About Our Sustainability Report
Time period.
This report represents our sustainability performance for 2024. Data and other updates contained in this digital report are focused on the 2024 calendar year and include our global operations, unless otherwise noted. We also discuss data and trends from previous years where relevant.
Scope.
This report does not include joint ventures, partially owned subsidiaries or outsourced operations. This report references the Eli Lilly and Company Foundation, commonly referred to as the Lilly Foundation. The Lilly Foundation, which was established in 1968 and is supported by donations from Eli Lilly and Company, is a separate US tax-exempt private foundation that provides support to eligible US organizations consistent with Lilly Foundation’s philanthropic priorities. This report may also reference other tax-exempt organizations, including the Lilly Cares Foundation, a separate US charitable organization that offers the Lilly Cares Foundation Patient Assistance Program, which helps qualified people in need receive donated Lilly medicines at no cost. Eligibility for the support provided by any tax-exempt organization is determined by such tax-exempt organization.
Data measurement and uncertainty.
Lilly and its affiliates provide medicines to separate charitable organizations that offer free Lilly medicines to qualifying patients. Throughout this report, such products are valued at wholesale acquisition costs.
Lilly follows structured processes to collect, evaluate, calculate and validate the data included in this report. We consider external standards in deciding what data to collect and report. The data presented in this report are collected using various methodologies, which in some instances are based on assumptions and estimates in which there are inherent uncertainties and limitations. For example, information may come from third-party sources and operations outside of our control. While we believe such information is reasonably accurate and is based on reasonable principles and methodology, the third-party collection and validation of this data is beyond our direct control. In addition, the achievement of certain sustainability goals and targets may be dependent on the actions of our partners, suppliers and other third parties, all of which are outside of our control.
Furthermore, environmental data in this report is subject to measurement uncertainties resulting from limitations inherent in the nature and the methods used for determining such data. The precision of different measurement techniques may vary.
As we improve our methodologies and as new information becomes available, we may continue to revise our estimates and assumptions. Methodology changes may include, without limitation, changes in a calculation, improvements in the quality of data, greater data granularity or updates to available third-party-reported data. Such updates may result in material changes to our calculations and may also result in adjustments made to the current and previous periods.
Referenced Frameworks.
Our global health, safety and the environment (HSE) management system is consistent with third-party standards such as the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) ISO 14001, ISO 45001 and the American Chemistry Council’s Responsible Care® Management System standards.
We use several external guidelines and measurement frameworks to inform the scope of our reporting. Applicable portions of this report have been prepared in alignment with the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) framework for Biotechnology and Pharmaceuticals and informed by the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD). Reporting indices and sustainability data are available in the Transparency section.
Trademarks and Trade Names
Trademarks or trade names referred to in this report are the property of Lilly, or, to the extent trademarks or trade names belonging to other companies are referenced in this report, the property of their respective owners. Solely for convenience, the trademarks and trade names in this report may be referred to without the ® and ™ symbols, but such references should not be construed as any indicator that the company or, to the extent applicable, their respective owners will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, the company’s or their rights thereto. We do not intend the use or display of other companies’ trademarks and trade names to imply a relationship with, or endorsement or sponsorship of us by, any other companies.
Updates to Reported Information.
The information in this 2024 Sustainability Report, including the forward-looking statements, are made as of the publication date of June 6, 2025, unless otherwise indicated, and are expressly qualified in their entirety by the risk factors and cautionary statements described above and elsewhere in this report. We undertake no obligation to update the information or forward-looking statements in the report to reflect subsequent events or circumstances. More current information on notable events about the company’s sustainability efforts may be included elsewhere in the company’s disclosure, including Forms 10-K, 10-Q and any 8-Ks filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, its press releases or the Latest Sustainability Developments page of the company’s website.
Other cautionary information.
Our approach to the disclosures included in this report differs in significant ways from those included in mandatory regulatory reporting, including under U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) rules and regulations. References to, or inclusion of, information in this report should not be construed as a characterization regarding the materiality of such information to our financial results, our operations or our stakeholders. While certain matters discussed in this report may be referred to as “significant” or “material,” any such significance or materiality should not be read as necessarily rising to the level of materiality used for the purposes of complying with U.S. securities laws, European Union sustainability reporting directives or regulations or under similar laws in other jurisdictions, even if we use the word “significant,” “material,” or “materiality” in this report.
This report includes statements regarding various policies, values, standards, approaches, procedures, processes, systems, programs, initiatives, assessments, technologies, practices and similar measures related to our operations (“Policies and Procedures”). References to Policies and Procedures in this report do not represent guarantees or promises about their efficacy or continued implementation, or any assurance that such Policies and Procedures will apply in every case. Such Policies and Procedures are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond our control and are difficult to predict. There may be exigent circumstances, factors, or considerations that may cause the implementation of other measures or exceptions in specific instances.
Our ability to achieve any stated environmental, social or governance goal, target or objective is subject to numerous factors and conditions, many of which are outside our control. We can give no assurances that any plan, initiative, goal, target, objective, commitment or expectation will be achieved.
This report contains references or links to other websites maintained by third parties over whom we have no control. We make no endorsement of such websites, nor do we make any representations or warranties with respect to any information contained in such third-party websites. Furthermore, use of any such third-party site is at your own risk and will be governed by such third-party’s terms and conditions.
Forward-Looking Statements.
The 2024 Sustainability Report contains forward-looking statements that are based on management’s assumptions, estimates and expectations at the time the statements were posted, including statements regarding our sustainability targets, goals, commitments and programs and other business plans, initiatives, aspirations and objectives. These statements are typically accompanied by the words “aim,” “hope,” “plan,” “estimate,” “project,” “intend,” “expect,” “believe,” “target,” “anticipate,” “seek,” “will,” “continue” and similar expressions. All such statements are intended to enjoy the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements provided by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Actual results may differ materially due to various factors. The company’s sustainability targets, goals and commitments outlined in this report or elsewhere, as well as its operations, results, business, goals and strategy may be affected by factors including, but not limited to:
the significant costs and uncertainties in the pharmaceutical research and development process, including with respect to the timing and process of obtaining regulatory approvals;
the impact and uncertain outcome of acquisitions and business development transactions and related costs;
intense competition affecting our products, pipeline, or industry;
market uptake of launched products and indications;
continued pricing pressures and the impact of actions of governmental and private payers affecting pricing of, reimbursement for, and patient access to pharmaceuticals, or reporting obligations related thereto;
safety or efficacy concerns associated with our or competitive products;
dependence on relatively few products or product classes for a significant percentage of our total revenue and a consolidated supply chain;
the expiration of intellectual property protection for certain of our products and competition from generic and biosimilar products;
our ability to protect and enforce patents and other intellectual property and changes in patent law or regulations related to data package exclusivity;
information technology system inadequacies, inadequate controls or procedures, security breaches, or operating failures;
unauthorized access, disclosure, misappropriation, or compromise of confidential information or other data stored in our information technology systems, networks, and facilities, or those of third parties with whom we share our data and violations of data protection laws or regulations;
issues with product supply and regulatory approvals stemming from manufacturing difficulties, disruptions, or shortages, including as a result of unpredictability and variability in demand, labor shortages, third-party performance, quality, cyber-attacks, or regulatory actions related to our and third-party facilities;
reliance on third-party relationships and outsourcing arrangements;
the use of artificial intelligence or other emerging technologies in various facets of our operations may exacerbate competitive, regulatory, litigation, cybersecurity, and other risks;
the impact of global macroeconomic conditions, including uneven economic growth or downturns or uncertainty, trade disruptions, international tension, conflicts, regional dependencies, or other costs, uncertainties, and risks related to engaging in business globally;
devaluations in foreign currency exchange rates, changes in interest rates, and inflation or deflation;
significant and sudden declines or volatility in the trading price of our common stock and market capitalization;
litigation, investigations, or other similar proceedings involving past, current, or future products or activities;
changes in tax law and regulation, tax rates, or events that differ from our assumptions related to tax positions;
regulatory changes and developments;
regulatory oversight and actions regarding our operations and products;
regulatory compliance problems or government investigations;
risks from the proliferation of counterfeit, misbranded, adulterated, or illegally compounded products;
actual or perceived deviation from environmental-, social-, or governance-related requirements or expectations;
asset impairments and restructuring charges; and
changes in accounting and reporting standards.
For additional information about the factors that affect the company’s business, please see the company’s latest Forms 10-K, 10-Q, and any 8-Ks filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We urge you to consider all of the risks, uncertainties and factors identified above or discussed in such reports carefully in evaluating the forward-looking statements in this report.