Fair Pay & Worker Respect

Intuitive Surgical reported 92% employee engagement favorability in 2024.

A 2024 pay equity audit for its U.S. full-time workforce found that women earn 99.5% of what men earn, and employees of color earn 100.0% of what white employees earn, both adjusted for job roles and locations. The voluntary employee turnover rate was approximately 8.9% in 2024, down from 9.1% in 2023 and 10.9% in 2022. The CEO to median employee pay ratio was 153:1 in 2024, an increase from 111:1 in 2023 and 81:1 in 2022. The median employee wage was $118,680 in 2024, up from $112,071 in 2023, but down from $127,948 in 2022. CEO Gary Guthart's total compensation was $18.2 million in 2024.

Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing

In 2023, over 48% of Intuitive's U.S. supply chain spend on direct materials was sourced from U.S.-based small businesses.

The company requires all its suppliers to acknowledge and implement its Supplier Code of Conduct, Supplier Agreement, and Quality Agreement, which define ethical standards, including human rights principles and fair labor practices. Intuitive prohibits forced and child labor, provides annual training on preventing forced labor for all employees, and monitors suppliers for compliance with forced labor standards. No substantiated forced or child labor incidents have been reported in the last three years, with proactive risk assessments ongoing.

Honest & Fair Business

Intuitive Surgical maintains a comprehensive Global Anti-Corruption Policy (Rev. C) that applies worldwide to all employees and subsidiaries.

This policy prohibits facilitation payments (with a narrow exception for health or safety risk), details rules for gifts and contributions, and requires due diligence for third parties and joint ventures. The company reinforces internal controls, conducts periodic audits, and ensures rigorous training , with 99% of employees completing comprehensive ethics, diversity, and anti-corruption training in 2022. For whistleblowing, the company provides a 24/7 anonymous compliance hotline, staffed by an independent organization , and enforces a non-retaliation policy for good faith reporting.

Kind to Animals

Intuitive Surgical's animal care program is accredited by the American Association for Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC).

The company's animal program is based on the “3Rs”—reduce, refine, and replace—and its Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) annually reviews all animal study proposals. The entire animal program and facilities are reviewed at least every six months, in compliance with the Animal Welfare Act and National Institutes of Health requirements. For product safety and efficacy, research into novel techniques and pathways begins with computer and tissue models prior to any animal use, and the company aims to replace animal use with non-animal models and simulation where feasible. Advanced Tissue Models (ATMs), which utilize ex-vivo tissue harvested from the food chain, are used for training, with approximately 38% of da Vinci training worldwide employing them in 2022. This practice reduces waste and eliminates the use of anesthesia and other drugs. The company's core products, robotic-assisted surgical systems and instruments, do not contain animal-derived inputs, and it does not source eggs, meat, or dairy.

No War, No Weapons

Intuitive Surgical's core business is robotic-assisted surgical systems for healthcare. The company has engaged in contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to provide surgical robotic systems and related medical equipment

, which are described as medical in nature and not offensive weapons . The company conducts annual human-rights due diligence through its Conflict Minerals Compliance Program, which conforms to the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas . This program includes a supplier risk assessment and mitigation plans for high-risk suppliers , with approximately 93% of first-tier suppliers responding to the Conflict Minerals Reporting Template (CMRT) survey for the 2024 reporting period . These annual war-risk audit results are publicly disclosed. Intuitive Surgical is a member of the Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI) and supports the Responsible Minerals Assurance Process (RMAP) . The Intuitive Foundation made a $45 million donation in January 2025 , bringing total contributions to over $170 million since 2018 , supporting health and education initiatives .

Planet-Friendly Business

Intuitive Surgical has an Environmental Management System certified to ISO 14001:2015.

The company has undertaken initiatives to reduce its environmental footprint through greener transportation logistics, energy management, and enhanced commute and fleet solutions. These efforts aim to reduce total emissions per patient care episode. It is committed to understanding its carbon impact through a comprehensive carbon inventory and has invested in renewable energy sources. The company's Environmental Management System aligns with TCFD and CDP standards.

Respect for Cultures & Communities

Intuitive Surgical provides a formal grievance and remedy process through its 24/7 Navex EthicsPoint Hotline, which is available in all appropriate languages for employees, contractors, suppliers, and other stakeholders, allowing for anonymous reporting.

The company also demonstrates strong language inclusivity, with its Intuitive Learning platform available in 17 languages, and ethical conduct and compliance training offered in multiple languages, including specific topics in seven languages. Furthermore, Intuitive Surgical has 11 formal partnerships with universities and non-profit organizations, including collaborations with universities serving historically marginalized communities and partnerships supporting surgical education in low-resource environments.

Safe & Smart Tech

Intuitive Surgical demonstrates exceptional employee security awareness, with over 99% of employees completing compliance training, which includes cybersecurity awareness, within 60 days of assignment in 2022.

The company holds comprehensive privacy and security certifications, including ISO 27001:2022, HITRUST, EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework, UK Extension to the EU-U.S. DPF, and Swiss-US Data Privacy Framework principles. Intuitive Surgical also implements excellent data minimization practices, collecting only necessary information and promptly deleting it when no longer needed. The company shows an exemplary and proactive approach to regulatory compliance, adhering to a wide range of global privacy and security laws such as GDPR, HIPAA, CCPA, China's data laws, and the EU AI Act, and conducted a global double materiality assessment for CSRD reporting in 2024. The company has a Coordinated Vulnerability Disclosure program and acknowledges receipt of vulnerability reports within 10 business days. There are no documented incidents of unauthorized data use.

Zero Waste & Sustainable Products

Intuitive Surgical demonstrates strong performance in waste diversion, with 99.9% of proprietary waste recycled in North America.

The company has achieved significant reductions in single-use plastics, including an 84% reduction in plastic weight for Xi disposable obturator packaging and an 81% reduction for Xi endoscope packaging. Numerous waste reduction initiatives are in place, such as a 22% reduction in manufacturing waste and a 43.7% reduction in hospital waste per procedure in 2023, alongside programs like the Extended Use Program and the transition to electronic instructions for use, which diverted over 117,000 lbs of paper in 2024. Circular design principles are embedded through a decade-long policy of refurbishing and repurposing returned components and systems, and through packaging design efforts like lightweighting and mono-material exploration. The company maintains very good hazardous waste management, evidenced by ISO 14001 certification and no critical or major findings during external EMS audits. Basic guidance is provided to customers on proper disposal of expired products.