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Abbott Laboratories, an American multinational company focused on medical products and equipment, has been ranked as a PACESETTER on the Women’s Power and Influence Index.

‘Women Leaders of Abbott’ helps women work towards advancing their careers through networking opportunities, leadership experiences, and professional development opportunities.  The company also offers paid parental leave for employees.

Abbott is committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within the company. This commitment is demonstrated by the creation of the Diversity in Research Office, which focuses on enhancing access to healthcare for underrepresented community populations.

As of 2022, women represent 48% of the workforce but only 20% of executive leadership. The fraction of women in leadership positions decreased by 15% from 2021 to 2022.

Information regarding pay parity achievement, subsidized child care, and women-specific healthcare benefits could not be found or did not meet the Index’s criteria standards.

Review the comprehensive WPI criteria and methodology.

✓ Does the company demonstrate a clear and transparent commitment to equal pay? 

“And we conduct pay equity reviews and make pay adjustments when necessary to ensure our employees are compensated equitably for their contributions.” Ref: Abbott Laboratories DEI Report 2022

✓ Does the company perform an annual analysis of gender pay equity and pay disparities? 

“And we conduct pay equity reviews and make pay adjustments when necessary to ensure our employees are compensated equitably for their contributions.” Ref: Abbott Laboratories DEI Report 2022

✓ Do female employees earn at least 95% of what their male counterparts earn?

Information regarding this criterion was unavailable or incomplete.

✓ Does the company demonstrate a commitment to actively attracting, retaining, and/or promoting women within the organization? 

“Women Leaders of Abbott’s mission is to help women leaders maximize their potential and realize great achievement throughout their careers at Abbott. This is accomplished by connecting women and all who inspire growth in women leaders, offering dynamic programs and initiatives to enhance leadership experiences and career development, and personalizing central themes to support the interests of global membership.” Ref: Abbott Diversity and Inclusion Abbott U.S Web Page 2023

✓ Does the company provide professional development programs designed specifically for female employees? 

“Our Women Leaders of Abbott (WLA) network strives to increase women’s leadership roles at Abbott, while achieving business objectives. WLA provides opportunities to network with innovative and experienced professionals, flex leadership muscles and foster bonds across the world.” Ref: Abbott Employee Networks Diversity & Inclusion  Career Overview Web Page 2023

✓ Does the company provide professional development programs designed specifically for diverse employees?

“Our LA VOICE network leverages the strengths of Hispanic/Latino professionals to build a stronger Abbott. The core of LA VOICE’s success is developing leadership, supporting business initiatives, networking, boosting cultural awareness and providing community service.

Abbott’s Black Business Network (BBN) champions cultural awareness to foster diversity and inclusion throughout our organization. BBN supports the full potential of African-Americans at Abbott by contributing ideas, talent and perspectives that support Abbott’s business success.

Our Asian Leadership and Cultural Network (ALCN) is the leading Asian business and cultural resource within Abbott. The ALCN supports Abbott by providing learning and development, Asian cultural awareness, Asian heritage expertise, and community outreach programs.”

Ref: Abbott Employee Networks Diversity & Inclusion Career Overview Web Page 2023

✓ Does the company offer a formal mentoring program to support the career advancement of all female employees? 

“Discovering the power of mentorship can help unlock your professional potential. Finding a leader who you admire and tapping their experience and perspectives will help you define goals and shape your career. Mentorship combines trust, encouragement, and honesty to help people find their authentic voices and define their leadership styles.

Regulatory compliance manager Melissa Sanchez and senior quality manager Maria Ana Leal matched as part of the Women Leaders of Abbott business resource group mentoring program. Both women work at the Barceloneta manufacturing site in Puerto Rico and say what was first a professional relationship is now a lasting personal connection.” Ref: Abbott How Mentorship Benefits Your Career and Personal Growth Abbott U.S. Web Page 2023

✓ Does the company offer a formal mentoring program to support the career advancement of diverse employees?  

“Our senior leaders’ compensation is tied directly to diversity metrics; so they have an incentive to embrace cross-cultural mentorships and support employee affinity groups that add to Abbott’s diversity.

We also offer mentoring programs and industry-leading benefits designed specifically for women and other employee populations that may be underrepresented. It’s an approach that improves business results, generates better ideas and helps guide company strategy.” Ref: Abbott Diverse Voices, Life-Changing Ideas Abbott Newsroom Web Page 2018

✓ Does the company have policies and programs in place to actively recruit female candidates?

“Our network elevates women in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields to seize career opportunities though professional development sessions for technical growth and continued learning as well as access to Abbott leaders, including technical leaders. We unite STEM minds through peer networking, talent recruitment and recognition and participation in key industry events. The network strongly mobilizes and inspires rising STEM talent to be future problem solvers by accessing mentoring and community volunteer opportunities to increase STEM awareness among youth.” Ref: Abbott (Women Recruitment) Diversity and Inclusion Abbott U.S Web Page 2023

✓ Does the company have policies and programs in place to actively recruit diverse candidates? 

“One of our Talent Acquisition colleagues, Catherine (Katie) Korrison, received a company award for her game-changing work in diverse recruitment. Applying new thinking and strategies to identify and recruit candidates, Katie has doubled the number of hires made via diversity career fairs, mobilizing hundreds of hiring managers to participate and help scout talented candidates. She added over 5,000 resumes of diverse candidates into our talent community, including a number of passive candidates we may have otherwise missed. She has also effectively leveraged diverse media channels to build Abbott’s brand and reputation as an employer that values diversity.” Ref: Pg. 11, Abbott Laboratories DEI Report 2022

✓ Does the company demonstrate a commitment to providing support and/or time off for women with children?

“Our investment in family care is one part of our commitment to helping employees manage and integrate their personal and professions lives.” Ref: Abbott (Childcare) Benefits Careers Overview Abbott U.S Web Page 2023

✓ Does the company provide child care support for employees?  

“Abbott provides employees with:

• Care.com premium membership for finding and managing care for children, seniors, pets, and the home including 24/7 live access to free Care Specialist offering one-on-one personalized support
• Preferred placement and fee discounts with national and regional childcare providers
• Free breastmilk delivery service for nursing Abbott employees traveling on business
• Free virtual, on-demand tutoring services
• Resources and support for parents of neurodiverse children
• Education support including college advisory services
• Elder care patient advocacy, care coordination and caregiving support services”

Ref: Abbott (Childcare) Benefits Careers Overview Abbott U.S Web Page 2023

✘ Does the company offer subsidized child care?

Information regarding this criterion was unavailable or incomplete.

✓ Does the company offer paid maternity leave for birthing parents?

“We understand it’s important for parents to care for and spend time with their newly born or adopted children. That’s why we offer parental leave. Parental leave is available to eligible birth and adoptive mothers and fathers providing up to eight workweeks (i.e., up to 320 work hours or an equivalent part-time workweek) paid time off following the birth or legal adoption of a child. Parental leave may be used in one-week increments, up to one year from the date of birth or adoption of a new child.” Ref: Abbott (Parental Leave) Benefits Careers Overview Abbott U.S Web Page 2023

✓ Does the company provide paid parental leave that extends beyond birthing parents to include surrogacy, adoption, and paternity leave?

“We understand it’s important for parents to care for and spend time with their newly born or adopted children. That’s why we offer parental leave. Parental leave is available to eligible birth and adoptive mothers and fathers providing up to eight workweeks (i.e., up to 320 work hours or an equivalent part-time workweek) paid time off following the birth or legal adoption of a child. Parental leave may be used in one-week increments, up to one year from the date of birth or adoption of a new child.” Ref: Abbott (Parental Leave) Benefits Careers Overview Abbott U.S Web Page 2023

✓ Does the company demonstrate a commitment to supporting the health benefits of its female employees?

“Sometimes it’s necessary for an employee to take time off from work, either due to a serious illness (when sick pay benefits have been exhausted) or to care for a newborn or a parent, spouse or child who becomes seriously ill. To help meet these needs, the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993 provides up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave in a 12-month period, if eligible, to care for your family or yourself for specified family and/or medical conditions.” Ref: Abbott (Childcare) Benefits Careers Overview Abbott U.S Web Page 2023

✓ Does the company offer women-specific health benefits for female employees?

“Abbott provides employees with:

• Care.com premium membership for finding and managing care for children, seniors, pets, and the home including 24/7 live access to free Care Specialist offering one-on-one personalized support
• Preferred placement and fee discounts with national and regional childcare providers
• Free breastmilk delivery service for nursing Abbott employees traveling on business
• Free virtual, on-demand tutoring services
• Resources and support for parents of neurodiverse children
• Education support including college advisory services
• Elder care patient advocacy, care coordination and caregiving support services”

Ref: Abbott (Childcare) Benefits Careers Overview Abbott U.S Web Page 2023

✓ Does the company have a policy listing prohibited behaviors, such as harassment and retaliation?

“Abbott cares about and is concerned for the health and well-being of its employees worldwide. Everyone who works at Abbott should encounter a professional environment, free from intimidation and harassment. Abbott encourages input from its employees on ways to enhance the inclusive and diverse atmosphere of its workplaces and promotes a workplace that is free from disruptive conduct by employees.” Ref: Pg. 23, Abbott Code of Business Conduct

✓ Does the company mandate all employees to undergo harassment and discrimination training?

“Training and education programs for employees increase their awareness of our Code’s precepts and the legal and ethical implications of their actions and behaviors. Abbott ethics and compliance officers work with our local commercial teams throughout the world to help them conduct trainings and education programs that help ensure compliance and strengthen Abbott’s reputation as a responsible corporate citizen while enhancing relationships with customers and other stakeholders. Upholding the highest ethical standards is the responsibility of everyone at Abbott. Offered in 93 countries and available in 26 languages, our online Legal and Ethical Resource Network (LERN) training educates employees on our Code of Business Conduct. The LERN program also shares practical guidance on recognizing and responding to legal and ethical issues. The LERN curriculum includes annual certifications on the code and conflicts of interest in addition to other training and education courses, with a key focus on interactions with healthcare professionals. There are also many live, in person training sessions on specific topics.” Ref: Pg. 3, Abbott Comprehensive Ethics and Compliance Program 2023

✓ Does the company have a defined harassment policy that includes promptly addressing reported incidents?

“”All reports of potential Code violations will be taken seriously and handled appropriately through follow up steps such as investigation, remediation, and where necessary, corrective actions to address issues, learn from mistakes, and avoid recurrence. The Office of Ethics and Compliance will direct any investigation of alleged violations of the Code. You should not conduct any investigation independently. Each of us is required to cooperate in, and maintain the confidentiality of, any such investigation. “ Ref: pg. 20, Abbott Code of Business Conduct 

✓ Does the company demonstrate a commitment to helping external stakeholders address gender equality issues?

“Abbott and the Abbott Fund also work in partnership with leading nonprofit organizations to improve women’s health and expand opportunity for women through educational and economic development initiatives. A few examples:

• Abbott and the Abbott Fund support the Asian University for Women (AUW), an international university in Bangladesh that provides world-class higher education to tomorrow’s women leaders. The Abbott Fund provides scholarships to promising students, and top Abbott scientists have served as mentors to AUW students, sharing their expertise and insights on careers in science; Abbott also has provided critical laboratory equipment and materials.
• In Myanmar, the Abbott Fund worked together with the U.S. Secretary’s International Fund for Women and Girls to advance health, education and economic opportunity for women and girls. The partnership strengthened the work of existing grassroots organizations to expand health awareness, prevention and treatment; support education; provide economic opportunity and income generation for women; and help women at risk of trafficking.
• In India, the Abbott Fund is a longtime supporter of Corstone’s Girls First initiative, providing more than 2,000 marginalized adolescent girls and young women the knowledge, skills and training they need to improve their mental and physical health, as well as educational outcomes and self-sufficiency.
• The Abbott Fund provided a $2 million grant to the International Diabetes Federation to address gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), a significant issue affecting more than 5 million women in India. The model aims to improve awareness, care and monitoring of GDM, as well as reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes and improve pregnancy outcomes for both mother and child”

Ref: Abbott Global Power of Women Sustainability Newsroom Web Page 2023

✓ Does the company offer and support initiatives that promote gender equality in the community?

✓ Does the company demonstrate a commitment to helping internal stakeholders/employees address gender equality issues?

“Alongside new external partnerships and programs, the company has established a Diversity in Research Office to further Abbott’s focus on driving diversity in the company’s clinical trials and improving access to care among under-represented populations.

The new Diversity in Research Office will be led by Jennifer Jones-McMeans, Ph.D., divisional vice president of global clinical affairs for Abbott’s vascular business, and Aparna Ahuja, M.D., divisional vice president for medical, clinical, and scientific affairs, Infectious Disease, for Abbott’s rapid diagnostics business. The office will be responsible for ensuring that research efforts include diversity plans, key performance goals and foster collaboration across Abbott, the industry and regulatory bodies.

‘Ensuring that clinical trials are as diverse as the people a product intends to serve is critically important in providing the best health care, so we’re developing programs to address as many barriers as possible,” said Jones-McMeans. “At Abbott, we’ve implemented programs that will increase the diversity of trials, including assessing how we conduct our own trials to make sure that we’re doing all we can do to increase diversity in our clinical trials by increasing participation from under-served and under-represented populations.'” Ref: Abbott Announces New Partnerships and Programs to Advance its Diversity in Clinical Trials Initiative 2023 Web Page

✓ Does the company offer equity-focused trainings, speaker programs, or events for employees?

“Ansgar Resch, the WLA co-chair for EMEAP and divisional vice president of Commercial Operations EMEAP for our Diabetes Care business, was inspired to take on his leadership role in the WLA after a diversity session with his leadership team. “The speaker said, ‘If you don’t intentionally include, you will unintentionally exclude.’ The moment I heard this was the moment I decided to use my influence to make positive changes as an ally.” Ref: Pg. 13, Abbott Laboratories DEI Report 2022

*Our Index utilizes binary measurements, where ✓ represents a score of 1, and ✘ represents a score of 0.

*All links are valid as of April 2024