Client Success Story
Gilead Sciences Inc. Sustainability in Action: 70,000 Single-Use Items Diverted (So Far)
Gilead Sciences Inc. has been advancing its sustainability journey through a meaningful partnership with Fill it Forward. This collaboration deepened in 2024 when Gilead officially merged its efforts with those of Kite Pharma, a Gilead company. Together, they are championing a powerful cause: promoting water bottle reuse and reducing plastic waste across the organization’s global footprint.
At the heart of this partnership lies Fill it Forward’s innovative, user-friendly interactive technology, which has empowered thousands of their employees across 50+ locations worldwide to take small but impactful actions. By leveraging Fill it Forward’s Challenges feature, Gilead Sciences has launched dynamic, engaging campaigns—particularly during Earth Month—motivating employees to track and reuse their water bottles.
“Our collaboration with Fill it Forward has been instrumental in engaging our employees globally in reducing plastic waste. The app’s intuitive Challenges feature has made it easy and motivating for our teams to participate throughout the year, especially during Earth Month. Being recognized as one of the top 25 Changemakers of 2024 is a proud milestone, and we look forward to continuing this important work with Fill it Forward.”
Grace Mackey,
Sustainability Associate at Gilead Sciences Inc.
In alignment with its sustainability efforts, Gilead launched a sticker-only program to encourage employees to use reusables they already own and love. By allowing employees to track their impact on their favorite water bottles, Gilead Sciences also significantly reduced the environmental footprint of rolling out a global employee engagement program. This interactive approach has transformed everyday sustainability practices into a collective mission with measurable impact. The numbers speak for themselves: over 70,000 single-use items have been diverted from our oceans and landfills.
The partnership’s success is underscored by the organization’s commitment to ambitious sustainability targets, including eliminating single-use plastics by 2025, reducing potable water use by 30% by 2030, and achieving water neutrality in water-stressed regions. Through Fill it Forward’s platform, employees receive real-time feedback on their progress, participate in team-based challenges, and earn recognition for their contributions—all while fostering a vibrant, eco-conscious workplace culture.
In December 2024, Gilead Sciences Inc. was honored with the Changemaker Award, recognizing the company as a leader in employee engagement. This award celebrates organizations that prioritize initiatives such as wellness programs and sustainability tools that inspire action. By investing in education and engagement programs, these champions promote sustainable best practices both at work and in daily life.
