Responsible supply chain

Our overall objective to adhere to good social and environmental practices should also be promoted and developed with our suppliers and contract manufacturers.

Assessment of strategic manufacturing partners

UCB is partnering with about 200 Contract Manufacturing Organisations (CMOs) spread over 18 countries.  In 2010, about half of UCB products were manufactured internally while the other half were produced by these CMOs. Our CMOs play therefore an essential role in the supply of our medicines.  They need to comply with the same strict safety and quality rules as our own manufacturing sites.  As we audit our own manufacturing sites, we are also conducting inspections to assess the CMO’s financial sustainability, their quality systems, the manufacturing processes robustness of their manufacturing processes, the compliance with the regulations (including Health, Safety & Environment), as well as the efficiency of their supply chain. Risk analyses of each external manufacturing partner are performed on an annual basis. Currently, HS&E criteria are included in such risk analysis, especially with our partners producing API (Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients).  It will be extended to other CMOs in the future, when applicable.

Carbon footprint reduction in transportation

As UCB aspires to be patient-centric global biopharmaceutical leader, we are committed to timely, efficiently and responsibly supplying patients with our medicines, while respecting the highest quality standards. Transport of medicines has an inevitable impact on the environment. In order to decrease CO2 footprint and enhance flexibility of our services towards patients, UCB will partner with a pharmaceutical player to implement collaborative transport routes in the Eastern European market. Such streamlined transportation approach should reduce fuel consumption, thereby saving approximately up to 30% of CO2 per destination per year in 2011. We envisage extending such collaborative approach to other partners and to other regions.