Lilly reports process on corporate responsibility efforts

Lilly has released its latest corporate social responsibility report, highlighting the efforts it has made to improve its economic, environmental and social performance.

In the last year, the company has contributed more than $590 million (365.93 million pounds) in charitable donations, including through patient assistance programmes that benefited more than 250,000 people.

The firm also unveiled its new Lilly Global Health Innovation Campaign, received a perfect score on a corporate equality index compiled by the Human Rights Campaign and minimised the occurrence of workplace injuries.

In environmental terms, Lilly made progress in decreasing water intake by more than 25 percent and waste sent to landfill by 40 percent, while energy efficiency rose by over 15 percent.

Dr John Lechleiter, Lilly's chairman, president and chief executive officer, said: "Using our business expertise to help address pressing social needs opens up new opportunities for us to provide solutions to health challenges the world over."

This comes after the company made a donation of $200,000 to the American Red Cross last month to assist relief efforts following Hurricane Sandy.