Sanofi

Eco-design

Environmental claims in the pharmaceutical sector require robust scientific substantiation to ensure that reported improvements reflect verifiable, quantified changes in product environmental performance rather than unsubstantiated assertions. Sanofi's Eco-design program is built on internationally recognized LCA standards (cf. below), systematic third-party verification, and conservative methodological assumptions applied since 2023. All environmental improvement claims are quantified against a documented significance threshold, independently reviewed, and assessed prior to any external communication, ensuring that reported results are scientifically defensible and reproducible.

Definitions

Sanofi's Eco-design approach is structured around two operational complementary dimensions. 

The first is an environmental assessment of products across their full life cycle, from raw material sourcing through manufacturing, distribution, use, and end-of-life, conducted through Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology. 

The second is the identification and activation of environmental improvement levers based on the findings of those assessments. This dimension engages the appropriate functions both within Sanofi (including R&D, Manufacturing Science Analytics and Technology (MSAT), the Global Device and Packaging Unit (GDPU), and Procurement) and outside the group, through suppliers, partners, and industry consortia. 

Eco-design thus encompasses both environmental measurement and the structured implementation of improvement actions across the value chain. 

Corporate commitments:

  • Since 20251, all new medicines and vaccines entering development are subject to an Eco-design approach before their first submission to Health Authorities, first indication, first geography.  

  • Sanofi's objective is to embed this approach across 100% of its 20 top-selling products by 2030. As of 2025, 60% follow this framework. 

Our Performance in 2025

We measure our ability to make systemic Eco-design in the company through our Sanofi capability framework, which covers 6 pillars: 

1. Strategy

At Sanofi, aligned with our corporate Eco-design commitment, we completed Environmental Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies  that proof point to the environmental optimization of our medicines. We’ve already started seeing the results of Eco-design applications as, in 2025,  60% of our top 20 selling products follow an Eco-design approach with Sanofi. 

 

Publicly Available Medicines and Vaccines — Environmental Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Technical Summary Reports

Our Environmental Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) reports provide transparent, ISO-compliant insights into the environmental performance of our medicines and vaccines. Each report is  compliance with ISO 14040/14044 standards and critically reviewed by an independent expert, ensuring transparent and accurate results for public disclosure.

DUPIXENT

By optimizing the largest environmental contributor─ our active pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturing processes, each dose DUPIXENT now has:​

  • 53% lower carbon footprint​
  • 62% less water use​
  • 30% less resource depletion​

without altering our trusted formulation.

Read more

TOUJEO

Our implemented Eco-design approach has positive impact. Over the years, for millions of patients worldwide, TOUJEO offers reduced environmental impact:​

  • 27% lower carbon footprint​
  • 11% less water use​
  • 18% less resource use
Read more

HEXAXIM

By optimizing manufacturing, syringe and packaging, each HEXAXIM box now has:​

  • 17% lower carbon footprint​
  • 19% less water use​
  • 6% less resource depletion​

without altering our trusted formulation.

Read more

2. People

Since 2025, Eco-design responsibilities have been integrated into new job descriptions and individual employee performance goals to create accountability for key departments, such as Research and Development (R&D), Manufacturing Science, Analytics and Technology (MSAT) and Global Device and Packaging Unit (GDPU). 

 

3. Tool and Processes

We continuously invest in our internal Eco-design Digital intelligence (EDDi) tool to model, measure & simulate, monitor & optimize our medicines’ environment profile.  

In April 2024, we received the certificate from Bureau Veritas, a world leader independent in certification services, attesting that Sanofi EDDi tool is compliant with ISO 14040 & ISO 14044. 

In 2025, we integrated generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) for medicine and vaccine LCA execution acceleration to ensure Eco-design experts focus more on environmental improvement levers. To effectively collect & utilize accurate, comparable suppliers' environmental data, the Environmental & Procurement teams collaborated to establish supplier environmental data specifications checklist aligned with international standards: PAS2090 & GHG Protocol. This ensures clarity and compliance with the required environmental data formats.  

Over the years, to implement Eco-design at the core Sanofi business ecosystem, we integrate Eco-design standards and process (HSE Eco-design management systems standard; Sustainable Packaging and Device standards, R&D product development stage gate deliverables, and in Manufacturability assessment tool to include Eco-design according to Sanofi industrial expectations Scientific and Technological Standards).

4. Upskilling

Environmental knowledge and skills development of Sanofi colleaguesan is key for Eco-design approach integration and acceleration. To reach this objective Sanofi has developed and executed an Eco-design transformation program with four levels according to target audience and learning objectives: 

  • Level 1: global audience, Sanofi Eco-design approach objectives
  • Level 2: target audience, Sanofi Eco-design approach tools presentation
  • Level 3: target audience, Sanofi Eco-design approach tools application
  • Level 4: target audience, Sanofi Eco-design approach – LCA advance learning

By the end of 2025, 5,001 Sanofi employees haved been trained across various Eco-design learning levels. Complementing these core programs, dedicated webinars were organized to deepen expertise on key environmental topics, including product environmental claims, plastic pollution, and packaging and device recyclability. 

5. Rituals and Symbols

Every year, our Planet Care Challenge invests €3 million in transforming our employees’ innovative ideas into concrete, impactful solutions. In 2025, Planet Care Challenge edition was fully dedicated to Eco-design innovations, by leveraging our network of expertise and disruptive mindset. 107 projects were submitted to the jury. Through that program, we seek to amplify our impact while driving meaningful changes within the industry.

6. Collaboration for greater environmental impact

  • Pharma LCA consortium & Sustainable Markets Initiative (SMI): Sanofi is leading the Pharma LCA Consortium that gathers global pharmaceutical companies that have come together via the Pharmaceutical Environment Group (PEG) - with the CEOs sponsorship of the Sustainable Markets Initiative (SMI) Health Task Force. Jointly, we’ve published PAS 2090:2025, the world’s first global standard for measuring the environmental impact of pharmaceutical products. The LCA consortium is also assessing the opportunity to develop a PAS 2090-compliant Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) database tailored to the pharmaceutical sector, and an LCA tool expected by November 2026 to support PAS 2090:2025 implementation. 

  • PharmEco project: Initiative for Health Innovation (IHI) is a European Union public-private partnership that funds research and innovation in the health sector. In this frame, Sanofi will contribute to the PharmEco project which is dedicated to support development of innovative solutions (synthetic and biological production, sterilization / decontamination...) to make pharmaceutical manufacturing more sustainable. The project would also help with developing new methods to assess sustainability of innovation manufacturing processes at different stage of development. 

  • NIIMBLE – National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals is a public-private partnership focused on advancing biopharmaceutical manufacturing, solving industry challenges, and developing the skilled workforce to meet industry’s needs. The dedicated Sustainability Workstream explore how to achieve sustainable, carbon-neutral manufacturing by incorporating sustainability as a design criterion across all areas of bioprocess manufacturing, including raw material sourcing, manufacturing technology R&D, process and facility design, manufacturing operations and waste recycling; also support the development of circular economies for raw materials and consumables using an end-to-end perspective. 

  • American Green Chemistry Institute: Sanofi is a member of the ACS GCI Pharmaceutical Roundtable which is the leading organization dedicated to catalyzing the integration of green chemistry and engineering in the pharmaceutical industry. Established in 2005 by the American Chemical Society’s Green Chemistry Institute, the Roundtable’s activities are driven by the shared belief that green chemistry and engineering is imperative for business and environmental sustainability. 

References

  1. Excluded: Any new products acquired or licensed after initial product design (after Phase 2 start) and Products whose development remains under another company's responsibility. In these situations, Sanofi may have limited access to the NME/NV primary data required to perform the LCA methodology, and limited influence to execute Sanofi's product impact lowering strategy. Consequently, Sanofi may face either a delay, a lower methodological accuracy or an exemption on Eco-design execution for these products.