“Sustainable Development Goals”:Sustainability as part of all Novo Nordisk’s commercial activities

Novo Nordisk aspires to operate in an environmentally and socially responsible way. Consequently, the aim of Novo Nordisk’s “Circular for Zero” environmental strategy is to ensure that none of its commercial activities leave any environmental impact. The company is also committed to providing as many people with diabetes and other serious chronic diseases as possible with access to its medicines, even in economically underdeveloped countries. Finally, Novo Nordisk is dedicated to improving prevention in order to avoid any further increase in the levels of type 2 diabetes and obesity.

In 1994, Novo Nordisk was the first company in Denmark to publish an environmental report. This was followed five years later by the first report on social responsibility. For Novo Nordisk, sustainability is part of all its commercial activities. As part of everything it does, Novo Nordisk aspires to add value for the benefit of society and for its future business.

Zero environmental impact

Environmental challenges have never been more critical or more pressing than they are today. Vast amounts of water, energy and resources are used each year in the production of medicines. At the same time, hundreds of millions of vials and pre-filled injection pens are, for the most part, disposed of in household waste after use.

As a manufacturer of medicines and injection systems, Novo Nordisk wishes to assume responsibility for protecting the environment. Consequently, with its “Circular for Zero” environmental strategy, it has set itself the ultimate goal of no longer having any detrimental effect on the environment. In 2020, Novo Nordisk became the first pharmaceutical company to operate 100% of its worldwide production facilities using renewable energy. Novo Nordisk has committed to reaching net-zero emissions across the entire supply chain by 2045 at the latest. In the interim, the aim is to reduce CO2 emissions from commercial operations and transportation to zero by 2030.

Promoting access and affordability of medicines

Millions of people with diabetes and rare blood diseases have no access to the life-saving medicines they need. Novo Nordisk is committed to ensuring that as many people with diabetes, rare blood diseases and rare endocrine disorders as possible have access to its medicines, even in economically underdeveloped
countries. For example, the “Changing Diabetes® in Children” programme underway in 380 hospitals in more than 18 low-income and middle-income countries guarantees the supply of life-saving insulin for children with type 1 diabetes. The programme currently provides medical care, insulin and other medicines to more than 42,000 children worldwide. By 2030, the target is for 100,000 children to be in a position to benefit from this.

Preventing chronic diseases

Novo Nordisk was founded about 100 years ago to tackle and, at some point, even to be able to cure diabetes and other chronic diseases. Novo Nordisk has therefore set itself the goal of stopping their increase. In this respect, the current global focus is on two key factors: Diabetes in cities, as well as
overweight and obesity in children and adolescents.

• On the one hand, by the measures it is implementing and action it is taking
  in more than 40 cities worldwide, Novo Nordisk is highlighting the fact that
  type 2 diabetes is a significant health problem in cities. In Sydney,
  for example, there is a programme in place that focuses on supporting
  two populations at high risk of diabetes and obesity, namely the people in
  the western part of Sydney and the indigenous population.
• On the other hand, Novo Nordisk is working alongside UNICEF to prevent
  children from becoming overweight and developing obesity. This is all about
  looking at the subject from a different angle: Rather than being the
  responsibility of the individual, it is actually a combination of various
  environmental factors that fosters obesity. As breastfeeding plays a decisive
  role in preventing children from becoming overweight or developing obesity,
  Novo Nordisk Mexico and UNICEF Mexico, for example, advocated
  safeguarding and promoting breastfeeding in the workplace in 2021.
  

Consequently, in everything it does and will do in the future, Novo Nordisk intends to act in a socially and environmentally responsible manner, while giving back to society and protecting the environment.