Medtronic Named One of America’s Best Corporate Citizens in 2018 by Forbes

Medtronic has been named to the JUST 100: America’s Best Corporate Citizens list for 2018. Compiled by Forbes and JUST Capital, the list is composed of the nation’s top 100 publicly traded companies that scored highest on a set of criteria measuring areas such as diversity and inclusion, product quality, environmental impact, and philanthropy.

"In 1960, our late co-founder Earl Bakken crafted the Medtronic Mission, which continues to guide the way we work today. It defines our purpose — a technology company dedicated to improving patient outcomes — and our ongoing commitment to the reliability and quality of our products. But it says so much more. It mandates we recognize the personal worth of all our employees, to operate as an organization known for its dedication, honesty, integrity and service, and to maintain good corporate citizenship," said Omar Ishrak, Medtronic chairman and chief executive officer. "It is an honor to be named one of the Most JUST companies, as it acknowledges how our Mission has been brought to life by the efforts of our employees around the world. This recognition is also an affirmation that our commitment to the Mission — which was novel when written nearly 60 years ago — remains relevant and vital for our future."

“Report Card for Corporate America”

To determine rankings for what Forbes and JUST Capital tout as “the report card for corporate America,” more than 81,000 Americans were surveyed over four years and asked what they wanted businesses to focus on most. Areas of highest interest to survey respondents included fair treatment of employees, job creation, customer treatment, and product quality. Of the hundreds of companies analyzed, the top 100 outperformed their peers on issues like fair pay and good benefits, customer treatment and privacy, beneficial products, environmental impact, job creation, community support in the U.S. and abroad, as well as ethical leadership and long-term financial growth.

“America’s Most JUST Companies consistently outperform their peers in job creation, wages, work-life balance, environmental impact, and return on equity,” said Martin Whittaker, CEO of JUST Capital. “Aligning corporate behavior with the priorities of the American people is good for communities and good for business.”

In its evaluation of Medtronic, Forbes and JUST Capital noted that Medtronic ranks highly across a variety of categories, including its new family care leave benefits, safe workplace and equal opportunity policies, environmental protection and sustainability efforts, community engagement, and corporate philanthropy. A comprehensive interactive ranking is available at www.justcapital.com.

Citizenship a Primary Focus at Medtronic

Medtronic recently released its annual Integrated Performance Report, which provides a yearly recap of the company’s economic, social, and environmental impact. Specifically, the report provides details on how Medtronic is:

• Supporting a global workforce through inclusion and diversity, employee development and wellness offerings, and job creation.
• Working responsibly through product quality, ethical supply management, and sustainable business practices.
• Reducing the company’s environmental footprint through innovating operations to minimize our footprint and improving product design, manufacturing, and disposal practices.
• Adding value to society through philanthropy, disaster relief, and expanded access to healthcare.

Based on the criteria used for the JUST 100 rankings, notable numbers from this year’s Integrated Report include:

• 71M lives improved through our products, services and solutions
• 86,000 employees employed in 150 countries
• 54% of new hires and 37% of management positions globally held by women
• $78.5M in employee training and development
• $1.8B spent with small and diverse companies
• 33% decrease in greenhouse gas emissions since FY13
• 58,000 employee volunteer hours across 52 countries
• $100M in philanthropic donations

See the full Integrated Performance Report or download a one-page executive summary.

“Our Mission provides an ethical framework and inspiration for Medtronic employees around the world,” said Ishrak. “It calls upon us to be a leader and partner in finding ways to better serve our customers and communities. When we adhere to this shared sense of purpose, we cannot go wrong.”

In May, Corporate Responsibility Magazine recognized Medtronic on its 100 Best Corporate Citizens List. This is the first time Medtronic has made the JUST 100 list. View the full JUST 100 list for 2018.