Vetter, a globally leading contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) with long-term experience in supporting biotechnology and pharmaceutical customers, has in place a comprehensive sustainability strategy that has made it a pioneer in this energy-intensive industry.
The family-owned company said it is undertaking numerous initiatives aimed at making sustainability manifest in all facets for employees and acts as a motivator in encouraging them to participate. For the second time in a row, Vetter participated in a full week of life activities in the recent Sustainability Days of Baden-Wuerttemberg’s Sustainability Network. “To just speak about the topic of sustainability does not give it the credit it is due,” says Vetter Managing Director Thomas Otto. “That is why we are part of a proactive network of other companies. We need a strong community for sustainable development and we work hard to include all employees in the process.” Within this context, the CDMO has launched numerous sustainability activities that include various participatory events and lectures. This includes an information booth that traveled among company sites. Its aim is to sensitize all employees to the issue of sustainability and offer them easy-to-implement, hands-on suggestions that can enable greater sustainability in their professional and private lives.
By joining the Germany-wide initiative KLIMARETTER – LEBENSRETTER, Vetter is offering a visible incentive for its staff. The initiative unites companies in the health industry behind climate protection and supports them in helping to make the positive impact of their actions more visible and substantial. For example, an online presence shows participants how much can be saved by eating less meat or using green mobility, the company said.
The comprehensive commitment to sustainability has been widely acclaimed and has also been awarded prizes. Recently, the company won the TOP-KLIMA-ENGAGEMENT 2023 (Top Climate Engagement 2023) seal from FOR OUR PLANET, the sustainability program of the Burda publishing house, in cooperation with the German news magazine FOCUS. For Vetter, sustainable measures that benefit employees are particularly important. In this context, the CDMO was awarded first place in the Sustainable Impact Awards for the category Social Impact on Employees. This prize is awarded by the German magazine WirtschaftsWoche and Generali Deutschland to the most attractive employers among medium-sized companies and is focused on employee satisfaction.
“We take a holistic view of sustainability within our company,” says Vetter Managing Director Peter Soelkner, “By doing so, we keep our attention keenly focused on the balance between ecology, economy, and social commitment.” This year for the first time, Vetter said, it revealed the measures being taken thus far and its vision for the future in a comprehensive sustainability report. The report showed how strongly the sustainability strategy was anchored within the framework of its EHS (Environment, Health, and Safety) management. Vetter has already successfully implemented approximately 100 efficiency projects over the past ten years. For example, over 31 million kWh of energy was already saved. In addition, all of the company’s sites worldwide have been CO2-neutral since 2021. “As a family-owned company, we handle the finite resources and our society carefully with the aim of being a good example for our industry,” says Vetter Managing Director Peter Soelkner in summarizing the company-wide approach.