September 25, 2025
For the fourth consecutive year, 3BL Media has named Illumina to its 100 Best Corporate Citizens list, recognizing outstanding environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance among the 1000 largest public companies in the United States. Illumina ranked 40th overall and third in the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences category.
The ranking is based on 219 ESG factors across seven pillars: climate change, employees, environment, governance, human rights, stakeholders and society, and overall performance. Companies were researched by Institutional Shareholder Services ESG.
For climate change, Illumina also ranked first in the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences category and second out of all 1000 companies analyzed. Inclusion in this pillar required strong practices in the disclosure of greenhouse gas emissions reduction and reporting, net-zero targets, and climate-related risks and opportunities.
“This recognition is a powerful affirmation of Illumina’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and impact,” said Kevin Pegels, Illumina’s chief of Global Operations. “Our leadership in climate action and ESG performance not only reflects our values, it reinforces the trust our customers place in us to deliver our products and services responsibly and sustainably.”
In 2024, Illumina made great progress toward its sustainability targets, including:
- 100% of its global electricity consumption came from renewable sources, including renewable energy credits, and on-site renewable and purchased renewable electricity
- 80% reduction in packaging from 2019 baseline
- 35% reduction in climate change impact* with the MiSeq i100 Series kit
- Leveraging technology to help measure and mitigate the effects of climate change
Illumina’s strength in disclosing information related to business ethics, product responsibility, and social impact also contributed to its inclusion in the Best Corporate Citizens list. This recognition reflects the company’s ongoing commitment to positively impact the world and shape a healthier, more sustainable future for all, as outlined in its 2024 Corporate Social Responsibility report.
*Compared to the MiSeq System. The project aligned with the methodological requirements and guidelines of the ISO standards ISO 14040 (2006a) and ISO 14044 (2006b) on LCA and the GHG Protocol Product Life Cycle Accounting and Report Standard (WRI/WBCSD, 2011). However, as it is a streamlined LCA study, it does not fulfill all the reporting requirements of these standards, including third-party review.
