level. This allows Novo Nordisk to make choices in R&D and production that
minimise carbon emissions from products and at the same time, support the commercial part of the organisation with environmental messages. This article describes
how Novo Nordisk has taken the lead in reducing carbon emissions at the product
level.
2 Building a Common Framework for Product Carbon
Footprints in the Healthcare Sector
For more than 25 years, Novo Nordisk has used LCA as the basic methodology to
measure environmental impacts across the product life cycle. These LCAs follow
the international LCA standards ISO 14040 and 14044.
In 2008, the UK NHS identified pharmaceuticals as one of the key contributors
to the carbon footprint of the UK healthcare system [1]. This sparked the need for
more detailed guidelines on how to calculate the carbon footprint of pharmaceutical
products. Together with the NHS, Novo Nordisk and a handful of other healthcare
companies founded the international Coalition of Sustainable Pharmaceuticals and
Medical Devices (CSPM). The coalition initiated the development of a
sector-specific guideline on product carbon footprint. In 2012, the Greenhouse Gas
Accounting Sector Guidance for Pharmaceutical Products and Medical Devices [2]
was published. It was reviewed by WRI for conformance with the GHG Protocol
Product Life Cycle Standard and earned the “Built on GHG Protocol” mark.
Novo Nordisk was the first diabetes company to apply the guideline for product
carbon footprint of pharmaceuticals and medical devices. The first two carbon
footprint reports were carried out by an external consultant and finalised in 2013.
To ensure compliance with the new guideline, a third party review was performed
by the consultancy company ERM, who had prepared the sector guideline for the
CSPM. Since 2013, Novo Nordisk has had internal LCA expertise and has continued to use the guideline.
The sector-specific guideline and the ISO 14040/44 LCA standards ensure a
scientifically solid approach to calculating product carbon footprints. The
sector-specific guideline gives clear guidance on scoping, data collection and
reporting specifically focusing on the production processes and products in the
healthcare sector. All product carbon footprints within the healthcare industry
should comply with this guideline as it is considered best practice.
All Novo Nordisk product carbon footprint reports are third party validated
according to the international guidelines by an internationally recognised accountancy company. The pharmaceutical industry has a large responsibility of ensuring
patient safety, and the industry is strictly regulated to protect the patients. Therefore,
third party validation of product carbon footprint ought to be standard in the
healthcare industry.
90
N. H. Kløverpris
minimise carbon emissions from products and at the same time, support the commercial part of the organisation with environmental messages. This article describes
how Novo Nordisk has taken the lead in reducing carbon emissions at the product
level.
2 Building a Common Framework for Product Carbon
Footprints in the Healthcare Sector
For more than 25 years, Novo Nordisk has used LCA as the basic methodology to
measure environmental impacts across the product life cycle. These LCAs follow
the international LCA standards ISO 14040 and 14044.
In 2008, the UK NHS identified pharmaceuticals as one of the key contributors
to the carbon footprint of the UK healthcare system [1]. This sparked the need for
more detailed guidelines on how to calculate the carbon footprint of pharmaceutical
products. Together with the NHS, Novo Nordisk and a handful of other healthcare
companies founded the international Coalition of Sustainable Pharmaceuticals and
Medical Devices (CSPM). The coalition initiated the development of a
sector-specific guideline on product carbon footprint. In 2012, the Greenhouse Gas
Accounting Sector Guidance for Pharmaceutical Products and Medical Devices [2]
was published. It was reviewed by WRI for conformance with the GHG Protocol
Product Life Cycle Standard and earned the “Built on GHG Protocol” mark.
Novo Nordisk was the first diabetes company to apply the guideline for product
carbon footprint of pharmaceuticals and medical devices. The first two carbon
footprint reports were carried out by an external consultant and finalised in 2013.
To ensure compliance with the new guideline, a third party review was performed
by the consultancy company ERM, who had prepared the sector guideline for the
CSPM. Since 2013, Novo Nordisk has had internal LCA expertise and has continued to use the guideline.
The sector-specific guideline and the ISO 14040/44 LCA standards ensure a
scientifically solid approach to calculating product carbon footprints. The
sector-specific guideline gives clear guidance on scoping, data collection and
reporting specifically focusing on the production processes and products in the
healthcare sector. All product carbon footprints within the healthcare industry
should comply with this guideline as it is considered best practice.
All Novo Nordisk product carbon footprint reports are third party validated
according to the international guidelines by an internationally recognised accountancy company. The pharmaceutical industry has a large responsibility of ensuring
patient safety, and the industry is strictly regulated to protect the patients. Therefore,
third party validation of product carbon footprint ought to be standard in the
healthcare industry.
90
N. H. Kløverpris