content_image/277294.jpg
## Reducing Global Health Disparities 

In promoting health equity across the globe, “The Bristol-Myers Foundation seeks to develop and support commu- nity-based solutions where the needs are greatest today, while also extending programs to address developing needs,” says John Damonti, its president. 

For example, in Africa, the Foundation has been working alongside local partners in community-based programs to build capacity to help those disproportionately affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic through its groundbreaking SECURE THE FUTURE  initiative. Recently, it has also focused on the spread of tuberculosis (TB), a disease often found in the same populations and regions. Despite the best efforts of existing health systems, one- third of TB patients are either not reached for treatment or are not reported. In a five-country collaboration with the World Health Organization, the Foundation is encouraging non-governmental organiza- tions (NGOs) already engaged in other activities, like HIV prevention and care, to integrate TB into their community-based efforts. These approaches are beginning to bear fruit, including new operational 

guidance for NGOs working on TB and helping national TB programs more effectively reach out to civil society. And in eight African countries, the Founda- tion is providing technical assistance to explore models of community-based TB activities. The Foundation’s Technical Assistance Program also is expanding efforts to address emerging HIV-related health concerns, including female can- cers, mental health problems and support for teens living with HIV. 

In the U.S., the Foundation continues to bring its expertise to bear on catalyzing community-based solutions in mental health and well-being for at-risk and underserved populations. For example, 2012 represented the third year that the Foundation supported programs to help communities reintegrate veterans and their families and to help ensure that mental health resources are appropriate and sensitive to their experiences. Also in the u.S., the Foundation’s Together on Diabetes  program is encouraging clinic- community partnerships and team-based, patient-centered care. For example, it supports a Johns Hopkins Center for 

American Indian Health project that trains community health workers as health coaches, assisting Navajo and White Mountain Apache families implement self- care plans prescribed by their physicians and by their own traditions. The diabetes program also expanded to Asia, with mul- tiyear grants awarded in India and China. 

In Central and Eastern Europe, a region that suffers inordinately from higher can- cer mortality rates than the rest of Europe, the Foundation has been active in building bridges to better cancer care. An emerg - ing area of support has been community- based nursing, including establishing regional centers of excellence in nurse training and capacity building. 

r In Asia, the Foundation has focused on another major health concern – the mil- lions affected by hepatitis B and hepatitis C, with programs initiated a decade ago in China and five years later in India. Today, its Delivering Hope  program encompasses 42 projects. In 2012, the Foundation began to explore the development of centers of excellence in both countries to work with former grantees to disseminate evidence- based practices more broadly. 

<img src='content_image/277294.jpg'>

## A Commitment to Sustainability 

Bristol-Myers Squibb’s efforts to fulfill our commitment to economic, social and envi- ronmental sustainability were recognized in 2012 as we secured the top ranking on Corporate Responsibility magazine’s annual list of the 100 Best Corporate Citizens. And in support of the uN Global Compact that promotes certain universal principles, Bristol-Myers Squibb issued a new Human Rights Policy for our global operations. 

“We continue to make broad progress towards our Sustainability 2015 Goals,” says Susan Voigt, vice president, Environ- 

ment, Health, Safety and Sustainability. “Although some reductions in energy and water use and greenhouse gas emissions are being offset by site growth, more than 200 projects have been implemented since 2010.” 

Additional approaches are being studied to reduce packaging and other waste. For example, a project team successfully eliminated the printed cartons used to enclose plastic bottles containing Abilify (aripiprazole) tablets, thereby reducing our paperboard usage in the u.S. by about 140 tons annually. Also, as part of R&D Green 

Chemistry and continuous improvement initiatives, the operations group developed a solvent reuse program that has saved approximately 13,000 kilos of solvent. 

Our employees remain committed to the spirit of sustainability by engaging in on- site and community activities. Earth Day celebrations were held at 51 locations worldwide in 2012, a 20 percent increase over the prior year. One effort involved hundreds of employees in New Orleans, where they provided their “Helping Hands” to clean up and plant flowers at local sport facilities. r 

