SkyCell achieves goal of running solely on renewable energy in continued pursuit of net-zero emissions by 2040

SkyCell, the innovator and leading manufacturer of temperature-controlled hybrid containers for the pharmaceutical industry, has released its second annual Sustainability Report, detailing the progress made in achieving net-zero emissions within the entire supply chain and making pharma supply chains more sustainable. In 2021, the Swiss company successfully transitioned their operations to run solely on renewable electricity. 

The healthcare industry is a significant contributor of global CO2 emissions, emitting two gigatons of CO2 emissions annually, the equivalent of being the fifth-largest emitting country globally. For pharma companies, supply chains represent a sizable proportion of these emissions. Reducing Scope 3 emissions is considered the most challenging as they fall outside of the company’s direct operational control. In 2021, SkyCell’s overall Scope 3 emissions intensity decreased by 8%, which was achieved by optimizing shipment routes, minimizing empty transports, and shifting towards more sustainable modes of transport. 

Reducing the carbon intensity of its shipments has been a key pillar of the company’s emissions reduction plan. SkyCell has made notable strides thanks to the continued improvement of its container design, material use, and production process, which had already been found to reduce emissions by up to 50% compared to other pharma containers. SkyCell’s newest container, the 1500X, has achieved even greater weight and space efficiencies, weighing 379kg which is significantly less than the 630kg+ of active containers on the market today.

Since its creation in 2012, SkyCell has tried to adhere to the principles of the circular economy by implementing processes to reuse, repair, refurbish and recycle its containers to minimise environmental impacts. Last year, the company established its first in-house production centre in Switzerland using robotic production, increasing the life cycle of containers with its improved build-quality.

Earlier this year SkyCell received recognition for its efforts to make pharma supply chains more sustainable by being awarded an EcoVadis Gold Medal. Acknowledged for its accomplishments in environment, ethics, labor and sustainable procurement assessments, SkyCell is now classified in the top 3 percent of all the companies assessed by EcoVadis. 

As is the case for the majority of companies, some emissions are still unavoidable. For SkyCell this primarily occurs during the manufacturing process and transport of the containers. To offset these emissions, the company has acquired carbon dioxide removal and offset certificates from Climeworks and the United Nations’ REDD+ forest protection and reforestation projects in Indonesia and Zimbabwe. As part of its mission to become net-zero by 2040, SkyCell will continue its commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement. 

Nico Ros, CTO and Co-Founder of SkyCell, said: “Helping to prevent climate change is one of my top missions as a father and engineer. I wanted to prove that as engineers, we are capable of designing solutions that can redefine industry standards, cut CO2 emissions and crucially reduce costs at the same time. With our technology we are helping pharma companies deliver their products to patients more safely and remove millions of kilograms of CO2e from their supply chains every year. With our sustainability report, we want to lead by example and demonstrate how we are taking steps towards our net-zero goal.”