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      CVS Pharmacy packaging sustainability policy

      As a health care leader, we are committed to operating our business in a sustainable and environmentally responsible manner. We are also dedicated to providing our customers with quality store brand products. We apply robust standards to the production of every item to help ensure the highest level of product quality and safety, and continuously look for opportunities to innovate our products to meet the evolving consumer desire to use sustainable materials.

      We have continued to enhance the sustainability of our store brands product packaging, and have partnered with World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and ReSource: Plastic to reduce plastic waste and increase the sustainability of the materials being used within our packaging portfolio. We’re focused on reducing use of plastic and virgin materials and ensuring recyclability for all store brand products.

      In 2022, we were proud to join ReSource: Plastic as Principal Retail Member to support efforts to establish high standards on plastic sourcing for the retail industry. We will measure our plastic and paper packaging inputs on an annual basis to meet our key packaging goals:

      • Ensure all packaging for Store Brands products is 100% reusable, recyclable, compostable, is or can be returned to us for proper disposal at the end of life by 2030.
        • We will partner with suppliers to ensure all packaging meets basic recyclability standards, or can be composted or reused. If these options are not available, we will develop specific programs to take packaging back in our retail stores.
      • Reduce plastic use in operations by 50% by 2030.
        • Through our Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) roadmap, Healthy 2030, we are working to reduce plastic use across our operations, including through packaging, bag reduction efforts, and pill bottle sustainability programs.
      • Reduce single-use virgin plastic in Store Brand packaging by 50% by 2030.
        • We will ensure that we’re considering other packaging materials instead of virgin plastic, including replacing plastic, using less plastic, and using bio-based or post-consumer recycled (PCR) content whenever possible.
      • Ensure all Store Brand paper-based packaging is from recycled or certified sustainably sourced content by 2025.
        • We will ensure that we’re considering other packaging materials instead of virgin paper, including replacing paper, using less paper, using PCR content or meets Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification standards, or Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) certification standards from low-risk forest areas.
      • By 2023, define a list of packaging to be designated as problematic or unnecessary and take measures to eliminate them by 2030.
        • We will include the results of 2021 packaging audits and areas of opportunity in which CVS Health can enhance packaging sustainability in our 2022 ESG report, as well as share the measures we’re taking to implement key changes in 2023 to meet these goals by 2030.

      Oversight of these goals lies with the office of the Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) and progress toward these goals will be shared annually in our ESG report.