SGD Pharma takes lead in sustainability, awarded Platinum EcoVadis rating for the first time

2021-02-02, SGD Pharma

SGD Pharma, a leading supplier of glass primary packaging in the pharmaceutical industry, has been awarded a ‘platinum’ rating by EcoVadis, positioning it in the top 1% of all companies rated worldwide. This highlights SGD Pharma’s commitment to sustainable practices and corporate social responsibility (CSR).

EcoVadis is the internationally recognized sustainability ratings provider, evaluating over 75,000 companies globally across a range of different industries.

In-keeping with the company’s core values of prioritizing ethical standards and sustainability, SGD Pharma conducted several initiatives and actions in 2020 which have been recognized by EcoVadis. For example, the company signed the Global Compact initiative in February 2020, demonstrating its alignment with the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals. SGD Pharma also conducts advanced emissions calculations, which included the carbon footprint of the business in 2020. By 2025, SGD Pharma plans to reduce 5% of its CO2 emissions per tons of goods produced.

Other actions include the collaborative development of a CSR questionnaire and code of conduct by the purchasing team and the CSR team, in accordance with the UN Global Compact 10 Principles. Both the questionnaire and code of conduct are sent to all suppliers globally, to ensure SGD Pharma’s contractors uphold its high standards through the supply chain. Collective agreements have also been signed throughout SGD Pharma’s offices and plants globally, ensuring all teams are taking responsibility for CSR within their local regions.
SGD Pharma is dedicated to nurturing people and talent, demonstrated through online training courses for employees on CSR, psychological support offered to all employees with the HR team – particularly important during the COVID-19 pandemic – and the development of high CSR standard contracts and documentation supported by HR and the environmental health and safety (EHS) team.
Further actions that SGD Pharma integrated into the business include reusing internal glass offcuts to prevent waste, taking part in global initiatives such as green reporting to help calculate the company’s environmental impact, and monitoring COD (chemical oxygen demand) and pH levels within their factories. Monitoring and supporting employees with further qualifications has also been key to helping the business and its employees thrive.

The Ecovadis assessment is increasingly important for stakeholders, especially in the pharmaceuticals industry and is now part of the procurement criteria for many customers. This improved rating highlights the actions that SGD Pharma has implemented, through its global CSR strategy, to improve the way the business operates and treats both its employees and the environment.

With SGD Pharma’s long investment into the global CSR strategy for its business, the firm is set to continue to perform well by having such practices in place. It has been suggested that companies with advanced responsible initiatives on environmental climate issues have experienced better stock returns and investor support during the COVID-19 pandemic.1

In further recognition of SGD Pharma’s dedication to environmental sustainability, the company also achieved a B rating from CDP, which is based on its approach to climate change. This score is higher than both the Europe regional average and the manufacturing sector’s average (of grade C), placing SGD Pharma in the ‘Management’ band of companies taking coordinated action on climate issues.

Laurent Millet, group quality and CSR director at SGD Pharma said: “We are extremely pleased to have achieved the platinum award for CSR at SGD Pharma, supported through the implementation of our global CSR strategy. A positive EcoVadis rating is what customers expect and to achieve the platinum award is recognition of the investment made across the business, something we are rightly proud of and means we can service more clients in the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industry with our high standard services. As we look towards the future, we are committed to empowering our employees, promoting the best health and safety practices, protecting the environment, and maintaining exemplary ethical standards, for both our customers and our valued employees.”