Sustainability is a dynamic field, with new issues constantly emerging and regulatory requirements increasing. For us, however, sustainable activity means more than merely complying with regulations. It is a key aspect of our corporate promise: We are “Committed to Life.”
What exactly is behind our commitment to sustainability?
Sarah Tix: As a healthcare company, it goes without saying that we take care of people – it is part of our DNA. Ever since our company was founded over 100 years ago, there has always been an ethical element to the high quality of our products and therapies – after all, the health of millions of people depends on it.
In concrete terms, our commitment means that we give the subject of sustainability a structure within which we define goals and metrics. That is how we firmly embed them in the entire business, taking two major aspects into consideration: people and planet. The people are our employees, patients, and other stakeholders. When it comes to the planet, we are talking about the environment and climate action.
What exactly does this mean for people and planet?
Sarah Tix: We want to offer our patients high-quality treatments and products. This means achieving above-average results in treatments and delivering markedly better product quality, which simply isn’t possible without our employees. That is why we want to create optimal working conditions for them. Moreover, it is about integrity and doing what is morally right. By this we mean complying with legal requirements and rules, but also taking a stance on social and entirely fundamental issues, such as human rights.
A healthy planet is a key prerequisite for health. That is why climate action is an important part of our activities. The healthcare industry accounts for about five percent of global carbon emissions. As such, our aim is to continuously reduce the carbon footprint along the entire value chain and thus achieve net zero by 2050. In our own line of business, we want to halve our so-called Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 2030 and be a climate-neutral company by 2040.
The subject of sustainability has long been considered the key issue of the future, but there is also currently a great deal of controversy surrounding it. Is the subject still relevant?
Sarah Tix: Yes, absolutely. In our view, sustainability management represents a real opportunity and is essential for securing the resilience, competitiveness, and long-term success of companies. Far from being a short-term trend, sustainability leads to better patient care and contributes to a stable market position in the long term.
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Hospital operations rely on many products that are procured by the purchasing department. -
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The production of medicines is dependent on the purchase of chemical precursors.
What are the focus areas for 2025?
Sarah Tix: This year, we will continue to drive our sustainability ambition while working on its operationalization and transparency aspects. For instance, we will firm up our climate transition plan. We want to further reduce our energy consumption and increase the use of renewable energy in order to achieve our reduction targets for Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions.
Our Scope 3 emissions – those in our supply chains – account for the most substantial part of our footprint. We have identified relevant emission categories over the past year, including, for example, the purchase of primary chemical products for medicines at Fresenius Kabi and the procurement of medicines at Helios and Quirónsalud. This year, we will concentrate on setting a company-wide target for reducing these types of emissions.
In addition, we will continue to focus on issues such as water consumption. Our aim is to reduce our process water consumption at sites in areas of water stress by 20 percent by 2030. We will also ramp up our sustainability communication activities and stakeholder engagement.
You mention stakeholders. Who are you referring to and what does engagement mean in this regard?
Sarah Tix: We are involved in various organizations and professional bodies. What’s more, we engage in direct dialogue with our employees, patients, and investors. Last year, we set up an external Sustainability Advisory Board to assist us as we continue to develop our activities. Its members possess real expertise in the areas of relevance to us – covering matters such as sustainability in healthcare, environmental protection, human rights, and sustainable human resource management. In the first year of working with the board, we received valuable input – on our strategic approach, for example. We value the open and constructive dialogue and the commitment of all members who support us both as a body and as individuals.