Our commitment to Sustainability
We all have a shared responsibility and stake in sustainability. We must therefore ensure that the decisions we make today contribute towards a sustainable future for our planet, our society and our business.
With the global population at almost 8 billion, resources are under strain like never before. As people live longer, we are seeing a rise in unmet medical needs and healthcare systems are under great pressure to deliver more for less. Overcoming these challenges necessitates global cooperation in finding innovative and sustainable scientific approaches.
Deepening our engagement in sustainability
Astellas’ raison d’être is to contribute toward improving the health of people around the world through the provision of innovative and reliable pharmaceutical products. As a research and development-orientated company, we believe that innovation is the key to unlocking the value of science, which consequently maximizes outcomes for patients and society. We will continue to invest in new technologies and innovative medical solutions that focus on unmet medical needs and better treatment approaches. We create value for our stakeholders and earn the trust of society through our efforts. This, in turn, enhances our corporate value and supports sustainable growth.
In defining our sustainability priorities, we set out to address the material issues where we can have an impact and which matter most to patients, healthcare professionals, Astellas employees, our communities, partners and other stakeholders.
Contributing to improving health around the world
We are committed to helping to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and we have particular duty to focus on Goal 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.
As part of our commitment to Sustainable Development Goal 3, we have a duty to help improve global access to health. Through the collaboration with the third parties such as, but not limited to, Access Accelerated and the Global Health Innovative Technology (GHIT) Fund, we strive to help improve healthcare outcomes from the four focused areas; (1) Creating innovation, (2) Enhancing availability, (3) Strengthening healthcare systems, and (4) Improving health literacy.
Helping to build a sustainable society through responsible business
The Astellas value chain has already expanded worldwide operations. To maintain the governance on a global level, we respect our Charter of Corporate Conduct and the Astellas Group Code of Conduct as a set of core ethics and compliance standards for all of our activities throughout the world. Acting in accordance with “high ethical standards” is the core of our values here at Astellas.
Astellas is a signatory to the United Nations Global Compact, and we have embedded its principles in our operations. To contribute to a sustainable society, we do business responsibly. An in-depth report of our business can be found in our Annual Report.
We seek to minimize our impact on the environment. We have robust targets for addressing climate change, conserving natural resources, biodiversity and waste management. These targets are found in an environmental action plan that sets out short-term and medium-term targets. We also have environmental initiatives in the areas of water management, pollution and recycling.
Remaining purpose-driven in making a meaningful difference
We will continue contributing to the world's sustainable development while communicating closely with all of our stakeholders. Our aim is to ensure we are a company that answers the needs of a global society. We are continuously committed to transforming progress in science and technology into value for our patients.
Kenji Yasukawa, President and CEO