How Eli Lilly is Tackling Health Literacy and Sustainability

Health literacy, defined as the ability to access and comprehend healthcare information, is fundamental to ensuring patients receive appropriate treatment.

However, according to the National Institute for Health and Care Research, nearly half of the population struggles to understand health information, highlighting a critical gap in the delivery of  healthcare around the world.

Pharmaceutical companies like Eli Lilly and Company are actively addressing this challenge, working to enhance global health literacy and make healthcare more accessible across all education levels and ethnic groups.

The company states its purpose centres on making life better, which extends to protecting and preserving the natural environment.

Sustainability Magazine has recognised these efforts by awarding Eli Lilly and Company 55th place in its Top 250 World's Most Sustainable Companies 2025 for its sustainability commitments.

Environmental targets for healthcare operations

According to its latest sustainability report, Eli Lilly and Company has established measurable targets to monitor its sustainability strategy progress.

These objectives include achieving carbon neutrality in its own operations by 2030 and improving its full value chain emissions reporting.

It also aims to source 100% of purchased electricity from renewable sources by 2030.

To reduce the environmental impact of its business operations and meet its 2030 goals, Eli Lilly and Company employs a three-tiered approach to sustainability:

• reducing energy and emissions by enhancing overall operational efficiency
• replacing carbon-intensive processes and energy sources with low-carbon alternatives
• offsetting remaining emissions and energy sources through purchasing emissions offsets from high-quality carbon reduction projects

While Eli Lilly and Company plans to expand its global pharmaceutical presence, it intends to align this growth with its sustainability objectives.

David A. Ricks, Chair and CEO of Eli Lilly and Company, says: "Key to our progress on behalf of patients is our long-standing commitment to sustainability, as we work to strengthen communities, responsibly steward natural resources and empower our global workforce.

"We continue to pursue ambitions, measurable sustainability goals, which are embedded in our business strategy and operations."

Patient affordability and access

Eli Lilly and Company aims to deliver affordable access to more people globally, including revising its pricing approach in the US.

It also supports realigning financial incentives throughout the pharmaceutical supply chain, enabling patients to benefit directly from its pricing.

To achieve this, the company offers clients affordability solutions through patient support programmes and co-pay assistance.

For many of its migraine, immunology, diabetes and obesity medicines, these programmes help reduce eligible patients' monthly costs to below US$35.

Eli Lilly and Company collaborates with other stakeholders in the US healthcare system to advocate for policy changes addressing systemic gaps in patient affordability.

This includes advocating for lower out-of-pocket costs for patients and additional transparency in the healthcare system, which could encourage fair practices benefiting local pharmacies and consumers.

Additionally, Eli Lilly and Company strives to improve health literacy by providing patients with accessible information about its medicines and devices.

This approach helps communicate clearly and effectively to patients, removing barriers that could prevent better healthcare outcomes and reducing confusion from cultural or language differences.

Sustainable waste reduction practices

To help conserve energy, resources and landfill space, Eli Lilly and Company is committed to minimising its waste output. To this end, Eli Lilly and Company is aiming to send waste to landfills only as a last resort or when it is legally required to do so.

Its target includes achieving zero waste to landfills from routine operations and ensuring 100% of plastic waste is repurposed for beneficial use, with at least 90% recycled or reused.

In 2024, 20 out of the company's 32 facilities achieved the zero waste to landfill target, resulting in just 1.1% of its waste from routine operations being sent to landfill.

Eli Lilly and Company's primary focus centres on minimising its plastic waste footprint through optimising plastic use at manufacturing facilities via reuse and recycling programmes.

These programmes allow packaging from incoming materials to be recycled and used as feedstocks for other products such as composite decking, furniture and carpet padding.

At its Indianapolis, Indiana headquarters, Eli Lilly and Company has eliminated nearly all polystyrene foam materials from its cafeterias, opting instead for biobased containers and other environmentally friendly materials.

It has also transitioned the majority of its plastic bottled drinks to aluminium cans, providing higher recycling rates which supports its sustainability goals.

Eli Lilly and Company is exploring ways to make its products more sustainable by optimising packaging and end-of-life services, working to reduce its packaging footprint and transition to eco-friendly materials where possible.

For example, the pharmaceutical industry is moving towards using electronic patient information leaflets instead of printed materials.

Eli Lilly and Company is also addressing end-of-life product waste, initiating pilot programmes for device take-back and recycling processes.

"For nearly 150 years, Lilly has been at the creating breakthrough medicines that improve human health," explains David.

"Our most profound global impact is reflected in the millions of people who benefit from our medicines each year.

"Guided by our values of integrity, excellence and respect for people, we will continue to tackle the most critical medical challenges in ways that transform human health and make a lasting contribution to humanity."