Pharmaceutical Technologist - September 2007 - (Page 4)

*Editor’s comment Sustaining the green effort How environmentally responsible do you think you are? Do you recycle your paper, cans, glass and plastics? Of course you do; if you don’t, shame on you. Now, how responsible do you think the company you work for is? During the last few months, I have conversed with many industry professionals about the impact of manufacturing pharmaceuticals — and the one point that keeps coming up is that we’re simply not doing enough. In fact, as one Big Pharma expert (who wishes to remain anonymous) put it to me at a recent conference: “Pharma is lagging behind many other sectors in terms of its green responsibilities. It still has outdated processes, and wastes enormous amounts of energy and resources — this attitude has to change soon.” Most other industries are moving forward and reviewing the impact of their actions. The “phrases de jour” are ‘sustainable development’ and ‘Triple Bottom Line’, and progressive companies are keeping an eye on both. There are many definitions of sustainability, but the most commonly used version is that created by the Brundtland Commission (led by former Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland), citing sustainable development as that which “meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. The Triple Bottom Line (TBL or 3BL, or People, Planet, Profit — depending on which definition you read) is a set of values and criteria for measuring organizational success by studying at a company’s economic, social and environmental impact. Why are companies taking such an interest in these initiatives? Well, essentially, recycling your printer paper is simply not enough. With consumers and communities taking an ever-greater interest in ethical and environmental responsibilities, firms must now demonstrate their accountability and prove their commitment not only to stakeholders, but also to the environment and the society (both local and global). Many companies in the power generation sector, for example, talk about their TBL/sustainability stance, but how often do we hear from pharmaceutical companies? Although credit is certainly deserved for those of us who make a conscientious effort to be green, much more could be done; the message to companies is to look at the bigger picture (or rather the TBL) and consider the full impact and consequences of your actions. Only then will there truly be a “sustained” effort to protect the planet and our future generations. Gurminder Marwaha 4 September 2007 l pharmaceutical technologist

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Pharmaceutical Technologist - September 2007

Contents Editor’s Comment News Morpheus Market Watch CPhI Worldwide 2007 Compliant Pharmaceutical Labelling Q&A

Pharmaceutical Technologist - September 2007

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