Vetter, a contract development & manufacturing organisation, (CDMO) has achieved its sustainability goals for 2023. The company recently became a member of SBTi and is therefore committed to meeting strict CO2 reduction targets.
The pharmaceutical service provider also achieved EcoVadis Platinum status last year, which pushes the company in the top 1% of participants in the globally renowned sustainability ranking.
Since 2021, the company has voluntarily published an annual sustainability report, thereby setting an example for the compatibility of economic success and the implementation of ambitious sustainability goals in a high-energy consuming industry.
Vetter Managing Director Thomas Otto says: "Sustainable growth is not a marketing buzzword for us. We have made a very conscious decision to prioritise growing our sustainability goals dynamically in conjunction with the company's sustainable growth, and we publish status updates in a report that is accessible to everyone. This transparency also strengthens our customers' trust in us and supports them in their own sustainability reporting."
Adhering to strict sustainability standards
The CDMO joined SBTi at the end of 2023, which commits members to contributing to a target of no more than 1.5 °C of global warming. The initiative focuses on putting companies worldwide on track to halve their emissions by 2030 and become climate neutral by 2050.
To achieve CO2 neutrality, Vetter needs to reduce its annual emissions by 4.2%.
Vetter has invested EUR €1m in the construction of a large photovoltaic (PV) system on the roof of its materials warehouse at the Ravensburg West site. The natural gas cogeneration plant at the site was also converted to biogas for a six-figure Euro sum.
Since then, the PV system has generated around 700,000 kWh of electricity per year, which equates to around 10% of the site's electricity consumption. This reduces CO2 emissions by roughly 330 tons per year. The conversion to biogas saves around 1,000 tons of CO2 each year.
Implementing EU supply chain legislation
The family-owned company commits itself and its business partners to a clearly defined code of conduct. With the help of the implemented compliance management system, the CDMO drives employees and partners to adhere to the compliance requirements.
The company has introduced processes to assess compliance-related risks with business partners in order to also take these aspects of sustainability management into account.
Vetter Managing Director Peter Soelkner explains: "We support the objectives of the Supply Chain Due Diligence Act. Many of these requirements were already part of our compliance processes. In view of the upcoming EU Directive, we believe that politicians have a duty to maintain a balance between regulatory compliance and fostering a conducive environment for successful entrepreneurial action.”
