GSK ushers in supplier sustainable procurement programme

Global biopharma company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has launched a Sustainable Procurement Programme to bolster their suppliers on their journey towards net-zero carbon emissions in procurement.

The project was announced at Climate Week NYC, earlier this week. 

Supply chains account for a significant proportion of the pharmaceutical industry’s environmental footprint, especially when it comes to the manufacturing of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), which are very resource intensive in terms of their production of heat, water and energy.

40% of GSK’s carbon footprint is generated through its supply chain, and suppliers account for a substantial part of the company’s impact on water, waste and biodiversity globally.

The programme will call for and support suppliers to take steps to reduce the production of carbon, power, heat, transport, water and waste.

It will also require GSK’s suppliers to take action on the sustainable, deforestation-free sourcing of materials.

GSK’s suppliers are expected to begin executing on these commitments in 2023.

The areas of action outlined in the project will include, “transparency in the disclosing of emissions-outputs, setting carbon reduction targets and delivery plans aligned to the 1.5 degree Science Based Targets initiative, shifting to renewable power and heat, achieving water neutrality in ‘water-stressed areas’, reaching a 10% waste reduction, aligning to GSK’s responsible sourcing minimum standards, and for transport suppliers to provide green transport solutions.”

In October, next month, GSK will assemble the 160+ suppliers who are deemed crucial to delivering these sustainability goals, to discuss how they can work together towards achieving them, and what support the suppliers might need to hit these critical targets. 

Chief Procurement Officer at GSK, Lisa Martin, said that the launch of the Sustainable Procurement Programme, “is a major step in bringing our supplier partners on the sustainability journey and GSK achieving our goals on climate and nature. As a global biopharma company committed to getting ahead of disease together, we must work closer than ever with our supply chain and beyond to catalyse positive change across environmental systems and protect the health of the planet and people."

SVP Global Business Services at Thermo Fisher Scientific, Konrad Bauer, said: “Our Mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. As a long-term supplier and strategic partner to GSK, we are proud to partner in advancing our environmental impact, contributing to our collective net zero targets and protecting nature together.”