Henry Schein again honoured in Fortune's 'Change the World' list

Melville, N.Y.: Henry Schein, Inc. (Nasdaq: HSIC), a leading global provider of healthcare products and services for dental practitioners, has secured a prestigious position on Fortune magazine’s "Change the World" list for the fourth time.

This annual accolade highlights companies that are effecting significant social impact through their core business strategies, with Henry Schein being one of 52 organisations globally acknowledged for merging profit with positive social purpose.

In response to this honour, CEO Stanley M. Bergman reaffirmed the company's commitment to improving access to dental care, stating that oral health is essential for overall well-being. “If you spend money on oral care, you’ll spend less on health care,” Bergman remarked in an interview with Fortune. “Everyone should have access to that—whether in good times or bad.”

Henry Schein was commended for its emergency preparedness and response initiatives, which support healthcare professionals and communities worldwide.

The company’s efforts highlight the crucial relationship between oral health and serious medical conditions, including dementia, cancer, and chronic diseases like rheumatoid arthritis.

“If you look at the root causes of many diseases, a large proportion ties back to oral health,” Bergman added, referencing recent research from Tokyo Medical and Dental University, which showed that bacteria linked to gum disease can worsen conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis.

The global significance of oral health is immense; according to the World Health Organization (WHO), oral diseases affect nearly 3.5 billion people worldwide, with those in low- and middle-income countries disproportionately impacted. Oral cancer, encompassing cancers of the lip, mouth, and throat, ranks as the 13th most common cancer globally.

This latest recognition builds on Henry Schein’s prior achievements on Fortune’s "Change the World" list, including accolades for expanding access to oral care in underserved communities (2018), co-leading the Pandemic Supply Chain Network (2020), and promoting health equity for individuals with disabilities (2022).

“Since 1932, Henry Schein has been guided by the principle that we can align our business strengths with society’s needs to create positive change,” Bergman emphasised, reflecting the company's enduring commitment to corporate responsibility.

This year’s Fortune list was curated from a pool of 250 nominees, chosen for the positive social impact of their core business operations. The 2024 list showcases a diverse range of companies from North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America.

In addition to healthcare, the 2024 "Change the World" list highlights organisations harnessing innovative technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), for societal benefit. Noteworthy examples include Ello, a U.S.-based initiative addressing childhood literacy gaps, and China’s Alibaba Group, which employs AI to detect pancreatic cancer lesions.

Henry Schein is proud to be ranked among the leading companies effecting meaningful change, alongside notable organisations like SpaceX, Maven Clinic, and Levi Strauss.