Lilly Canada to Clean Up Shorelines and Be Citizen Scientists for Global Day of Service

TORONTO, ON September 28, 2023 – Lilly Canada is proud to participate in the annual Global Day of Service, a volunteering initiative where Lilly employees around the world invest their time and talent to make life better and impact the communities where we live and work. On September 28th, Lilly employees across Canada will work in partnership with global conservation organization Ocean Wise to clean up shorelines, preventing waste from reaching waterways.

“Our commitment to improving the lives of people and our communities extends beyond our medicines,” says Jill Daley, Vice President Corporate Affairs, Lilly Canada. “It’s an honour to partner with Ocean Wise for a second year, where our employees across the country can unite on a common goal and see the tangible impact of cleaning up local shorelines and waterways. Working with organizations like Ocean Wise to advance their efforts allows us to make a meaningful difference.”

Ocean Wise has been an ocean champion for 50 years. From humble beginnings in Vancouver in 1951, the organization has grown into a global environmental charity that addresses overfishing, ocean pollution and climate change. The Ocean Wise Shoreline Cleanup program has become the largest direct-action environmental project in Canada, engaging over 1 million volunteers to make a positive impact on their shorelines.

"Contributing to our communities is at the heart of Lilly's ethos. The Lilly Global Day of Service empowers us to join forces worldwide, generating a collective impact through a range of activities supporting our local communities," says Kenneth Custer, President and General Manager, Lilly Canada. “I am excited about giving back in a unique way alongside our Canadian team. By assuming the role of citizen scientists, we’ll gather and track litter in our communities, helping to protect and preserve the environment while fostering positive change in the areas we call home."

During the cross-country volunteer effort, Lilly Canada and Ocean Wise will collect data about the litter, which will be used to create an impact on plastic waste on a larger scale.

About Lilly Canada

Eli Lilly and Company is a global healthcare leader that unites caring with discovery to make life better for people around the world. We were founded more than a century ago by Colonel Eli Lilly, who was committed to creating high quality medicines that meet people’s needs, and today we remain true to that mission in all our work. Lilly employees work to discover and bring life-changing medicines to people who need them, improve the understanding and management of disease, and contribute to our communities through philanthropy and volunteerism.

Eli Lilly Canada was established in 1938, the result of a research collaboration with scientists at the University of Toronto which eventually produced the world’s first commercially available insulin. Our work focuses on oncology, diabetes, autoimmunity, neurodegeneration, and pain. To learn more about Lilly Canada, please visit us at www.lilly.ca or follow us on LinkedIn.

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Media Contact:
Ethan Pigott
[email protected]
416-770-5843