The United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda is a global plan to sustainably promote peace and prosperity and to protect our planet. Since 2016, countries and organizations have been working to implement this agenda with its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Our aim is for our business activities to create shared value that is both measurable and makes a recognizable contribution to society. We rely on the power of science and technology to make a positive impact.
The SDG tool was not part of the limited assurance engagement conducted by an independent auditor for our 2023 Sustainability Report.
Our contribution in detail
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Focus SDG
SDG target 3.3 By 2030, end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria... SDG target 3.3 By 2030, end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and neglected tropical diseases and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases and other communicable diseases. SDG target 3.4 By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality... SDG target 3.4 By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being. SDG target 3.7 By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive healthcare... SDG target 3.7 By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive healthcare services, including for family planning, information and education and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programs. SDG target 3.8 Achieve universal health coverage... SDG target 3.8 Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential healthcare services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all. SDG target 3.9 By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths... SDG target 3.9 By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination. SDG target 3.b Support the research and development of vaccines... SDG target 3.b Support the research and development of vaccines and medicines for the communicable and non-communicable diseases that primarily affect developing countries, provide access to affordable essential medicines and vaccines, in accordance with the Doha Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health, which affirms the right of developing countries to use to the full the provisions in the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights regarding flexibilities to protect public health, and, in particular, provide access to medicines for all. SDG target 3.c Substantially increase health financing... SDG target 3.c Substantially increase health financing and the recruitment, development, training and retention of the health workforce in developing countries, especially in least developed countries and small island developing states. -
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How we contribute
More than 90 million people per year to receive praziquantel treatments by 2030.
One of our priority areas is the control and elimination of schistosomiasis as a public health problem through treatment provisions and scientific and technological innovation. Our strategy is to develop and provide medicines, improve diagnosis, counter disease transmission, increase disease control, expand access to healthcare, and strengthen local health systems. Furthermore, we are investing in the fight against malaria.
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As a science-driven organization, we apply our knowledge and curiosity to prevent and control non-communicable diseases such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, and hypertension. We take a partnership approach to improving access to health in low- and middle-income countries.
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To date, over five million babies have been born with the support of our products.
We are the world market leader in fertility treatments. Fertility treatment has the potential to help people realize their dreams of parenthood. Our company is committed to supporting aspiring parents and Assisted Reproductive Technology clinics through focused innovation. For over 100 years, we have been pioneers in the field of fertility treatment. We innovate to help people realize their dreams of parenthood. We aim to helping overcome the barriers to treatment, as well as improving the fertility treatment journey and experience.
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With our support, more than 1,000 GPHF Minilabs help to identify counterfeit medicines worldwide.
Our Global Health Strategy is designed to overcome access barriers for underserved populations and communities in low- and middle-income countries in an economically viable and sustainable manner. We secure our products against counterfeiting and are resolutely committed to fighting product-related crime.
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90 of our sites worldwide are currently covered by the ISO 14001 certificate.
The safety of our plants, processes and transport is a key element of our environmental protection practices, allowing us to protect our workforce and the people in the immediate vicinity of our sites. Since 2009, our company has held an ISO 14001 Group certificate that requires all production sites with more than 50 employees to implement an environmental management system with predefined indicators for factors such as greenhouse gas emissions and water consumption.
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We are dedicated to accelerating innovation and advancing science for the most neglected populations. That is why we support a sustainable approach to intellectual property that enables access to health and intends to reduce financial hurdles. We are committed to refraining from enforcing patents in a majority of low- and middle-income countries.
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We set up microscopy stations in Ghana, Burkina Faso and Botswana and provided training sessions to improve local health workers’ ability to detect malaria and other diseases that can be diagnosed via blood samples.
We engage in building capacity and expertise across the value chain, with the intent of strengthening health systems and making them more resilient to health crises. We support a number of initiatives that focus on training medical staff to detect and treat a variety of diseases.
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SDG target 4.1 By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free... SDG target 4.1 By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes. SDG target 4.3 By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men... SDG target 4.3 By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university. SDG target 4.4 By 2030, substantially increase the number of youths... SDG target 4.4 By 2030, substantially increase the number of youths and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship. -
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How we contribute
Education is a core element of our engagement in society. We finance numerous projects aimed at developing and promoting the next generation of scientists.
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53% of our graduate hires in 2023 were women.
We strongly support equal opportunities for all genders. In addition to recruiting talented students, we provide financial assistance through scholarships, cooperate with universities, student initiatives, and associations, and offer global trainee programs with participants from diverse backgrounds. Additionally, we continually invest in new technologies and integrate them into our vocational training programs.
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We support our employees’ personal and professional development in line with their strengths, ambitions and competencies. Our employees can use our learning management system to register for seminars and e-learning courses as part of their individual development plans. Additionally, we encourage our employees and leaders to take courses via the LinkedIn Learning platform. In 2023, about 6 million training courses were completed.
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Focus SDG
SDG target 5.1 End all forms of discrimination... SDG target 5.1 End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere. SDG target 5.4 Recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work... SDG target 5.4 Recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work through the provision of public services, infrastructure and social protection policies and the promotion of shared responsibility within the household and the family as nationally appropriate. SDG target 5.5 Ensure women’s full and effective participation... SDG target 5.5 Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life. -
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We are committed to providing a workplace in which all individuals are treated with respect and dignity. We do not tolerate any conduct that creates, encourages or permits an offensive, humiliating or intimidating work environment. We are signatory of various declarations underlining our commitment to equality, fairness, inclusion, and tolerance in the workplace and in 2023 we participated the UN Target Gender Equality Programme.
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We are determined to better understand and support the emotional, financial and health implications of being an unpaid caregiver. We focus on raising awareness in the media, broadening stakeholder engagement, shaping policy, and engaging healthcare systems.
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Around 1,600 women held leadership roles in our company in 2022. This represents 44% of our leadership team.
We are aiming for gender parity in leadership positions by 2030. We are building on the progress we have made: In 2023, we increased the share of women in leadership roles to 39% (2022: 38%) while maintaining a 44% proportion of women in the global workforce. We support awareness campaigns for female empowerment and how unconscious bias influences us in our daily working life.
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SDG target 6.2 By 2030, achieve access to adequate and equitable... SDG target 6.2 By 2030, achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations. SDG target 6.3 By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution... SDG target 6.3 By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally. SDG target 6.4 By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency... SDG target 6.4 By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity. -
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We support initiatives aiming to increase access to clean water, hygiene and sanitation within communities and health centers to prevent the transmission of diseases, with a focus on schistosomiasis.
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We want to minimize any negative influence we have on the water situation in the vicinity of our sites. Special requirements as regards water management are placed upon our locations in areas where water is scarce. By 2030 we want to ensure that residues of environmentally relevant trace substances in the wastewater generated by all production sites will be below the “no-effect” threshold.
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We are constantly working to optimize our production and cleaning processes to save water and minimize residues. By 2030, we strive to achieve a 50% reduction in our sales-normalized water intake compared to the levels in 2020.
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SDG target 7.2 By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy... SDG target 7.2 By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix. SDG target 7.3 By 2030, double the global rate of improvement... SDG target 7.3 By 2030, double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency. -
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We will step up the purchase of electricity from renewable sources. By 2030, we are aiming to cover 80% of the electricity we purchase from renewable sources.
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We implement a variety of energy efficiency measures such as energy-saving lighting concepts and optimized cooling processes to decrease our energy footprint. Our products significantly help our customers make products that may use less energy on the end user side, thus reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
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Focus SDG
SDG target 8.2 Achieve higher levels of economic productivity... SDG target 8.2 Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation, including through a focus on high value-added and labor-intensive sectors. SDG target 8.4 Improve progressively, through 2030, global resource efficiency... SDG target 8.4 Improve progressively, through 2030, global resource efficiency in consumption and production and endeavor to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation, in accordance with the 10-year framework of programs on sustainable consumption and production, with developed countries taking the lead. SDG target 8.5 By 2030, achieve full and productive employment... SDG target 8.5 By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value. SDG target 8.6 By 2030, substantially reduce the proportion of youth... SDG target 8.6 By 2030, substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training. SDG target 8.7 Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labor... SDG target 8.7 Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labor, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labor, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child labor in all its forms. SDG target 8.8 Protect labor rights and foster safe working... SDG target 8.8 Protect labor rights and foster safe working conditions for all employees, including migrant workers, and especially female migrant workers, as well as people in precarious working relationships. -
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How we contribute
We will invest € 120 million Euro yearly over the next four years into our M Venture corporate venture capital fund to support innovative companies in developing breakthrough ideas. Our total R&D spending amounts to € 2.5 billion.
We translate science and technology into innovation, which we drive from within and through external collaborations with the goal of contributing to human progress. We are constantly on the lookout for groundbreaking technological developments and trends. We facilitate digital innovation across our businesses and beyond our company’s current scope. In 2023, we continued our work in the Sustainability Hub joint research platform with the Technical University (TU) of Darmstadt.
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Around 2,500 of our Life Science products are greener alternatives to conventional solutions.
In all our business sectors we aim to reduce any adverse impact our products may have on health and the environment. In our Life Science business sector, we seek to make our products more sustainable, efficient and user-friendly. In our Healthcare business sector, we are developing an overarching strategy to make our medicines, our medical devices and their packaging more ecologically sustainable and user-friendly. In our Electronics business sector, we have enriched our product development process with the principle that it should avoid highly hazardous materials wherever possible. We prioritize new green and innovative materials that deliver sustainable value to our customers.
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In our internal DE&I employee groups and networks there are over 28,000 members. These members have created a strong base that fosters a sense of belonging for community members and their allies.
The uniqueness of our people brings science, curiosity and our high-impact culture to life. We continue to create a truly inclusive culture and we nurture an environment where there is a strong sense of belonging for all so that we can drive the best outcomes. With over 60 internal DE&I employee groups and networks, we build awareness of matters impacting our diverse workforce through programs and open dialogue.
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95% of our apprentices and graduates of dual education programs are subsequently hired.
We offer apprenticeships across 30 job roles in Germany, primarily in production, laboratory work and office administration and we enable young adults to pursue a dual education program. We provide permanent employment contracts to all graduates in occupations for which we have long-term demand. University graduates can apply for a position in our company directly or complete one of our trainee programs. Additionally, we offer internships, organize events to give students an insight into our company and take part in job fairs in Germany and abroad.
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We do not tolerate any business activities or relationships that lead to violations of human rights. We check annually whether there are human rights risks in our own business area and along the supply chain, using a risk-based approach in accordance with the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act. We expect our suppliers to share our ethical, social and compliance standards and apply these within their own supply chains.
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1.3 Lost Time Injury Rate (LTIR) = Workplace accidents with days missed per one million hours worked.
Group-wide, we record workplace accidents with days missed per one million hours worked. In 2021, we set a new workplace accident reduction target, specifically to bring our LTIR below 1.0 by 2025. We are committed to upholding the international social and labor standards of the International Labour Organization.
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Focus SDG
SDG target 9.4 By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries... SDG target 9.4 By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes, with all countries taking action in accordance with their respective capabilities. SDG target 9.5 Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities... SDG target 9.5 Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors in all countries, in particular developing countries, including, by 2030, encouraging innovation and substantially increasing the number of research and development workers per 1 million people and public and private research and development spending. -
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We aim to achieve climate neutrality by 2040.
Our production processes use considerable amounts of energy, water and materials. However, we realize that natural resources are precious and we want to use increasingly scarce resources as efficiently as possible. We comply with strict environmental protection requirements at all our production sites and are constantly adapting to new regulations.
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How we contribute
11% of the share of our net sales invested in R&D in 2023.
Science is at the heart of everything we do. We conduct research and development (R&D) worldwide in order to develop new products and services designed to improve the quality of life of patients and satisfy the needs of our customers. Further optimizing the relevance and efficiency of our research and development activities is one of our top priorities. By providing financial support for research conducted outside our company and granting awards, we are also stimulating scientific progress of researchers worldwide.
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Focus SDG
SDG target 12.1 Implement the 10-year framework of programs... SDG target 12.1 Implement the 10-year framework of programs on sustainable consumption and production, all countries taking action, with developed countries taking the lead, taking into account the development and capabilities of developing countries. SDG target 12.2 By 2030, achieve the sustainable management... SDG target 12.2 By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources. SDG target 12.5 By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation... SDG target 12.5 By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling, and reuse. SDG target 12.6 Encourage companies, especially large and transnational... SDG target 12.6 Encourage companies, especially large and transnational companies, to adopt sustainable practices and to integrate sustainability information into their reporting cycle. -
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How we contribute
We have made sustainability an essential component of the Group’s strategy and aim to ensure that all our businesses create value for society without generating subsequent costs for society. We are working towards strategic sustainability targets.
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How we contribute
We aim to reduce our Water Intensity Score by 2025 by 10% (baseline: 2020)
By 2030, we strive to achieve a 50% reduction in our sales-normalized water intake compared to the levels in 2020. Our production processes require significant amounts of energy, water, and materials. However, we are aware that natural resources are precious, and we aim to use diminishing raw materials as efficiently as possible.
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By 2030, we aim to achieve a 70% circularity rate throughout the entire Group (2023: 68%). We generally try to prevent or reduce the generation of waste, for instance, by developing new production processes or optimizing existing ones. In addition, we are striving to use waste disposal pathways that are more environmentally sustainable, such as recycling whenever possible. We support the circular economy approach.
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We have a long-standing history of embracing corporate responsibility, which is also reflected in our reporting practices. We have been detailing our efforts to live up to our corporate responsibility since 1993, focusing initially on environmental topics. In 2003, we began reporting on sustainability topics every two years. Since 2016, we have been publishing a report annually.
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Focus SDG
SDG target 13.2 Integrate climate change measures... SDG target 13.2 Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning. -
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By 2030, we want to reduce our Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 50% compared with 2020. Additionally, we aim to reduce emissions across the entire value chain by 52% (in relation to gross profit) by 2030. By 2040, we want to achieve climate neutrality. Our company has also decided to join the Science Based Targets initiative, committing itself to helping achieve the Paris Agreement goals.
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Focus SDG
SDG target 17.6 Enhance North-South, South-South and triangular regional... SDG target 17.6 Enhance North-South, South-South and triangular regional and international cooperation on and access to science, technology and innovation and enhance knowledge-sharing on mutually agreed terms, including through improved coordination among existing mechanisms, in particular at the United Nations level, and through a global technology facilitation mechanism. SDG target 17.9 Enhance international support for implementing... SDG target 17.9 Enhance international support for implementing effective and targeted capacity-building in developing countries to support national plans to implement all the Sustainable Development Goals, including through North-South, South-South and triangular cooperation. SDG target 17.17 Encourage and promote effective public, public-private... SDG target 17.17 Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships. -
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How we contribute
250 compounds from our proprietary chemical library are shared for use in research on infectious diseases. Since its launch in 2020, the library has been accessed 24 times for research on 17 indications.
We support a reliable and transparent framework of intellectual property that allows sustainable investment in research and development for innovations to address global health challenges. Our Open Global Health Library publicly shares compounds from our proprietary chemical library that may be used for infectious diseases research.
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We continued around 15 collaborative initiatives in 2023 to enhance health capacity in and for low- and middle-income countries.
We aim to sustainably strengthen disease prevention as well as resilience of health systems in such countries. Our efforts entail employing science and technology innovation, increasing country preparedness, partnering to enhance disease awareness, and enabling access to medicines for patients in need. We also aim to optimize the monitoring and evaluation of health initiatives at country level through data processing and digitalization.
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We are actively involved in collaborations and dialogues with more than 100 stakeholders to advance health in and for low- and middle-income countries.
We partner with a wide range of stakeholders, including international organizations like WHO, governments, NGOs, academic institutions, the private sector, and local communities to address global health challenges for the benefit of society and our company.
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