Sustainability Policy

Our approach and general objectives

At Orion, we are dedicated to integrating sustainability into every aspect of our operations. We are committed to environmental protection, social responsibility, and ethical business conduct. Our goal is to minimize our ecological footprint, promote well-being, ensure respect of human rights, uphold the highest standards of integrity, and ensure long-term viability.

With our purpose of building well-being, we have a responsibility to foster the essential link between human health and the health of our natural environment and planet. We recognize the inherent interdependence between environmental and social sustainability and long-term viability for Orion. We apply life-cycle thinking to enhance our comprehension of our impacts not only within our own operations but across our entire value chain.

We aim for positive change on our planet and people and communities along our value chain by adhering to the principles described in this policy and by fostering a culture of continuous improvement and innovation. We continuously strive to enhance our operations while actively engaging with our business partners and supporting our suppliers to do the same.

This policy aligns with our Code of Conduct and values and provides a framework and governing platform for all aspects of Orion’s business. This policy applies to all Orion’s businesses and into all aspects of our activities.

Our social and environmental objectives

Orion is committed to respecting human rights as outlined in the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs)

Orion is dedicated to upholding human rights in its approach to business in accordance with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, as outlined in the International Bill of Human Rights, the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the ILO's fundamental conventions. Social sustainability at Orion involves respecting the rights of people working for Orion, workers and local communities in the value chain, as well as those of patients, consumers, and other end-users of Orion’s products.

Orion is committed to continuously improving its sustainability due diligence processes, including engaging affected stakeholders and enhancing supply chain traceability

Orion conducts sustainability due diligence through continuously improving its processes to identify, prevent, and mitigate adverse impacts on people and the environment in the value chain. Severity of impacts to people and the environment forms the basis of Orion’s risk based approach to sustainability due diligence.

Orion endeavours to effectively identify and understand both potential and actual impacts related to its operations and portfolio. Therefore, we strive to build traceability through our supply chains, particularly in connection with naturally derived raw materials.

Orion recognizes that engagement with employees, workers and local communities in the value chain, as well as the end-users of Orion products, is a crucial part in identifying adverse impacts, designing appropriate measures, and evaluating their effectiveness.

Orion is committed to respecting local communities’ right to healthy environment

Orion acknowledges that a healthy environment is an essential component for the fulfilment of economic, social, and cultural rights. By enacting this sustainability policy, and recognizing the interconnections between social and environmental sustainability, Orion aims to respect and uphold the rights of local communities in its value chain.

Orion is committed to limiting global warming to 1.5°C and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050

Climate change is a major challenge, and Orion wants to be part of the solution. We acknowledge and agree with the IPCC’s findings on anthropogenic climate change and are committed to limiting global warming to 1.5°C, as per the Paris Agreement. By the end of this decade, we aim to decarbonize our operations through a robust and actionable plan to achieve our near-term climate targets, approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).

Orion recognizes the importance of sustained climate action and has committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

Orion is committed to sustainable manufacturing and proactive environmental stewardship across our supply chain.

Orion is dedicated to minimizing its ecological footprint by manufacturing products in an environmentally sustainable manner. We strive to anticipate, reduce, and prevent any environmental harm arising from our operations and products. We require our sites to exercise appropriate care in managing, controlling, and treating any waste or wastewater prior to release into the environment. This applies even when not mandated by local regulation. We also engage with our suppliers to embed responsible environmental standards into their operations.

Orion is committed to working towards no biodiversity loss caused by our business or value chain

Biodiversity loss is a crisis comparable to climate change and as a pharmaceutical company Orion depends in many ways on the ecosystem services stemming from biodiversity. Orion is committed to working towards no biodiversity loss caused by our business or our value chain.

We promote responsible and efficient use of natural resources and sustainable sourcing throughout our operations and engage with partners across our value chain to ensure practices are upheld at every stage. This includes seeking measures to minimise any impacts and pressures on endangered species related to our own and our suppliers’ production processes. Orion shares the concern for the decline of species and as a part of its wider scope of biodiversity actions aims to minimise pressure from its activities on any endangered or vulnerable species.

Orion is committed to addressesing pharmaceuticals in the environment and combatting antimicrobial resistance (AMR) through cooperation

Delivering life-changing medicines inevitably results in pharmaceuticals entering the environment. Our primary water pollution concern is the active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) that may enter the environment from the manufacturing and through the use of our products. We believe that environmental risks associated with pharmaceutical residues should be conscientiously assessed, minimised and managed with due care. We cooperate with other operators in the field to find science-based solutions to reduce the environmental and potential consequent community impacts of the pharmaceutical industry.

We are dedicated to sustainable manufacturing and environmental stewardship to prevent harmful pharmaceutical residues in the waste and wastewater from our own operations or from those of our suppliers.

Orion’s commitment to sustainability is central to our efforts in the fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Recognizing the critical role that antibiotics play in saving lives and managing bacterial infections, we strive to ensure a holistic approach to tackling AMR. We emphasise the importance of preventive care and optimising antibiotic use in healthcare, and educate professionals and the public on the importance of appropriate antibiotic use to prevent the misuse that leads to AMR.

Orion is committed to sustainable use of water throughout its supply chain

Scarcity of clean water is an increasing issue, with droughts becoming more frequent and affecting a growing number of areas. We acknowledge that access to clean water is a fundamental human right and that our actions must consider long-term impacts on both humans and ecosystems. We also recognize that water is critical in the research, development, and manufacture of our medicines. Orion is committed to sustainable use and sourcing of water across all its operations and in its supply chain. We seek ways for reducing material water consumption within our own operations and engaging with our suppliers to do the same in areas at water risk. We strive to enhance water efficiency and ensure responsible water management practices to safeguard this vital resource.

Orion is committed to the principles of circular economy, and supporting sustainable and efficient resource use

Orion is dedicated to the principles of circular economy, ensuring that our operations, our value chain and our products support sustainable resource use and waste reduction from the product design phase onward. We actively seek ways to integrate circular economy principles in our production and packaging strategies through innovative design wherever possible and encourage the use of renewable resources, without ever compromising patient safety.