Our approach and targets

Our commitment to environmental sustainability is an important part of how we build trust with society and is aligned with our purpose. Unless we can operate sustainably, our efforts to improve and extend people’s lives may be compromised by our environmental impact.

We continue to reduce emissions, water consumption and waste sent for disposal in our own operations, in line with our 2025 targets. In 2022, we also introduced environmental sustainability criteria into suppliers’ contracts and started engaging with them to define actions to reduce emissions in our supply chain. We committed to the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) to develop science-based targets in accordance with the SBTi Net Zero standard. We also joined The Climate Pledge which is working toward net-zero by 2040, in line with our own target.

Novartis environmental targets

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Greenhouse gas emissions

Novartis is committed to using resources efficiently and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Our ambition is to make the company both energy and climate resilient. Our strategy is consistent with keeping global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement. We are committed to achieving net zero by 2040 and are in the process of aligning our strategy and targets to the Science Based Targets (SBT) Net Zero Standard. 

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Water

Health and water are closely interconnected. For Novartis, responsible water management means using water efficiently and safely throughout the lifecycle of our products, including in our supply chain, and avoiding potential risks related to pharmaceuticals reaching the natural environment. We aim to be a water steward wherever we operate, working to achieve water sustainability and helping ensure sufficient and safe water. 

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Waste

Novartis is committed to keep the environmental impact from waste at a minimum and follows a clear waste management strategy. The aim is to prevent, reduce, recycle or use waste as an energy source, before selecting safe disposal as an option. Waste prevention and reduction is always preferred to treatment, incineration or disposal. This helps ensure the overall environmental impact related to waste remains minimal, while energy use from waste is maximized. 

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Antimicrobial resistance

The WHO has declared antimicrobial resistance (AMR) – when antibiotics and other antimicrobial medicines become ineffective and infections become increasingly difficult or impossible to treat – as one of the major public health threats facing humanity. Novartis supports the global scientific consensus that overuse, underuse and misuse of antimicrobial medicines all contribute to the spread of AMR, and that a balanced approach encompassing prevention, stewardship, access and innovation is needed. 

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