The theme of the UN-supported World Environment Day this year calls for collective, transformative action on a global scale to celebrate, protect, and restore our planet.
As a forward-thinking and responsible company, Nipro is proud to be a part of the ecological movement and to fly our green flag high. Just like our logo - the infinity symbol - we believe in sustainability and eternal continuity. And where else would this be more important and applicable than when it comes to the very place where we all live? Our One Earth. #OnlyOneEarth
As part of our pharmaceutical packaging activities, Nipro works with glass. Did you know that glass is the only material that can be infinitely recycled, helping to reduce the non-biodegradable waste that will eventually clog up our earth’s arteries? Moreover, over the last 40 years, the manufacturing process of glass has seen tremendous improvement in ecologically-sound practices resulting in a 70% reduction in CO2 emission, and 80% reduction in energy requirements.
Nipro is an official sponsor of the International Year of Glass 2022! We’re proud to be working with and celebrate this wonder material. Like the never-ending nature of glass, Nipro too is continuously committed to the society at large and to healthcare – it is who we are and what we aim to do.
Furthermore, Nipro has reduced our CO2 emission by 19% since 2015, and come 2025, we will almost double this amount to 30%. The actions we took over the last years which helped us to diminish our CO2 footprint include installing state-of-the-art power and heating systems, utilizing waste heat recovery systems across plants, and applying absorption chillers for the air ventilation systems of the ISO clean rooms. Additionally, machinery and equipment in all plants were renewed, and plants were equipped with smart energy meters for real-time check and control of energy consumption.
As a global company with initiatives led by our corporate sustainability department in Japan, Nipro also has many local initiatives which have a direct impact on the environment. Here are a few highlights from Europe:
In Germany, Nipro is involved in a project that will have further positive impact on the environment. Together with the University of Applied Sciences Würzburg-Schweinfurt, Nipro has implemented a project to reduce energy loss by focusing on energy “hot spots”. Furthermore, we will be covering the total roof area of our vial production plant in Münnerstadt, Bavaria with solar panels, enabling us to further reduce our environmental impact. As the cherry on the icing, our operations in Germany have also been awarded the silver label by EcoVadis, the internationally recognised sustainability rating.
In Belgium, to reduce consumption and maximize the efficiency of our resources, Nipro has invested in environmental initiatives at our iMEP campus in Mechelen. The buildings on campus are nearly energy neutral, consuming less than 30KW/h/m2 per year. Plus, we also have a huge solar panel infrastructure enabling us to generate our own electricity. The 100 solar panels have a production potential of 30.06 MW/h per year. This means that we can reduce our annual carbon footprint by as much as 21.4 tons.
In these ways and many others, Nipro is committed to making choices that will increase sustainability infinitely, and help to improve the quality of every life, so that, as our slogan says, we may all “Live Longer. Live Better.”
