PHARMACEUTICALS: In many markets, companies face increasing regulatory pressure, fierce competition, and intense scrutiny from investors and society
By Alessia Ielo
A common perception of sustainability frames it as an additional cost factor with poor returns.
However, the opposite may be true: companies that properly integrate sustainability create resilience, efficiency, and long-term value.
In sectors such as pharmaceuticals, nutrition, and beauty & care, sustainability has become strategically critical.
It’s no longer about cosmetics or marketing, but about carbon footprint, renewable content, and transparent supply chains.
It’s about organic ingredients, the amount of CO2e emissions a company generates, and where those emissions come from.
New generations of investors are actively seeking sustainable business models, recognizing their advantages in terms of efficiency and potential cost savings.
Take, for example, the implementation of catalysts
in the pharmaceutical industry: by accelerating reactions and reducing energy consumption, they reduce both production costs and CO2e emissions.
Sustainability initiatives actively boost competitiveness also in pharmaceuticals.
In its activities, Brenntag focuses on concrete measures. For Scope 1 and 2 emissions, this includes
the electrification of vehicle fleets, the installation of solar panels, and strengthening employee engagement—initiatives that reduce emissions and improve productivity.
However, the chemicals it distributes account for over 90% of total Scope 3 emissions, primarily from purchased raw materials.
Collaboration with suppliers and customers is therefore essential.
Brenntag’s approach follows a simple principle: you can influence what you can measure.
To this end, the company has developed methodologies
compliant with ISO 14067:2018 for calculating product carbon footprints (PCFs), certified by TÜV Rheinland. It has also created the CO2Xplorer suite:
CO2Xplorer core compares the emissions of over 2,100 products.
CO2Xplorer on-demand allows customers to calculate the cradle-to-gate impact of over 1,500 chemicals.
This is just the beginning. To make real progress, manufacturers must share accurate product-level data.
In this case, cooperation is key.
With customer portfolios available, Brenntag will be able to compare and select products, identify low-carbon or circular alternatives, and engage suppliers for specific PCFs.
This exchange benefits everyone: manufacturers gain visibility, customers have access to low-impact options, and Brenntag enables informed choices.
Circularity could be a key lever.
For example, alcohol used in disinfectants or glycol-rich residues could be recycled.
Thanks to distillation plants in Spain and Belgium, we are able to recover, purify, and reintroduce these materials to the market, reducing emissions and costs while promoting resource efficiency.
The pharmaceutical sector has its own regulatory hurdles. Replacing ingredients is certainly complex, but Brenntag provides expertise and regulatory support to make transitions transparent and therefore potentially feasible.
The company is also promoting digitalization: the DD&T department is exploring artificial intelligence to support the management of CO₂ emissions and improve the accessibility of knowledge, helping to transform complex sustainability data and concepts into actionable insights.
Sustainability is a collective effort.
Brenntag is considered a facilitator of sustainable change: it purchases the best-performing products, builds partnerships along the entire value chain, and creates a tangible impact for customers, suppliers, and society.
There’s still much to do, but this is where true transformation begins.
www.brenntag.com
pharma.emea@brenntag.com
Invia commenti
Riquadri laterali
Cronologia
Salvate