UN SDGs

As a global healthcare company, we are committed to supporting the SDGs in line with our business strategy;
in particular SDG3, which aims at ensuring healthy lives and promoting wellbeing for all.

Flip the cards and learn more about our activities to support the goals.

See all goals

Goal 3

Good health and wellbeing

Changing the global landscape of cancer care

As part of Roche’s commitment to increasing access to sustainable cancer care, we will act as the lead industry partner of the City Cancer Challenge 2025 (C/Can). C/Can supports effective and sustainable cancer care delivery models in selected cities worldwide. The participation of the cities provides insights into how the international community, local civil society, and the public and private sectors can best work together. In the next phase of the initiative we will be working with 20 cities by 2020 to develop and pilot a model of engagement for C/Can that could be scaled up globally.

Enabling sustainable healthcare funding

We have developed a number of pricing solutions, such as Personalised Reimbursement Models (PRM), which enable pricing according to the value the medicine brings in different indications, and International Differential Pricing, which sets the price of a medicine according to a country’s economic situation. One example of how this hurdle has been overcome is Roche’s collaboration with private insurance companies in countries where public coverage may not be adequate. PRM Story

Quality healthcare for the most vulnerable

Roche has initiated the world's largest infant HIV testing programme featuring a dried blood sampling diagnostic technique. This overcomes challenges in countries with the greatest disease burden and the least resources. Partnering to combat HIV infections in children with organisations such as UNAIDS and the Clinton Health Access Initiative, we bring quality healthcare to the most vulnerable. Over seven million infants have been tested for HIV, thus giving many more children the chance to live a healthy life. Know more about this programme

Goal 4

Quality education

Training talents to shape the future

An example of one of Roche’s longer partnerships in this area is the collaboration with Schweizer Jugend forscht, a 50-year-old foundation that focuses on identifying potential in young scientists and inspiring innovation. Roche was the founding sponsor for the organisation’s signature think tank programme, the International Swiss Talent Forum, which brings together 70 young people from around the world to address current global issues. In 2018, the Forum hosted students from 20 countries to explore the theme of artificial intelligence.

Goal 5

Gender Equality

More women in leadership positions than ever before

Gender equality is not only a basic right but also enrichment for both society and companies. Roche's objectives include fostering equal opportunities, helping women reach leadership positions, and promoting flexible models for balancing family and career. At Roche today we have more women in leadership positions than ever before. We've steadily increased the percentage of women in senior leadership positions from 13% in 2009 to 30% in 2018.

Goal 6

Clear Water and Sanitation

Sustainable water management

It is very important for Roche to ensure that all its employees have access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene at the workplace. With this in mind Roche became a signatory to the WASH Pledge (Access to Safe Water, Sanitation and Hygiene at the Workplace). All Roche Group companies are required to meet the WASH provisions at all premises where Roche employees have permanent workplaces. Roche - together with the World Business Council of Sustainable Development (WBCSD) - developed a set of requirements for meeting WASH Pledge Compliance.

Goal 7

Affordable and clean energy

Sustainable construction

Genentech, member of the Roche Group, has achieved LEED Platinum certification for a new building on campus that was completed in 2018. The annual energy generated through the building’s solar photovoltaic system and solar hot water panels is equivalent to the amount of energy used by the building every year. Additionally, a lifecycle assessment completed during project design demonstrated the environmental benefits of the building’s wood construction, including a 25% saving in embodied carbon when compared to a steel structure.

Goal 8

Decent work and economic growth

Building the future

At our headquarters, between now and 2023, we are investing CHF 3 billion in a modern research and development infrastructure, attractive offices, and the site’s long-term development. The new buildings are designed to promote dialogue in an attractive, inspiring environment. In all our building projects sustainability is at the core. We employ high-quality, durable materials, reduce our energy consumption and use renewable energy sources.

Goal 9

Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

A structure built for innovation

Roche has massively invested in R&D, now totalling over CHF 11 billion in 2018. We are among the top 10 R&D investors worldwide. Our investment translates into 67 investigational medicines in our pipeline, all being tested in hundreds of early - and late - stage clinical trials. In the last three years, we have launched five new medicines.

Goal 12

Responsible consumption and production

Efficiency meets ecology

When developing a new diagnostic system, reducing the impact on the environment is a crucial element of the process. Our innovative instrument design allow us to operate with lower reagent volumes and therefore to produce smaller reagent carriers that generate less waste per test. With the implementation of new reagent concepts, we will avoid up to 136,000 tonnes of CO₂ emission over the next ten years in our reagent production and transportation. This represents 45,000 flights between Basel and San Francisco.

Goal 13

Climate action

Reduce greenhouse gas emissions

Roche’s diagnostic site in Indianapolis, US, has converted to using natural refrigerants for cooling purposes. This sustainability initiative reduced the amount of halogenated hydrocarbon refrigeration systems on the campus by 98%. This means that the campus has significantly reduced the amount of harmful substances that affect the ozone in our atmosphere.

Goal 16

Peace, Justice and strong institutions

Meeting high standards of business ethics

Roche depends on a network of about 1,000 business critical suppliers and service providers. In addition to ensuring compliance with quality standard, we also expect them to adhere to high principles as well as mitigate risk and ensure business continuity. These principles are covered in our Roche Supplier Code of Conduct, which all suppliers are required to adhere to. Because we see our suppliers as partners, we go beyond the standard concept of audits by conducting ‘supplier sustainability assurance visits’ aiming to build trust and add value. In 2018, we made 126 visits around the world.

Goal 17

Partnerships for the goals

Improving healthcare facilities

The Blue Tree Programme in India is a unique cancer patient support initiative tailored to address the multiple hurdles that patients experience during the course of their treatment – primarily around diagnosis, affordability and adherence. 5500 patients have been supported until end of 2018. Roche partnered with more than 750 doctors enabling access to treatment across 300 cancer centres in India. Patients on the programmes have shown a 40% increase in therapy adherence rates.