Reducing our carbon footprint

Within the next decade Roche is committed to halve the environmental impact of our operations and products. A key part is further reducing our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

We’ve made significant progress, reducing emissions by over 70% per employee since 2004. Our long-term goal is zero GHG emissions from Roche operations by 2050. (See all our environmental goals)

Our own operations contribute to what is called Scope 1 & 2 GHG emissions. Read how we are reducing our Scope 3 emissions (mainly from products in use, transportation, business flights and from the operations of our suppliers)

Climate change, caused by man-made GHG emissions, is harming societies and our planet in different ways around the world. Roche has long recognised the urgent need to prevent and minimise emissions from our business. Between 2004 and 2021, we reduced our operational GHG emissions by 59% in absolute terms.1

Almost all our GHG emissions are carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels to power factories and offices. Around 1% is from gases used in cooling and refrigeration equipment.2 We are committed to phase out these gases by 2030.

Our challenge is to reduce all emissions, especially carbon dioxide from our energy use.

Our ambitious goal is to eliminate all GHG emissions from our operations and energy purchases by 2050. We intend to do this by cutting our energy use and only using renewable energy. We will not rely on offsetting, such as purchasing reduction certificates or using forestry to absorb emissions. In this way we will achieve what we call “real zero” emissions by 2050.

We are challenging ourselves to go even further by setting very ambitious goals for rapid progress:

  • All our sites have established plans to reach real zero emissions by 2050 (scopes 1 & 2).

  • All sites will only use sustainable electricity by 2025.

  • By 2025, we will reduce GHGs by 40%, compared with 2020.

  • By 2029, we will reduce GHGs by 75% (2019 baseline).

  • By 2030, we will have zero emissions from business-related vehicle travel.

  • By 2030, all sites3 will eliminate emissions from cooling and refrigeration equipment.

  • By 2050, no GHG emissions from Roche operations.

With these goals our total GHG emissions stay well below the GHG emission budget deemed acceptable for limiting global warming to 1.5°C.

We have been measuring and monitoring our total environmental impact for over 15 years, and through rigorous analysis we create science-based strategies to improve efficiencies across our business and ultimately drive down emissions.

Our business activities have an impact beyond our sites (scope 3 emissions). We work with 60,000 suppliers4 globally to deliver life-saving medicines and diagnostics products. We’re supporting them to reduce their emissions, while ensuring we lead by example and reduce emissions from our operations (read more).

We were concerned about the impact of climate change long before it rose up the global agenda. We have a track record of exceeding our targets and are constantly innovating to go further, faster, ensuring we contribute to the UN goal to limit global warming to 1.5 °C.

References 

  1. Report 2021 - page 100: 

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