Basic Policy
The Daiichi Sankyo Group recognizes environmental issues, including global warming and extreme weather, as critical challenges affecting our lives and work, and also as risk factors that may impact our long-term business activities. The Group believes that promoting environmental management will contribute to the development of a sustainable society and help establish a foundation for its long-term corporate growth.
We comply with the environmental conservation, health, and safety laws and international agreements of each country, while setting higher goals and striving to achieve them.
We will clarify the roles and responsibilities within the organization and establish an EHS management system to promote environmental conservation as well as health and safety assurance, and to facilitate continuous improvement.
We strive to enhance knowledge and awareness of EHS through education and awareness activities related to environmental conservation, health, and safety assurance.
We actively disclose information and engage in communication regarding environmental conservation and the assurance of health and safety, fulfilling our accountability to stakeholders.
In accordance with the above, we establish and implement the following as our basic EHS policy.
EHS Basic Policy
- Reduce environmental impact in the Group's business processes and supply chain, from research and development to production, distribution, use, consumption, and disposal
- Improve the working environment so that employees can work safely and maintain and promote their health
- Establish, operate, evaluate, and improve the EHS management system
- Comply with environmental and health and safety related laws and regulations
- Reduce EHS risks and eliminate sources of hazards
- Efficient use of resources and energy, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, appropriate use of water and wastewater management, waste reduction and recycling, respect for biodiversity, appropriate management of chemical substances, and prevention of deforestation
- Prevent health hazards and occupational accidents
- Engage in EHS education and awareness-raising activities
- Participate in EHS communication and consultation with internal and external stakeholders
Vision & Goals
Daiichi Sankyo Group Environmental Management Vision 2050
- The Daiichi Sankyo Group’s mission is to contribute to people’s health by developing and delivering innovative medicines worldwide. The Group recognizes that its business activities may affect the environment, potentially posing risks to people’s health and well-being. The sustainable use of ecosystem services is an essential foundation for our business continuity. Guided by the belief that business activities intended to support people’s health must not harm our planet’s health, we promote a form of environmental management that enables both business growth and the minimization of environmental impact.
- The Group’s long-term vision for 2050 is to contribute to the realization of planetary health, where both the planet and people can thrive in good health. Planetary health reflects the recognition that human health and planetary health are closely interconnected. Guided by the Group’s purpose, “Contribute to the Enrichment of Quality of Life around the World,” we strive to realize a sustainable society by minimizing the environmental impact of our business activities while advancing initiatives that contribute to planetary health.
Three Goals to Achieve Our Vision 2050
- To achieve planetary health, we push a number of environmental initiatives guided by three goals: decarbonization, circular economy, and a nature positive society.
Long-term Targets for 2050
- The Group’s long-term targets for 2050 are achieving carbon neutrality to advance decarbonization, achieving 100% recycling to promote a circular economy, and minimizing environmental risks to fulfill our responsibilities in fostering a nature positive society.
- Carbon neutrality: We aim to achieve net zero across the value chain by 2050 by reducing Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions by 90% from base year levels and neutralizing remaining emissions through the removal of an equivalent amount of carbon. This target is aligned with the net-zero standard approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).
- 100% Recycling: We aim to achieve 100% recycling of recyclable materials while pursuing resource circulation initiatives and exploring recycling possibilities.
- Minimization of environmental risks: We aim to minimize environmental risks across the value chain by achieving environmental targets and strengthening EHS management.
Mid-Term Targets for FY2030 (6th MTP EHS Management Policies and Targets)
- To achieve the long-term targets, the Group established EHS management policies and objectives in the 6th Mid-Term Plan as a milestone toward FY2030.
- The policies and targets define approaches and targets for each of the following themes: Climate change mitigation, Resource circulation, Nature positive, and EHS management.
Key Drivers for Realizing Our Vision
- Initiatives aligned with business operations: We advance initiatives aligned with business operations to reduce environmental impact while enhancing our R&D systems to deliver medicines to more patients.
- Collaboration with stakeholders: Planetary health cannot be achieved through our efforts alone. We strategically collaborate with business partners, customers, communities, and other stakeholders to promote various initiatives.
- Initiatives with integrated perspectives: We promote initiatives from an integrated perspective, considering the synergies and trade-offs that exist among environmental issues and related measures.
- Response to Double Materiality: We assess key issues from both the impact of environmental and social issues on our Group’s financial performance and management and the impact of our business activities on the environment and society, and strategically promote initiatives to address them.
- Promotion of environmental investments: We actively promote environmental investments aimed at reducing environmental impact, including energy efficiency improvements, the introduction of renewable energy, and technological innovation.
Daiichi Sankyo Group Environmental Management Vision 2050 and Targets 2050
Mid-Term Targets for FY2030 (6th MTP EHS Management Policies and Targets)
Mid-Term Targets for FY2025 (5th MTP EHS Management Policies and Targets)
Our GHG emissions reduction targets certified by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)
Daiichi Sankyo achieves certification for the greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goal of "Net Zero Target" from the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)*1on December 1, 2025. This means our targets is recognized as a long-term GHG reduction target based on scientific evidence, aligned with the Paris Agreement’s 1.5℃ target under the SBTi Net-Zero Standard. The Daiichi Sankyo Group recognizes environmental issues, including global warming and the intensification of climate-related disasters, as serious challenges that threaten the realization of a sustainable society and the human health, as well as risk factors that impact the long-term business foundations, such as the stable supply of pharmaceuticals. Based on this recognition, we are proactively promoting environmental management. Moving forward, we will actively work on measures such as promoting energy conservation, utilizing renewable energy, and introducing decarbonization technologies, and collaborating with business partners to realize a decarbonized society.
Our GHG emissions reduction targets certified by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)
- *1An global initiative for companies and financial institutions to respond to the climate crisis and contribute to achieving the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C target and net zero. It advances setting science-based GHG reduction targets and verifies and certifies that those targets meet international standards. Partners include CDP, United Nations Global Compact, We Mean Business Coalition, World Resources Institute (WRI), and World Wide Fund for Nature(WWF).
- *2This includes suppliers in categories 1 (purchased goods and services), 2 (capital goods), and 4 (upstream transportation and distribution).
- *3After achieving the long-term targets, any remaining emissions (residual emissions) that cannot be reduced will be neutralized by an equivalent amount of carbon removal.
5-Year Business Plan （FY2021-FY2025）
5-Year Business Plan （FY2026-FY2030）
Materiality and KPI
Basic Biodiversity Principles and Action Guidelines
Sustainable Procurement
EHS Management Promotion
Head of Global Corporate Affairs serves as the Head of Global EHS Management Officer, overseeing EHS management across the group, while the Head of Global Sustainability serves as the Global Environmental Management Officer and the Head of Global Total Rewards and Well-Being serves as the Global Health and Safety Management Officer, promoting EHS management. Sustainability Committee, chaired by the Head of Global Corporate Affairs, in principle, twice a year discuss related to environmental, health, and safety (EHS); sustainability information disclosure; and social contribution. With respect to EHS, it deliberates on Short-, Mid-, and Long-term strategies, plans, and activities related to EHS management. The results of these discussions are escalated to the Executive Management Committee (EMC) and important issues are subsequently reported to the Board of Directors.
Environmental Auditing (EHS Internal Auditing)
ISO 14001/45001 Certification
Optimization of the EHS management system (EHSMS)
The Daiichi Sankyo Group promotes the optimization of the EHSMS in accordance with the Standard for the Daiichi Sankyo Group’s Environmental Management Systems.
Operating (production) sites that use large amounts of energy for manufacturing in Daiichi Sankyo Group have acquired the international standard for the EMS, ISO14001 certification (See the table below). We have also acquired ISO14001 certification in a multi-site registration that integrates all production sites of Group companies in Japan in one certification scope.
Furthermore, in fiscal year 2024, Daiichi Sankyo Group domestic manufacturing sites (Hiratsuka Plant, Odawara Plant, Onahama Plant, Tatebayashi Plant and Kitamoto Plant) have acquired multi-site certification for ISO 45001:2018, the international standard for health and safety management systems.
Daiichi Sankyo Group domestic sites (Hiratsuka, Odawara, Onahama, Tatebayashi and Kitamoto plants) have already obtained ISO 14001:2015 certification (multi-site certification), the international standard for environmental management systems. With the acquisition of ISO 45001:2018 certification, we establish an integrated environmental and health and safety management system as an EHS (environment, health and safety) management system, and will work to further reduce environmental impact and environmental risks, and manage employee health and workplace safety.
We optimize its EHS management system in accordance with the Daiichi Sankyo Group EHS Policy to address environmental, health and safety issues and promote responsible corporate activities.
List of operating sites that have integrated ISO14001/45001 certification (as of the end of April 2025)
List of ISO 14001 Certified Sites (As of the End of April 2025)
EHS Auditing Based on PSCI
The Group implements EHS audits based on PSCI*4 for overseas production sites every three years. There were no critical findings in the audits from FY2020 to FY2024. The summary of the results is as follows:
Implementation period: March 2021 to March 2025
Number of sites: 12 sites
Number of sites with findings (excluding minor findings): 8 sites
Number of findings: 37 cases
Responding to findings
| Management System |
- Established Global BCP*5 Policy and BCP in each site
- Established relevant documents (regulations, SOPs, and guidelines, etc.) for each company based on the Global EHS Policy
|
| Environment |
- Strengthened disposal management of liquid hazardous waste
- Installed acoustic barriers to mitigate noise from the equipment.
|
| Health & Safety |
- Strengthened health and safety management through establishing/revising SOPs
- Mitigated exposure risks to body fluids for First Aid Responders through trainings, etc.
|
- *4Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Initiatives, non-profit organization which promotes sustainable procurement in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry
- *5Business Continuity Plan
EHS Internal Auditing
Audits related to EHS management are conducted with three assessment approaches by the operating sites, the EHS management department (Sustainability Department and Human Resource Department) and ISO certifying bodies. These environmental audits supplement one another according to the situation at each operating site. Audits conducted by the Sustainability Department and Human Resource Department once every three years target all operating sites under the key theme of environment-related laws and regulations. In FY2024, audits were conducted at Tatebayashi Plant, Daiichi Sankyo Biotech Kitamoto Plant and American Regent. The audits confirmed that good compliance was being practiced in relation to environmental, health and safety related laws and regulations and that there were no concerns with the potential of leading to major risks.
Conducting EHS internal audits
Response to Accidents and Other Emergencies
Plants and research facilities with particularly high environmental risks have prepared protocols and defined responses to emergencies, including the prevention and mitigation of environmental pollution due to disasters and accidents. They also conduct periodic training and emergency drills while maintaining the necessary equipment.
In FY2024, no environmental accidents that have a significant impact on the surrounding environment occurred.
Environmental Education and Awareness Raising Activities
Workshops for environmental managers and initiatives to optimize environmental management
Every year, we hold a workshop for environmental managers on different themes that are relevant at the time to provide specialized education and information for those responsible for environmental-related tasks in domestic Group companies. The theme for FY2024 was the chemicals management in business establishment..
Workshops on global warming countermeasures
We hold workshops for global warming countermeasures every year to provide specialized education and share information on energy-saving and global warming countermeasures targeting facilities and energy managers of our plants and research facilities. The theme for FY2024 was the perovskite solar cells. We will continue to plan and hold workshops to promote energy conservation and global warming countermeasures.
Environmental e-learning
We provide environmental e-learning programs for all Group employees. In FY2024, the theme was on Corporate Initiatives to Achieve Carbon Neutrality. In domestic group companies, the participation rate was 97.6%. For those who had not participated in the e-learning including new employees, we thoroughly informed them of and provided the voluntary e-learning program. The participation rate of the entire Group was 94.7%.
Environmental Art Contest
We implement environmental communication measures to improve employees’ environmental awareness. Every year in June, which is designated as “Environment Month” by the Group, a contest is held for artwork that gives the viewer an impression of the environment. We accept entries from Group employees and their families globally
For the FY2024 contest, we received a total of 568 entries from Group companies in Japan and overseas. Specifically, we received 126 entries from domestic Group companies and 35 entries from overseas Group companies in the image category; 337 entries in the senryu (humorous or ironic haiku) category targeting domestic Group companies; and 70 entries in the slogan category targeting overseas Group companies. We selected the top prize and SDG special prize winners, and held an online award ceremony.
One DS Climate Action Program
We globally carried out the One DS Climate Action Program for internal implementation of decarbonization management for all employees. The number of registered participants were 1,584 in FY2024. This program is conducted annually during the summer months from June to September. Since the launch of the Cool Choice Program in FY2013, approximately 15,000 employees have participated cumulatively.
Environmental Supply Chain Management
Sustainable Procurement
The Group has set out the Business Partner Code of Conduct (BPCC) in April 2019 in relation to the Daiichi Sankyo Group Procurement Policy, in line with the revision of the Daiichi Sankyo Group Corporate Conduct Charter.
This BPCC sets out expectations for the promotion of sustainable procurement to business partners that provide products and services to us. In the BPCC, the environment-related items are as follows（see 4. Promoting Environmental Management）.
Business Partner Code of Conduct
4. Promoting Environmental Management
(1) Reduce greenhouse gas emissions
(2) Appropriately manage waste and emissions
(3) Prevent and mitigate spills and releases
(4) Promote energy and resource conservation
(5) Support biodiversity
The Daiichi Sankyo Group requests its major business partners to conduct a Sustainable Survey every three years based on the Business Partner Code of Conduct, in order to deepen their understanding of our Group’s thinking and strengthen communication with them. For more details.
"Supplier Engagement Leader" in the CDP Supplier Engagement Assessment
International environmental NGO CDP Chas recognized our efforts to address climate change through our supply chain and our initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, designating us as a "Supplier Engagement Leader" in the Supplier Engagement Assessment (SEA) for six consecutive years. CDP SEA assesses companies on their performance on governance, targets, Scope 3 emissions, and value chain engagement in the CDP climate change questionnaire.
Environmental Supply Chain Management
Choice of raw material or components that have a lower environmental footprint
(1) Environmental impact assessment of pharmaceutical manufacturing processes : We are operating 2 different platforms to evaluate environmental impact of our drug manufacturing process. First, in our synthetic API manufacturings, we incorporate environmental impact assessments into the design of the manufacturing process at each development stage. We evaluate toxicity and hazardousness, energy consumption, and the amount of waste generated, etc. at each stage of development. Based on this evaluation, we identify the items with significant environmental impact and develop manufacturing processes that are more environmentally friendly. Secondly, in addition to the chemical synthesis process evaluation, BioSolve indicator platform for cost and sustainability for biomanufacturing contributes to improving the environmental impact through process design by quantifying CO2 emissions of processes (example of applied process: continuous purification).
(2) Switching packaging materials to biomass plastics : To reduce environmental impact, We are promoting a switch from petroleum-derived plastics to biomass plastics for packaging materials such as the inner bags of injectable drugs, plastic trays for injectable drugs, vial break-proof packaging for injections, plastic bottles, and plastic film for PTP (Press Through Package) sheets.
Direct operation, production & manufacturing
(1) Enhancing environmental performance through the environmental management system (EMS) : Daiichi Sankyo Group promotes environmental performance improvement through the operation of the Environmental Management System (EMS) based on the Standard for the Daiichi Sankyo Group’s Environmental Management Systems. Production sites that consume substantials of energy for manufacturing in Daiichi Sankyo Group have acquired ISO 14001 certification, which is the international standard for EMS , and production facilities that have not yet acquired ISO 14001 certification are working toward acquiring it. At all sites, including these production sites, we set annual environmental targets and are work on reducing for energy, water, and waste and work to reduce them.
(2) Reduction of environmental impact through reducing of raw material use, waste, and expired inventory : To minimize the environmental impact of our business activities, we are working on the following initiatives aimed at reducing raw material use, waste, and expired inventory.
・Developing an mAb manufacturing platform that can utilize common raw materials to manufacture different clinical trial materials
・Repurposing expired raw materials for manufacturing to research purposes
・Establishing highly productive processes for mAb manufacturing, such as continuous purification process
・Selecting purification resins with high-binding capacity and long-life
・Optimizing the mRNA synthetic process to increase production volume per batch, resulting in minimizing the amount of reagents and single-use materials used
(3) Reduction of Environmental Impacts from Wastewater : We established "wastewater guideline" to ensure that highly active substances contained in factory effluent are at levels that have no impact on the human body and the ecosystem. Based on this wastewater guideline, all factories and research facilities in Japan conduct annual WET tests (Whole Effluent Toxicity tests) to evaluate the impact of many chemical substances that are not classified as regulated materials, including active pharmaceutical ingredients, as well as their effects on complex ecosystems. These tests ensure that there are no significant environmental impacts. At Hiratsuka and Onahama site, we have been incinerating high potent wastewater discharged from the manufacturing lines off-site, but we have invested on environmental-friendly biological wastewater treatment facility on-site.
(4) Confirmation of information on chemical substances in raw materials : When concluding a quality contract, we request suppliers to submit SDS (Safety Data Sheets) to confirm information on chemical substances contained in raw materials (properties, hazards, toxicity, and handling, etc.).
Distribution, storage and transportation
Regarding commercial distribution, we are promoting the following initiatives: (1) Installation of solar power generator at warehouse, (2) Reduction of CO
2 emission by joint deliveries, (3) Utilization of recyclable pallet, (4) Reduction of paper/ink by downsizing shipping label, (5) Renewal of distribution facility which meets global security standard, and (6) Modal shift of transportation.
For safe handling of products, we share SDS (Safety Data Sheets) with drivers and business partners who transport our products.
Use phase – operation and servicing/maintenance
We are reducing obsolescence rates of drugs in clinical trials by sharing clinical trial materials across multiple protocols. In addition, we have reduced the amount of expired control drugs by procuring drugs with longer expiration dates in smaller quantities, more frequently.
End of life management
Daiichi Sankyo Healthcare has been running a demonstration project in Yokohama City since October 2022, collecting and recycling used "Medicinal Sheets" (PTP sheets). Over about a year, we collected 1.08 million sheets (1,077 kg), significantly exceeding our initial target. We have continued these efforts and as of the end of April 2025, we've gathered about 10.86 million sheets (10,859 kg), expanding our collection points from the initial 30 to over 100. We're currently upcycling these materials into stationery and board products, and we’re also looking to implement the project in new cities following Yokohama. This initiative aims to raise awareness that used "Medicinal Sheets" are recyclable resources and to create a system for resource circulation.