Baxter ranks in Thomson Reuters Top 100 diversity list

DEERFIELD - Baxter International has been recognized by Thomson Reuters as a Top 100 company for outstanding practices in diversity and inclusion in its inaugural Diversity & Inclusion Index.

The index and ratings are designed to transparently and objectively measure the relative performance of companies against factors that define sustainable, diverse and inclusive workplaces.

"Baxter is committed to fostering an inclusive work environment that attracts, engages and retains a diverse workforce to drive health care innovation that betters the lives of the patients we serve," said Baxter Chairman and Chief Executive Officer José (Joe) Almeida. "Integrating different backgrounds and perspectives within all facets of our organization is what allows us to continue delivering on our mission to save and sustain lives."

The Diversity & Inclusion Index and Ratings from Thomson Reuters are based on a composite of data from publicly available information sources that define diverse and inclusive workplaces. These sources include annual reports, company websites, stock exchange filings, corporate social responsibility reports and news sources.

The standardized data is measured by 24 separate metrics across four key categories: diversity, inclusion, people development and news controversies. The index specifically evaluates such dimensions as board gender diversity, women employees, professional development opportunities, flexible working hours, diversity objectives and processes and the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index, among others. The metrics are weighted based on importance in the market, and updated continuously, to assess how a company compares against its peers to develop the ranking. Companies with scores across all four pillars are assigned an overall score, and the top 100 ranked companies are selected for the index.