How pharma is embracing a greener future

The pharmaceutical industry has a powerful remedy for nearly every condition—but what about healing its own carbon footprint? While pharma has been a hero for global health, it’s also left a bit of an environmental mark. In fact, the healthcare industry is responsible for about 4.4% of the globe’s total emissions (1), with pharmaceutical companies accounting for a significant chunk. As regulators, consumers and companies rally to reduce carbon, pharma faces the exciting challenge of reimagining its practices for a cleaner, greener tomorrow.

Emissions: more than just hot air

Pharma’s emissions largely stem from Scope 1 (direct operations), Scope 2 (purchased electricity), and the big one—Scope 3 (indirect emissions across supply chains and product life cycles). The elusive Scope 3 is the toughest to tackle, often involving a sprawling network of suppliers, global transport and product disposal. But it’s not just a big headache—it’s a huge opportunity for innovation across the three scopes. For instance, companies like GlaxoSmithKline and AstraZeneca are rethinking respiratory care, aiming to cut emissions by swapping out traditional propellants for more sustainable options (2,3).

Green lights from governments and healthcare bodies

Governments worldwide are waving the green flag for sustainability, with 100 healthcare organisations committing to net zero by 2050 in the USA (4), which brings new expectations for suppliers. Meanwhile, the UK are aiming for the NHS to hit net zero by 2045 (5) with NICE making prescribing more eco-friendly, nudging clinicians to consider low-carbon treatments. For example, following NICE’s guideline on medicine optimisations could save up to ~ 200 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions and 0.3 million m3 per 100,000 people (6).

From green chemistry to smart factories

Pharma’s climate-conscious makeover integrates ‘green chemistry’ principles to increase the efficiency and sustainability of medicines. Companies are already using these eco-friendly techniques to reduce their environmental footprint. Artificial intelligence is transforming the way companies can discover new drugs (7) and the “smart factory” trend is taking off too; with companies manufacturing systems designed to minimise energy use and waste (8).

Navigating a sustainable path forward

To keep up with climate goals, companies can prioritise renewable energy, sustainable sourcing, and waste reduction. Prioritising work with industry peers, regulators and suppliers to develop standardised sustainability practices is the path forward. By incorporating sustainability into business strategy, pharma can do more than just go green—it can lead the charge for eco-friendly healthcare and pave the way to a cleaner, healthier future for all.

Leading by example

By supporting verified carbon offsetting projects around the globe and embedding sustainable practices into our daily activities and operations, for the third year in a row, Branding Science has been officially certified as a Carbon Neutral Business. This year we are also delighted to have our emissions targets approved by the Science Based Targets initiative as consistent with levels required to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement. Let us help your company align with global climate goals and build trust with environmentally conscious stakeholders. Together, we can make impactful changes for a healthier planet and healthcare industry.

Get in touch 

Got a question or want to know more? We’d love to hear from you! Contact us here: 

Arjun Mistry, MSc Sustainability and Business– Senior Research Executive, Branding Science: [email protected]

A breath of fresh air: how pharma is embracing a greener future

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