As Henry Schein Cares celebrates its 25th anniversary, Jennifer Kim Field reflects on how a commitment to ‘doing well by doing good’ has expanded access to care, strengthened disaster response and inspired the next generation of healthcare professionals.
Few measures of success are more meaningful than seeing the people you set out to help return years later to serve others. For Jennifer Kim Field, Chief Sustainability Officer at Henry Schein and President of the Henry Schein Cares Foundation, one of the most powerful examples of the program’s impact is its long-standing partnership with the American Dental Association Foundation’s Give Kids A Smile© program. As Henry Schein Cares marks 25 years of Helping Health Happen, the partnership offers a reminder that investments in access to care can create ripple effects that last for decades.
“As a longtime sponsor of Give Kids A Smile, we found ourselves wondering, ‘Where are they now?’” Field said. “Give Kids A Smile has connected underserved children with free oral health education, screenings, preventive care and treatment, helping more than 10.2 million children since 2003. We were amazed to discover that some of the children who received care through the program years ago have become dentists themselves, and today, are volunteering with the very program that first introduced them to oral health care. It’s an incredible full-circle moment and a powerful reminder that Give Kids A Smile doesn’t just improve a child’s smile in the moment, it can inspire the next generation of dental professionals.”
For 25 years, Henry Schein Cares has served as the company’s global corporate citizenship program, but its historical roots stretch back much further. Built on the belief that businesses can “do well by doing good,” the initiative has grown from a formalized giving program into a companywide framework that guides disaster response, health access, sustainability, volunteerism and community partnerships around the world. Along the way, Henry Schein Cares has delivered more than $285 million in cash and product donations through more than 5,000 charitable partners while remaining focused on its original mission.
“We’re most proud that our mission has remained the same even as our impact has grown,” said Field. “Our mission to help health happen is embedded in Henry Schein’s DNA, guiding how we serve customers, support communities, and operate responsibly.”
Born from a time of crisis
While Henry Schein had long supported charitable giving and volunteer initiatives, the events of Sept. 11, 2001 became the catalyst for creating the formal Henry Schein Cares program. Headquartered on Long Island, just outside New York City, the company found itself responding to a crisis unfolding in its own backyard.
In the days following the attacks, Henry Schein rapidly mobilized medical and dental supplies for first responders and relief organizations working near Ground Zero. The experience demonstrated the unique role a healthcare solutions company could play by leveraging its supply chain expertise and supplier relationships to deliver critical products where they were needed most.
“We made a decision to formalize what had been an instinctive response into something much more permanent,” Field said.
Field said the company’s response to 9/11 became the blueprint for future disaster preparedness. Lessons learned during subsequent crises – including Hurricane Sandy and the Ebola outbreak – reinforced the importance of planning ahead rather than reacting in the moment. In 2015, Henry Schein helped establish the Pandemic Supply Chain Network, a public-private partnership designed to address personal protective equipment shortages before the next global health emergency.
When COVID-19 emerged, that groundwork allowed Henry Schein to respond immediately, supporting the White House COVID-19 Supply Chain Task Force and the Strategic National Stockpile rather than developing new systems amid the crisis.
A mission that hasn’t changed
As Henry Schein Cares celebrates its 25th anniversary, Field said the organization’s greatest achievement is the consistency of its mission.
“The greatest successes of Henry Schein Cares have been achieved through trusted partnerships with NGOs, governments, nonprofits, industry associations, customers, suppliers and Team Schein Members,” Field said. The company’s philosophy traces back more than 94 years to its founders Henry and Esther Schein, whose belief that organizations can “do well by doing good” eventually became the foundation for Henry Schein Cares.
Today, that mission is woven throughout the company’s culture, encouraging Team Schein members to volunteer in their communities, respond to disasters, promote environmental stewardship and uphold high standards of ethics and integrity. The program’s impact reflects that commitment.
Field said the organization’s success can be seen in both large-scale initiatives and grassroots employee efforts. Programs such as the We Care Global Challenge have delivered more than 100,000 hygiene kits to Ronald McDonald House Charities, while Team Schein Members have also organized local relief efforts, including assembling hygiene kits for families affected by hurricanes. “We’ve proved what’s possible when you can do well in business and do good for the community when you’re treating them as the same goal,” Field said. “That’s a foundation we want to build from.”
From corporate social responsibility to corporate citizenship
Over the past 25 years, the definition of corporate social responsibility has expanded far beyond charitable giving. According to Field, what was once viewed primarily as philanthropy – donating products, writing checks, or supporting community causes – has evolved into a strategic business function that is integrated into how organizations operate and measure success.
“I think it’s matured where it’s not seen as a side initiative anymore,” Field said. “It’s now around corporate responsibility or corporate citizenship and sustainability woven into how a company operates, measures its success and creates shared value for every stakeholder it touches.”
The next 25 years
As Henry Schein Cares looks toward its next quarter century, Field said the organization’s foundation will remain unchanged.
At the top of the list is prevention. Through its Prevention Is Power initiative, Henry Schein Cares plans to deepen its efforts on the connection between oral health and overall health, helping providers and patients better understand how dental care influences conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and Alzheimer’s. Field believes greater integration between dental and medical care represents one of the most significant opportunities to improve long-term health outcomes.
Another priority is expanding access to care for patients with disabilities, a population that has historically faced significant barriers to receiving dental services. Field acknowledges there is no simple solution, but she sees growing momentum as more dental schools incorporate training on treating patients with disabilities. Henry Schein Cares intends to remain engaged for the long term, helping advance awareness, education and access.
The organization’s third major focus is environmental sustainability. After establishing science-based emissions reduction targets, Henry Schein is now implementing its net-zero transition plan, with goals that include reducing Scope 1 and Scope 3 emissions through 2030 and achieving 100% renewable electricity sourcing by 2030 while maintaining that commitment through 2050.
For Field, those priorities share a common thread. Whether improving preventive care, advancing health equity, or reducing environmental impact, the goal is to build on the same principles that have guided Henry Schein Cares since its founding.
“I think these priorities reflect what Henry Schein Cares can be in the future and what can be most meaningful in the years ahead on the well-being of people and the planet,” she said.
Measuring what matters
Henry Schein has developed a structured approach that combines performance metrics with stakeholder feedback to evaluate the effectiveness of its corporate citizenship efforts.
Henry Schein Cares isn’t just a name anymore – it’s become an acronym, with every letter standing for a pillar of our work: Catalyzing health care access, Advancing policies and solutions that drive innovation, Relationship building for change, Empowering our Team Schein Members, and Sustaining the planet. Each of the five Henry Schein CARES pillars is supported by its own set of key performance indicators (KPIs), allowing the organization to track progress and hold itself accountable. But Field said one of the most valuable tools is the Company’s Corporate Citizenship Barometer, launched in 2023.
The annual stakeholder survey gathers feedback from approximately 16,000 participants, including customers, suppliers, investors, Team Schein Members and community partners. The goal is to understand not only how stakeholders view the company’s environmental and social initiatives, but also whether those efforts are influencing others to strengthen their own corporate citizenship.
The findings have provided valuable insight. Customers and suppliers value sustainability, but continue to prioritize their commercial experience with the company. Team Schein Members have expressed interest in more volunteer opportunities, while community partners have recognized the impact of Henry Schein’s investments.
“For us, that’s a real measure of success,” Field said – not simply the company’s own impact, but whether it inspires others to create positive change as well.
Life-saving lesson
During Henry Schein’s We Care Global Challenge, Team Schein Members from HealthFirst combined assembling hygiene kits for Ronald McDonald House Charities with hands-on emergency response training.
The value of that training became clear just days later when a Team Schein Member unexpectedly collapsed. A colleague who had participated in the session immediately called 911, provided assistance, and stayed calm until help arrived.
When asked what made the difference, the team member credited the training held during the We Care Global Challenge. “This helped me stay calm and know what to do.”
Field said that story is a powerful reminder that corporate citizenship can have an impact far beyond the communities it serves. Sometimes, the skills gained while giving back can end up saving a life.
Key Takeaways
- Henry Schein Cares celebrates 25 years of expanding access to care, supporting communities and creating lasting impact through partnerships and service.
- The program’s disaster response efforts evolved from lessons learned during crises into proactive global supply chain preparedness.
- Corporate citizenship has become embedded in Henry Schein’s business strategy, combining social impact, sustainability and stakeholder engagement.
- Future priorities include preventive care, health equity for patients with disabilities and progress toward environmental sustainability goals.