Sanofi, UCB, Opella Join Clean Heat Program

Editor’s Take: CDMOs are increasingly setting more ambitious emissions targets as sustainability goals become one of the more urgent business strategies facing pharma companies.

Sanofi, UCB and Opella have joined AstraZeneca as founding members of the Clean Heat Program, an initiative from supply chain intelligence network Secaro and global sustainability consultancy ERM that aims to reduce industrial emissions by replacing fossil fuel-based heating with low-carbon alternatives.

Industrial heat is often the largest remaining source of operational emissions. Initiatives such as the adoption of clean heat technologies are an important step in decarbonizing energy-intensive manufacturing processes while maintaining the quality, safety, and reliability of pharmaceutical production. For companies looking to decarbonize hard-to-abate sectors, the Clean Heat Program provides a practical route and, rather than asking companies to solve this challenge alone, the program reduces risks by bringing together industry leaders, technical experts and proven solutions.

“Heat has been one of the most challenging areas across the pharmaceutical value chain on the road to net zero, with high technical barrier, diverse supplier maturity and complex business cases,” says Giannis Kourousias, Sanofi Global Procurement Head – Environmental Responsibility. “By partnering with our peers, we can jointly develop solutions that will unblock suppliers in this critical area by providing deep technical expertise, support focusing on the right things and facilitate funding options.”

Secaro has also signed new agreements to expand its partner network with Schneider Electric and 3Degrees. SE Advisory Services, Schneider Electric’s global consulting practice, provides additional services to suppliers, including energy studies, investment-grade audits, metering gap analysis and comprehensive energy management systems, among other services. 3Degrees, a global climate and renewable energy solutions provider, brings deep expertise in renewable natural gas and biomethane short- and long-term procurement across both US and European markets.

“Accelerating supply chain decarbonization requires streamlining pathways to implementation to the lower carbon alternatives,” says Dave Rimkus, Head of Global Supply Chain Decarbonization at SE Advisory Services. “Through initiatives like Energize, we have seen how collaboration can create these pathways to increase the uptake on renewable electricity adoption across value chains. We are excited to partner with Secaro and support the Clean Heat Program in bringing the same collaborative, action-oriented approach to one of the next frontiers of decarbonization: industrial heat.”

Jon Hughes, Partner, Sustainable Products & Supply Chain at ERM, adds, “By bringing together leading companies, experienced technical specialists, funding options and proven clean heat solutions, the Clean Heat Program helps organizations overcome barriers to adoption and deliver measurable emissions reductions throughout their supply chains.”