Sustainable business practice is a central focus of CPhI 2022 in Frankfurt
“The pharma industry can make a hugely positive impact on our environment if we develop innovative solutions to manufacturing practices and if we think in a more agile and solutions-based approach,” say the organizers.
The CDMO perspective
James Choi, executive vice president, chief information and marketing officer, Samsung Biologics, will be speaking at the trade event about why pharmaceutical CDMO companies should make their transition with long-term sustainability in mind.
He will explain how the pharmaceutical industry and innovative initiatives should put effort into improving outcomes for patients, employees, the environment, and the wider community.
Many health systems have identified medicines as one of the largest single contributors to their carbon footprint, according to Aurelio Arias, engagement manager, Thought Leadership, IQVIA. His talk at the Frankfurt fair will evaluate the pharma industry’s carbon footprint and provide recommendations on what the sector can do to reduce emissions, meet environmental targets, and consequently open a new path to supporting human health.
Frank Roschangar, highly distinguished research fellow, IU Sustainability, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, and Michael Umberto Luescher, process R&D chemist, Novartis Pharmaceuticals, are also weighing in on this topic.
They will speak about best practices in green chemistry metrics for evaluating the impact of waste in pharmaceutical drug substance manufacturing, and their limitations, in the context of API lifecycle assessment.
ESG programs
Pharmaceutical manufacturers must qualify their excipient suppliers, and the International Pharmaceutical Excipients Council Europe (IPEC) published the Excipient Information Package Guide (EIP) to support the industry in this respect.
Geertrui Haest, scientific and regulatory affairs manager EMEA, Cargill, representing IPEC, says that as the need for awareness on sustainability grows, there is a proliferation of requests for suppliers to provide evidence that they have effective Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) programs in place.
He will outline how a new section of the EIP is being developed to facilitate exchange of ESG Information. This comprises overviews of the organization, ESG programs, procurement and supply chain, health and safety policies/practices and business continuity plans.
Intersection of sustainability, quality, and supply chain integrity
Jim Fries, CEO, Rx-360 will provide insights around sustainability, quality, and supply chain integrity in a talk at CPhI
He wants industry players to understand and challenge themselves to think about the intersection of sustainability, quality, and supply chain integrity within pharmaceuticals.
“This relationship has become significant as we enter the post pandemic era in which the pharmaceutical industry strives to not only secure its supply chain and material quality, but in parallel ensure that its sustainable to protect around shortages. This presentation will discuss opportunities on how the three sectors align and how through best practices in one area the other two are improved.”
Sustainable manufacturing in developing regions
Perrer Tosso, senior manager, pharmaceutical products supply services, United States Pharmacopeia, will explore strategies to achieve sustainable pharmaceutical manufacturing in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) in his talk at the German event.
He will reflect on pharmaceutical supply chain vulnerabilities exposed by the Covid-19 pandemic and efforts to expand local and regional production to include vaccines and active pharmaceutical ingredients, and he will highlight the new paradigm to develop sustainable pharmaceutical manufacturing, leveraging technology transfer, developing a skilled workforce, and installation of GMP-compliant facilities.
He will also discuss key principles to achieving sustainable pharmaceutical manufacturing in LMICs.
Diversity and inclusion
Archana Bhaskar, chief human resources officer, Dr Reddy's Laboratories Ltd, is also presenting on the sustainability topic, in relation to how pharma companies can strengthen diversity, equity, and inclusion in their operations.
“The pharma industry is aware that it needs to improve the representation of women and minority communities in its businesses. The benefits of diverse teams are clear, yet it isn’t an easy road.
“Approaching diversity and inclusion as part of a wider sustainability, and ESG performance is an essential indicator of pharma companies' commitment to a more diverse and successful workplace, which ultimately also ensures to better serve patients around the world.”
