We initiated a refreshed materiality assessment process, based on double materiality principles, to identify sustainability topics that have a significant impact on people, the environment and Roche's long-term business success. This ongoing assessment builds on our previous materiality assessments.
The first phase of the assessment focused on a stakeholder engagement exercise. We collected quantitative data from 307 internal and 298 external stakeholders on priority sustainability topics. Internal stakeholders comprised a randomly selected group of Roche employees, and external stakeholders consisted of various groups including patients, caregivers, healthcare practitioners, government and policymakers. Based on the quantitative inputs and best practice sustainability frameworks, we created a topic map.
Following the mapping exercise, additional quantitative and qualitative data were collected from 30 internal and 30 external stakeholders. The internal stakeholders were subject matter experts within the organisation, and the external stakeholders comprised various groups including academia, industry bodies and associations, investors, patient organisations and suppliers. From this, we derived our 19 priority sustainability topics.
The process and initial results of our materiality analysis were shared with the Roche Corporate Executive Committee and will be further shared for endorsement as we progress.
How we minimise our impact on the planet
Our position
We know that climate change is one of the largest global challenges and we must address it with a matter of urgency. For more than 20 years, our teams have been implementing programmes to help us reduce our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to zero by 2050.
A significant part of our GHG emissions originate from the transformation and use of energy. Minimising our negative impact involves actively contributing to a sustainable energy future. This includes reducing energy consumption, increasing efficiency, implementing innovative technologies and increasing the use of sustainable energy.
We have set
For example:
Achieve absolute zero Scope 1 & 2 GHG emissions by 2050
Reach 100% sustainable electricity by 2025
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Our position
We minimise air emissions through a variety of technologies and practices. Our priorities are to avoid pollutants, reduce quantities of pollutants and control remaining pollutant emissions in line with our eco-balance goals. Our overall objective is to keep emissions to the low levels we have achieved in recent years.
We have set
For example:
Phase-out Halogenated Hydrocarbons for refrigeration by 2030
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Our position
We prioritise actions to improve water management and to seek solutions for more equitable and sustainable water governance.
We emphasise water conservation and efficiency measures across all of our operations and aim to optimise water usage at all levels.
We have established targets for reducing our water consumption, focusing actions in locations with high water stress and water risks.
For example:
Reduce water consumption by 15% by 2025 (baseline 2020)
Reduce Nutrient discharges to receiving waters by 2025 (baseline 2020): -5% Nitrogen and -90% Phosphorus
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Our position
We value the growing interest in biodiversity. While climate change is a global challenge, protecting biodiversity is a very local challenge.
Biodiversity is critical for Roche’s business, given that biodiversity loss may limit potential sources of new medicines and diagnostics derived from diverse ecosystems and species, may disrupt our supply chain of critical natural material and may increase operations costs due to environmental disturbance like water and air pollution or severe weather events.
Preserving biodiversity requires collective and local action and international cooperation, transcending borders and uniting all of us in a shared responsibility to protect the natural world
We have set our commitments for maintaining the world's ecological systems in line with the COP15 Montreal-Kunming Biodiversity Framework, agreed in 2022, and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), part of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP): (1) the conservation of biological diversity, (2) the sustainable use of its components and (3) the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits from the use of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge.
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Our position
We seek to minimise the health, safety, and environmental impact of our products, services, and devices.
We strive to avoid or reduce raw materials needed and the overall consumption of resources in Roche’s manufacturing processes.
We are committed to the avoiding, reducing, reusing and recycling of the waste generated throughout all our operations
We have set
For example:
Improve the Product Stewardship Score of 30 selected products by 25% by 2025 (baseline of 2021)
Reduce non-hazardous waste by 10%, reduce total non-hazardous waste that is landfilled by 10% (excl. construction waste), reduce total plastic waste by 10%, and increase our recycling rates ≥80% or more of non-hazardous wastes all by 2025 (baseline 2020)
Phase out the use of Substances of Very High Concern (SVHCs)
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How we contribute to a better tomorrow for all
Our position
Our close strategic partnerships across the Group, and our diverse mix of autonomous innovation engines give us a rich diversity of expertise and scientific thinking, as we seek to discover and develop solutions to the biggest questions in healthcare today.
With patients and societal health needs in mind, we leverage our passion and curiosity for science to create revolutionary medicines that can change patients’ lives.
For example:
To discover and develop the next breakthroughs, we have built a network of independent innovation engines around the world. To date, there are 17 countries with Roche innovation centre, such as Flatiron Health, a healthtech company dedicated to helping cancer centres thrive and deliver better care for patients today and tomorrow, and Spark Therapeutics, a company committed to discovering, developing and delivering gene therapies for genetic diseases, among others.
We have the highest R&D spending of the industry.
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Our position
Partnering with patients to further understand their everyday lives is essential to evolve the way we look at diseases. It is through collaboration that we can truly personalise healthcare, taking new approaches to develop better medicines for and with the people that matter most.
To ensure that every Roche product is both effective and safe, we have established a systematic process designed to optimise patient safety throughout the lifecycle of a medicine.
We collaborate with regulatory agencies, monitor reports of adverse events experienced by patients and communicate on our product safety activities, as appropriate to the audience. Any medicine may cause side effects in some patients. Our priority is to make sure that the therapeutic benefits of the medicine outweigh the risks.
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Our position
Roche strongly believes that improving health outcomes for all patients is core to our mission, and we are committed to being industry leaders in delivering improved health outcomes for all.
Because disease outcomes and drug responses can vary across populations, research must include patients who are representative of those who experience disease. Roche is deeply committed to addressing barriers to clinical trial participation, diversifying genetic data for scientific discovery, and increasing access to innovative diagnostic and therapeutic solutions, by advancing inclusive research.
The time is now for research and clinical development to ensure greater inclusion of all patient profiles in support of optimising health outcomes for all patients worldwide.
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Our position
Life-changing innovation is only meaningful if it reaches those who need it. We put access at the core of our business and consider it a key part of our commitment to improving patient outcomes.
Our combined strengths in diagnostics and pharmaceuticals position us to play a decisive role along the patient’s journey. These strengths allow us to identify and address the root causes at both global, country and community levels that prevent access to innovative healthcare, no matter where people live.
We work in partnership with stakeholders across the healthcare spectrum – from governments and payers to non-governmental organisations, multilaterals, and insurance companies.
Our
Pharma goal: Double medical advances at less costs to society by 2030
Diagnostics goal: Double patient access to novel, high medical value diagnostics solutions by 2030
Low- or Middle-Income Country (LMIC) goal: Double patient numbers in Low to Middle Income Countries for our innovative medicines by 2026.
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Our position
We have a highly professional pharmacovigilance (PV) system in place which closely monitors all the suspected side effects, or adverse events, which have been reported in conjunction with our medicines, initiating all the necessary steps to address and remediate situations which may pose a health risk to the people taking our medicines.
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Our position
Working in collaboration with global and local stakeholders, we support governments’ efforts to build strong and resilient healthcare systems, particularly for people in Low- and Middle-Income countries. Every country’s healthcare system is unique, so we work closely with partners to develop and deliver tailored solutions.
At Roche, we believe that patients, their caregivers, their families, as well as the patient organisations that support them play an integral role in today’s health ecosystem.
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Our position
At Roche, people are at the heart of what we do. We are committed to a culture where everyone feels a sense of belonging and where everyone can thrive, regardless of age, background, beliefs, ability or perspective. Our inclusive culture is long-term orientated, helping us achieve our purpose, drive better business outcomes and collectively make the impossible possible for patients.
Inclusion and Belonging is an important part of creating a culture that fosters opportunity for everyone and enables our business to create a healthier future for all. Our approach ensures everyone brings their unique power to our workplace to drive innovation and strengthen our impact on patients.
Our position
We are continuously making impactful and positive contributions in areas that are within our sphere of influence. Vulnerable populations associated with our suppliers are protected through the clear communication of sustainability related expectations and our formal supplier sustainability audit program.
Procurement supports Roche in doing now what patients need next by delivering value beyond savings, driving sustainability in the communities where our patients live. One of the key ways procurement does this is by collaborating with our suppliers to find solutions for some of the world's most pressing problems. We do this by building sustainability solutions on a foundation of data, partnership and effective risk management.
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How we embed transparency and compliance in everything we do
Our position
Roche is committed to serving all its stakeholders. As a basis for the successful implementation of this commitment our Corporate Governance principles accordingly put the focus of our business activities on sustainable value creation and innovation and prescribe a management culture conforming to recognised standards of good corporate governance and a policy of transparent communication.
Roche complies with all relevant corporate governance requirements, in particular with all applicable laws, the Swiss Stock Exchange (SIX Swiss Exchange) directives and the Swiss Code of Best Practice for Corporate Governance promulgated by the Swiss business federation ‘economiesuisse’.
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Our position
We believe that integrity is the basis of a sustainable and successful business. Every employee has the responsibility to behave with integrity and in accordance with our shared values and compliance guidelines. We also expect the partners we work with to meet our integrity standards.
Business integrity means first and foremost that we adhere to all applicable laws and regulations as well as to the high integrity standards set forth by Roche. Complying with these standards is a prerequisite for Roche’s sustainable success.
Our standards of business integrity are set forth in our Code of Conduct, which include the Corporate Principles. To further promote and support a shared understanding, Roche has implemented a number of policies, directives, position statements, guidelines and e-learnings that apply across the Group.
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Our position
Risk Management is an integral part of the group’s business practice on all levels of the Roche group. Risk Management includes identification, analysis and evaluation of risks, the appropriate response, tracking and reporting of risks to provide assurance regarding the achievement of objectives.
At Roche Group level this is formalised in the Group Risk Management Process, where divisions, relevant divisional and Group functions assess risks & opportunities and develop plans for the most material ones identified. This happens in parallel to the development of the business plans.
The consolidated Group Risk Report is discussed and approved together with the business plan by the Corporate Executive Committee and reviewed by the Board of Directors.
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Our position
We are committed to collecting and using data in a lawful, fair, and legitimate way, and will always respect the privacy of individuals in order to earn and deserve their trust.
The protection and responsible use of personal data is anchored in the Roche Group Code of Conduct and reflected in our daily operations.
We have a comprehensive management framework for IT and information security, which supports the implementation, monitoring, maintenance, and continuous improvement of Roche’s Information Security Program, and is aligned with the globally recognised Information Security Standard, ISO 270001.
We continue to invest heavily in protecting our information management systems and the design of our IT solutions, by focusing on cybersecurity sustainability.
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Our position
Transparency and accountability are essential to maintain trust and fulfil our purpose. We measure our sustainability performance against our time-bound goals, reporting publicly to promote transparency and improve our business everywhere we operate.
We are committed to transparent reporting and we endeavour to drive our economic, social and environmental performance with the same diligence as our financial performance.
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Our position
We engage regularly and systematically with our internal and external stakeholders to understand their needs and build mutual trust. We ensure that we address legitimate interests of our stakeholders to make informed decisions on how we run our business.
For example:
We partner with patients, caregivers and patient organisations at each stage of drug development and care delivery.
We work closely with our suppliers and service providers to better create, enhance and deliver sustainable value.
By continuously engaging with policy makers, we ensure Roche creates long-term impact not only for patients, but society as a whole.
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