This week is Quality Week!

The Chartered Quality Institute (CQI) is using World Quality Week to focus on quality’s role in sustainability and environmental impact.

Per the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, pursuing sustainability means creating and maintaining “the conditions under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony to support present and future generations.”

[Related: Celebrate Quality Week by downloading our Nov. 11 webinar covering the evolution of Quality Culture within the pharma GMP space.]

Supporting sustainability can reduce costs over time, enhance public health, and reduce environmental impacts on our local communities.

Within the pharmaceutical industry, a few companies started exploring the possibilities of using “green chemistry” practices in the late 1990s. Now, the majority of the large pharmaceutical firms have developed their own sustainability initiatives. The food industry has also undergone a significant shift toward sustainability, emphasizing reusable packaging and encouraging agricultural suppliers to adopt more sustainable practices.

Below are some examples of how companies in regulated industries are tackling sustainability.

• AstraZeneca plans to invest $1 billion to achieve zero carbon emissions by 2025 as part of the company’s Ambition Zero Carbon initiative.
• Genentech’s Green BioPharma program includes reducing water consumption during manufacturing, finding environmentally friendly sources of chemicals and other materials, and using more eco-friendly technologies.
• A group of leading food manufacturers created the Sustainable Food Policy Alliance.
• Medical device manufacturer Battelle is looking at ways to reduce waste safely in developing medical devices.
• A Johnson & Johnson research facility that opened in 2009 was built using sustainable principles.
• Last year, Kroger announced a commitment to use sustainable packaging for its private-label food products.

How is your company addressing sustainability? Let us know by leaving a comment in our LinkedIn group!