Lilly celebrated National Volunteer Week by sending off the first of 200 volunteers of 2013 who will serve in impoverished communities around the world as part of Lilly’s Connecting Hearts Abroad program. Teams departed on Sunday for Lima, Peru, and will depart for Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, this weekend—with more soon to follow.

I had the opportunity to go to India through this program and it forever changed the way I look at the world, my job, even my family.

Through Connecting Hearts Abroad, we are not only helping people in need, we are growing as people and helping Lilly become a more globally aware and stronger company. It gets us out of the labs and out from behind our computers so that we can better understand and meet the diverse needs of patients and communities around the world...

The world is almost polio free! Polio now exists in only three countries – Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria. Thanks to the advocacy efforts of organizations like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and ONE, the world is that much closer to completely eradicating this disease. Watch this powerful video from ONE.

The last time a child was paralyzed in the Americas was over 20 years ago. Lilly is proud to have played a role by helping manufacture the vaccine that enabled polio to be virtually eradicated in the United States by the early 1960s. Lilly’s role, including that of two special employees portrayed in the video below, is featured in a living history portrayal at the Indiana Historical Society...

Society’s expectations are rising for the private sector, and this is especially true for companies such as Lilly who are entrusted with public health. Organizations not only must excel at what they do, but how they do it.

Two recent rankings place Lilly in good company with other reputable corporate citizens across the globe...

With the impact of Superstorm Sandy still resonating, and the 2013 hurricane and tornado seasons looming, now is a good time to remind people of the importance of emergency preparedness. For people with diabetes or other medical issues, advanced planning could save their lives.

Lilly Diabetes is partnering with the American College of Endocrinology (ACE) to emphasize emergency planning for people with diabetes at the National Hurricane Conference this week. A recent press release explains how Lilly Diabetes and ACE joined forces to create the “My Diabetes Emergency Plan” program after seeing the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina in 2005...

In recognition of World TB Day on March 24, Financial Times produced a special report on Combating TB, "a disease that kills nearly 1.5 million people a year and infects nine million, including 600,000 with drug-resistant strains that are particularly difficult to fight." (Note: FT requires sign in to view articles)

The report included an article by Andrew Jack where he talks about how TB is the most "neglected" of the three diseases supported by the Global Fund to Fight Aids, TB and Malaria, the world’s biggest multilateral funder of health programs, "yet it spreads far more easily around the world than either HIV or malaria, with drug-resistant strains rising fast."

Dr. Evan Lee, head of The Lilly MDR-TB Partnership, was quoted in the article on improving healthcare provider training – one of the key areas of focus of our TB partnership. "The doctor is the general on the hill but nurses are much closer to the frontline where the action is and could play a much more important role, in counseling, patient support and early identification of side effects,” he noted...

In his most recent column in Forbes.com, Lilly Chairman and CEO John Lechleiter, Ph.D., calls for urgent action to fight tuberculosis as drug-resistant strains of the disease pose an increasingly serious global health threat. John references news that South Africa has become the fourth country – after India, Iran and Italy – to register strains of TB that are resistant to at least 10 of the 15 drugs used to treat this deadly airborne disease.

As we mark World TB Day on Sunday, March 24, John explains that with resistance spreading, we need a renewed global commitment from public and private sectors to defeat TB. According to the World Health Organization, more than eight million people became infected with TB and 1.4 million died in 2011 – that’s about the entire population of Greater Indianapolis, the city where John lives.

Yet, John notes there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic...

In his most recent column in Forbes.com, Lilly Chairman and CEO John Lechleiter, Ph.D., examines the correlation between health and wealth as it pertains to non-communicable diseases – which include cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic respiratory disease and diabetes. While many think of these diseases as typically effecting more affluent societies, John explains that nearly 80 percent of all NCDs today occur in low- and middle-income countries, due largely to changing lifestyles. As such, NCDs increase poverty and hinder economic growth in countries that can least afford it...

Lilly gave more than $700 million in strategic charitable contributions in 2012 to help people living in impoverished communities, patients facing financial hardship, and families struggling to recover from natural disasters. This was an increase over the previous year, largely driven by an 18-percent jump in the number of people served through our U.S. patient-assistance programs.

How does our total giving break down? We donated products valued at more than $645 million through our U.S. patient-assistance programs, global health programs and disaster-relief efforts. These efforts tie back to our vision to improve global health in the 21st century. We believe we will have the greatest impact by linking our corporate responsibility efforts to our business operations and expertise...

Lilly oncology employees help bring a mother and daughter's inspirational artwork to life on Global Day of Service.     

At Lilly, we take our role as a global citizen very seriously. We not only “give back” but are increasingly linking our corporate responsibility efforts to our business strategy and vision to improve global health – including for those who can’t afford our medicines.

We've just issued an update to our full corporate responsibility report, which we released last year. The update highlights progress and initiatives since 2010/2011.

Our corporate responsibility update serves as our annual Communication on Progress to the United Nations Global Compact, which Lilly signed in 2009. As a member of the UNGC, we share our progress annually on 10 principles related to human rights, labor, the environment, and anti-corruption...

Today John Lechleiter, Ph.D., Lilly chairman, president and CEO, gets to do one of his favorite annual tasks: handing a check over to the United Way.

This year, the check is a record-breaking $12.4 million – reflecting donations from Lilly’s U.S. employees and retirees, plus a matching gift from the Lilly Foundation. The funds will help support the United Way of Central Indiana as well as other local United Ways nationwide.

Year after record-breaking year, it’s clear the United Way has a special place in Lilly employees' hearts.

Of course, Lilly employees give in countless other ways throughout the year. They serve on United Way agency boards, in the classrooms, in pantries. They contributed more than 170,000 volunteer hours through Lilly Global Day of Service and other charitable projects. They supported fundraising drives by donating school supplies, clothing and other necessities.

Taken together, these contributions of time and resources provide the chance for thousands of children and families across the country to learn more, earn more, and lead healthier lives. And that’s good for everyone.

I’m writing from Johannesburg where today we officially launched the South African arm of the Lilly NCD Partnership. Through our partnership with Project HOPE and the Donald Woods Foundation we are working to find new approaches to managing diabetes in a country that over the next 20 years is expected to experience the highest growth rate of diabetes in the world.

Leading up to the launch, we had the opportunity – the honor – to see how the partnership is already coming to life through the amazing work and dedication of our partners. Together we are trying new approaches to help improve the health and lives of some of the most vulnerable people in South Africa...

Thursday marks Lilly’s fifth global day of service, a special day when a sea of volunteers clad in red shirts pour into their communities to do service projects. 

Since the program launched in 2008, employees have given nearly 500,000 hours through Lilly Global Day of Service initiatives, making it one of the largest single-day volunteer programs in the world. 

This year, more than 20,000 Lilly employees will be volunteering in 40 countries. From Canada to Korea, teams are focusing on projects that strengthen our communities, our environment, and the lives of the people we serve as a global health company...

Since 2006, the Indianapolis Prize has been awarded biennially to individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to conservation efforts involving a single animal species or multiple species. This week, Lilly’s Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs, Bart Peterson had the honor of presenting Dr. Steve Amstrup with the prestigious Indianapolis Prize. As the chief scientist of Polar Bears International, Dr. Amstrup has not only done valuable research on the disappearing polar bear habitat, but continues to fight an incredible battle to protect polar bears under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. In recognition of his work, Amstrup will receive a $100,000 unrestricted cash award and the Lilly Medal...

2012 Prize Promo from Mays Entertainment, Co. on Vimeo.

Today's guest blog is brought to you by Tracy Sims, senior advisor for Lilly’s global corporate responsibility programs and health care access.

Today, FSG Social Impact Consultants announced that its Shared Value Initiative has been accepted by the Clinton Global Initiative as a CGI 2012 Commitment to Action.

FSG’s Shared Value Initiative, which Lilly is a proud to be affiliated with, brings together leaders from companies, civil society, and governments to build a strong and more engaged global community around shared value knowledge and practice. Shared value is a powerful tool that, when well applied, can create competitive advantage for business through innovative business practices while also playing a role to resolve complex social issues, such as those related to health.

Last week I had the honor to go to Lima, Peru, through Lilly's Connecting Hearts Abroad program (same program that sent me to India last year, where I taught English and math to young kids from the streets of Delhi). This time my role was to work with a talented film crew (two great guys) to document the journey. But this was SO much more than a business trip.

Heart breaking. Soul filling. Inspiring.

Lilly and other volunteers mostly worked in an impoverished but resilient community on the outskirts of the city center. I, along with Bart Peterson, Lilly senior vice president of corporate affairs and communications, Steve Rosenthal, founder of Cross-Cultural Solutions, and our video crew, had the opportunity to travel to various sites to see our volunteers in action. They were impressive beyond words.

We even got to roll up our sleeves -- because you simply couldn't see what we saw and not jump in. We cared and cooked for the elderly in a senior center, visited some of them in their homes to better understand their situation (often dire), built a new room and roof for a woman whose house was literally falling apart, and played and sang with children with severe disabilities that often relegate them to societal outcasts.

Like India, Peru taught me a lot about the human condition. But more importantly, it reminded me about the enduring human spirit that connects us all. Even in these darkest of circumstances, we met some of the most amazing, selfless, joyful people I have ever encountered. And I was reminded of what I learned in India: people everywhere -- young and old -- just want to be respected, loved, and to know that they matter.

Stay tuned for a series of videos in the coming weeks....

Krista Brantly loves shoes. Not because she wants to make a statement of fashion, but because she has a heart of compassion.

Krista, a Lilly colleague with our human resources team in Indianapolis, traveled to Tanzania last year as part of our Connecting Hearts Abroad employee volunteer program. She worked with children at a school--many who arrived each day with shoes too big, too small, or with laces frayed and torn. Some kids she saw had no shoes at all.

Like so many of our Connecting Hearts Abroad ambassadors, Krista was deeply affected by her experience. As she shared in an internal blog for our Lilly family:

"I can't stop thinking about shoes. I thought of the little boy at school with his toes sticking out of the end of his tennis shoes. Then I thought of all the shoes in my closet. The chasm between these two worlds is mind boggling ... I want to live with an awareness of that other world, and I want to understand what it can teach me to do differently."

Here's where her love for shoes--and the people of Tanzania--comes in.

Lilly Chairman, President and CEO, John Lechleiter, Ph.D., recently had the privilege of participating in the opening of an exciting new interactive exhibit at the Indiana Historical Society here in Indianapolis.

Its subject is polio; more specifically, Lilly's role in manufacturing the vaccine that enabled polio to be virtually eradicated in the United States by the early 1960s.

Lilly is among seven pharmaceutical companies and four research institutions - in conjunction with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation - that have launched a groundbreaking partnership to speed the discovery of essential new treatments for tuberculosis (TB).

The partnership, known as the TB Drug Accelerator (TBDA), will target the discovery of new TB drugs by collaborating on early-stage research. The long-term goal of the TBDA is to create a TB drug regimen that cures patients in only one month. 

Having a strong pool of well educated students is critical for an innovation-driven company such as Lilly. That's why we're a proud supporter of The Mind Trust, an Indianapolis-based nonprofit organization focused on ensuring every Indianapolis student has the opportunity to receive an excellent education.

I had the honor of attending the Project HOPE gala Tuesday night in Washington, DC, where the organization presented John Lechleiter, Ph.D., Lilly chairman, president, and chief executive officer,  with the inaugural Global Health Partner Award. The award recognizes Dr. Lechleiter's leadership and the longstanding partnership between Lilly and Project HOPE, which continues to help change the lives of people in need throughout the world. 

Whether you call it philanthropy or corporate responsibility, there's no question that the way in which corporations are seeking to address societal challenges is evolving.

Tuberculosis is an ancient disease that is increasingly becoming resistant to treatment. It's the world's number two infectious disease killer, second only to HIV-AIDS. Multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is a very difficult to treat form of the disease that is resistant to the most commonly used medicines. 

Lilly has been a global leader in diabetes care since 1923, when we introduced the world's first commercial insulin. Today we work to meet the diverse needs of people with diabetes through research and collaboration, a broad and growing product portfolio and a continued commitment to assisting where we can to make lives better. Two examples of just that....

A grassroots movement to improve several waterways that converge in the heart of Indianapolis is gaining strong momentum....

Visitors and residents of Indianapolis will have a new landmark greet them on I-70 beginning next week: a forty-foot sculpture that further cements Lilly's and Indianapolis' commitment to the life sciences. Only this time it consists of tons of stainless steel and bronze...

Lilly has the good fortune to be neighbors and partners with Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis (IUPUI), our state's premier urban university. We've had a long-standing and fruitful relationship with IUPUI, which ranked third in "up and coming" American universities that U.S. News and World Report says people should watch...

We've received a few questions tonight regarding our engagement with the Heartland Institute and we wanted to clarify a few things...

Today Lilly announced that we have published what is our most comprehensive corporate responsibility report (and an accompanying summary). The report provides a detailed account of our progress on numerous indicators of economic, environmental, and social performance. 

We are increasingly linking our CR efforts to our core business strategy and vision to improve global health in the 21st century.

Lilly salutes a powerful new private-public partnership announced  this week aimed at eliminating or controlling 10 neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) by the end of the decade.  It's a big, audacious goal to check these diseases, which plague 1.4 billion people worldwide - most of whom are among the world's poorest...

Lilly Last July, we launched a new global giving program for our employees. Through the program, Lilly employees across the world can contribute to a wide variety of global projects and have those donations matched dollar-for-dollar by...

Bonjour! Greetings from Lille, France, where we just announced the third stage of The Lilly MDR-TB Partnership, our program to help fight against multidrug-resistant tuberculosis – a disease that ki...

Armies of red-shirted volunteers will be swarming local communities on or around October 6 for Lilly's fourth Global Day of Service. It's a day of great pride for Lilly employees, when we get the ...

You may have seen me or Rob Smith blogging about shared value and how it’s the wave of the ...

Our business is to help people across the world live longer, healthier, more active lives. Our business is global, our company is global, and so is our role as a good corporate citizen.  That’s why...

We’re a healthcare company. So we view it as part of our responsibility to foster a healthy environment.  One of the ways we’re trying to do that is to set meaningful goals for ourselves to lesse...

As the parent of two boys who - not mention my wife - LOVE all things Disney, I was thrilled to learn about a new partnership with Lilly and Disney. It's an innovative collaboration designed to...

We’re working hard to reduce the impact of our operations on the environment and make sustainability part of our everyday life at Lilly. It’s the right thing to do for the environment and for our ...

The numbers are almost too big to comprehend. Deaths from cancer, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes – known as non-communicable diseases – claimed 36 million lives ...

Lilly is increasingly focusing its corporate responsibility efforts on creating “shared value.” Tracy Sims, senior advisor for our global corporate responsibility programs, just returned from part...

More than 25,000 people die each day from hunger and malnutrition - the equivalent of 60 fully loaded jumbo jets crashing every day. That's a shameful number. And it has the potential to explode i...

I recently returned from visiting India through Lilly's Connecting Hearts Aboard program. In addition to the hon...

I've been teaching for several days now at a school in New Delhi that serves about 125 underprivileged children...

Tomorrow, my wife and two young boys will take me to the airport. We'll hug and kiss 20 times over, and get a little misty as we say our goodbyes. That's just the way we do things. And I wouldn't trad...

Headlines blare constantly about what’s wrong with U.S. public education. Sides are taken. Battle lines are drawn. And the problems seem intractable.

But amidst the tumult, there are rays of hope...

I've never had a window view throughout my 17-year career. Never even had a cubicle next to a window. Fortunately for my vitamin D levels, that changed when I took my new role in corporate responsib...

I'm an English major. Avoided numbers most my life. But this is really something.