Environment
To ensure the continued delivery of high quality products to patients and consumers in the future, we must protect the natural resources needed to make them today.
Protecting and restoring the planet’s health to protect and improve people’s health
In November 2020, we announced ambitious new environmental sustainability goals in both climate and nature.
Read more about our new goals.
We aim to reduce our environmental impact by one quarter by 2030, cutting greenhouse gas emissions, reducing water impact and redirecting waste for beneficial use.
This is underpinned by five new environmental commitments (versus 2016 baseline):
By 2025 | By 2030 | |
Reduce our operational carbon emissions (Scope 1 and 2) | 15% | 20% |
Reduce our value chain carbon emissions (Scope 3) per £ billion revenue | - | 25% |
Source electricity from renewable sources | 45% | 60% |
Reduce our total water use at each high-risk site | 20% | 30% |
Waste repurposed for beneficial use | 80% | 100% |
We are also sharing our knowledge and resources to support broader progress with environmental sustainability through participation in the UN Caring for Climate Initiative and the UN CEO Water Mandate, a business-led movement to advance water stewardship and sanitation.
Science based targets
In 2019 we were accredited by the Science Based Target Initiative for a set of Scope 1, 2 and 3 targets consistent with reductions required to keep warming to 2°C. We commit to reduce absolute scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions 10% by 2025 from a 2017 base year. We also commit to reduce absolute scope 3 GHG emissions 16% by 2030 from a 2017 base year.