No. 8 | Abbott
Robert Ford
CEO“Diversity is one of Abbott’s defining characteristics. We have a diversified business model because we understand that the differences make us stronger overall. Doing business in more than 160 countries with distinct cultures just reinforces that understanding. So, of course we bring that same conviction to the way we think about people, as well.”
Vildan Kehr
Divisional Vice President, Global Talent Acquisition“Abbott is committed to increasing diversity in our company because we’re better, stronger and more innovative when our company reflects all the people we serve, and can benefit from a broader range of experiences and perspectives.”
From DiversityInc
- Abbott made it a point to bring in more diverse members to its board, including a retired four-star general, Darren W. McDew, and Michelle A. Kumbier, who worked for many years in leadership at Harley Davidson.
- Abbott released to the public its own blueprint to creating its successful high school internship program aimed at helping young girls in particular get experience working in STEM fields.
- As the world grappled with the arrival of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Abbott developed a test delivered on its ID NOW machine that can detect the virus in five minutes.
- More than 1,500 employees joined Abbott’s D&I and The Women Leaders of Abbott Leadership Day Event. The event focused on professional development and leadership training specifically for women and their allies.
In The News
- Abbott Launches Third COVID-19 Test, a Laboratory-Based Antibody Blood Test That Will Ship in the U.S. Starting Tomorrow
- Abbott’s Freestyle Libre 14 Days System Now Available in the U.S. for Hospitalized Patients with Diabetes During COVID-19 Pandemic
- Abbott Launches 5-Minute COVID-19 Test, Sees Stock Rise
- Abbott Launches Molecular Point-of-Care test to Detect Novel Coronavirus in as Little as Five Minutes
Other DiversityInc Lists
- No. 10 Executive Diversity Councils
- No. 2 Mentoring
- No. 30 Philanthropy
- No. 2 Sponsorship
From The Company
Abbott is a global company with more than 107,000 employees. Guided by our brand promise, “Life. To the fullest.” We help people around the world live more fully with life-changing health technologies and products.
Abbott values diversity — of people, products, technologies and geographies. We believe that diverse perspectives and shared goals inspire new ideas to help us solve some of the world’s most pressing healthcare challenges. We work hard to make Abbott a place where everyone can feel a sense of inclusion and have their best career.
As a result, we are regarded as an employer of choice and recognized for our commitment to fostering an extraordinary workplace. Our development programs strengthen our diverse talent pipeline for managerial roles and include a formal mentoring program. We also have an executive sponsorship program that provides newly hired minority and female leaders with career support.
We’re committed to advancing women in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). We created a successful high school STEM internship for girls and underrepresented students and shared the program blueprint with other companies to develop similar programs.
Company Facts
ABT (NYSE)
U.S. Headquarters: Abbott Park, IL
Global Employees: 107,000
2019 DiversityInc Top 50 Ranking: No. 10