“As a pharmaceutical company, we’re in the business of improving lives, so we need to do our best to manufacture medicines in an environmentally sensitive way because human health and environmental health are deeply linked,” said Jose Sanchez, General Manager for Biogen’s Solothurn manufacturing facility, located in Switzerland.
Delivering on that ambition requires a forward-looking mindset and understanding that goals for planet, productivity and profit aren’t at odds. That perspective seems to permeate the site’s sustainability efforts – from reducing energy use to managing organic waste to engaging the local community. “We need to be aware of rising expectations. Here in Switzerland, there is significant respect for the environment, which sets the bar high,” Jose said.
The Solothurn team works together to advance sustainability, health and safety.
The team in Solothurn is rising to challenge as the first Biogen facility to receive certification for ISO 14001, environmental management systems, and 45001, occupational health and safety management systems, one of the most difficult international certifications to obtain. The certification process involved more than a dozen colleagues and helped introduce even higher standards and enhance the site’s ways of working. The site adopted additional international sustainability standards through My Green Lab, a nonprofit recognized by the U.N. Race to Zero. In 2022, all of the site’s laboratories achieved Green-level certification, the highest possible, by implementing 82-94% of identified opportunities for action, with progress continuing throughout 2023.
“As a pharmaceutical company, we’re in the business of improving lives, so we need to do our best to manufacture medicines in an environmentally sensitive way because human health and environmental health are deeply linked.”
- Jose Sanchez, General Manager for Solothurn
With studies suggesting that the pharmaceutical industry’s biggest environmental impact comes from energy associated with manufacturing, energy efficiency is a priority. In 2023, the Solothurn team conducted feasibility studies for a planned solar power system. “We estimate that photovoltaics could contribute 6-11% of the site’s overall electricity, improving resilience and reducing carbon emissions,” noted Mirko Zanon, Head of Facility Engineering.
The team also developed a comprehensive waste collection system that sorts 12 categories of waste – from paper to organic materials – for recycling. A group of employees dedicated to waste works with external partners to find sustainable alternatives, like diverting expired raw materials to biogas plants instead of incineration.
Recycling is a key component of the waste reduction efforts at Solothurn.
Seemingly small actions add up: In 2023, Biogen planned to reuse propylene glycol from maintenance activities and replaced the site’s single-use mops with reusable alternatives, which can reduce environmental impacts and the costs associated with materials, transport and waste. Together, these and other efforts are expected to eliminate approximately 70-90 tons of waste annually, while also reducing costs for the company and mitigating potential supply chain risks.
“A passion for sustainability inspires my colleagues to find process improvements that benefit the company in other ways, as well. In turn, our environmental goals help us attract and retain top talent who want to work for a company that takes sustainability seriously,” Jose said.
Sustainability efforts help strengthen our culture. For example, the ourIMPACT ERG has 40 passionate members in Solothurn who promote biodiversity via on-site beehives; a planned bike/e-bike rental program; and a popular free employee carpool service, which can help reduce emissions while bringing colleagues together. As part of the Biogen Creek Aquatic Discovery Program, employees volunteer to engage the community’s next generation of scientific thinkers in monitoring the quality of water in a creek that runs alongside our site, sparking a love of the environment early on. The program reached 35 school-aged children at each event in 2023. It was complemented by other community outreach efforts such as a “Repair, Don’t Replace” program focused on fixing phones and other electronics instead of discarding them.
“A better future starts with a shift in mindset. With sustainability as a goal, a passionate community of employees can work together to drive meaningful change through many small steps,” Jose said. “By looking at our operations through a sustainability lens, we’re also enhancing safety and quality, improving efficiency and reducing cost, which are all critical for our business. It’s all interrelated.”
