HSE Governance
Why It Matters | Our Approach | Resources | Related Topics
Last updated: July 1, 2026
Why It Matters
To Lilly
Robust governance of our health, safety and environmental (HSE) program helps ensure we maintain the highest levels of health and safety performance, while minimizing our impact on the environment. It also helps us inform our ambitions in the context of our broader business goals, while ensuring compliance with global regulations and laws.
To the World
Robust HSE governance helps protect workers, communities, and ecosystems. When companies lead with integrity and transparency, they help build safer workplaces, reduce environmental impact, and contribute to a more sustainable and trustworthy global healthcare system.
Approach
Our Health, Safety and Environmental (HSE) governance is achieved through formal and informal structures, including the following groups, individuals and programs:
Global HSE Committee – Responsible for monitoring and oversight of the corporate HSE strategy, compliance, performance against goals, and continuous improvement.
Process Safety Management Committee – Focuses on maintaining a sustainable, compliant, and industry-leading Process Safety Management and Combustible Dust Program while driving continuous improvement and risk reduction.
Pharmaceuticals in the Environment Governance Committee – Oversees the programs that minimize risks related to active pharmaceutical ingredient discharges.
Executives and lead teams – Oversee HSE performance in manufacturing, research and development, business areas and administrative functions.
Local safety teams – Cross-functional teams that focus on monitoring performance, execution, and continuous improvement activities in the day-to-day operations of a specific site or business area.
HSE Policies and Standards
Lilly's global policies, standards and related management systems together detail our HSE expectations, articulate our commitments and guide our efforts. They include the following:
Health, Safety and Environmental Policy
Our Safety and Security of Our People, Assets, and the Environment Policy establishes clear expectations to protect employees, contractors, visitors, facilities, and the communities in which we operate. The policy emphasizes compliance with applicable health, safety, environmental, and security requirements; proactive risk identification and incident reporting; responsible use and protection of company assets; and preparedness for emergencies and security threats. It also reinforces our commitment to environmental stewardship by minimizing environmental impacts, promptly reporting incidents, and supporting continuous improvement aligned with our sustainability goals.
Global HSE Standards
Management System Standard – Defines requirements to ensure a robust process is in place within each part of the organization to effectively manage compliance with our HSE Standards as well as applicable regulatory requirements.
Environmental Standard – Defines requirements to identify and manage the environmental compliance and sustainability-related aspects of our operations.
Health and Safety Standard – Defines requirements for identifying and evaluating workplace hazards and establishing control measures to eliminate or reduce risks.
Process Safety Standard – Defines requirements designed to reduce the potential for catastrophic events (fires and explosions).
Product Stewardship Standard – Provides a systematic approach to managing sustainability throughout the product life cycle.
Global Engineering Standards – Establishes requirements for the design and operation of facilities and equipment to ensure compliance with internal and external requirements and responsibly manage safety and environmental aspects of operations.
HSE Management Systems
Business areas, including manufacturing, research and development, sales and marketing, and general administrative functions, are required to operate with an HSE management system that adheres to the Lilly Global HSE Standards and is consistent with third-party standards such as the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 14001, ISO 45001 and the American Chemistry Council’s Responsible Care Management System (RCMS) standards.
All employees are subject to recurring training on health, safety and environmental programs. This includes general health, safety and environmental training, as well as training on industry-specific and job-specific programs and procedures where applicable. Employees are also trained in relevant emergency preparedness and response procedures.
HSE Audits
We conduct HSE audits of Lilly sites and functional areas for each of our Global HSE Standards as well as regulatory requirements. Our HSE audit program considers areas based on risk, with areas associated with high-risk operations being audited at least every three years. Audit results are shared with executive leadership and the Board of Directors, and management must respond to and address all audit observations and track progress against action plans.
Independent Assurance of Environmental Data
We engage independent third parties to provide limited assurance over our key environmental performance data, ensuring the credibility and reliability of our reported metrics. Our assurance program covers the following areas:
Environmental Data Category
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Scope 1 GHG Emissions
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Assurance Level:
Limited Assurance
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Scope 2 GHG Emissions
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Assurance Level:
Limited Assurance
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Scope 3 GHG Emissions
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Assurance Level:
Limited Assurance
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Water Performance Data
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Assurance Level:
Limited Assurance
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Waste Performance Data
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Assurance Level:
Limited Assurance
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Our environmental data assurance is conducted in accordance with internationally recognized standards. Data is presented in alignment with our Sustainability Performance Metrics and Calculation Methodology, which defines the scope, methodology, and boundaries for each metric.
Measuring Progress
We have established return on investment (ROI) targets and assess net present value (NPV) calculations for our sustainability-related capital projects such as energy efficiency and renewable electricity, which continue to demonstrate both environmental benefit and sound financial returns. To track our progress, we measure and manage energy and water use, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and the generation of waste and wastewater throughout our operations.