SCHOTT Pharma reinforces commitment to align its climate actions to the requirements of the Paris Agreement

SCHOTT Pharma reinforces commitment to align its climate actions to the requirements of the Paris Agreement

August 8, 2024, Germany, Mainz

• SCHOTT Pharma is fully committed to take responsibility for emission reduction to support limitation of global warming to 1.5°C.
• The independent Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) has validated the climate action roadmap and targets of the SCHOTT Group.
• SCHOTT Pharma will fulfil its share to these same validated science-based targets and report its progress transparently.
• The company focuses on energy efficiency, green electricity, and technological innovation to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

 SCHOTT Pharma, a pioneer in drug containment solutions and delivery systems, is reinforcing its commitment to reduce GHG emissions in alignment with climate science and the goal to limit global warming to 1.5°C.  The climate action roadmap of the SCHOTT Group was validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). Recognizing the criticality of climate change, SCHOTT Pharma is dedicated to taking responsibility for its business operations' impact and contributing to global decarbonization efforts. “The time to act on climate change is now. We must all take responsibility – governments, society, and companies. At SCHOTT Pharma, it’s our priority to drive solutions for a more sustainable future. In particular, we are focusing on decarbonization through various initiatives ranging from green electricity use to low-emission manufacturing technology, ecodesign and circular economy,” said Dr. Almuth Steinkühler, CFO of SCHOTT Pharma.

In 2020, the SCHOTT Group launched its “Zero Carbon” program, driving decarbonization across all business units and subsidiaries. The initiative focuses on improving energy efficiency, utilizing green electricity, and initiating technological changes. Initially, the program has been aiming for climate-neutral operations concerning Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions by 2030. SCHOTT Pharma is a fully committed member of this initiative.

Committed to science-based targets

As research-focused companies, SCHOTT and SCHOTT Pharma share the ambition to align activities and targets with current climate science. Therefore, the climate action roadmap was reviewed with the independent Science Based Targets initiative in 2023, which validated quantitative targets for the entire group. Explicitly, the targets include an absolute reduction of 46.2% in Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions by 2030. The validated targets also guide Scope 3 reduction activities, with a commitment to reduce 27.5% of Scope 3 GHG emissions related to fuel and energy-related activities (Scope 3.3) and its investments (Scope 3.15) by 2030, as well as a commitment to engage its supply chain to source 74.23% of purchased goods and services (Scope 3.1), capital goods (Scope 3.2) and upstream transport and distribution (Scope 3.4) from suppliers with their own science-based target commitments by 2027.

As per guidance of SBTi on Organizational Boundary, the target validation process was executed at the parent- or group level rather than for SCHOTT Pharma alone. Thus, SCHOTT Pharma is committed to fulfilling its share to these same targets within the scope of its business activities and to reporting its progress transparently.

From understanding to specific action

SCHOTT Pharma's state-of-the-art manufacturing processes, in which the company converts borosilicate glass tubing into drug containment solutions and delivery systems such as syringes, cartridges, vials, and ampoules, is consuming fossil gas to heat the glass and forming it into the product’s specific geometries. To reduce GHG emissions, the company is focusing on several key areas. These include a global drive for energy efficiency by optimizing production setups and parameters across sites to reduce gas consumption while maintaining quality. In addition, the company has switched to 100% green electricity already in 2021 through power purchase agreements and verified energy attribute certificates. Also, the company is integrating low-emission technologies in forming principles, annealing and washing equipment to further reduce gas and water consumption.

To improve the carbon footprint of its products and reduce greenhouse gas emissions beyond internal operations, SCHOTT Pharma also takes the entire value chain into account. The energy intensity of glass melting makes the supply with glass tubing the largest driver of glass-based containment products. Within the SCHOTT Group, the tubing division is currently realizing a first tank that applies a  new electric melting technology for pharmaceutical glass tubing enabling minimized GHG emissions. SCHOTT Pharma plans to utilize this innovation together with likeminded pioneers at its customers to realize containment solutions with a roughly 50% lower emission footprint in the near future. Furthermore, SCHOTT Pharma emphasizes supplier engagement by collaborating on sustainable packaging concepts and encouraging the use of green electricity. The company conducts annual sustainability assessments of key suppliers and integrates these criteria into supplier evaluations to drive progress and reduce emissions together.

Links: More information about SCHOTT Pharma’s climate targets: https://onex-op-prod-cm.schott.biz/?sc_itemid=%7B6B2C9C25-1954-4C6D-B871-C73E7ED0278C%7D&sc_mode=preview&sc_lang=en&sc_site=Pharma

About SCHOTT Pharma

Human health matters. That is why SCHOTT Pharma designs solutions grounded in science to ensure that medications are safe and easy to use for people around the world. The portfolio comprises drug containment solutions and delivery systems for injectable drugs ranging from prefillable glass and polymer syringes to cartridges, vials, and ampoules. Every day, a team of over 4,600 people from over 60 nations work at SCHOTT Pharma to contribute to global healthcare. The company is represented in all main pharmaceutical hubs with 16 manufacturing sites in Europe, North and South America, and Asia. With over 1,000 patents and technologies developed in-house and a state-of-the-art R&D center in Switzerland, the company is focused on developing innovations for the future. SCHOTT Pharma AG & Co. KGaA is headquartered in Mainz, Germany and listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange as part of the SDAX. It is part of SCHOTT AG, which is owned by the Carl Zeiss Foundation. In light of this spirit, SCHOTT Pharma is committed to sustainable development for society and the environment and has the strategic goal of becoming climate-neutral by 2030. Currently, SCHOTT Pharma has over 1,800 customers including the top 30 leading pharma manufacturers for injectable drugs and generated revenue of EUR 899 million in the fiscal year 2023. Further information at www.schott-pharma.com

Press contact:

Lea Kaiser
Media Relations
Lea.Kaiser@schott.com
+49 (0) 6131 66 2422

Jasko Terzic, CFA
Senior Manager Investor Relations
E-Mail: ir.pharma@schott.com