Making sustainable progress for people and the planet: Our 2023 Performance Report

Improving patient health is the cornerstone of everything we do at Boston Scientific. Whether it’s innovating care to help people live longer, better lives; empowering people by advancing diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) in our workplace and communities; or enabling a healthier planet – we are committed to making sustainable progress. Our more than 48,000 employees worldwide demonstrate talent and commitment to the highest standards of quality and allow us to raise the bar, year after year.

You can find the latest results of this work documented in our newly released 2023 Performance Report. Read on for a look at some of our biggest accomplishments of the past year.

Innovating to improve patient lives

We help physicians treat more patients more effectively through a global ecosystem of innovation that includes accelerating research and development (R&D), expanding digital platforms to advance care and upholding rigorous quality standards.

How we did in 2023:

• We served more than 37 million patients worldwide.
• We invested $1.4 billion in R&D.[1]
• More than 59,000 health care professionals in approximately 145 countries accessed our EDUCARE platform for on-demand medical education, case studies, procedural videos and interactive training tools.

Increasing diversity in medical research

We believe people who participate in clinical trials, as well as trial leaders, should demographically reflect the patients who will be helped by the devices being studied – including those who have been historically underrepresented in research.

How we did in 2023:

• We received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval to expand our ELEGANCE study for patients diagnosed with peripheral artery disease – which includes novel design elements aimed at enrolling at least 40% women and 40% underrepresented groups – from 1,500 to 2,500 people.
• We launched the HEAL-LAA clinical trial to examine the real-world outcomes of our WATCHMAN FLX™ Pro Left Atrial Appendage device and will enroll a minimum of 200 diverse patients, accounting for approximately 20% of all participants.

Fostering a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace 

We’re focused on creating a culture that attracts and retains inclusive talent. By 2030, we aspire to improve the gender, race and ethnicity balance of our leadership by focusing on pivotal mid-level roles, including managers, principals, senior managers and fellows, that are a critical feeder pool to senior level roles.  

How we did in 2023:

• 43.5% representation of women at mid-level leadership[2] globally
• 22.6% representation of multicultural talent at mid-level leadership[2] in the U.S., including Puerto Rico

Creating development opportunities for all employees

We invest in the development and success of our people through programs and practices that reinforce equitable opportunities for growth, in keeping with our core values.

How we did in 2023:

• We offered more than 3,200 courses for employees, including on-the-job training, skills-based education and leadership development.
• Approximately 41,800 employees accessed Boston Scientific education and training resources.
• We gave more than $2.7 million in tuition reimbursement for employees in the U.S., including Puerto Rico.

Reducing our carbon footprint  

Since 2017, we have made steady progress to reduce our carbon footprint by cutting energy use, converting to renewable energy sources and compensating for remaining unavoidable emissions with carbon credits and offset projects. We furthered this work in 2022 when we became one of the first companies in the Healthcare Equipment and Supplies sector to have net-zero, science-based scopes 1, 2 and 3 targets approved under the Science Based Targets initiative Net-Zero Standard.

How we did in 2023:

• We achieved 82% renewable electricity[3] across our facilities.
• 72% of our real estate was independently certified for energy efficiency.[4]
• We secured renewable energy in Europe through our first virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) in the region.

Addressing water, waste and biodiversity

Our commitment to better patient health means we invest in efforts to build a sustainable, resilient business that improves the well-being of our patients, customers, communities and planet.

How we did in 2023:

• 77% of our solid, non-hazardous waste from all manufacturing and key distribution sites was recycled, getting us closer to our goal to divert at least 90% of solid, non-hazardous waste produced by all manufacturing and key distribution sites away from landfills and incineration by 2030.
• We piloted zero-waste programs at seven sites globally and our teams completed additional waste management training to implement new waste prevention practices.
• We continued to use data to evaluate sustainable packaging materials, guide and quantify packaging sustainability improvements, and identify sustainable suppliers.

The path to greater progress takes time. Our commitment to ethical business practices anchors our decisions and ability to deliver value responsibly, providing performance with integrity. In 2023, we continued delivering patient solutions when and where they were needed while further focusing on good governance and compliance, risk management, cybersecurity and a responsible supply chain.

Learn more about how Boston Scientific is advancing science for life through our corporate responsibility strategy.