We all know global warming has devastating effects on the planet and on human health.1 Governments, non-government organisations (NGOs), international organisations and citizen groups are calling for urgent, pervasive change.
Many companies are joining the movement, responding with bold and far-reaching sustainability announcements. They talk passionately about reducing the carbon footprint of operations, people and products and many promise to also uphold quality, access and safety for consumers and end users.
Organisations from many industries recognise their environmental responsibility and are making commitments to do better.
As citizens, we are looking for society to hold companies accountable for delivering on these commitments and for reporting on them transparently. Right now, there’s a focus on the commitments – and a risk we will forget all the promises companies have made.
For us, it is time to walk away from catchphrases and make bold announcements that are meaningful, that invite accountability, that stay at the top of the business agenda and can be quickly turned into actions.
WE INVITE ACCOUNTABILITY.
We’ve looked at what the terms used really mean.2
Sustainability commitments stand or fall based on the actions taken to reach the commitments. If these actions are not independently verified according to international standards, the commitments themselves are just words.4
WE BELIEVE IN ACTION OVER WORDS
At Chiesi, we stand with all those playing their part to slow climate change. Our strong beliefs define our actions, and the way we do business. That means we make commitments which are clear and can be measured. We also commit to report transparently on our environmental impact and progress every year. 5
Every year an independent third party verifies our GHG inventory in accordance with ISO14064 and the GHG Protocol.
Chiesi Group’s reduction targets were approved in April 2021 by the SBTi6 and are in line with the Paris Agreement’s most ambitious goal to limit global temperature rise to 1.5℃ above pre-industrial levels by the end of this century.7
When Chiesi Group unveiled its plan to become carbon neutral in April 2021, carbon neutrality was the most ambitious science-based standard at the time. Now, we are aiming to stretch beyond this target, striving towards reaching Net Zero emissions, in line with SBTi’s Corporate Net Zero Standard.
CHIESI’S EMISSIONS REDUCTION PLAN
As a B Corp, Chiesi Group is serious about behaviour change. We believe protecting patient health and the environment should not be a matter of compromise. We will not only reduce our environmental footprint by managing our operations but by rethinking and innovating our products – for the benefit of patients, people and the planet.
With the decision to change our legal status to a Benefit Corporation, Chiesi has made sustainability contractually and legally binding, by incorporating a dual purpose for the creation of shared value, generating value for its business, for society and the environment.
By achieving B Corp certification in 2019 and re-certification in 2022,9 measuring and reporting both its positive and negative impact transparently and amplifying it throughout our value chain through the Code of Interdependence,10 Chiesi is going far beyond carbon reduction.
In March 2021, Chiesi joined the B Corp Climate Collective (BCCC), committing to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) “Race to Zero.” This is a global campaign to rally leadership and support from businesses, cities, regions, and investors for a greener future. The objective is to build momentum around the shift to a decarbonised economy.
In June 2022, Chiesi signed the White House Climate Pledge to decarbonise the healthcare sector in the US and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030. In December 2022, Chiesi was included on CDP’s Climate Change ‘A List’ for its commitment to climate action and transparency. Only 283 out of 15,000 companies who submitted data received the A grade recognition.11
We are proud to have taken decisive and ambitious action to ensure patients can continue to access the therapeutic options that best suit their needs, while simultaneously innovating our production to find the most environmentally conscious solution available. We strongly believe that patients should not have to shoulder the burden of environmental responsibility when considering treatment options that affect their health.
As we continue to set more ambitious emissions reduction targets, our sustainability journey remains an ongoing process. We are dedicated to constant improvement, consistently raising the bar for ourselves, and committing to increasingly challenging goals.
We have a clear action plan to reduce our emissions where possible: our mitigation strategy focuses on avoiding and reducing carbon-intensive processes so that we can reach our targets without the need for significant emissions removals. As set out by the SBTi, an overreliance on carbon offsets creates multiple problems around land use, equity, fairness and climate justice.12 SBTi’s Net Zero standard focuses on significant emissions reductions of at least 90%, leaving a small proportion which can be accounted for via emission neutralisation. Our plan is bold and ambitious, and we believe in it.
In the face of a global climate crisis, we must all share the burden of action.
Breaking down Chiesi’s commitments and progress
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Breaking down Chiesi’s commitments and progress
Products and Patient Use
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Transportation
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Buildings and industrial operations
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Emissions removal
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Energy
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Supply Chain and Logistics
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CHECK ON OUR PROGRESS
UK-CHI-2400034 March 2024
