Jeffrey Whitford, VP of Sustainability & Social Business Innovation for MilliporeSigma, the U.S. and Canada Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
If you work in a laboratory, you are most likely familiar with how these spaces can often utilize significant amounts of energy, water, chemicals and other materials. This resource-intensive environment can generate sizeable amounts of waste, resulting in a considerable carbon footprint. In fact, the figures regarding the healthcare and life science sectors may surprise you. The pharmaceutical industry emits 55% more greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions than the manufacturing of automobiles, while life science labs use up to nine times more energy and four times more water than the average office building. As such, a commitment to sustainability in this space needs to go beyond installing energy-efficient products and appliances or using LED light bulbs and automatic taps.
The good news is: Sustainability will not only benefit the environment, but can bring a significant return on investment and offer businesses a competitive advantage. Customers are increasingly seeking alternatives that help them achieve their sustainability goals while simultaneously allowing them to deliver lifesaving treatments and therapies without sacrificing efficacy or quality. The right sustainability strategy can help any business become a “Sustainability Multiplier” by partnering with its customers and collaborators to achieve their own sustainability goals. Here is how.
Read more on Labcompare