The Blueprint for Change Programme
Stakeholders today expect business to demonstrate genuine initiative, innovation and leadership in addressing some of the world's most pressing sustainability challenges - such as climate change, poverty, poor health and malnutrition. A growing number of business leaders recognise the importance of embedding sustainability-driven practices in their operations if they are to thrive, attract the best employees, build a strong customer base and enhance their licence to operate.
However, while new business models that aim to deliver sustainable solutions are emerging, the challenge remains how to most effectively articulate and quantify the sustainable value created through such initiatives.
Without a clear appraisal and communication of the strategies and associated value derived from sustainability-driven business practices, many businesses may struggle to command the full support and backing of key stakeholders, including the financial community, thought leaders, policy-makers, customers, academia and employees.
The strategic objective of Novo Nordisk's 'Blueprints for Change' Programme is to articulate and communicate the sustainable value created through Novo Nordisk's Triple Bottom Line business approach in order to build stakeholder understanding and support. At the same time, we also want to reach out to engage with stakeholders to gauge external perspectives and expertise that can inspire and enable innovation and increased beneficial impacts.
What informs the programme's strategy is the recognition that sustainability leadership is increasingly characterised by a company's willingness to go far beyond the traditional challenges of incremental improvement, compliance and accountability. Increasingly, today's corporate sustainability leaders are determined to deliver innovative solutions and partnerships that have potential to transform markets and societies in ways that are ethically robust and transparent and offer long-term competitive advantage.
The programme will produce a series of shared value cases providing insights into our best practices for building sustainable solutions with a net positive impact, creating shared value to business and society. The cases will also discuss new proposals and invite stakeholders to give input to our future challenges.
The themes are selected in discussion with stakeholders and have so far included cases on our climate action strategy, our market entry strategy for China and our shared value created in the United States. Currently, there are ten topics planned to be addressed in the coming three years.
Blueprint for Change: Climate change
Novo Nordisk is a global healthcare company reliant on energy intensive production. Taking early and voluntary steps to reduce our carbon footprint is long-term risk mitigation as well as an act of corporate responsibility. Combining the two is sound business. In 2009, Novo Nordisk achieved the CO2 reduction target of our 1st generation climate strategy five years ahead of schedule.
 | The Blueprint for Change: Climate change (PDF) shares our learnings and assesses the value generated to business and society. |
Blueprint for Change: Changing diabetes in China
Strengthening the healthcare system and establishing local stakeholder relations are key elements of Novo Nordisk's long term business strategy for China.
 | The Blueprint for Change: Changing diabetes in China (PDF) assesses the business and societal value of three aspects of this market entry strategy: physician training, patient education and local production. The case demonstrates that our focus on building the market for the long-term has created significant value for Novo Nordisk as well as the Chinese society by reducing the personal and economic burden of diabetes. Download the Chinese version (PDF) |
Blueprint for Change: Creating shared value in the United States
This case analyses how aligning the needs of patients and stakeholders with our strategy has contributed to our business success in the United States. Delivering on quality of care, early diagnosis and disease awareness and prevention has helped opening doors for those we serve. By mobilising stakeholders and employees in joint efforts to change diabetes for those millions of Americans affected or at risk, we make a key contribution to public health and at the same time strengthens our business. It has reduced health care costs and has given us a competitive edge in terms of strong relations with key opinion leaders. Last but not least the approach has resulted in a highly engaged workforce in the US and a recognition as a great place to work.
 | The Blueprint for Change: Creating shared value in the United States (PDF) assesses the societal value our socially responsible initiatives have created in the United States. |
For further information, please contact Ole Kjerkegaard Nielsen, okn@novonordisk.com
More on shared value creation:
Read Professor Michael E. Porter's white paper and executive summary on shared value that includes Novo Nordisk’s entry into the Chinese marketplace as an industry case study
Read the article about shared value from Harvard Business Review here
