Biodiversity
Why It Matters | Our Approach | Resources | Related Topics
Last updated: July 1, 2026
Why It Matters
To Lilly:
Protecting biodiversity is a responsibility we take seriously as we grow. We work to minimize potential impacts on nature by preserving habitats, enhancing green spaces, and incorporating biodiversity considerations into our site management practices. By taking action to support ecosystems where we operate, we’re helping support the natural environment for current and future generations.
To the World:
Biodiversity plays an important role in supporting healthy ecosystems, including the air, water, and food systems that communities and economies rely on. Yet ecosystems around the world are under increasing pressure from development, pollution, and climate change. Protecting biodiversity is not only about conserving nature; it’s about sustaining the natural systems that people, communities, and economies depend on every day.
Approach
Lilly has been actively involved in environmental protection and nature enhancement across our global facilities for decades. This long-standing commitment shapes how we integrate biodiversity considerations into the way we plan, build, and manage our sites.
Our approach centers on managing existing biodiversity at our sites and enhancing biodiversity within the communities where we operate. We collaborate with external partners, industry coalitions, and our employees to raise awareness and drive action on biodiversity conservation.
External Collaborations and Partnerships
Biodiversity is a broad topic, and it is important to understand where the pharmaceutical sector can most effectively make a difference. Recognizing this, we proactively engage in collaborative efforts with external partners and industry working groups to assess, prioritize, and better understand biodiversity-related risks.
This collaborative approach is a critical element in refining and strengthening our biodiversity strategy. By actively involving external stakeholders, including environmental organizations, research institutions and industry peers, we can better ensure that our strategies are informed by a holistic and science‑informed understanding of biodiversity-related risks and opportunities.
Biodiversity Research Collaboration
We have partnered with the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) Bren School of Environmental Science & Management to strengthen our understanding of biodiversity‑related challenges and opportunities across our global footprint and to help inform the continued evolution of our biodiversity strategy.
The collaboration was designed to apply emerging, science‑based nature frameworks in a practical way across our operations. The project assessed 39 Lilly sites globally, evaluating how emerging frameworks such as the Taskforce on Nature‑related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) and the Science Based Targets Network (SBTN) could be applied to identify, evaluate, and prioritize biodiversity considerations. The assessment focused on the Locate, Evaluate, and Assess phases of TNFD’s LEAP approach.
Using a combination of globally recognized biodiversity screening tools and datasets, the UCSB analysis resulted in several key outcomes:
Provided a consistent, site‑level view of biodiversity‑related risks and opportunities across our global operations.
Helped differentiate sites based on relative biodiversity concerns and opportunities, enabling prioritization rather than a one‑size‑fits‑all approach.
Biodiversity is complex and highly location‑specific. While this project has not identified significant biodiversity-related concerns or opportunities, this collaboration demonstrated the value of combining science‑based tools, external expertise, and a structured framework to move from broad awareness to actionable insight. The collaboration and results have increased our awareness and informed potential future site‑level initiatives.
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