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2025 Responsibility
Focus Areas & Goals

Altria’s responsibility focus areas and initiatives are guided by our materiality assessment process – a comprehensive, formal approach to identify the most impactful Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) issues that promote long-term sustainability and success.

Through this assessment, we conduct a comprehensive review of stakeholder expectations and determine how those align with our business priorities. Through this exercise, we establish Altria’s responsibility focus areas, as well as goals and metrics within each, that will guide our actions over the next several years.

Engage & Lead Responsibly: 2020 - 2021

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Reduce Harm of Tobacco Products

woman looking in microscope
  • Why It Matters
  • Focus Area Goals

Most of Altria’s net revenues come from the sale of its tobacco operating companies’ products. The use of tobacco products, however, is a significant public health concern, as underscored by the extensive public health authority information on tobacco and health.

We believe successfully converting adult smokers to non-combustible products represents a substantial opportunity for our adult tobacco consumers, our businesses, society and our shareholders. With adult smoker demand for non-combustible alternatives, innovation and an appropriate regulatory framework, we have the opportunity to make more progress on harm reduction in the next 10 years than we have in the past 50 years.

Accelerate investments in innovation, science and regulatory support for new non-combustible product platforms.

Create the conditions for tobacco harm reduction to succeed through external communications and engagement, science and advocacy.

Provide access to expert quitting information for those who have decided to quit.

Prevent Underage Use

kids walking into school
  • Why It Matters
  • Focus Area Goals
The concepts of tobacco harm reduction and underage tobacco prevention are directly linked, and we remain steadfastly committed to both as we lead the adult smoker transition to non-combustible products. We also recognize that our portfolio now includes a broad range of products intended for adults.

Lead the industry in preventing underage use of products intended for adults 21 and over.

Contribute to the healthy development of youth ages 12 – 18.

Protect the Environment
 

trees by river
  • Why It Matters
  • Focus Area Goals
We are committed to reducing our environmental impact, both in our companies' direct operations and in the value chain (from supplier to retailer). We believe that climate change presents incredible global risk, humans are the primary cause and inaction is not an option. We understand the effect our companies and their products may have on our environment, including climate change, changes to water quality and availability, and cigarette butt litter; as well as the effect changes in nature have on our companies – and the associated risks for our businesses. That’s why we set long-term environmental targets and regularly share progress. 

Align our operational and value chain business practices with science-based methodology to limit the damaging impacts of climate change.

Conserve the natural resources on which our businesses and communities rely. 

Reduce the environmental impact of using our companies’ products.

The above are supportive of our progress toward long-term, 2030 targets to:

  • Reduce absolute Scope 1 & Scope 2 emissions by 55%
  • Reduce absolute Scope 3 emissions by 18%
  • Achieve 100% renewable electricity
  • Reduce waste sent to landfill by 25%
  • Achieve 100% water neutrality each year

Drive Responsibility Through Our Value Chain

two men walking through tobacco field

  • Why It Matters

  • Focus Area Goals

Strong, sustainable partnerships with our supplier base and trade partners are critical to our future success and  achieving Altria’s 10-Year Vision. Responsibly sourcing the raw materials and services for our companies’ products and  ensuring they are sold only to Adults 21+ is necessary to maintain our social license to operate.

We also believe our commitment to advancing diversity throughout our supply chain will drive innovation, increase competition and provide greater supply chain flexibility.

Enhance analytic and surveillance infrastructure that supports the financial viability of our supplier base and trade  partners.

Enhance trade participation in youth access prevention programs to establish retail and future sales channels as the  most trusted place to responsibly sell and distribute tobacco products.

Deliver continuous improvement in our tobacco supply chains to protect the rights of farm workers, build sustainable futures for farmers and their communities, and protect the environment.

Improve diversity, inclusion and equity in our supply chain.

Enhance infrastructure that supports our ability to responsibly source goods and services and optimize the value of those goods and services for our businesses.

Support Our People & Communities

man and women talking down hall
  • Why It Matters
  • Focus Area Goals
We will achieve our long-term Vision by remaining an employer of choice in a rapidly evolving talent market - providing experiences that help our workforce achieve their full potential and doing what’s right in our communities – investing, volunteering and collaborating to drive positive change.

Increase the diversity of our organization and leadership team while building an inclusive and equitable culture.

Address systemic racism and advance social and economic equity in the communities where we live and work.

Drive business and social impact through engagement and partnership with a diverse portfolio of stakeholders.

Contribute to the well-being of our workforce and community stakeholders.

Build the capability of our workforce and communities to successfully navigate an uncertain and rapidly changing environment.

Engage & Lead Responsibly
 

front of headquarters building
  • Why It Matters
  • Focus Area Goals
We understand that how we lead in addressing issues is as important to our stakeholders as where we are focused. Stakeholder expectations related to accountability, transparency and partnership are applicable to the systems, processes, policies and reporting that govern our actions across all our responsibility focus areas. 

Stakeholders also expect us not only to lead in contributing to solutions for challenging issues, but also to influence others in the tobacco industry, government and communities on issues of importance. This expectation extends to our investments. In 2018, we made an adjacent investment in cannabis through our minority ownership interest in Cronos. Stakeholders expect us to demonstrate leadership in helping shape a highly responsible and regulated cannabis market in the U.S.
We routinely monitor and make changes to align with best practices in corporate governance. To address additional stakeholder expectations, through 2025 we plan to focus on enhancing the governance structure of our investment in Cronos to assist Cronos in becoming a recognized responsibility leader in the cannabis industry.