Environment

Suppliers shall operate in an environmentally responsible and efficient manner to minimize adverse impacts on the environment. Suppliers are encouraged to conserve natural resources, contribute to sustainability, avoid the use of hazardous materials where possible and engage in activities that reuse and recycle.

Waste and emissions

Suppliers shall have systems in place to ensure the safe handling, disposal, movement, storage, recycling, reuse or management of waste, air emissions and wastewater discharges. The release of active pharmaceutical products to the environment (PIE) is a particular concern and shall be minimized to scientifically PNEC (Predicted No Effect Concentration) sound standards. Any waste, wastewater or emissions with the potential to adversely impact human or environmental health shall be appropriately managed, controlled and treated prior to release into the environment.

The following conventions must be adhered to:

• Basel Convention on the Export of Hazardous Waste
• Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs Convention)
• Minamata Convention on Mercury

Spills and releases

Suppliers shall have systems in place to prevent and mitigate accidental spills and releases into the environment, and to avoid adverse impacts to the local community.

Resource use, efficiency and traceability

Suppliers shall strive for circularity, designing out waste, taking measures to improve efficiency, reuse, recycle and reduce the consumption of resources, including water, and favoring renewable and sustainable sources. Suppliers shall additionally promote legal and sustainable sourcing of critical resources and raw materials.

Biodiversity and Nagoya Protocol

Boehringer Ingelheim supports the goals of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (UN CBD) and the Nagoya Protocol, and is willing to address the aspects of biodiversity relevant to its activity in its business and supply chain. Thus suppliers must take action and guarantee that any materials of plant, animal or microbial origin or genetic resources in general, which are subject to applicable general laws on biodiversity or in regard to the Nagoya Protocol, meet such requirements.

Climate change

Suppliers shall set science-based emission targets, reduce and monitor their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and strive for carbon neutrality. In addition, they should encourage their own suppliers to follow the same practices in terms of decarbonization. They shall also consider facilitating the next generation of Boehringer’s Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) by providing product-specific CO2 data.

Environmental authorizations

Suppliers shall comply with all applicable environmental regulations. All required environmental permits, licenses, information registrations and restrictions shall be obtained, and their operational and reporting requirements followed.