The makers of blockbuster drugs are under growing pressure to change their operations. Activist calls are growing for them to adopt more sustainable practices to lessen their environmental impact and find reliable ingredient sources, as traditional supplies are threatened by extreme weather and ecological disruptions. This requires R&D investments, especially in underserved regions such as Africa. To be socially impactful, the industry is being urged to prioritise global health equity over profit. This will push pharmaceutical companies to develop more treatments for neglected diseases, especially those familiar in developing countries, and ensure that essential medications are affordable and accessible. This also means implementing transparent pricing models, say activists, and launching initiatives to improve access to critical medicines in regions with limited resources.
43% of respondents in a 2021 ESG survey demanded more environmental than social and governance action from the pharmaceutical industry.
In 2020, Novo Nordisk achieved its goal of sourcing 100% renewable electricity across its global production, with the plan to transform all business processes to eliminate the environmental footprint of its operations.
AstraZeneca's $1 billion Ambition Zero Carbon strategy and $400 million expansion for its AZ Forest programme aims to halve the company's entire value chain footprint by 2030, on the way to a 90% reduction by 2045 from a 2019 baseline. The company plans to become carbon-negative for all residual emissions.