At Bristol Myers Squibb, our mission is clear: to discover, develop and deliver innovative medicines that transform lives. But our responsibility doesn’t end when a therapy leaves our facility. Human health is connected to the health of our environment — and water is at the heart of both.
Our commitment to environmental sustainability includes a focused effort on water — aligning science with our responsibility to patients, communities and the planet. Through this lens, we’re enhancing the resilience of our operations, supporting global health equity and driving efficiency across our network.
To guide this work, we’ve adopted clear enterprise-wide ambitions:
- Reduce freshwater withdrawal by 20% by 2033
- Implement water stewardship programs across all operations by 2040
Our roadmaps include projects that will achieve freshwater reduction through decarbonization, optimization and reuse.
This commitment is not only about protecting a critical resource — it’s about safeguarding the patients, communities and ecosystems we serve around the world.
Water sustains the ecosystems our supply chains depend on, powers our manufacturing and lab operations and supports the health and dignity of people in every community where we operate. It’s a core part of how we deliver medicines to patients in need today — and key to how we’ll ensure access tomorrow.
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Yet around the globe, fresh water is increasingly under pressure. Severe weather events, population growth and pollution are accelerating stress in key watersheds. For BMS, these risks are not abstract — they have the potential to impact our ability to reliably deliver for patients, especially in regions already vulnerable to climate instability.
Our Water Stewardship Roadmap is designed to meet this challenge. By focusing mitigation, adaptation and resilience, we’re continuing to strengthen our operations while preparing for the possibilities of tomorrow. We’re implementing efficiencies, reusing water, investing in local watershed health and ensuring our systems are resilient — even in times of scarcity.
Our 20% freshwater reduction target by 2033 is powered by science-based strategies — decarbonization, optimization and reuse — applied across our network. In New Brunswick, NJ, we’re already leading innovative reuse projects that demonstrate what’s possible: reducing our impact, increasing efficiency and contributing to the resilience of our communities.
But for us, stewardship goes beyond metrics. We’re aligning to globally recognized frameworks while tailoring our work to local needs. Whether it’s co-developing watershed partnerships or integrating climate-related risk into our supply chain planning, our approach is grounded in operational excellence.
We know the path ahead isn’t easy. But we choose optimism. We choose action. We choose to lead.
These commitments are more than milestones — they are a reflection of our business values to deliver for patients. We believe every drop of water represents a chance to protect a patient, empower a community and deliver on our promise of health equity and environmental care.
At Bristol Myers Squibb, we don’t treat sustainability as optional. It’s core to our resilience and how we deliver on our promise of providing life-saving therapies, wherever and whenever they’re needed.
Bristol Myers Squibb is a global biopharmaceutical company whose mission is to discover, develop and deliver innovative medicines that help patients prevail over serious diseases. As global citizens, we work sustainably and responsibly to create a positive impact in the communities where we live and work.