What is Schneider Electric’s Energize Programme?
Schneider Electric – a leader in digital transformation for energy management and automation – is seeing its Energize supply chain decarbonisation programme make exciting progress.
The initiative is bringing together eight companies to procure renewable energy through seven new solar projects in Spain alongside two developers.
“Planetary health is critical for patient health and it is our responsibility to do everything we can to reduce the environmental impact of our business and our value chain,” comments Thomas Wozniewski, Global Manufacturing and Supply Officer at Takeda Pharmaceuticals, one of the firms involved.
“This programme will be an important lever in helping us achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in our value chain by 2040.”
Sustainability and the healthcare system
With healthcare systems accounting for nearly 5% of all global emissions – the majority falling under scope 3 – the Energize programme focuses on tackling this significant environmental impact by empowering the sector to adopt sustainable practices and reduce its carbon footprint.
The scheme supports healthcare companies to implement renewable energy solutions and optimise supply chain operations to reduce carbon emissions.
Energize provides guidance and resources that enable organisations to set measurable sustainability goals, track their progress and work collaboratively. Its broader goals aim to address the dual challenge of climate change and its effect on global health.
“The Energize programme is an important component of Avantor’s climate action strategy, enabling us to add significant renewable electricity to our portfolio,” adds Rachel Kaufman, Vice President of Sustainability for Avantor, another of the eight involved companies.
“As a key partner to the pharmaceutical industry, we’re also pleased to support Schneider Electric's efforts to decarbonise their supply chain emissions.”
Schneider Electric celebrates landmark moment
Together, Takeda Pharmaceuticals, Teva Pharmaceuticals, UCB, Avantor, Organon, Perrigo and West Pharmaceutical Services have collaborated to execute an aggregated total purchase of 305 GWh of renewable energy from Zelestra.
Additionally, Takeda, Teva Pharmaceuticals, Labcorp and West Pharmaceutical Services have purchased 258.7 GWh of renewable energy from Bruc.
In total, the eight companies executed 27 PPAs for 563.7 GWh of renewable energy per year for the next 10 years.
Amalia Adler Waxman, Head of Sustainability at Teva Pharmaceuticals, says: "As a collaborator of this virtual Power Purchase Agreement, we are demonstrating leadership and commitment to renewable energy – not only within our industry but also as a key member of initiatives like Energize.
"By covering most of our electricity needs in Europe and nearly half globally, we are setting the standard for responsible energy use and driving toward our long-term goal of net zero emissions."
Representing an estimated of 393,795 metric tons of CO2 avoided per year, or the equivalent of 51,355 households’ annual energy consumption, the combined investment will support three new solar projects built by Zelestra and four new solar projects built by Bruc in Spain.
The multi-buyer PPA showcases Energize’s mission to increase access to renewable electricity for pharmaceutical and healthcare supply chains, while mitigating the wider environmental impact of the industry.
“As we confront the urgent reality of the climate crisis, we understand that collective action is essential," notes Katiana Iavarone, Chief Procurement Officer at UCB.
"At UCB, we’re committed to driving the ecological transition also through renewable energy. By forging key partnerships, such as the Energize programme, we strive to achieve significant decarbonisation outcomes and extend our impact beyond what we can achieve alone. Together, we’re building a more sustainable future.
Lisa Martin, CPO at GSK – a co-founder of Energize – adds: "We are thrilled the first Energize deal has been announced, marking an important milestone in the collaboration’s history. We co-founded Energize in 2021 and the programme is an important part of our plan to reduce value chain emissions by 80% from 2020 to 2030.
"This new solar energy deal, including four of GSK’s suppliers in Europe, highlights our collective commitment to decarbonise and support the industry’s transition to renewable energy."
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