The life sciences industry must overcome major hurdles on its path to greater sustainability. These include:

• A lack of unified green lab accreditations
• High water and energy use
• The handling of hazardous waste

In keeping with other sectors, it is the largest life science companies that are taking the greatest and fastest steps to fulfil publicly stated and scrutinised environmental commitments. An increase from 31% a year ago, 46% of the life sciences sector by revenue have committed to the UN Race to Net Zero.

AstraZeneca exemplifies this progress. They recently partnered with Future Biogas on the UK’s first large-scale unsubsidised supply of biomethane gas. Energy from the biomethane facility will supply AstraZeneca’s sites in Macclesfield, Cambridge, Luton and Speke.

AstraZeneca also heavily invests in operational efficiency improvements. This includes a major refit of the combined heat and power plant at their Macclesfield site, which will save a further 16,000 tonnes CO2e per year, in addition to upgrading buildings and improving the footprint for the production and packing of medicines to enable further greenhouse gas reductions.

Looking across the life sciences sector, analysis of the top 20 global life sciences companies reveals wider industry action against an array of sustainability aims and objectives. Major initiatives include:

Waste reduction

• Reuse and recycling programmes

• Adoption of circular economy principles

• Zero waste to landfill

• Audit and monitor of supply chains

• Staff training

• Sustainable packaging and product redesign

• Eliminating single-use plastics

• Reusable logistics containers

• Use of shared equipment

• Looking at ways to neutralise the effects of hazardous waste so it can be recycled

Waste reduction example

Boston Scientific is partnering with leaders in recycling and waste management to provide sustainability solutions for single-use devices. It has also adopted circular economy principles, collaborating with industry players to establish recycling best practice.

Facilities are participating in the TRUE (Total Resource Use and Efficiency) certification program. TRUE strives to change the way materials flow through society so that all products are eventually reused and diverted from landfills, incineration, and the environment.

Water conservation

• Implementation of accredited water stewardship management practices

• Staff training

• Efficient management and maintenance to avoid leaks

• Automation and data collection/analysis

• Rainwater harvesting systems

• Investing in new technologies and equipment to minimise consumption

• Reuse of wastewater

• Transforming manufacturing processes

Water conservation example

Johnson & Johnson has invested in solutions including upgraded water chillers and HVAC installations to the most water-efficient options, applying alternative technologies for cooling towers to reduce water dependence.

It is also applying leak detection technologies to support elimination of leaks, designing manufacturing product cycles for water reuse and investment in facilities to achieve high-quality wastewater treatment.

Energy efficiency

• Energy efficient lighting, heating and cooling

• Automation and data collection/analysis

• Energy assessments across sites

• Investing in new efficiency technologies and equipment

• Participating in ENERGY STAR’s challenge

• Staff training

• Efficient fumehood use

• Stand by modes on equipment or switching off certain equipment when not in use

• Changing ultra-low temperature freezer's setpoint and conducting routine maintenance

Energy efficiency example

Medtronic completed more than 60 energy efficiency projects in 2022, including updating HVAC systems and chilled water pumps, and installing variable frequency drive pumps to efficiently power pumps and fans in its buildings. These projects produced annual savings of 16,5000 MWh and $2.9mn in operating costs.

Biodiversity

• Protecting and restoring wetlands and prairies

• Processes to safeguard soil and groundwater

• Audit of sites to identify locations in conservation areas

• Responsible sourcing of raw materials

• Investing in reforestation projects

• Effective landscaping

Biodiversity example
Sanofi has targets to implement specific biodiversity management plans at priority sites by 2025, extending this approach to all sites located near biodiversity sensitive areas by 2030. Actions included the construction of a corporate garden at a site in China.

Green building design

• Green lab certifications

• Establishing best practice in building and operating sustainable labs, offices and manufacturing/logistics facilities

• New additions to portfolio assessed against energy efficiency scorecards

• Green chemistry methods

• Sustainable building materials and thinking about the whole lifecycle of materials

Green building design example

In 2021, Novartis laboratories were certified by My Green Lab, a third-party framework that aims to improve environmental sustainability in laboratory settings. More than 800 Novartis researchers across 24 laboratory sites in 11 countries took part in the certification process.

Climate risk mitigation

• Climate risk assessment and monitoring

• Business continuity planning programmes

Climate risk mitigation example

AbbVie partnered with a third-party to perform a climate risk assessment for physical risks. The risk assessment encompassed 100 global sites and locations. Based in the findings of the assessment they rolled out updates to physical features of sites around the world, such as installing electrical generators.

Reducing emissions

• Alternative transportation and logistics solutions

• Tracking emissions

• 100% renewable energy use

• Partnering with suppliers

• Onsite solar power

• Green power purchase agreements

Reducing emissions example

GSK have established a pathway to a net zero impact on the climate with a target of 80% reduction in carbon emissions and investment in nature-based solutions for the remaining 20% of its footprint by 2030 and net zero emissions across its full value chain by 2045.

GSK have taken the following priority actions to reduce emissions: Implemented a sustainable procurement programme, peer collaboration to expand access to renewable electricity across shared supply chains, onsite renewable energy production through wind turbines and solar panels, buying green electricity, developing a green heat strategy, target to install EV charging infrastructure at 100 sites, transitioning its sales fleet to low-carbon vehicles by 2030, reviewing logistics routes and processes, investing in an R&D programme to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, product stewardship programme.

The path towards a more sustainable life sciences industry will be far from easy. Implementing greener practices, reducing waste and energy use, and other actions will require significant investment and strong commitment. Government regulations, stakeholder demands, innovation, greater collaboration, and the provision of more sustainable real estate solutions from the supply-side will also help push the industry in the right direction.

The contributions of the life sciences industry touch virtually every aspect of human life. By minimising its environmental footprint, the industry can go further in helping enhance the health, longevity, and quality of life for all.

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