INDUSTRIE PHARMACEUTIQUE
Context and challenges
The pharmaceutical sector faces a double requirement: to guarantee the health of populations while minimizing its environmental footprint. On the one hand, chemical synthesis processes and manufacturing infrastructure require significant energy and water flows, generating greenhouse gas emissions and considerable volumes of potentially toxic effluents. On the other hand, the complexity of molecules leads to the use of solvents and active substances which, if not properly controlled, can contaminate aquatic environments and disrupt ecosystems. In addition, there is the crucial issue of plastic waste: packaging, syringes and single-use devices represent a challenge of circularity in a context where health safety is paramount. Finally, the global supply chain, which is often long and subject to geopolitical variations, exposes the industry to shortage risks and increasing regulatory pressures on emissions, chemical discharges and waste treatment. In this landscape, the challenge is to balance therapeutic innovation and impact reduction trajectories, by deploying more sober technologies, advanced purification processes and circular production models, while remaining in line with the safety and quality requirements of the health authorities.
Key figures
5%
GHG emissions around the world
23 %
Freshwater harvested by the industry globally
300 Millions de tonnes
of plastic waste per year
Sources : Sustainabilitymag.com, Thirst for Change de BSI (2024), Sustainable Packaging Market Industry Trends and Global Forecasts to 2035, by Type of Eco Friendly Packaging, Type of Packaging, Type of Packaging Container, Type of End Users and Key Geographical Regions
Our support
Define strategies and roadmaps that comply with planetary boundaries
We assess the specific pressures of your pharmaceutical chain – from the extraction of raw materials (excipients, active ingredients) to synthesis processes, purification, packaging and distribution – on biodiversity, water resources, climate and chemical pollution. This detailed analysis of your impact points allows us to build a tailor-made environmental strategy, ensuring that your development and manufacturing programs respect global ecological boundaries.
Promote and strengthen sustainable innovation
as a consulting firm, we collaborate with your teams to define and integrate environmental criteria into the development of your molecules and formulas. We produce eco-design guidelines adapted to the pharmaceutical sector and carry out impact analyses (LCA, water-energy balance, solvent management) to inform your technical choices. In addition, we identify and value sources of "regenerative" ingredients — for example, plant extracts from responsible crops — while ensuring that each proposal is aligned with regulatory obligations and industry best practices.
Rethink your business models and supply chains
we map your flows—from the supply of active ingredients and excipients to the global distribution of your products—to identify levers for optimizing efficiency and traceability. Based on this analysis, we propose strategic scenarios aimed at reducing your impacts (water consumption, GHG emissions, chemical waste), while integrating emerging solutions (reuse of solvents, pooling of temperature-controlled transport, digitization of traceability). The goal is to work with you to develop a robust decision-making framework that increases the resilience of your value chain in the face of resource pressures and regulatory requirements.
Anticipate and integrate risks and opportunities related to planetary boundaries
We carry out detailed assessments of your vulnerabilities—water stress of production sites, rising energy costs, strengthening of CSRD standards and European taxonomy—as well as opportunities for differentiation (access to green finance, development of sustainable packaging). These diagnostics feed into the definition of an adaptation roadmap, aligned with your strategic and operational priorities. By structuring your environmental and climate challenges in the form of quantified scenarios, we help you make informed decisions to drive your transition and feed your innovation roadmap.
