Sustainable Development Goals series: Johnson & Johnson is committed to climate protection with specific projects

Human health and the health of the environment are fundamentally linked – healthy people need a healthy planet. As the world’s biggest healthcare company, Johnson & Johnson recognises its special social responsibility for comprehensive health care and promotion.

“Health for Humanity”

Johnson & Johnson’s Health for Humanity sustainability initiative aims to create social, environmental and economic value for the benefit of all stakeholders: patients, medical professionals, employees, in addition to customers, business partners and investors, as well as society as a whole.

Only electricity from renewable sources by 2025

Johnson & Johnson has long been committed to the health of the environment, and over the past two decades to climate protection as well. The company has committed to sourcing 100% of its electricity needs from renewable sources by 2025. Switzerland also benefits from this, as the current “VPPA” example shows.

Johnson & Johnson recently concluded three Virtual Power Purchase Agreements (VPPAs) in Europe. The VPPAs will provide the equivalent of 100% renewable electricity for the property sites of the three business units in which Johnson & Johnson holds operational responsibility: Pharmaceuticals, Medical Devices and Consumer Health. In Switzerland, properties in Allschwil, Bern, Neuenburg, Oberdorf, Schaffhausen, Selzach and Zuchwil will benefit from these agreements. Thanks to the VPPAs, more than 30 locations in eight European countries will receive 100% renewable electricity.

Wind and solar projects for Europe

The three VPPAs include wind and solar projects in Spain capable of generating up to 104 megawatts (MW) or approximately 270,000 megawatt-hours (MWh) of renewable electricity annually. This amount of clean energy is equivalent to the CO₂ (carbon dioxide) emissions of more than 41,000 cars per year or the annual electricity consumption of more than 82,000 households. The projects developed by Enel Green Power are scheduled to go live in 2023.

Without Johnson & Johnson’s commitment, these wind and solar plants would not have been financed and developed. So the company is making a direct contribution to accelerating the transition to renewable energies in Europe.

Goal: net zero emissions along the entire value chain

These new agreements represent a significant milestone in Johnson & Johnson’s long-standing commitment to climate protection.

The company has not only committed to sourcing 100% of its electricity needs from renewable sources by 2025. The health company also aims to achieve CO₂ neutrality in its global activities by 2030. The overarching goal is net zero emissions along the entire value chain. This strategy is also fostered by the global campaign “Race to Zero / Business Ambition for 1.5°C”, which is actively supported by Johnson & Johnson.