wind turbines
Sustainability

Environment

Protecting the environment, health and safety has always been a priority for QIAGEN.

At QIAGEN, we are seriously committed to minimizing the environmental impact of our business activities – from the energy and resources we consume in manufacturing, right down to the materials we use in our laboratories and offices.

„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

Carbon emissions reduction 

QIAGEN views climate change as one of the most pressing global challenges. To accurately calculate our emissions, we set up a centralized data collection process for sustainability data in 2018. Each year, we have increased the scope and accuracy of our reporting.

Group of scientist standing together where one of them is pointing towards something inside of the lab
QIAGEN has committed to reducing carbon emissions in line with a 1.5 degree Celsius climate target.

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. 

a person picking up an empty plastic bottle at a beach
Plastic reduction

The environmental impact of plastic materials is becoming a major concern for customers. QIAGEN uses plastics in many of its products and production support materials, as well as for transport and packaging. We and our industry face a number of challenges in reducing plastic materials due to safety, hygiene, and regulatory concerns; however, we recognize that we must work to eliminate plastics where possible.

In 2018, we set up a global cross-departmental Plastic Footprint Reduction focus team to analyze the use of plastics and specifically identify reduction potential for QIAGEN. Our approach is to completely avoid unnecessary materials, develop more environmentally-friendly alternative materials, and where possible, optimize recyclability.

In 2022 QIAGEN achieved a reduction of plastic transportation packaging material by 9.6% below 2021 levels.

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 2022, we surpassed our goal to reduce plastic transportation packaging material by 9.6% below 2021 levels. Our goal for 2023 is to reduce it by a further 7% compared with 2022.

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.

Download our Kit Recycling Card

Download our QIAsymphony Recycling Card

QIAwave
Rethinking our products to reduce waste

In an ideal world, every scientist would be working in a fully sustainable lab, but we all know this is a huge long-term challenge. Still, small changes can go a long way. That’s why we’re taking a more eco-minded approach to the way we develop our product.

Product life cycle assessment

QIAGEN conducted a life cycle assessment (LCA) for one of its best-selling products, the QIAamp DNA Mini Kit. The scope of the study has been the full life cycle of the product, including extraction and processing of raw materials, transport to the customer, energy and material input required when using the product, as well as transport to the disposal facility and incineration of remaining materials. The results of the LCA show that the largest relative impacts result from the production of plastic, transport and electricity during production and use.

Read the full lifecycle analysis

QIAamp DNA Mini Kit
Hilden Sustainability Committee
The Hilden Volunteer Sustainability Committee
Employee engagement

QIAGEN’s volunteer sustainability committees are grassroots, employee-led groups at sites across the world. Committees primarily focus on their own region, but often collaborate with each other to share ideas and experience. They introduce new operating procedures to reduce our environmental footprint, create education campaigns, and organize volunteer events.

To support and drive these initiatives at a local and global level QIAGEN has appointed a Lead for Global Sustainability within the Global EHS department. Please send questions or requests for further information on QIAGEN’s sustainability activities to sustainability@qiagen.com.

Sustainability initiatives
Find a full account of our sustainability initiatives in our Sustainability Report 2023.