Environmental Performance
Bristol-Myers Squibb is committed to reducing our environmental footprint throughout our discovery, development, manufacturing and distribution processes. This focus results in more efficient, cost-effective operations, while conserving natural resources vital to our operations and the communities in which we operate.
Management Approach
Our Sustainability 2010 goals support our company’s business objectives and should result in environmental, social and financial benefits to the company, our stakeholders and the world around us.
Senior management has responsibility for implementing strategies to address sustainability, including environmental management.
The most senior position with operational responsibility for environmental aspects is the vice president, Environment, Health and Safety, who reports to the senior vice president, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary. The senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary report to the chairman and CEO.
Division presidents are held accountable for implementation of the EHS Policy within their divisions. The company has a senior level, cross-functional Corporate EHS Steering Committee and European EHS Working Committee. The EHS Steering Committee is responsible for establishing and driving EHS strategies and programs.
Bristol-Myers Squibb has established an Office of Corporate Compliance headed by the Chief Compliance and Ethics Officer. The chief compliance officer reports directly to the CEO, and provides reports to the CEO, the chairman of the board, the executive vice president and general counsel, the Board of Directors and the Audit Committee.
Training and Awareness
Employee awareness and training are at the core of Bristol-Myers Squibb's goal to become a leader in EHS management. We provide guidelines for training both new and experienced employees. In addition, facility environmental coordinators and other full-time EHS professionals must complete, at company expense, at least 40 hours of annual EHS training related to their job assignments. Other company education initiatives include corporate and divisional intranet web sites; employee publications; functional and cross-functional group meetings; management awareness training; and topic-specific training and manuals.
Among the training provided, Bristol-Myers Squibb regularly holds learning and development webinars on a variety of technical EHS topics. The sessions are targeted to EHS and related staff (e.g., engineering and maintenance) globally, with an average of approximately 40 people attending each session. By using webinar technology, staff can actively participate in the training sessions, ask questions and discuss topics. The webinars eliminate the need to travel while providing staff worldwide with access to EHS training on a regular basis. Based on feedback from participants through a formal assessment process, 100 percent of responders felt that the sessions met or exceeded their expectations and were applicable or useful to their jobs.
Monitoring and Follow-up
We maintain and continuously improve a compliant, safe and healthy workplace through our comprehensive, rigorous EHS evaluation process. EHS evaluations are designed to verify consistency of business operations with internal and external technical EHS and transportation requirements, and to assess management systems in place at our operations to support on-going compliance. Corporate, business unit and facility management use the evaluation results to maintain and continuously improve EHS performance companywide.
All manufacturing, research and development facilities, as well as distribution and office locations, are evaluated. The frequency, which typically ranges from 18 to 60 months, depends on EHS and business risk factors, and on the maturity of the facility EHS management systems. During 2007, EHS evaluations were conducted at 25 facilities. Action plans are being actively monitored.
Guidelines addressing contract manufacturers and suppliers require divisions to conduct EHS evaluations of the facilities and operating practices of contract manufacturers and selected suppliers. Evaluations cover chemical storage and handling practices; waste storage, handling, and disposal practices and sites; permits; emergency preparedness and response; employee exposure; regulatory compliance history; and financial position.