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YAYAYYAYYAYAYYAYYAYAYYAYYAYAYYAYYAYAYYAYYAYAYYAYYAYAYYAYYAYAYYAYYAYAYYAYY AYYYYAYYAYYYYAYYAYYYYAYYAYYYYAYYAYYYYAYYAYYYYAYYAYYYYAYYAYYYYAYYAYYYYAYYA & NOVARTIS Novartis International AG Novartis Global Communications CH - 4002 Basel Switzerland MEDIA & INVESTOR RELEASE Novartis accelerates efforts toward ESG targets to increase access to medicines , improve health equity and achieve net - zero carbon emissions ● https://www.novartis.com https://twitter.com/novartisnews ● Reached nearly 29 million patients to date in 2021 through our flagship programs and strategic innovative brands Announced a planned 10 - year commitment with historically black colleges and universities to address root causes of systemic disparities in health outcomes ● Continued our global health leadership with positive phase 2b results for our next generation antimalarial therapy ganaplacide in combination with lumefantrine which support its continued development Committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions across our value chain by 2040 Basel , September 30 , 2021 - At its eighth annual ESG investor event hosted today , Novartis shared progress against its Environmental , Social and Governance ( ESG ) targets and updated on its most material ESG topics , including access to medicines , patient health and safety , innovation and ethical standards . " ESG is central to the Novartis strategy and is critical to delivering on our purpose to reimagine medicine to improve and extend people's lives . Coupled with our inspired , curious and unbossed culture , we believe ESG efforts on our most material topics will help drive our overall performance as a company and deliver long - term value for our stakeholders , " said Vas Narasimhan , CEO of Novartis . " Looking ahead , we are renewing our focus on our ESG material topics , redoubling our efforts on improving access to medicines and accelerating our journey toward a zero - carbon future . " Access to medicines remains one of the world's biggest healthcare challenges , and as confirmed by the recent Novartis materiality assessment , it remains one of the most material ESG topics for the company . The WHO estimates that more than 2 billion people worldwide lack access to basic medicines . Guided by the Novartis Access Principles and taking local economic realities into account , Novartis applies a broad range of approaches to ensure medicines can be available where they are needed , including tiered pricing , innovative business models and emerging market brand strategies . The Access to Medicines Index has repeatedly recognized our efforts , ranking Novartis 2nd in the 2021 index and highlighting Novartis as the only company with equitable access strategies in low - income countries across its portfolio . Making innovation accessible and affordable in low - income settings Over the last 12 months , we have made significant progress against our 2025 Patient Access Targets , which are linked to a sustainability bond ( SLB ) issued in September 2020. By 2025 , we aim to increase patients reached in low- and middle - income countries ( LMICs ) with strategic innovative therapies by 200 % and the Novartis Flagship Programs ( malaria , sickle cell disease , Chagas disease and leprosy ) by 50 % . Strategic innovative therapies are non generic therapies that have been designated as strategic based on factors such as patient