Better Health for All

Medtronic's core business involves developing and selling a wide range of device-based medical therapies for conditions such as cardiac, vascular, neurological, spinal, and diabetes, indicating that nearly all its products provide substantial health benefits. There is no evidence of the company generating revenue from products with significant negative health outcomes. Medtronic demonstrates a commitment to strengthening the healthcare workforce, investing over $69 million in fiscal year 2022 to train more than 350,000 medical professionals globally

. Additionally, Medtronic LABS, an independent nonprofit funded by the company, trained over 8,000 community health workers by 2023 and served over 1 million patients , expanding healthcare access and education in underserved communities through initiatives like the SPICE digital health platform .

Fair Money & Economic Opportunity

Medtronic PLC is a medical technology company, not a financial institution. Its core business involves developing, manufacturing, and selling medical devices and therapies to healthcare providers, not offering lending, deposit, or other financial services to consumers. Consequently, the company does not have consumer credit products, manage customer financial data, or operate financial service access points. While Medtronic demonstrates a commitment to supplier diversity, spending $3.5 billion in fiscal year 2023 with small and diverse-owned businesses, and its Foundation invested nearly $4 million in STEM education for underserved students,

these activities do not directly align with the specific financial services metrics defined by the rubric's KPIs, which are tailored for financial institutions and their direct financial products or services.

Fair Pay & Worker Respect

Medtronic has achieved 100% pay equity for gender and ethnically diverse employees in the U.S.

and 99% global gender pay equity, supported by extensive annual pay analyses. The company was recognized as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere in 2023 and ranked No. 2 on Fair360’s 2024 Top 50 Companies for Workplace Fairness . Medtronic maintains a comprehensive Human Rights Framework , prohibits child and forced labor , and conducts annual risk assessments and due diligence , extending these standards to its suppliers .

Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing

Medtronic's 2023 Sustainability Report highlights efforts to enhance supply chain transparency and ethical sourcing.

The company was recognized for assessing forced labor risks across its multi-tier supply chain. In 2022, its conflict minerals program identified 24 smelting or refining facilities with red-flag risks, leading to immediate mitigation actions. Medtronic conducts annual human rights risk assessments of internal operations and triennial assessments of commercial facilities, partnering with a supply chain mapping provider to map first-tier and sub-tier suppliers. The company complies with the California Transparency in Supply Chains Act, focusing on eradicating slavery and human trafficking. Medtronic has implemented Global Supplier Standards that expect suppliers to adhere to ethical practices, including avoiding forced labor. Its Supplier Diversity Program aims to integrate more small and diverse suppliers, targeting inclusion in 75% of its RFPs. Medtronic was also recognized by Ethisphere as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies.

Honest & Fair Business

Medtronic has not indicated any financial restatements in the provided documents.

The company maintains an Anti-Bribery and Corruption (ABAC) program, which includes policies, programs, and training for employees and third-party intermediaries. This program is aligned with anti-corruption laws such as the U.S. FCPA, the U.K. Bribery Act, and the Irish Criminal Justice (Corruption Offences) Act 2018. In fiscal year 2024, 99% of third-party distributors received anti-corruption training, and 164 full-time equivalent employees supported anti-corruption efforts.

Kind to Animals

Medtronic's Global Animal Use Policy acknowledges the necessity of animal testing for product safety and efficacy, as required by global regulatory authorities.

The policy adheres to the 3Rs principle (Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement) to minimize animal use and ensure humane treatment. It restricts the use of non-human primates to cases specifically required by regulatory authorities or when no other adequate in vivo model exists. The company has actively sought alternatives, with a toxicologist researching human cell-based alternatives for skin irritation tests, publishing findings in 2014. An international validation study sponsored by an ISO Technical Committee is underway to confirm these findings, which could lead to changes in ISO standards. Medtronic has engaged with PETA since 2005, reaching agreements in 2008 to improve animal welfare in medical experiments, including foreign contract laboratories, leading to PETA withdrawing shareholder resolutions. In 2022, Medtronic donated 40 insertable cardiac monitors to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium for monitoring heart disease in great apes. Medtronic collaborates with the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute and the University of Minnesota’s Visible Heart® Laboratories, using Medtronic heart monitors in wild animals like bears, great apes, and a giant anteater (re-released in 2024) to understand stressors and aid conservation.

No War, No Weapons

Medtronic PLC has contracts to supply non-lethal medical equipment to U.S. military branches and federal civilian agencies.

These include a $471.6 million contract for cardiovascular products with the Department of Defense, completed in July 2023 , and a potential 10-year, $150 million contract for radiology and imaging systems from the Defense Logistics Agency, secured in June 2019. The company conducts annual human rights risk assessments and surveys its direct suppliers annually, instructing them to mitigate risks and remove red-flag facilities from their supply chain. Its Global Human Rights Framework aligns with principles advocating peace and nonviolent societal progress. Medtronic conducts an annual conflict minerals disclosure , surveying 234 direct suppliers in 2022 and identifying 24 smelting or refining facilities with red-flag risks, including 19 in Russia , and 63 suppliers reporting high-risk smelters. While Medtronic is committed to obtaining minerals from socially responsible sources and requires suppliers to uphold human rights , the identification of these red-flag facilities indicates occasional non-compliance within its supply chain.

Planet-Friendly Business

Medtronic's near-term carbon reduction goals were validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) in FY25.

In the same fiscal year, the company sourced 50% of its energy from renewable and alternative sources. Medtronic aims to achieve net zero carbon emissions across its operations and value chain by 2045, with an interim goal of net carbon neutrality in its own operations by FY30. The company's 2025 Impact Report reflects alignment with the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD).

Safe & Smart Tech

Medtronic was recognized as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere in March 2023, highlighting its robust compliance and governance frameworks for data privacy and cybersecurity.

In 2023, the company introduced the AI Compass, outlining guiding principles for ethical AI, emphasizing patient-centered design, safety, fairness, human oversight, privacy, and transparency. In July 2023, Medtronic promptly addressed a high-risk vulnerability in its Paceart Optima System by releasing an update and providing guidance. The company also engages in coordinated vulnerability disclosure processes and maintains a Security Bulletin Webpage.

Zero Waste & Sustainable Products

Medtronic collected and refurbished 4 million products in fiscal year 2023, diverting 217 metric tons of waste from landfills.

The company has developed product innovations to reduce waste, such as the MiniMed™ extended infusion set, which has the potential to reduce medical waste by approximately 60% for that product, and the reusable InPen™ smart insulin pen, which replaces single-use syringes. Medtronic also implemented an Electronic Instructions for Use (eIFUs) initiative, planning to convert 50% of eligible product codes to eIFUs by FY23. The company integrates circularity and eco-design criteria into its New Product Development process. Medtronic has set company-wide waste reduction targets, including aiming to publish partial Life Cycle Assessments for 100% of products and full LCAs for 50% by FY23. Other targets include a 25% reduction in packaging waste for select high-volume products by FY25, equivalent to 130 tons of material, and a goal for 95% of eligible plastic packaging to be industrially recyclable, contain post-industrial recycled content, or demonstrate optimized design by FY23.