Suppliers for Zero is Novo Nordisk's environmental sustainability programme that guides how we collaborate with our suppliers and contract manufacturing organisations (CMOs) to reach our environmental targets - reaching net zero emissions and becoming nature positive across our entire value chain by 2045. Since more than 95% of our environmental impact lies outside our own operations, we know that real progress towards these goals depends on what happens in our supply chain.

Suppliers for Zero is part of our long-term environmental strategy and will become increasingly embedded in how we work with our suppliers and CMOs to reduce environmental impacts in our supply chain. The programme provides an overview of our environmental priorities towards our suppliers and CMOs.

Progress on our environmental priorities is expected from all Novo Nordisk suppliers and CMOs. Recognising the diversity of solutions across our supply chain, Suppliers for Zero does not impose one-size-fits-all requirements. Instead, it enables collaboration with suppliers and CMOs who share our mindset and are ready to act in line with our elevated priorities within both Climate, Plastic and Nature.

Suppliers for Zero focuses on three strategic areas: Climate (e.g. GHG emissions, energy and resource use), Nature (e.g. land use, water), and Plastic (e.g. material circularity, packaging). These areas reflect where we see the greatest potential for impact, in line with our Circular for Zero strategy and near-term environmental targets for 2033.

Download our Environmental Guide For Suppliers and CMOs for more information

Novo Nordisk has already worked with suppliers and CMOs on reducing environmental impacts in our supply chain for years. As an example, we have demonstrated great progress on transitioning our suppliers and CMOs to renewable electricity.

However, to execute on our near-term targets for scope 3 emissions, plastic footprint, and nature impacts, we have established Suppliers for Zero to take supplier engagement to the next level, expanding to new focus areas and even more levers.

All Novo Nordisk suppliers and CMOs are expected to comply with our Responsible Sourcing Standard and source renewable electricity for goods and services delivered to Novo Nordisk. Due to the diversity of solutions across our supply chain, additional initiatives expected of suppliers and CMOs will be defined by Novo Nordisk in engagements.

Suppliers and CMOs are expected to contribute to the programme by implementing environmental initiatives outlined in the Environmental Guide for Suppliers and CMOs and further specified in engagements with Novo Nordisk.

We acknowledge that fulfilling our expectations will be a journey – some suppliers and CMOs have made significant progress, while others are just beginning. However, to meet our commitments by 2033, we expect all suppliers and CMOs to advance on the priorities we outline. To support you on this journey, Novo Nordisk actively participates in partnerships promoting industry standardisation and offering free training for suppliers and CMOs.

Key supplier programmes sponsored by Novo Nordisk:

• Energize – Renewable Energy for Pharmaceutical Suppliers
• PSCI – Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Initiative
• SMI – Sustainable Markets Initiative

For further guidance on what we expect from you as a supplier and CMO to support our environmental targets, reach out to your local procurement or category manager contact in Novo Nordisk.

We expect proactive action from suppliers and CMOs on Novo Nordisk’s environmental priorities. Suppliers and CMOs are not obligated to inform Novo Nordisk about initiatives. However, we encourage you to inform us about your initiatives as part of ongoing dialogues with local procurement or category managers.

The priorities outlined in our Environmental Guide For Suppliers and CMOs represent the most impactful initiatives to reach Novo Nordisk’s environmental targets. We expect suppliers and CMOs to prioritise implementation of the initiatives we request from you. Supplier action additional to these - and the associated relevance and impact for Novo Nordisk - must be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

To meet our environmental targets, we expect progress on our environmental priorities from all suppliers and CMOs. We acknowledge that fulfilling our expectations will be a journey and that suppliers and CMOs are at various maturity levels.

Our environmental priorities are expected to evolve as environmental solutions mature, and if we identify new solutions with significant impact potential. Any updates will be communicated through Suppliers for Zero and Novo Nordisk procurement contacts.