductions Before Joining Climate Leaders In the mid-1990s, Baxter began tracking and publicly reporting detailed information regarding its energy use, energy cost, and the GHG emissions associated with all of its facilities. In 1997, Baxter set a number of internal long-term environmental, health and safety goals, including a goal to reduce energy usage and the associated GHG emissions, per unit of production activity, by 30 percent from 1996 levels, by the year 2005. In the late 1990s, Baxter International was asked to be part of the World Business Council on Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and the World Resources Institute's (WRI) group of experts and business leaders responsible for developing the WBCSD/ WRI Greenhouse Gas Protocol for calculating GHG emissions. The protocol developed by this group is now the global standard that businesses and other organizations use to determine their GHG emissions. In addition to being a charter member of the U.S. EPA's Climate Leaders program, Baxter is a founding member of the Chicago Climate Exchange, the first voluntary pilot carbon-trading platform in North America, and a member of the Pew Center on Global Climate Change's Business Environment Leadership Council, a non-profit, non-partisan independent organization that is facilitating the exchange of information and innovative solutions to address global climate change.
Approach to GHG Management Given the nature of its products and operations, the majority of Baxter's GHG emissions are carbon dioxide emissions related to energy usage. As a result, Baxter's GHG management strategy focuses on activities and initiatives that improve the energy efficiency of its facilities and reduce its energy costs. By striving for greater operating efficiencies and adopting new technologies, Baxter has achieved: • Its Climate Leaders goal to reduce U.S. GHG emissions by 16 percent per unit of production value by 2005; and • Savings and cost avoidance totaling millions of dollars each year. In 2004 alone, the company's energy savings and cost avoidance exceeded $9 million. Beyond cost avoidance and energy or raw material savings, the initiatives Baxter has put in place in its facilities have increased production throughput, improved product quality levels, reduced scrap materials and waste, and improved workplace safety.

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