Abbott announced today that it has received the annual Illinois Continuous Improvement Award for environmental excellence. It is the ninth time Abbott has been honored for its efforts to safeguard the environment and integrate sustainability initiatives at its corporate headquarters and throughout its operations in Illinois.

"Abbott's efforts in Illinois are part of our broader commitment to safeguard the environment across all areas of our business and in all global communities in which we operate," said Corlis Murray, vice president, Global Engineering Services, Abbott. "We have set aggressive targets to achieve environmental results in the areas of greenhouse gas emissions, water usage and waste reduction. We're taking a holistic approach to our environmental impact, from sourcing of raw materials to the use of our products by consumers and health care professionals."

Abbott was recognized for six projects aimed at implementing "green processes" and reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions at its manufacturing and research and development facilities in Lake County, Illinois. These initiatives included:

• Implementing changes to manufacturing processes to significantly reduce the amount of non-water-based materials used in production; and
• Reducing electricity and steam usage in air handling systems and improving energy efficiency in manufacturing and research and development buildings, eliminating approximately 1.34 million pounds of CO2 emissions.

The Continuous Improvement Awards are part of the Illinois Governor's Sustainability Awards program. The awards recognize businesses and organizations in the State of Illinois for significant achievements in protecting the environment through sustainable business practices. The award is administered by the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC), a division of the Institute of Natural Resource Sustainability at the University of Illinois.

Safeguarding the environment is an important part of Abbott's mission to improve people's health, and the company's efforts to be a leader in global citizenship. Abbott has identified climate change, water usage and product stewardship as its key environmental priorities, and is taking innovative approaches across the company to reduce its environmental impact. This includes reducing Abbott's use of fossil fuels such as coal and oil, and increasing its use of cleaner and renewable energy. The company is taking a comprehensive approach to water conservation throughout its operations, resulting in an annual savings of 1 billion gallons of water. Abbott also is implementing more than 40 sustainable packaging initiatives across the company, looking at ways to use lighter, more sustainable materials in package design.

About Abbott

Abbott is a global, broad-based health care company devoted to the discovery, development, manufacture and marketing of pharmaceuticals and medical products, including nutritionals, devices and diagnostics. The company employs nearly 90,000 people and markets its products in more than 130 countries.

Abbott information is available on the company's Web site at www.abbott.com.

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About Abbott and the Abbott Fund

The Abbott Fund is a philanthropic foundation established by Abbott in 1951. The Abbott Fund's mission is to create healthier global communities by investing in creative ideas that promote science, expand access to health care and strengthen communities worldwide. For more information, visit www.abbottfund.org.

Abbott is a global, broad-based health care company devoted to the discovery, development, manufacture and marketing of pharmaceuticals and medical products, including nutritionals, devices and diagnostics. The company employs nearly 90,000 people and markets its products in more than 130 countries. Abbott's news releases and other information are available on the company's website at www.abbott.com.

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