Protecting the environment, health and safety has always been a priority for QIAGEN.
We encourage our employees to continually look for ways in which we can help to eliminate harmful substances and waste from our products. We track our energy, emissions, water, waste, and transportation in order to introduce initiatives that reduce our impact on the environment.
„We are continuously working on innovative ways to further reduce our plastics footprint and CO2 emissions in alignment with our net-zero goal by 2050.”
Antonio Santos, Senior Vice President, Head of Global Operations
In 2020, we achieved a reduction in scope 1 (direct) and scope 2 (indirect) emissions of 9.1% below the base year of 2019, exceeding the goal of 4.2%. Business travel emissions also saw a decrease of 82.8% below the base year.
At the end of 2022, almost 80% of the company’s electricity came from renewable resources. Also in 2022, QIAGEN reduced its plastic usage by 16%, and exceeding the target for at least a 9% reduction.
QIAGENs net-zero carbon emissions target validated by Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)
In 2023, the SBTi approved the QIAGEN targets to reach net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. QIAGEN has committed to reducing absolute GHG output from its direct and indirect operations (Scope 1 and 2 emissions) by 42% by 2030 from a 2020 base year and the emissions from business travel as well as the use and end-of-life treatment of sold products (Scope 3) by 25% within the same timeframe.
It has also pledged that 67% of its suppliers by emissions covering purchased goods and services, capital goods and upstream transportation and distribution will have targets in line with the SBTi by 2027.
QIAGEN sets the target to reduce its absolute Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions by 90% by 2050 from 2020 as the base year.
QIAGEN is seeking to achieve net-zero status by cutting direct and indirect emissions throughout its operations. This goal is planned to be achieved through a series of measures including transitioning facilities to renewable energy, implementing energy-saving initiatives, minimizing waste in manufacturing, reducing its total plastic footprint, and working with suppliers and logistical operators to reduce their carbon footprints.
As a first step, we have been working to reduce the plastic footprint of our transportation packaging. Recent measures include replacing expanded polystyrene boxes used in cooled shipments with recyclable alternatives in the U.S. and Europe, and revising the number of gel packs used in cold room shipments in the E.U.
In 2020, QIAGEN reduced its plastic transportation packaging material by 42 tons, equating a 17% decrease. Our goal for 2021 is to reduce plastic transport packaging by a further 9% below 2020 levels.
As well as reducing the plastic in our products, we are also committed to helping our customers manage their laboratory waste. In 2020, we released digital recycling cards, detailing the composition of common components in our kits and providing information necessary to make an informed decision about recyclability.
