At Novo Nordisk, we continuously optimise our products and processes to ensure treatments for people living with serious chronic diseases with the lowest possible impact on the environment. To be a sustainable business, we must decouple the environmental impact from our growth.
With a circular mindset embodied in our Circular for Zero environmental strategy, we strive to design out waste and pollution and keep materials in loops, to support and respect the fine balances of nature, and to realise our ambition of zero environmental impact.
We set science-based targets for climate and have committed to net zero green house gas (GHG) emissions across our value chain by 2045. We will reduce our plastic use per patient within diabetes and obesity and have zero waste to landfill from production sites by 2030. We are also committed to halt the loss of nature by 2033 and to be nature positive by 2045.
Our environmental policy applies to everyone in Novo Nordisk and covers all our activities globally. We integrate environment in business processes across our value chain to:
- continuously improve our environmental performance and mitigate material impacts and risks
- integrate environmental assessments and a circular mindset in decision-making
- promote low impact products and processes and focus on using renewable resources
- prioritise where possible, use of non-toxic chemicals, reused or recycled materials and materials safe for the environment
- engage with our suppliers and others key stakeholders in collective actions and partnerships
- comply with legal requirements and transparently report via our integrated Annual Report.
Our production facilities are ISO 14001 certified to ensure continuous improvements and mitigate, control and prevent negative environmental impacts. Our production of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) in Kalundborg, Denmark, is also certified according to ISO 50001, energy management.
We monitor and report on our material use of resources and key emissions. We have measures to avoid pollution by reducing the emissions to air, water and soil. We assess and mitigate our environmental risks. And we expect the same from our suppliers.
We work with circular principles in our development processes and seek to design facilities, processes and products with lower environmental impact. We believe that waste from one process can serve as resources in another process. We strive to use materials that have low environmental impact, including reduced use of fossil-based resources. We work with 3rd party validated Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) for our products.
We explore new ways to ensure that the materials we use, can have a longer life, also as a resource in other processes, even after patient use. The use of plastic has a special focus for us and when possible, we reduce the use of plastic through design, promotion of reusable devices, optimised processes and by finding alternative materials.
To protect our business, we evaluate climate related risks and adapt to climate changes. Novo Nordisk has committed to reduce GHG emissions, in line with keeping global temperature increase well below 2oC. We adhere to the principles of the GHG protocol for reporting GHG emissions across our value chain.
We are committed to achieve our CO2 emission targets by implementing energy efficiency, renewable energy, and other decarbonisation levers in our own operations and in our value chain. We collaborate with our suppliers to identify the best solutions and ensure that we drive change together.
We use both biological processes and chemicals to produce the best possible products for our patients. We strive to avoid the use of toxic chemicals including substances of very high concern (SVHCs) and potential SVHCs when designing new products and processes, e.g. by pursuing innovative solutions. For marketed products we strive to minimise the consumption of toxic chemicals and substitute when possible.
We monitor our emissions to prevent pollution and ensure compliance with regulation for emissions to air, water, and soil. We treat our waste streams from production to reuse the chemicals when possible and alternatively ensure the best possible handling of hazardous waste and emissions.
We monitor our biodiversity impacts at operational sites that are owned, leased or managed by us, and take mitigating actions where possible.
We assess and mitigate key nature related impacts and risks in our value chain and address the key drivers of biodiversity loss such as water- and land-use, over-exploitation, pollution, and climate change, e.g. by working with our suppliers on sustainable land, forest and water management. Within our own value chain, we will protect and restore nature together with external partners.
We strive to design less water intense products and processes, by reusing and recycling water. We have a priority focus on withdrawal of water in areas of high water risk, both for our production sites and together with suppliers of key commodities. In areas where we operate, we support water stewardship principles and collective actions in the water basins that are under pressure. Our production-related water discharge is treated onsite and/or offsite and discharged in accordance with regulation.
Novo Nordisk Board of Directors is responsible for the overall strategic direction and supervision of the performance of the company, which also include oversight of key material areas of environmental sustainability.
Our environmental policy and strategic targets are anchored in our Executive Management team who is also accountable for implementation of the environmental strategy and monitoring progress. The Executive Vice President for Commercial Strategy and Corporate Affairs is the owner of the sustainability agenda in Novo Nordisk and approves the environmental policy.
Our Corporate Environmental Strategy team is responsible for keeping the environmental policy and strategy updated. A dedicated area, called PSQIT Strategy & Sustainability, is responsible for the environmental management system ISO 14001 and for ensuring environmental compliance at Novo Nordisk production sites.
To ensure operational implementation of the environmental policy and strategy, line of business ownership is essential. Subject specific and cross-organisational steering groups with senior leadership representatives govern and steer the progress of our environmental strategy for a more sustainable business.
In the day-to-day work, more decentralised management teams safeguard compliance and continuous improvements, and we have on-site environmental partners at all production facilities. The environmental partners monitor environmental progress and environmental compliance at our sites worldwide.
The environmental policy is reviewed annually by the Vice President of Corporate Environmental Strategy.