Environmental footprint
Novo Nordisk has been focusing on its use of resources, emissions, waste and legal compliance since 1975. Even though environmental reporting, target-setting and improvement measures have for years been an integral way of how we do business, we are still able to reduce our environmental footprint. Going forward, more emphasis will be placed on pollution prevention through sustainable design of processes and products.
In the case of Novo Nordisk, the environmental impact of products is highest in the production phase, and the production of pharmaceuticals is resource-intensive, particularly in terms of water and energy.
The company's influence on the environmental impact of its activities decreases through the products' life cycle. Once the processes and products have been designed and validated, the interventions that can be carried out are minimal. It is therefore vital that environmental considerations are integrated into the development and design of new manufacturing processes and products.
Novo Nordisk Product Supply is well underway with implementing cLEAN® – an adapted LEAN manufacturing programme that aims at optimising process flow and increasing productivity. In other words, cLEAN® leads to better utilisation of production facilities, water, energy and raw materials, thereby reducing the environmental impacts per produced unit and making it possible to postpone expansion of production facilities. However, there is a limit to how much optimisation can achieve. This is why design of processes and products becomes fundamentally important.
Pollution prevention
Management of pollution through development, implementation and certification of management systems has become common practice in environmental management. In recent years, the debate has shifted from pollution management to pollution prevention. Greater emphasis is placed on preventing pollution through better design of the product, choice of sound raw materials and design of processes. While eco-efficiency can deliver incremental improvements in use of resources and environmental impact, major improvements in resource efficiency can only be achieved through sustainable design of our processes and products. Focusing on resource use reduces the risk of resource depletion at one end and pollution at the other end. This results in lower costs for both business and society.
Environmentally sound products and processes
A focus groups (EnviroProcess) work to promote the integration of environmental issues into the design of drug-manufacturing processes and also the development and design of new devices. The EnviroProcess group has been established with the aim of developing an environmental assessment toolbox for all drug manufacturing-related R&D projects. Development and implementation of the toolbox has started in 2006 and will continue in 2008. The main areas addressed in the toolbox are energy, water, chemicals and waste.
Environmental data
The environmental data comprise inputs and outputs such as consumption of water, energy and raw materials, spent biomass, emissions and waste. In addition, information is provided on environmental impact potentials.
Since 1994 the validity of these data has been assured by independent assurance providers in accordance with the Novo Nordisk Way of Management. Read more about the assurance process.
Novo Nordisk’s environmental footprint
Compliance data
In 2007 Novo Nordisk curved the curb for the number of breaches of regulatory limit values, as the number of breaches were 22 compared to 123 in 2006. The number of accidental releases also decreased from 135 in 2006 to 105 in 2007. The number of complaints over nuisances from Novo Nordisk’s activities has increased from three in 2006 to six in 2007. For more information please see the article ‘Environmental management’.
Input
Input includes consumption of raw materials and packaging, water and energy for Novo Nordisk’s production sites worldwide.
Raw materials and packaging
The total volume of raw materials and packaging increased from 142,000 tons in 2006 to 152,000 tons in 2007, an increase of 7%. Consumption of raw materials increased by 7% from 132,000 tons to 42,000 and consumption of packaging materials increased by 5% from 9,700 tons to 10,200 tons. The development in raw material consumption is significantly less than the development in production, while the development for packaging reflects the increased production volume.
Water
Water consumption increased from 2,995,000 m3 in 2006 to 3,231,000 m3 in 2006, an increase of 8%.
Energy
Energy consumption increased from 2,712,000 GJ in 2006 to 2,784,000, an increase of 3%.
Novo Nordisk's emission profile
The figures below show Novo Nordisk's energy consumption profile in 2007. 70% of the energy used by Novo Nordisk is supplied by external energy producers.
Output
Output includes emissions to air, waste water and waste from Novo Nordisk’s production sites worldwide. In addition, a section on distribution is included.
Emissions to air
Emissions to air of organic solvents decreased from 102 tons in 2006 to 81 tons in 2007, a decrease of 21%, which is primarily due to the closure of an insulin purification factory in Denmark (Bagsværd). The organic solvents consist of ethanol (79%), isopropanol (10%) and acetone (11%).
Of energy-related emissions, CO2 increased from 229,000 tons in 2006 to 236,000 tons in 2007, corresponding to a 3% increase. SO2 decreased by 1% from 302 to 299 tons and NOx decreased 5% from 393 to 372 tons.
As of 2005 Novo Nordisk has applied a new method for calculating energy-related emissions. Under the new method, energy-related emissions are calculated by multiplying the consumption of fuel and/or external energy in the actual year with corresponding average emission factors for the preceding three years. The average emission factors for calculation of 2007 emissions are based on the period 2004–2006. This method is in compliance with the GHG Protocol and approved by WWF as a basis for Novo Nordisk's participation in the Climate Savers programme. In 2007 Novo Nordisk has restated the data due to changed emission factors in Denmark.
For more data on emissions to air and environmental impacts, please see the interactive charts.
Wastewater
The total amount of wastewater increased from 2,584,000 m3 in 2006 to 2,764,000 m3 in 2007, an increase of 7%. In the same period, the discharged amount of COD decreased from 1,000 tons to 813 tons, corresponding to a 19% decrease. For nitrogen (N) the amount was the same in 2007 as in 2006, 107 tons. For phosphorus (P), the discharged amount was reduced from 19 tons to 14 tons, corresponding to a decrease of 26%. The significant reductions in COD, N and P are partly due to the improved efficiency of Novozymes' waste water treatment plant in Kalundborg and the closure of the insulin purification factory in Bagsværd.
Waste
In 2007, there was a decrease in the total waste amount of 27% compared to 2006. This was due to a decrease in hazardous waste of 56%, counterbalanced by an increase in non-hazardous waste of 10%. The recycling percentage increased to 38% from 35% in 2006. The 10% increase in non-hazardous waste can be explained by smaller increases in different non-hazardous waste fractions. There were increases in the waste fractions construction and demolition, electric and electronic equipment, food, glass, waste for landfill and wood at several sites. The non-hazardous waste sent for special treatment is wastewater containing certain chemicals that is treated at a hazardous waste treatment facility for precautionary reasons. The 56% decrease in hazardous waste was mainly due to a significant decrease in the amount of contaminated soil and ethanol waste from site Kalundborg. Together these two waste fractions decreased by 68% from 2006.
This page has been reviewed by PricewaterhouseCoopers as part of its assurance of Novo Nordisk’s non-financial reporting. Please refer to Audit and assurance for a full description of the conclusions and the nature of assurance offered.
