Global healthcare company GSK announced today a series of new sustainability targets, aimed to achieve net zero climate impact and net positive impact on nature by 2030.

The new targets set by the company include 100% renewable electricity usage and good water stewardship at all GSK sites, 100% of materials sustainably sourced and deforestation free and transitioning to 100% usage of electric vehicles by GSK sales representatives worldwide. GSK stated that the goals form part of the company’s Trust priority and ESG approach, which support the company’s aim to create long-term value for shareholders and meet the needs of society.

The new plan applies primarily to GSK’s Biopharma business and portfolio, while the Consumer Healthcare business, which the company intends to spin off, will contribute towards the goals through delivery of its own targets, as long as it is part of GSK.

Emma Walmsley, Chief Executive Officer, GSK, said:

“As a global healthcare company, we want to play our full part in protecting and restoring the planet’s health, in order to protect and improve people’s health. Improving the environmental sustainability of our business also makes us more resilient, protecting our operations, so we can deliver the products that patients and consumers rely on.

“As part of our Trust priority and ESG commitments, we are announcing a new level of ambition on environmental sustainability, with the twin goals of ensuring the new GSK has a net zero impact on climate and a net positive impact on nature by 2030.

“All of us working at GSK are very motivated by the challenge of delivering these new goals. Meeting these goals will require working closely with others, including our suppliers, customers, consumers and patients, and we are grateful for their support.”

The company stated that its carbon targets have been accredited by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), in line with SBTi’s most stringent category of limiting warming 1.5°. Additionally, GSK intends to align to the Science Based Targets Network approach to measure its impact on nature and will seek to accredit its nature target when the methodology is finalised. Last month, the Science Based Targets Network (SBTN) announced the launch of Science-Based Targets for Nature Initial Guidance for Business, a resource aimed to enable companies to assess, prioritize, measure, address and track their impacts and dependencies on nature in line with science.