Our purpose - to enable a healthier world - shapes the products and services that we deliver to our customers and their patients, and our approach to sustainability. Across our global network, we create value by enhancing social engagement, strengthening our governance, and reducing our environmental footprint.
We grouped our sustainability initiatives around material themes and selected key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs comprise the global blueprint of the United Nations (UN) to achieve a better and sustainable future for humanity. While the UN has identified 17 SDGs to address global challenges, we have selected seven of the UN SDGs that are most relevant to our business.
This section of our Annual Report provides a short overview of our progress and key achievements relating to the seven SDGs in 2023. It is supported by the 2023 Sustainability Report, which offers more information and insight into our sustainability commitments and our performance indicators. The Sustainability Report follows the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards, to ensure thorough and transparent reporting on all our sustainability ambitions and commitments.
Our Ambitions, progress and achievements
SDG
Ambition
Progress and achievements
Good Health and Well-being To support our customers and their patients to deliver their treatments. To provide safe workplaces, caring for well-being and the health of the planet.
Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) rating (EcoVadis) increased by three points, improving our Silver Medal status
Enhanced monitoring and reporting on ethics and compliance and climate change risk assessment
Conducted the Lonza Promoter Score (LPS) survey for the fourth consecutive year to measure customer engagement, receiving more than 1,500 responses
Quality Education To establish an internal learning system to support employee engagement and professional development.
Newly developed global training hub for employees and managers
Improved visibility of quality education activities
Establishment of a Lonza Learning Network to develop and execute a global learning strategy
Gender Equality To attract and retain female candidates and employees, increasing the percentage of women in management roles to 35% by 2035.
Formation of women’s leadership group to explore the challenges and opportunities specific to women in the workplace
Review of local family leave and part-time working practices, supported by global principles
Clean Water and Sanitation To reduce water consumption intensity by 50% by 2030 and continuously assess water risks in our network.
Many industrial water reduction projects are under way, delivering over 500,000 m3 in water savings
Regular water assessment by sites to analyze water consumption, discharge quantity and quality, and identify improvement opportunities
A learning platform to share water saving best practices among site representatives across our network
Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure To construct and invest in sustainable facilities designed for a low carbon and resource efficient future.
“Sustainability by design” standards implemented to reduce energy consumption for key utilities (e.g. heating, ventilation, air conditioning and water quality systems)
Design standards applied at the start of all large investment projects
Responsible Consumption and Production To engage our supply chain through responsible sourcing, improving its sustainability performance.
Established a comprehensive program to evaluate and engage suppliers, focusing on compliance and sustainability, including supplier decarbonization
Responsible Supplier Toolkit developed and published online to generate engagement
Established a Responsible Sourcing Ambassador Network in Procurement
Climate Action To decrease the greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint over the next decade and achieve net-zero GHG emissions by 2050.
Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) commitment signed and targets submitted
Virtual Power Purchase Agreement (VPPA) signed for new solar power generation in Spain equal to Lonza’s electricity demands across the EU and Switzerland
Signed a three-year multi-party renewable power agreement in China, which will help us decarbonize our electricity consumption in the region
Personal Perspective
Andreas Bohrer
Group General Counsel
Sustainability is a key aspect of value creation, alongside quality and efficiency. It is integrated into our business strategy, and supported by clear delivery targets in our remuneration policies.
