Product Responsibility
Nurse Heather Evans of Southlake Regional Health Centre in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada, administers parenteral nutrition.
Baxter develops, manufactures and markets products for people with hemophilia, immune disorders, infectious diseases, kidney disease, trauma, and other chronic and acute medical conditions. The company's products are infused, injected or inhaled more than two billion times annually, to treat life-threatening acute or chronic conditions.
While delivering products that save or sustain lives, Baxter also works to address environmental and social issues across the product life cycle. These efforts range from focusing on sustainable design and bioethics during research and development, to efficient use of energy and materials during manufacturing and transport, to appropriate product advertising and promotion, and finally, responsible repair, refurbishment and recycling at product end-of-life.
In combination with its history of innovation, Baxter has programs to ensure high standards in quality, safety and product integrity.
The following graphic illustrates the breadth and depth of Baxter's approach.
Sustainability Issues Across the Product Life Cycle
R&D and Design
| Issue | Approach |
|---|---|
| Sustainable Design | Product Sustainability Review > Life cycle assessment > Device Center of Excellence |
| Bioethics | Bioethics Policy and position statements |
| Clinical Trials | Clinical Trials Policy > External standards > Independent Ethics Committee/Institutional Review Board |
| Animal Welfare | Baxter Global Animal Welfare Committee > External standards > Replace, reduce and refine (3Rs) the use of animal testing |
Materials Use
| Issue | Approach |
|---|---|
| Materials Selection/ Reduction/Innovation Restricted Materials |
Product Sustainability Review > Supplier screening > Evaluation of chemicals of concern > Product stewardship software application > Compliance with RoHS and REACH Directives > Non-PVC and non-DEHP materials |
Manufacturing
| Issue | Approach |
|---|---|
Resource Efficiency Environmental Impacts |
EHS program and goals > ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 management systems > Audits > Rigorous compliance > Proactive reduction of natural resource use > Hazard identification and risk assessment > "Future State of Safety” task force |
Product Transport
| Issue | Approach |
|---|---|
| Environmental Impacts of Transport | Intermodal transport and modal shift > Increased capacity utilization > Technology innovation > U.S. Renal truck fleet > Pallet programs > Environmentally responsible transportation partnerships |
Packaging
| Issue | Approach |
|---|---|
| Minimizing Packaging Materials Selection | Materials reduction > Materials substitution > Packaging reuse |
Product Use
| Issue | Approach |
|---|---|
| Advertising and Promotion | Compliance with promotional regulations companywide > U.S. and international policies for interactions with healthcare practitioners, medical institutions and patient organizations |
| Safe Handling and Use | Material Safety Data Sheets > Clinical education |
| Access to Healthcare | Product development > "Base of the Pyramid" initiatives > Strategic product donations |
Product End-of-Life
| Issue | Approach |
|---|---|
| Responsible Reuse, Recycling and Disposal | Product take-back, repair and recycling programs > Minimization of customer waste > Industry collaborations |
Sustainability Priority Addressed on this Page
Baxter Will Drive Enhanced Product Stewardship
Case Study:
Materials Restrictions
