The CVS Health® Healthy 2030 impact topics represent the areas in which the company has the most significant economic, environmental and social impacts, as well as the topics that most influence our Healthy 2030 strategy and goals.
Every two years, we carry out a full prioritization assessment to better reflect our growing business, Healthy 2030 strategy and stakeholder expectations. In 2023, we completed an assessment aligned with leading reporting standards and frameworks, in collaboration with sustainable business network and consultancy Business for Social Responsibility (BSR). To reflect current best practice, our latest assessment represents a shift to an impact-based approach, measuring potential and actual impacts of sustainability, social impact and governance topics. It assesses the severity of potential impact on enterprise value, society and the environment, as well as the likelihood of the impact to occur.
The findings of this assessment are unique from our previous prioritization assessments due to this impact-based methodology, whereas in the past our methodology was perception-based. Our topic list was also consolidated and select current topics are inclusive of multiple past topics, included in their definitions. The assessment methodology included:
- development of a full list of environmental sustainability, social impact and governance topics and definitions relevant to CVS Health based on global sustainability standards and frameworks, including GRI, SASB, human rights conventions, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals;
- desktop research and identification of how each topic impacts enterprise value, society and the environment, and how it is currently incorporated into our enterprise risk management process;
- development of criteria to assess and grade impacts;
- engagement with colleagues across our enterprise and members of our executive leadership team, including our Chief Executive Officer, Chief Sustainability Officer, Chief Medical Officer, Chief Strategy Officer and President of CVS Pharmacy, among others. External stakeholders engaged include investors, clients, customers, industry associations, issue advocacy groups, community partners and suppliers;
- scoring of impacts and aligning topics in a prioritization matrix;
- and additional engagement with senior leaders to review findings and validate results.
The results of our assessment are reflected in the matrix below. You can learn more about our priority topics and approach in our 2023 Impact Report Appendix (PDF).
CVS Health Priority Topics
Topics grouped by priority*
VERY HIGH
Impact on enterprise value & impact on society and environment
- Affordability and Fair Pricing
- Climate Risk, Resilience and Adaptation
- Consumer Health Outcomes
- Data Security, Privacy, and Cybersecurity
- GHG Emissions and Energy Use
- Health Access
- Health Equity
- Occupational Health and Safety
- Public Policy and Advocacy
- Service Quality and Safety
- Sustainable Products and Services and Circularity
- Talent Recruitment, Retention and Development
HIGH
Impact on enterprise value & impact on society and environment
- Community Engagement and Economic Opportunity
- Consumer Service and Experience
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
- Ethics and Compliance
- Fair and Decent Employment
- Innovation of Products and Services
- Supply Chain Due Diligence and Procurement Practices
- Supply Chain Labor Conditions
- Water
MEDIUM
Impact on enterprise value & impact on society and environment
- Fair Marketing and Information
- Product Quality and Safety
- Waste
Topic Definitions
Affordability and Fair Pricing: Pricing and affordability of products, including core pricing principles (e.g., value-based agreements), tiered pricing and equitable pricing (e.g., Patient Assistance Programs). Includes company programs that connect with patients to seek their opinion or expertise or better understand their condition and experiences, to cocreate solutions that will ultimately help to improve health outcomes.
Climate Risk, Resilience, and Adaptation: Exposure to and preparedness for climate change impacts and risks across operations and value chain (e.g., extreme weather events, flooding of buildings and key transportation infrastructure, heatwaves impacting workers, etc.). Includes efforts to anticipate and adapt and respond to climate risks across the value chain. Climate risks include physical risks (e.g., from storms, floods, droughts), and transition risks (e.g., price volatility, regulatory changes, market changes) stemming from climate change or government action.
Consumer Health Outcomes: Delivery of health care services that drive positive health outcomes for all patients and consumers. Includes efforts to ensure that consumers and patients are aware of the health effects of their decisions, including the decision to engage with CVS Health services and products. Topic includes disease awareness, education on disease prevention, proactive management of specific social determinants of health, education to improve treatment adherence, and driving positive health outcomes on all aspects of health including mental, maternal, etc.
Data Security, Privacy, and Cybersecurity: The protection of personal information and health information, including handling, storage, and usage of data with informed consent, to safeguard individual privacy rights of employees, patients, payers, and other relevant stakeholders. Includes protecting computer networks, devices, data, and networks from unauthorized access, attacks, and disruption, to ensure system integrity, confidentiality, and availability of service. Includes ensuring the security of data in artificial intelligence (AI) applications to protect individual privacy, prevent unauthorized access, and maintain the trust of users and stakeholders.
GHG Emissions and Energy Use: Greenhouse gas emissions (e.g., carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide) from business operations and value chain activities that contribute to climate change, including emissions from company’s owned facilities (scope 1), indirect energy (scope 2), and value chain emissions (upstream and downstream activities, scope 3); includes shipping, refrigeration of product, air travel, heating/cooling of retail stores, etc. Also includes energy consumption, including energy efficiency and renewable energy adoption throughout operations and supply chain to reduce GHG emissions.
Health Access: Efforts to ensure continuous, timely and convenient access to care, especially for hard-to-reach populations (e.g., rural, elderly). Includes considerations for community health (e.g., collective health outcomes / behaviors, factors that influence individual health, social determinants of health, environmental health, and health care infrastructure)
Health Equity: Prioritizing equitable solutions along a continuum of care. Includes ensuring health equity and addressing discrimination on vulnerable and marginalized groups, such as women, LGBTQI+, racial and ethnic minorities, Indigenous Peoples, children, persons with disabilities, migrants, asylum seekers, and religious minorities, that may be caused, contributed to, or linked to their business activities and services. Includes equitable access to mental health care.
Occupational Health and Safety: Respect for employees’ rights to life, health, and safety and minimizing employees’ exposure to potential health and safety hazards. Also includes considerations of worker mental health.
Public Policy and Advocacy: Alignment between efforts to influence public policy processes and outcomes and CVS Health’s environmental sustainability, social impact and governance commitments, as well as advancing public health initiatives and health care system resilience.
Service Quality and Safety: Providing high quality, hygienic care and ensuring the highest safety, medical and efficacy standards are met in the delivery of care. Includes ethical and professional conduct by all health care professionals to ensure the highest standard of care.
Sustainable Products and Services and Circularity: Environmental impact of products and services and integration of circularity throughout the full product lifecycle through design, materials selection, manufacturing, packaging, distribution, end use, and final disposal. This includes efforts to design sustainable packaging for circularity, e.g., the recyclability and subsequent recycling of plastic packaging or alternative means.
Talent Recruitment, Retention and Development: Ability to attract, retain and develop talent, and provide career opportunities for employees through professional development and skills
Community Engagement and Economic Opportunity: Contributing and/or considering impacts to local economic and social activity in areas where company operates, sources its materials from, or otherwise impacts through its products and services. Includes philanthropic and volunteer support and partnering with community organizations to amplify their impact.
Consumer Service and Experience: Delivery of a consumer / patient service environment and experience that supports two-way communication and swift and efficient support for complaint and dispute resolution. High quality consumer service experience is inclusive to all consumers and patients regardless of gender, race, ethnic origin, religion, or sexual orientation.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: The right to be free from discrimination and to enjoy equal rights regardless of nationality, place of residence, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, color, religion, language, or any other status.
Ethics and Compliance: Organizational standards, principles, sets of values and norms that govern the actions and behavior of individuals in the business relationships and among business relationships aimed at preventing corruption, bribery, extortion, anti-competitive practices, fraud, among other unethical or noncompliant practices. Also includes the provision of access to remedy and justice for victims of harm as a result of business activities.
Fair and Decent Employment: Employees receive a fair income, security in the workplace, benefits that enable them and their families to meet their basic needs, compensation and rewards, and equal pay for equal work regardless of employee’s demographic group. Includes freedom for people to express their concerns, organize / participate in the decisions that affect their lives and equality of opportunity and treatment, bargain collectively, and engage in peaceful assembly, as well as respect the right of employees to refrain from such activities.
Innovation of Products and Services: Creation and development of innovative products and services that meet the evolving needs and preferences of patients and consumers, customers, and employees. Includes the introduction of new products and services, technologies (e.g., AI), processes or business models to enhance the quality, efficiency, delivery and overall experience of services and products. Incorporation of consumer end use and due diligence into the development process, with a focus on minimizing potential risks and maximizing benefits. Includes innovation dedicated to advancing human healthcare delivery and public health.
Supply Chain Due Diligence and Procurement Practices: The systematic assessment and management of suppliers, partners and the overall supply chain to ensure ethical, legal and environmental compliance. Includes identifying, preventing, mitigating and addressing potential risks (e.g., human rights violations, environmental harm, labor abuses, etc.) to ensure responsible sourcing practices. Includes procurement practices and management systems that ensure supplier / partner reliability, continuity of supply, and diversification of procurement relationships to include traditionally underrepresented or marginalized groups (e.g., women-owned businesses, locally owned businesses, or small and medium enterprises). Additionally includes commercial terms and buying practices such as payment times, lead times, purchasing prices, stability and length relationships with suppliers.
Supply Chain Labor Conditions: Efforts to eliminate of all forms of forced and compulsory labor, child labor, and human rights infringements within CVS Health’s supply chain for private label products; uphold the right of freedom of association and recognition of the right to collective bargaining; ensure occupational health & safety of workers and humane treatment of workers in the supply chain. Topic includes setting social performance expectations and requirements of suppliers through a supplier code of conduct or other methods that are in line with international and regional regulations and frameworks.
Water: Water use, reduction, and reuse in company operations including retail sale and donations of bottled and bulk water. Includes proper water treatment and disposal of wastewater across the value chain (including retail locations), to safeguard access to freshwater resources and the human right to clean water and sanitation.
Fair Marketing and Information: Honest, transparent, fair marketing and communications of products and services in a manner that allows informed decision making. Business activities, products, and services may cause, contribute or be linked to negative discriminatory impacts, e.g., discriminatory algorithms, decision-making, marketing. There are disproportionate impacts on vulnerable or marginalized groups, e.g., women, LGBTQI+, racial and ethnic minorities, Indigenous Peoples, children, persons with disabilities, migrants, asylum seekers, religious minorities. Special consideration given to the potential health-related impacts of false or misleading advertisement of medicines and medical procedures.
Product Quality and Safety: Reliable and high-quality products (including over-the-counter medications, prescription drugs, health-related products, and non-pharmaceutical items across CVS Health private labels and national brands) that are safe for consumers' health and well-being and manufactured in a way that meets appropriate quality and safety assurance standards. There are risks to supply chain integrity and risk of adulterated or counterfeit products. This topic also includes considerations related to the quality of ingredients used, the effectiveness of the product in relation to patient outcomes, and any testing/trials/quality assurance required for in-store products.
Waste: Quantity and type of waste generated, proper handling, and disposal. This includes operational/retail waste, chemical waste management, medical waste including hazardous and non-hazardous inorganic waste (e.g., needles and syringes, bodily fluids), pharmaceuticals in the environment, waste generated from building maintenance, non-water pollution, and reduction of paper waste by switching to digital systems.