Behind the switch: How Roche reached its 100% sustainable electricity goal worldwide

Fifteen years ago, the idea that every Roche site could run on sustainable electricity felt ambitious—power grids were different, renewable technologies less mature, and shared standards still emerging. Even so, we set a long-term direction that would gradually reshape how our operations are powered.

Today, that work has reached a significant milestone: Roche has achieved its 100% sustainable electricity goal worldwide. Confirmed in our Annual Report 2025, this milestone marks progress on our journey to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions across our value chain by 2045. 

Powering science and innovation

Electricity powers everything Roche does, from research laboratories and manufacturing facilities to offices and data centres. How that electricity is sourced is an important part of our sustainability goals.

At Roche, electricity is considered sustainable when it comes from sources that are replenished at least as fast as they are consumed and avoid significant environmental or social harm. While most sustainable electricity is sourced from the grid, on-site renewables such as solar panels are a small but growing share of our use—and a direct way for sites to continue expanding renewable capacity.

From global ambition to local action

At Roche’s site in Hillsboro, Oregon—a manufacturing hub serving patients across the United States—sustainable electricity is linked to operational resilience. The site combines sustainable electricity from the grid with on-site solar generation and battery storage.

“We’re strengthening our ability to keep running without disruptions and ultimately supporting our ability to continue serving patients,” says Phil Adamson, the Hillsboro site head.

In Singapore—a densely built, land-constrained environment—the context was very different. Sustainable electricity availability on the local grid is limited and premiums for green power are higher. To address this, a solar power system was installed across rooftops and unused greenfield areas around the site, meeting around 12% of the site’s annual electricity demand while delivering meaningful cost savings over the long term.

At Roche’s Basel/Kaiseraugst site in Switzerland, a large, integrated urban campus, achieving sustainable electricity is part of a broader transformation of how energy is used—including sourcing renewable electricity from hydropower facilities on the nearby River Rhine.

“Sustainable electricity is not about a single technology,” says Claudio Magoni, Energy Expert at the site. “It’s about designing the whole energy system to be efficient, resilient and future-ready.”

A journey that continues

Electricity is only one part of our environmental footprint, and reaching net zero requires continued action across our operations and supply chain. In Basel/Kaiseraugst, for example, the site is introducing a next-generation heat pump system as part of its ambition to reach a carbon-neutral energy supply by 2030.

“Sustainable electricity is part of a bigger transformation,” says Silke Hörnstein. “Our focus now is to keep building on it, so we can continue delivering on our commitment to a healthier future for people and society.”

For further information on how Roche defines and reports climate-related claims, please refer to our Climate-Related Claims Disclosure Statement.