News Release
February 15, 2021
karen.tiano@milliporesigma.com
Phone: 978-495-0093
MilliporeSigma Enhances Design for Sustainability Framework, Offers Customers Data-Driven Insights for Greener Solutions
- New framework supports company’s commitment to integrate sustainability into all value chains by 2030
- Development, consulting and re-engineering efforts decrease environmental impact while improving product performance
Burlington, Massachusetts, February 15, 2021 — MilliporeSigma has launched an enhanced Design for Sustainability (DfS) framework, a unique approach to holistically integrate sustainability into products, systems and services. With the introduction of DfS, MilliporeSigma leads the life science industry in ensuring that sustainability is at the forefront of each stage of the product life cycle. This important strategic initiative supports the company’s commitment to integrate sustainability into all value chains by 2030, as outlined in its sustainability strategy.
“This approach has had a positive impact on MilliporeSigma’s business internally, and now it also will benefit our customers across academia, pharma and industry — helping them make more informed decisions and surpass their own sustainability goals,” said Chris Ross, interim CEO, MilliporeSigma. “Using the DfS framework, MilliporeSigma will offer a deeper level of data-driven insight to help guide customer conversations around greener, more sustainable alternatives."
The DfS framework comprises three parts — Development, Consulting and Re-engineering — in which MilliporeSigma identifies the sources of environmental impacts, defines relevant targets and measures product sustainability characteristics.
- Development: In the Development process, MilliporeSigma coordinates efforts with its customers and internal researchers to provide more sustainable solutions in their applications. The DfS standards guide the research and product development processes by introducing greener products from the outset. One example is MilliporeSigma’s Stericup®E and Steritop®E sterile filters, which significantly reduce the amount of plastic and packaging that enters the laboratory and waste stream.
Launched as an internal program in 2014, the DfS-Development framework was revamped in 2020 to include new categories and sustainability measures that allowed MilliporeSigma to better assess products and share sustainability features with customers. The framework consists of 23 sustainability aspects grouped into seven categories covering the major areas of environmental and human impacts: Materials; Suppliers & Manufacturing; Energy & Emissions; Water; Packaging; Usability & Innovation; and Circular Economy. - Consulting: In the Consulting stage, MilliporeSigma collaborates with customers in industries ranging from agriculture to household products manufacturing on ways to apply green chemistry designs to their research and operational approaches. For example, MilliporeSigma is working with a technology partner in the leather tanning industry to introduce a safer alternative to one ingredient. This alternative product will improve both sustainability and safety, while also yielding high quality leather.
- Re-engineering: In the Re-engineering stage, MilliporeSigma uses the proprietary DOZN™ green chemistry tool. This industry-first tool employs the 12 Principles of Green Chemistry to compare the greenness of similar chemicals, synthetic routes and chemical processes. With the DOZN™ tool, researchers can identify pivot-points to implement and quantify significant sustainability measures, such as improving resource use, increasing energy efficiency and minimizing human and environmental hazards.
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About the Life Science Business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
The Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, which operates as MilliporeSigma in the U.S. and Canada, has some 22,000 employees and 59 manufacturing sites worldwide, with a portfolio of more than 300,000 products focused on scientific discovery, biomanufacturing, and testing services.
Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, a leading science and technology company, operates across healthcare, life science, and electronics. Around 58,000 employees work to make a positive difference to millions of people’s lives every day by creating more joyful and sustainable ways to live. From advancing gene-editing technologies and discovering unique ways to treat the most challenging diseases to enabling the intelligence of devices – the company is everywhere. In 2020, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany generated sales of € 17.5 billion in 66 countries.
The company holds the global rights to the name and trademark “Merck” internationally. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the business sectors of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany operate as EMD Serono in healthcare, MilliporeSigma in life science, and EMD Electronics. Since its founding in 1668, scientific exploration and responsible entrepreneurship have been key to the company’s technological and scientific advances. To this day, the founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed company. For more information about Merck, KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, visit www.emdgroup.com.