Sustainability
As a global partner for peptide and oligonucleotide development and manufacturing, we support our customers in developing and supplying medicines that ultimately improve patients’ lives worldwide. We believe that this contribution to society goes hand in hand with responsible business practices, ethics, and integrity. We therefore take responsibility for our impact on people, society, and the environment and work to create sustainable long-term value for our stakeholders. Sustainability is embedded in our operations and long-term strategy. We align our sustainability efforts with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), focusing on the areas where we can make a meaningful contribution and create lasting value.
Embedding sustainability into industrial excellence
SDG 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
As we provide a full range of services to the pharma and biotech industries, specializing in the development of innovative, efficient manufacturing processes and the reliable production of active pharmaceutical ingredients, we enable our customers, in a spirit of partnership, to improve health and increase life expectancy.
SDG 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
Our performance is predicated on very high educational achievements of the workforce at every level. In addition to the professional qualifications acquired through a vocational apprenticeship or university degree programs, the company attaches great importance to providing employees with training and continuing education. We increase the number of youths and adults who have relevant skills for employment and entrepreneurship.
SDG 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
Bachem is fully committed to improving its triple bottom line in an accounting framework with social, environmental and economical aspects. However, we are also aware that the economic performance achieved together with the customers is the driving force behind sustainable development. Therefore, the Company puts a strong focus on continuous growth through innovation, creating attractive jobs in a safe and secure working environment, and contributing to the regional economies operated within.
SDG 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
Bachem aims to contribute to the overall goal of decoupling economic growth from adverse impacts on human health and the environment. The safety of employees and the surrounding communities is consequently of fundamental interest to Bachem. This includes a sound management of chemicals, reducing their release to air, water and soil as well as the reduction of waste generated.
From commitment to practice
We translate our sustainability commitments into action across our operations. We continuously improve manufacturing processes in line with Green Chemistry principles, work to reduce resource consumption and waste, and invest in technologies and infrastructure that help minimize our environmental impact.
At the same time, we invest in our people through training, occupational health and safety, and continuous workforce development. Together, these efforts help us combine responsible manufacturing with the operational excellence required to reliably supply medicines to patients worldwide.
Addressing persistent substances in wastewater
Bachem has been actively working for several years to reduce the presence of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) in wastewater generated through certain manufacturing processes. Through targeted reduction measures, process improvements, and comprehensive monitoring programs, the company has significantly lowered TFA concentrations and continues to pursue further improvements.
As part of these efforts, Bachem is evaluating advanced treatment technologies under operational conditions at its Bubendorf site to better understand their effectiveness and potential contribution to future wastewater treatment solutions.
Driving continuous improvement in sustainability performance
Bachem strives to continuously improve its sustainability performance across all material issues. Clear, measurable targets allow us to track our progress, focus our efforts, and provide transparency to our stakeholders. On a group-wide scale, Bachem has committed to making measurable improvements in four key areas:
- Reducing our Lost Time Incident Rate to 0.5 or lower by 2030
- Reducing absolute Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 44% between 2023 and 2030
- Engaging 67% of our suppliers to set their own science-based climate targets by 2030
- Achieving net-zero GHG emissions by 2050
Partnering for a responsible and sustainable supply chain
Creating value beyond our operations
Our responsibility extends beyond our own operations. We invest in our people, support long-term employment at our sites, and engage with the communities and stakeholders around us. Through our presence and partnerships, we aim to contribute to strong local economies, resilient pharmaceutical supply chains, and the long-term development of the regions in which we operate.
Ensuring transparency through reporting and external validation
Transparency and external validation are important elements of our approach to sustainability. They allow our stakeholders to understand our progress and provide independent benchmarks against recognized standards. Bachem reports sustainability performance in accordance with internationally recognized frameworks like GRI or CDP and participates in global initiatives such as the United Nations Global Compact. Performance is regularly evaluated by independent organizations, including PSCI and EcoVadis. Our sustainability report is subject to an external audit, and our climate targets have been validated by the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi).
EcoVadis gold medal
