Inspiring More Joyful Lives Through Better Health
Discover how we are working to reimagine healthcare in a new era.
During this global pandemic, we have been working harder than ever to keep people safe and create healthier communities everywhere. We’ve expanded our work to create more sustainable practices and workplaces where everyone is valued and supported.
34.6M
COVID-19 vaccinations administered by Walgreens in fiscal 2021
<1%
Of operational waste sent to landfill for a 3rd year running by Boots UK*
$26M
Raised for Macmillan Cancer Support**
3.7M+
COVID-19 tests administered by Boots UK
100%
of palm oil in Walgreens owned brands will be sourced from RSPO certified sourced by the end of fiscal 2023
14.9%
Reduced global carbon emissions from baseline of 2019
* During fiscal 2021. ** Accumulated total over life of program, as of Aug. 31, 2021.
We have focused our work in four areas: creating healthier communities, creating a healthier planet, forging a sustainable marketplace, and building a healthy and inclusive workplace.
We have programs and campaigns in place all over the world designed to improve access to affordable, quality healthcare, and in fiscal 2021 we were especially focused on health equity. We are working to reduce health disparities and over the past eight years have donated more than 70 million immunizations for children in developing countries through the Walgreens Get A Shot. Give A Shot. Program and the United Nations Foundation. In partnership with The Hygiene Bank we have donated more than 680,000 toiletries and essentials to people living in hygiene poverty.
We also have programs to combat opioid abuse and prevent overdose-related deaths and have partnered with organizations such as the Susan G. Komen, Macmillan Cancer Support and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society to support people living with cancer.
We have multiple programs in place to support the health and wellbeing of our employees and to deliver on our commitment to equal opportunities for all, with a diverse, equitable and inclusive culture. We’ve implemented plans for more diverse recruitment, such as our signature programs to help increase career opportunities for people with disabilities: Retail Employees with Disabilities Initiative (REDI) and the Transitional Work Group (TWG).
We’ve increased our spend with Tier 1 Diverse Suppliers to $521.5 million and increased the number of women and people of color in senior leadership roles by 2.3 percentage points and 2.4 percentage points, respectively.
We are determined to protect the planet through programs in our operations and by engaging suppliers on environmental issues. We have committed to reduce energy consumption and emissions, reduce waste, re-use and recycle more – our Recycle at Boots program has diverted more than 15 metric tonnes of plastic waste from landfill.
As part of the WRAP Food Waste Reduction Roadmap and Step up to the Plate, Boots UK has pledged to cut food waste by almost 50 percent by 2030.
Across WBA, we’ve also cut our carbon emissions by almost 15 percent, heading towards a 30 percent cut by 2030. In addition, our online deliveries are now 100 percent plastic free in 99.8 percent of our Boots UK deliveries.
We are transparent about the products we use, what’s in them and where they come from. By tracing the origins of the ingredients and materials used we’ve learned more about their environmental impact, the people who source them and the communities around them. This means we’re constantly evaluating our whole supply chain and making changes.
By 2023,100 percent of Walgreens owned brands will use palm oil from Sustainable Palm Oil-certified sources and have plans to make all plastics used in packaging recyclable, reusable or compostable. Across all our brands we’ve now eliminated chemicals on our Restricted Substances List (RSL).
People who face barriers to health and wellness services often encounter greater health issues and poorer health outcomes. To tackle the root causes of health disparities at a community level, we set up a dedicated Health Equity Stakeholder Group in 2021 to address these issues.
With COVID-19, we knew our pharmacists would be at the center of helping the world fight the pandemic and we rapidly implemented a Vaccine Equity taskforce in the U.S. which held more than 1,200 vaccine events in medically underserved locations. We set up mobile vaccination clinics in 18 cities across the U.S. and have also set up programs to combat pediatric asthma and Type 2 diabetes in the most vulnerable communities in Chicago.
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PR Week Purpose Awards - Finalists Brand of the Year for Vaccine Equity
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Ragan’s CSR & Diversity Awards - First Place CSR Report, CSR Report Event Launch Event and Vitamin Angels
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Reuters Events Responsible Business Awards 2021 - Finalists Product or Service Innovation for Find Care. Partnership of the Year for Boots Macmillan Cancer Support Reporting & Transparency for ESG Report Trailblazer Award for Richard Ellis DE&I for DE&I Program
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Halo Awards – First Place Vitamin Angels
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US Chamber of Commerce Foundation Corporate Citizens Awards - Finalists Best Disaster Response and Community Resiliency for Vaccine Equity
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Corporate Equality Index Best Places to Work – Top Score of 100
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Chambers Ireland Outstanding Achievement in Sustainable Business Impact Awards 2021 Finalists Safe Spaces, Dementia and Cancer Programs
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DEI 100% Disability Equality Index Best Place to Work For Disability Inclusion – Top Score of 100
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World Sustainability Awards - Finalists DE&I Programs. Partnership With UN Foundation for Get a Shot. Give a Shot. Best Sustainability Team
