## [ESG](/esg "ESG") At Novartis, we use science-based innovation to address some of society’s most challenging healthcare issues. We discover and develop breakthrough treatments and find new ways to deliver them to as many people as possible. As a global company, we have a great responsibility and an even greater opportunity to lead the world in creating a positive social change, embracing societal impact as a core business objective. ![Business people walking on the Novartis Basel campus](/sites/novartis_com/files/styles/cta_image/public/2026-01/business-people-walking-on-novartis-basel-campus.jpg.webp?itok=SF5ucdX7 "Business people walking on the Novartis Basel campus") ## Report on Nonfinancial Matters 2025 This report covers information on nonfinancial matters deemed material and in scope of our reporting obligations under the Swiss Code of Obligations (SCO), as well as our due diligence and reporting obligations in relation to child labor under the SCO.​ It includes our Human Rights Statement addressing specific jurisdictional requirements for disclosure on modern slavery, decent work, forced labor and child labor.​ [Download the report (PDF 1.0 MB)](/sites/novartis_com/files/novartis-report-nonfinancial-matters-2025.pdf "novartis-report-nonfinancial-matters-2025.pdf") | [HTML (ZIP 0.9 MB)](/sites/novartis_com/files/nvs-tcfd-2025-12-31.zip) ![A female health worker talking a male patient through his medication steps and holding a bottle of pills in her hand.](/sites/novartis_com/files/styles/cta_image/public/2023-11/lp-esg-media-content-investor-update.jpg.webp?itok=9bNUnsCQ "A female health worker talking a male patient through his medication steps and holding a bottle of pills in her hand.") ## Annual Social Impact and Sustainability investor event Our 12th annual Social Impact & Sustainability investor event provided updates on the impact we continue to deliver through inclusive access to innovation and environmental sustainability. [View the event presentation (PDF 2.1 MB)](/sites/novartis_com/files/2025-12-novartis-social-impact-sustainability.pdf) For more recent progress, we provide a quarterly impact and sustainability update. [Q2 2026 Impact and Sustainability Update (PDF 1.2 MB)](/sites/novartis_com/files/novartis-q2-2026-impact-and-sustainability-update.pdf "novartis-q2-2026-impact-and-sustainability-update.pdf") [Q1 2026 Impact and Sustainability Update (PDF 1.6 MB)](/sites/novartis_com/files/novartis-q1-2026-impact-and-sustainability-update.pdf "novartis-q1-2026-impact-and-sustainability-update.pdf") [Q4 2025 Impact and Sustainability Update (PDF 1.0 MB)](/sites/novartis_com/files/novartis-q4-2025-impact-and-sustainability-update.pdf "novartis-q4-2025-impact-and-sustainability-update.pdf") [Q3 2025 Impact and Sustainability Update (PDF 0.8 MB)](/sites/novartis_com/files/novartis-q3-2025-impact-and-sustainability-update.pdf) --- ## ESG strategic priorities Building trust with society is a key part of the Novartis corporate strategy and is critical to delivering on our purpose of reimagining medicine to improve and extend people’s lives. Our ESG efforts are integrated across the company and are key to driving long-term sustainable value for our stakeholders. We believe our inspired, curious and [unbossed culture](/about/people-and-culture "People and culture") will drive better performance. ESG topics form a core component of how the [Novartis Executive Committee](/about/executive-committee "Executive Committee") and the [Board of Directors](/about/board-directors "Board of Directors") evaluate long-term performance of the company. We are committed to reporting transparently on these topics through our [Reporting and Transparency Hub](/investors/reporting-and-transparency-hub "Reporting and transparency hub"), which includes the [Report on Nonfinancial Matters (PDF 1.0 MB)](/sites/novartis_com/files/novartis-report-nonfinancial-matters-2025.pdf "novartis-report-nonfinancial-matters-2025.pdf"), as well as our other publications. ![Doctor in Rwanda weighing a baby](/sites/novartis_com/files/styles/cta_image/public/2023-01/doctor-weighing-baby-rwanda.jpg.webp?itok=bTImsOwZ "Doctor in Rwanda weighing a baby") ## Access We are committed to expanding access to our medicines globally, working with our partners. [Learn more](/esg/access "Learn more") [ ![People walking seen from above](/sites/novartis_com/files/styles/cards_1_3/public/2021-10/people-walking-taken-from-above.jpg.webp?itok=PJ78AsLn "People walking seen from above") ### Ethics, Risk and Compliance To meet the expectations society has of our industry, we strive to maintain high ethical standards, manage risk effectively and ensure we comply with applicable laws and regulations. ](/esg/ethics-risk-and-compliance) [ ![Trees seen from below](/sites/novartis_com/files/styles/cards_1_3/public/2021-09/view-of-the-sky-through-trees-in-a-forest.jpg.webp?itok=KzDlwiom "Trees seen from below") ### Environmental Sustainability We understand the link between the health of our planet and the health of our patients. We are making progress in reducing the environmental impact of our operations in line with our near- and long-term targets. ](/esg/environmental-sustainability) [ ![Portrait of Elon Mathieson](/sites/novartis_com/files/styles/cards_1_3/public/2023-11/elon-mathieson-portrait2.jpg.webp?itok=X4wExltC "Portrait of Elon Mathieson") ### Inclusion We foster an inclusive culture, believing it fuels innovation, drives engagement, and attracts talent. ](/about/inclusion) We aim to conduct business responsibly wherever we operate with a focus on building a strong ethical foundation, respect for [human rights](/esg/ethics-risk-and-compliance/human-rights "Human rights"), [patient health and safety](/patients-and-caregivers/novartis-commitment-patients-and-caregivers "Novartis commitment to patients and caregivers"), [inclusion](/about/inclusion "Inclusion") and the [safety and well-being of our employees](/investors/reporting-and-transparency-hub/safe-workplace "A Safe Workplace"). We have clear commitments on many other social topics including the living wage, [product quality](/about/quality "Quality") and use of [animals in research](/investors/reporting-and-transparency-hub/animal-research "Animal Research"). --- ## Corporate governance Our [corporate governance](/investors/company-overview/corporate-governance "Corporate governance") framework supports sustainable financial performance and long-term value creation and is aligned with our values and behaviors. In a rapidly changing business environment, we apply [effective risk management](/esg/ethics-risk-and-compliance/integrated-risk-assurance "Integrated risk assurance") to build resilience. We continue taking important steps to integrate our ESG agenda into the core of our business, enhancing executive accountability and measuring our performance against [transparent targets](/investors/reporting-and-transparency-hub/targets "Targets"). Members of the Executive Committee and other senior leaders have ESG targets in their annual objectives. --- ## Transparent reporting Transparent reporting has been a central part of our commitment for many years and we continue to make progress in this area. ![People relaxing in the Novartis Basel campus](/sites/novartis_com/files/styles/cta_image/public/2021-10/esg-index-people-sitting-in-a-small-square.jpg.webp?itok=gUiN8iTZ "People relaxing in the Novartis Basel campus") ## Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Index Our ESG index provides an overview of various topics of interest to investors, analysts, and other stakeholders. We aim to report comprehensively and transparently on our actions, objectives and progress. The ESG index also shows where disclosures can be found across our publications and website. [Learn more](/esg/index "Learn more") [ ![Business people walking on the Novartis Basel campus](/sites/novartis_com/files/styles/cards_50_50/public/2026-02/business-people-walking-on-novartis-basel-campus-banner.jpg.webp?itok=NjDEHwKq "Business people walking on the Novartis Basel campus") ### Reporting and transparency hub Read our regulatory filings; policies, codes and guidelines that govern our activities; and environmental, social and governance (ESG) disclosures. ](/investors/reporting-and-transparency-hub) [ ![Business people in a meeting](/sites/novartis_com/files/styles/cards_50_50/public/2021-10/thandwisa-hero.jpg.webp?itok=WwW3oyCe "Business people in a meeting") ### Positions on key topics As part of our ongoing commitment to transparency, we state our position on key issues affecting our business and of specific interest to our stakeholders. ](/esg/reporting/positions) [ ![Three business people discussing on Novartis campus](/sites/novartis_com/files/styles/cards_50_50/public/2021-10/three-business-people-discussion-on-novartis-compus.jpg.webp?itok=8VumOrVh "Three business people discussing on Novartis campus") ### Awards & recognition Novartis is honored to receive numerous awards for progress in research and development, our working environment, and our ESG activities. ](/about/awards-and-recognition) [ ![People walking on Novartis Campus](/sites/novartis_com/files/styles/cards_50_50/public/2021-10/people-walking-down-novartis-basel-campus.jpg.webp?itok=drNn0eVN "People walking on Novartis Campus") ### ESG rating performance Our performance against environmental, social and governance criteria is reflected in a variety of third-party ratings. ](/investors/reporting-and-transparency-hub/esg-rating-performance) --- ![K Malesh, a farmer in the village of Sollakpally, now has ready access to water to irrigate his crops.](/sites/novartis_com/files/styles/cta_image/public/2024-01/k-malesh-farmer-in-sollakpally-has-access-to-water.jpg.webp?itok=J3EFU5ue "K Malesh, a farmer in the village of Sollakpally, now has ready access to water to irrigate his crops.") ## Water project revives rural community in India Novartis is aiming for water neutrality in our own operations by 2030. In India, we are contributing to this goal through a project near Hyderabad with a nonprofit organization. By tackling both water scarcity and the deprivation it causes, the project has revived the community. [Read more](/stories/water-project-revives-rural-community-india "Read more") ![Sister Martine, a trained nurse, dispensing medicine at the Catholic mission’s health center in Ntui, Cameroon.](/sites/novartis_com/files/styles/cta_image/public/2024-01/a-partnership-against-epilepsy.jpg.webp?itok=YRByINpT "Sister Martine, a trained nurse, dispensing medicine at the Catholic mission’s health center in Ntui, Cameroon.") ## A partnership against epilepsy Parts of Cameroon have rates of epilepsy that are among the highest in the world. Despite the availability of effective therapies, poverty, a lack of medical resources and superstition about the causes of epilepsy often lead to inadequate treatment and social exclusion for people living with the neurological condition. Novartis is working with a Catholic mission on the ground in a central part of the country to overcome these barriers and improve care. [Read more](/stories/partnership-against-epilepsy "Read more") ### Novartis Refugee Program Novartis has redesigned and scaled our response to the global refugee crisis: going beyond monetary and medicine donations to offer an innovative, inclusive and differentiated approach that is holistic and sustainable. [Learn more](/about/people-and-culture/giving-volunteering/novartis-refugee-program "Learn more") Novartis is a global company and its policies and programs, including those described in the Novartis in Society Integrated Report, may differ depending on the jurisdiction in which it operates. Novartis is committed to complying with the law in the countries and jurisdictions in which it conducts business.