HR1063 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1063 LRB095 20299 KXB 47320 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Baxter International Inc. is a global diversified healthcare company that applies innovative science to develop biotechnology products, specialty therapeutics and medical devices that save and sustain patients' lives; Baxter makes a meaningful difference for people with end-stage kidney disease, hemophilia, immune disorders, trauma, and other chronic conditions around the world; based in Deerfield, Illinois, Baxter employs 5,000 Illinois residents and 46,500 people around the world; Baxter manufactures products in 14 U.S. locations, as well as in 26 countries; and

WHEREAS, Baxter sells its therapies in more than 100 countries, with more than half of its sales coming from outside of the United States; for more than 75 years, Baxter has drawn together specialists, scientists, healthcare experts, and business professionals who share a common purpose, to save and enhance lives through innovative healthcare solutions; and

WHEREAS, Baxter upholds its obligations to use resources wisely, and strives to achieve a safe, clean, and healthy future; through its demonstrated leadership on economic, social, and environmental sustainability, Baxter has been named for nine straight years to the Dow Jones Sustainability North American Index; recognized for the fourth consecutive year as one of "The Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World" by Innovest Strategic Value Advisors; awarded as the 2007 Dow Jones Sustainability World Index Medical Products Industry Leader; named by Corporate Responsibility Officer magazine as one of its "100 Best Corporate Citizens," and awarded in 2008 by the Illinois League of Women Voters with its inaugural Environmental Sustainability Stewardship Award; and

WHEREAS, Baxter has been recognized many times for leadership in addressing global climate change and reducing its greenhouse gas emissions; Baxter supports sustainable energy alternatives, promotes cross-industry initiatives, and engages in the public policy debate; Baxter is a founding member of the Chicago Climate Exchange, the world's first and North America's only carbon cap-and-trade system; Baxter participates in Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley's Chicago Climate Change Task Force; and Baxter served as one of three vice-chairs on the State of Illinois Climate Change Advisory Group that recommended a plan for how Illinois could reduce state greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020; and

WHEREAS, Baxter works with a number of sustainability-related organizations, including Ceres, the Pew Center for Global Climate Change, GRI, The Conference Board, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency through Climate Leaders, The Green Suppliers Network, and the National Environmental Performance Track; in addition to its public policy leadership in addressing climate change, Baxter announced that its 1,500-employee headquarters in Deerfield achieved carbon-neutral status, effective April 2007; Baxter was the first company to help validate agricultural carbon credits by purchasing carbon credits offered by Illinois farmers and landowners through the Illinois Conservation and Climate Initiative; in addition, the International Carbon Disclosure Project named Baxter to its 2007 Climate Disclosure Leadership Index under its 5th Survey of FT500 Corporate Approaches to Climate Change; and

WHEREAS, The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recognized Baxter on its Fortune 500 Green Power Partner Challenge list; in 2007, Baxter launched AVIVA, a new non-PVC, non-latex medical IV solution container that carries the Green-e label, indicating the electricity used to produce these containers is offset by 100 percent Green-e certified renewable energy; in addition to its leadership in climate change, Baxter strives to conserve water and uses this resource as efficiently as possible in its products and operations, and is enhancing its water conservation, reuse, and wastewater treatment capabilities worldwide; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Baxter International Inc. on its many accolades and awards and on receiving the inaugural Illinois League of Women Voters Environmental Sustainability Stewardship Award; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Thomas T. Stallkamp, Lead Director of Baxter International Inc. as a symbol of our respect and esteem.