Nipro PharmaPackaging acknowledged a long time ago that business growth could only happen hand in hand with challenging sustainability goals. While continuously striving to provide high quality products, service, and technologies to our customers, we are committed to reducing the impact of our business activities on the environment. In this respect, Nipro PharmaPackaging Germany (NPG), with its forward-thinking sustainability strategy, is one of the drivers within Nipro.
The NPG sustainability strategy* is derived from and aligned with Nipro’s long-term business strategy where the impact of the business strategy on the environment is evaluated. Factors that require actions are prioritized and provide the base to the formulation of sustainability goals. For NPG, the 2025 goals are focused on efficiency, environmental footprint, and empowerment.
Avoiding energy wastage is essential for the efficiency of NPG’s manufacturing and business operations. The challenge is to continue and expand the manufacturing output while improving the energy performance and minimizing the use of natural resources.
NPG has reduced its CO2 emission by 19% since 2015 and come 2025, aims to have it reduced by 30%. These significant reductions were achieved by multiple factors:
- Installing a state-of-the-art power and heating system
- Utilizing waste heat recovery systems across the plants
- Applying absorption chillers for the air ventilation systems of the ISO clean rooms
- Equipping the plants with smart energy meters for real time check and control of the energy consumption
- Renewing the machinery and equipment at both plants
Additionally, NPG’s CO2 footprint was reduced by 20% over the last 5 years. This goal was achieved by increasing the share of renewable energy within the energy mix purchased by NPG as well as a leap in the energy efficiency in the production.
Water is an essential resource, and we have the responsibility to use it effectively. NPG is making efforts to conserve water across the manufacturing network (e.g., washing process, cleanroom cooling). Compared to 2015, NPG has been able to reduce the consumption of water for injection (WFI) by 32%. NPG will also implement a reverse osmosis technology to further conserve this vital resource.
Moreover, NPG outperforms the statutory requirements for the circular economy of waste materials with a remarkable recycling share of 91.7%. Since 2017, NPG has been able to reduce its waste by 12.5%.
Treating the environment in a responsible manner starts with the right mindset. NPG fosters a culture of continuous improvement in sustainability. In this regard, our plants are successfully audited regularly. Plus, we perform internal audits throughout the year to motivate our committed employees to steadily improve their sustainable footprint. Training is an essential part of creating awareness and encouraging compliance.
NPG’s environmental management system has been awarded the ISO 14001 certification for over 20 years. What’s more, both NPG plants operated in Münnerstadt have achieved the ISO 50001 accreditation, confirming their careful use of energy.
Nipro is fully committed to staying on this challenging path for a greener future.
Footnotes
- *PN NGG 12.06.072 - Sustainability Report 2020 – Nipro PharmaPackaging Germany GmbH – June 25, 2021
