3 Implementing LCA in Novo Nordisk
Novo Nordisk has used LCA as a tool for decision support for more than 25 years.
During these years, the LCA methodology and data availability has improved
significantly. In 2011, LCA became an integrated part of Novo Nordisk environmental strategy, and a programme was launched with the aim of mapping the
carbon footprint of the diabetes portfolio. Novo Nordisk was the first to calculate
the carbon footprint of one year diabetes treatment, including the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), device and needle.
The programme was anchored in an executive management committee and was
driven by a cross-organisational team with representatives from production, R&D,
marketing and stakeholder engagement. The top management commitment and
collaboration across organisational boundaries were essential to the success of the
programme.
Achieving a sufficiently high quality of data is critical when LCA is used for
supporting decisions. Novo Nordisk has a long history of environmental reporting,
which focuses on resource consumption, emissions and waste amounts.
Environmental data has for many years been monitored and reported on building/
site/company level and related to KPIs. However, it is a challenge to convert these
datasets to the product level, and it requires close collaboration with local production experts. Novo Nordisk has proven that it is worth the effort: It provides the
organisation with a completely new perspective on environmental impacts, which in
the longer term allows for new approaches to setting targets and benchmarking
across production units, e.g. by measuring energy consumption per unit produced
instead of energy consumption per building.
LCA screenings have for several years been an integrated part of the device
development process in Novo Nordisk. One of the keys to ensure that the
screenings are carried out is the integration into the development manual, which
means that the LCA screenings are obligatory. The LCA screenings are based on
the same LCA model as is used for the marketed products, which ensures consistency across the organisation.
Life cycle thinking was introduced in the ISO14001 standard on environmental
management systems in 2015. Product carbon footprint is a great method to help
determine the environmental hotspots and focus environmental initiatives within
production to create the most impact. Moreover, Novo Nordisk uses LCA and
carbon footprint calculations as decision-support tool across the organisation, both
in relation to initiatives and projects driven by the environmental organisation and
in relation to projects and changes with a significant environmental impact.
Novo Nordisk has built an advanced LCA model for APIs, devices and needles
and it creates a strong fundament for updating the carbon footprint of products and
adding new scenarios. Since the LCA model covers the majority of Novo Nordisk
products and relates to most production sites, new LCA calculations are made very
effectively. This allows for providing quick answers to the organisation to support
decision processes.
Establishing LCA in the Healthcare Sector
91
Novo Nordisk has used LCA as a tool for decision support for more than 25 years.
During these years, the LCA methodology and data availability has improved
significantly. In 2011, LCA became an integrated part of Novo Nordisk environmental strategy, and a programme was launched with the aim of mapping the
carbon footprint of the diabetes portfolio. Novo Nordisk was the first to calculate
the carbon footprint of one year diabetes treatment, including the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), device and needle.
The programme was anchored in an executive management committee and was
driven by a cross-organisational team with representatives from production, R&D,
marketing and stakeholder engagement. The top management commitment and
collaboration across organisational boundaries were essential to the success of the
programme.
Achieving a sufficiently high quality of data is critical when LCA is used for
supporting decisions. Novo Nordisk has a long history of environmental reporting,
which focuses on resource consumption, emissions and waste amounts.
Environmental data has for many years been monitored and reported on building/
site/company level and related to KPIs. However, it is a challenge to convert these
datasets to the product level, and it requires close collaboration with local production experts. Novo Nordisk has proven that it is worth the effort: It provides the
organisation with a completely new perspective on environmental impacts, which in
the longer term allows for new approaches to setting targets and benchmarking
across production units, e.g. by measuring energy consumption per unit produced
instead of energy consumption per building.
LCA screenings have for several years been an integrated part of the device
development process in Novo Nordisk. One of the keys to ensure that the
screenings are carried out is the integration into the development manual, which
means that the LCA screenings are obligatory. The LCA screenings are based on
the same LCA model as is used for the marketed products, which ensures consistency across the organisation.
Life cycle thinking was introduced in the ISO14001 standard on environmental
management systems in 2015. Product carbon footprint is a great method to help
determine the environmental hotspots and focus environmental initiatives within
production to create the most impact. Moreover, Novo Nordisk uses LCA and
carbon footprint calculations as decision-support tool across the organisation, both
in relation to initiatives and projects driven by the environmental organisation and
in relation to projects and changes with a significant environmental impact.
Novo Nordisk has built an advanced LCA model for APIs, devices and needles
and it creates a strong fundament for updating the carbon footprint of products and
adding new scenarios. Since the LCA model covers the majority of Novo Nordisk
products and relates to most production sites, new LCA calculations are made very
effectively. This allows for providing quick answers to the organisation to support
decision processes.
Establishing LCA in the Healthcare Sector
91