Better Health for All
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Stryker's core business, medical technology, delivers exceptional health benefits, impacting over 150 million patients annually in 2023
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, with Mako SmartRobotics performing over 1.5 million procedures across 45 countries
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. In 2024, the company invested $1.5 billion in research and development
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, representing 6.64% of its global sales. Stryker demonstrates advanced environmental remediation efforts, having reduced carbon emissions by 32% from a 2019 baseline
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and using 45% renewable electricity globally
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. The company provides extensive support for the healthcare workforce, training over 2,300 professionals in 2024 through Operation Smile
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and partnering with the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes' Foundation for mental health support
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, including a guide accessed by nearly 14,000 hospital leaders
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. Stryker exhibits advanced global health crisis response capabilities as a Red Cross Annual Disaster Giving Program member
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and collaborated with Project C.U.R.E. in 2023 to respond to global natural disasters in 21 countries
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. Data responsibility is addressed with an AI Governance Committee
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and a new Security Operations Center
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. The company offers comprehensive healthcare education, including 657 mobile lab stops in 2024
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and a grant for a seminar educating 800 nurses
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. Stryker's health equity programs include $11.3 million donated through its Impact platform in 2024
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. Clinical trials comply with Good Clinical Practice and other applicable standards
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.
Fair Money & Economic Opportunity
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Stryker Corporation is a medical technology company that sells surgical equipment and implants to healthcare facilities. The ethical value 'Fair Money & Economic Opportunity' and its associated KPIs are designed to assess financial institutions and their activities related to lending, insurance, and consumer financial services. As Stryker does not offer these types of financial products or services to consumers, all KPIs within this value are not applicable to its core business operations.
Fair Pay & Worker Respect
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The CEO-to-median employee pay ratio for Stryker Corporation was 263:1 in 2024, with the median employee pay at $83,642.
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This ratio has shown an increasing trend, rising from 247:1 in 2023
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and 234:1 in 2022.
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In July 2024, Ireland’s National Contact Point for the OECD Guidelines recommended that Stryker engage in collective bargaining with workers' representatives at its Carrigtwohill plant, following a two-year investigation into a union complaint.
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The company currently refuses collective bargaining at this plant, although it honors pre-existing arrangements at two other facilities.
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Furthermore, a California labor overtime lawsuit against Stryker advanced in February 2024, after the company's motion to dismiss was denied.
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The lawsuit alleges that Sales Associates were misclassified as exempt from overtime during training, working over 70 hours per week without overtime pay, mandated meal and rest breaks, or reimbursement for business expenses.
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Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing
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Stryker reported no substantiated forced or child labor incidents in its 2022 Modern Slavery Statement, and no incidents were reported in its 2024 comprehensive reports.
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The company conducts annual risk assessments to evaluate and address human trafficking and slavery risks in its supply chain
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and continually evaluates its human rights risk assessment and management processes. In 2024, 100% of employees who frequently interact with suppliers completed annual training on the prevention of forced labor and human trafficking.
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Stryker requires all suppliers doing business with them to adhere to their Supplier Code of Conduct through contracts and purchase order terms and conditions, which includes prohibitions against forced and child labor.
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The company assessed suppliers covering 70% of its 2024 direct spend for environmental, human rights, and ethical performance, with a target to engage 85% by 2027.
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In 2024, Stryker's North America spend with diverse-owned businesses exceeded $320 million, and with small businesses, it exceeded $505 million.
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Honest & Fair Business
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Stryker has a comprehensive Ethics Hotline Policy that allows for anonymous reporting of suspected breaches and protects against retaliation.
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The policy, detailed for Australia and New Zealand (dated December 19, 2023), utilizes an independent third-party platform (Convercent) for its Ethics Hotline
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and allows disclosures to external auditors (Ernst & Young) and regulators.
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It endeavors to acknowledge disclosures within 3 business days
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and deal with them within 20 working days in New Zealand.
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The Code of Conduct, which includes this policy, applies to all employees, officers, and directors globally.
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However, despite having a policy against improper payments
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and stating compliance with the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA),
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Stryker has a history of FCPA violations, including a $13.2 million settlement in 2013
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and a $7.8 million fine in 2018.
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In 2023, Stryker disclosed an ongoing investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice and the SEC regarding potential FCPA violations
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, with the SEC investigation appearing to be ongoing as of February 2026.
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A refreshed Code of Conduct was launched in January 2023, applying globally with periodic written confirmations
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, and a Supplier Code of Conduct is also in place.
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Kind to Animals
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Stryker has an Animal Welfare Directive that sets principles and limitations for animal use in product development and lifecycle management.
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The company supports animal research only when scientific or regulatory alternatives are not available or possible
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and commits to pursuing and preferentially using alternative test methods.
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Stryker also ensures humane treatment for animals involved in research under its direction.
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No War, No Weapons
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Stryker conducts an annual comprehensive assessment of its product supply chain to evaluate and address human trafficking and slavery risks.
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The company supports responsible sourcing from conflict regions
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and requires direct suppliers to certify that materials comply with laws regarding slavery and human trafficking.
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Stryker's core business is medical technology, and its contracts with the Defense Logistics Agency and U.S. Department of Defense are for medical equipment, indicating no exposure to weapons.
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Planet-Friendly Business
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Stryker is committed to achieving carbon neutrality for its Scope 1 and 2 emissions across all facilities by 2030, having met an interim goal of a 20% reduction by 2024 ahead of schedule.
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In late 2023, the company signed a commitment letter to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), signaling its intent to set a science-based target within two years.
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As of 2024, 45% of Stryker's global electricity needs are powered by renewable sources, with a goal to reach 100% by 2027.
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Six facilities in Ireland have achieved zero waste to landfill designation, and reprocessing programs helped customers divert over 5 million pounds of waste from landfills in 2024.
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Packaging for the QuikFlap product uses 85% recycled material and reduced paper use by 89%.
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Lifecycle assessments have been conducted for specific products, such as the Trident II acetabular shell and reprocessed HARMONIC 1100 Shears, with the latter showing a 38% carbon footprint reduction when reprocessed.
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Stryker aims to engage 85% of its direct suppliers (by spend) on environmental, human rights, and ethical performance by 2027, having assessed 70% of 2024 direct spend to date.
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Over 110 energy reduction projects have been implemented across 30 sites, leading to a reduction of 19,000 metric tons of CO₂ since 2019, with $20 million invested in capital projects for energy efficiency.
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The company assesses climate-related risks as part of its Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) process and includes information sought by the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosure (TCFD).
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Stryker also supports local bee population conservation and the Kalamazoo Nature Center.
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Respect for Cultures & Communities
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Stryker has 12 formal partnership agreements with community groups and nonprofits, including veritree, American Red Cross, a nonprofit for street children in Colombia, Visit.org, Glasswing International Costa Rica, Happy Hope Foundation, Planet Bee Foundation, Project C.U.R.E., Operation Smile, National Brain Tumor Society, Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation, and Orthopaedic Outreach.
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The company has no reported cultural appropriation incidents.
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Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) processes are not applicable to its operations.
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Safe & Smart Tech
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Stryker Corporation experienced a cybersecurity incident between May 14 and June 10, 2024, involving unauthorized access to internal systems.
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The company detected suspicious activity on June 10, 2024.
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, and began notifying affected individuals on October 31, 2024,
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or December 5, 2024,
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after completing a data review on September 25, 2024.
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Critical vulnerabilities are patched within 45-60 days on average. The company holds global ISO 27001 and SOC 2 certification for its health cloud.
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, and its security team has approximately 120 security, risk, and compliance certifications.
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Security and privacy by design are included in its Quality Management Program.
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, and it leverages standard industry threat model and privacy impact assessment concepts to help ensure data minimization.
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Stryker also conducts annual cybersecurity assessments and audits for regulatory compliance, including Sarbanes-Oxley Act, Service Organization Control Type 2, and International Organization for Standardization standards.
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, and filed data breach notices with the Attorneys General of Texas and Vermont.
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Zero Waste & Sustainable Products
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Stryker uses 85% recycled steel content in its beds and stretchers.
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The company has achieved a 28% reduction in plastic usage.
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Stryker aims to make 75% of its packaging recyclable by 2025.
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Six of Stryker's facilities in Ireland have achieved a "zero waste to landfill" designation.
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The company launched a "Redesigned for Sustainability Platform" in 2020
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and has a refined sustainable design framework that includes modular products and design for refurbishment and reuse.
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Stryker implements numerous waste reduction initiatives, such as reprocessing single-use medical devices, reducing packaging weight, using bio-based plastics, converting production waste into energy, and expanding electronic instructions for use.
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Stryker also educates customers on waste reduction, recognizing 3,898 hospitals with Environmental Excellence Awards in 2023 for their waste diversion efforts.
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