Below is Part One of a blog series where we look a bit closer at each of our focus areas in the report. In light of the recent World Environment Day, our first post in this series will highlight our efforts in Environmental Sustainability.

Environmental Sustainability

As a company dedicated to producing products that improve patient lives and thus a healthier world, West is committed to creating a healthier environment. We strive to be stewards of a sustainable future by factoring environmental considerations into our decision making, from the raw materials we use, to our production and manufacturing techniques and to our packaging and distribution methods. At West, we believe that sustainable practices are directly related to sustainable economic performance and the creation of healthy communities.

There are more than 200 sustainability projects currently underway across the globe at West, with each manufacturing site focusing on approximately 10 – 15 improvement projects. Our Sustainability Program targets reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, waste, energy and water usage, and increased recycling.

In 2017, we saw great progress on the 2020 goals we established around energy, emission and water reduction. We are proud to report that the 2020 goals for both water and emission reduction have been achieved.

We are currently working on enhancing our goals around waste and renewable energy. Through recycling diversion projects, we are working on ways to divert waste from landfill and energy recovery, to more beneficial re-use channels. In addition, we continue to seek new renewable energy procurement opportunities. This effort will enable West to utilize alternative energy sources, helping to reduce our carbon footprint.

In 2017, once again West achieved the Gold Standard from EcoVadis, a leader in supplier sustainability ratings, placing us in the top 5% of reporting companies.

View the full 2017 Corporate Responsibility Report here.