Pharmaceutical Company Targets and Strategies to Address Climate Change: Content Analysis of Public Reports from 20 Pharmaceutical Companies

Abstract

The pharmaceutical industry produces a large proportion of health system greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, contributing to climate change. This urgently needs to be addressed. We aimed to examine pharmaceutical company climate change targets, GHG emissions, and strategies to reduce them. We performed content analysis of the 20 largest pharmaceutical companies’ publicly available 2020/2021 reports, focusing on extracting information on their reported climate change targets, GHG emissions (and whether companies had demonstrated any reduction in emissions over their reporting period), and strategies being implemented to reduce company emissions and meet their targets. Nineteen companies have committed to reducing GHG emissions, ten to carbon neutrality and eight to net zero emissions between 2025 and 2050. Companies showed largely favorable reductions in scope 1 (in-house) and scope 2 (purchased energy), with variable results in scope 3 (supply chain) emissions. Strategies to reduce emissions included optimizing manufacturing and distribution, and responsible sourcing of energy, water, and raw materials. Pharmaceutical companies are setting climate change targets and reporting reduced emissions via a range of strategies. This varies, with scope to track actions and accountability to targets, improve consistency of reporting, especially of scope 3 emissions, and collaborate on novel solutions. There is need for further mixed methods research on progress with achieving reported climate change targets, as well as implementation of strategies to reduce emissions within the pharmaceutical industry.

Pharmaceutical Companies in the Light of the Idea of Sustainable Development—An Analysis of Selected Aspects of Sustainable Management

“…At the same time, it is worth emphasising that the indications of companies analysed in this study may express, in significant part, the aspirations of pharmaceutical entities rather than actual activities. A similar caveat to the research in assessing the quality of sustainability reporting in pharma was put forward by A. Booth [78]. The aspect indicated reinforces the need for a broad exploration of this issue.…”

“…Reducing emissions of harmful substances is considered an extremely important aspect of sustainable pharmaceutical development, given that the pharmaceutical industry emits a significant proportion of greenhouse gases. This fact is signalled and explored in research by, among others, A. Booth et al, who emphasise the importance of efforts to reduce the negative environmental impact of pharmaceutical production [78], pointing to the progress made by pharmaceutical companies in implementing green technologies [79].…”

Comparative Study on Low-Carbon Strategy and Government Subsidy Model of Pharmaceutical Supply Chain

“…As large international pharmaceutical enterprises carry out carbon neutral planning, many pharmaceutical enterprises have taken the lead in setting and disclosing their carbon neutrality targets, such as AstraZeneca, which will use 100% renewable electricity and heat by 2025, Novo Nordisk, which will achieve zero carbon emissions in operations and logistics by 2030, and Bayer Group, which will achieve carbon neutrality in operations by 2030 [6]. In addition, since the announcement of China's dual carbon targets of "achieving carbon peaking by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060" in 2021 [7], policies related to carbon reduction in the pharmaceutical industry have been introduced, such as "Guidance on Promoting Green Development of API Industry" [8], "Deepening Green and Low-carbon Leading Action in Public Institutions to Promote Carbon Peaking Implementation Plan" [9], "The 14th Five-Year Plan for the Development of Pharmaceutical Industry" [10], etc.…”

Development of a Self-Assessment Audit Instrument to Support Climate-Conscious Community Pharmacy Practice and Education

“…It is estimated that over 70% of the climate footprint of healthcare is a result of GHGs [10]. Within the pharmacy profession, the most common reasons for GHG emissions related to the healthcare supply chain include the production, distribution, storage, and disposal of medicines, devices, or equipment, all of which have significant and sometimes overlooked climate impacts on healthcare [11].…”