Environmental
Environmental Management
Environmental Management
Environmental Management System
Environmental Management System
To effectively achieve the three objectives of ‘minimizing carbon emissions’, ‘recycling of resources’, and ‘minimization of ecological impacts’, SK bioscience has established a Safety, Health & Environment(SHE) management policy to carry out environmental management. At the company-wide level, SK bioscience shares an environmental policy aligned with the international standard ISO 14001. As a testament to our consistent efforts, we successfully obtained ISO 14001 certification for Andong L HOUSE in 2022.
Environmental Management Policy
- 1.We do our utmost to use resources and energy sustainably, reduce environmental pollutants and chemical emissions. We recycle wastewater throughout the entire process of business operations from R&D to production, distribution, and disposal.
- 2.We operate an environmental management system and continuously manage improvement performance by regularly monitoring all businesses and partners.
- 3.We comply with environmental laws and regulations and invest in combating global climate change and preserving local ecosystems and environments.
Environmental Management Goal
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Minimizing Carbon Emissions
- Achieving Net Zero by 2031
- Reducing fossil fuel consumption
- Expanding eco-friendly energy facilities
- Continuing activities to reduce its carbon footprint and increase the offset amount
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Recycling of Resources
- Making zero landfill waste by setting up a recycling system
- Using eco-friendly/green environment materials
- Establishing the baseline for waste recycling and achieving zero landfill waste through further exploration
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Minimizing Ecological Impacts
- Achieving zero environmental pollution and chemical substance leakage accidents
- Monitoring process flow constantly through the BMS
- Minimizing environmental load by proactively reviewing environmental factors during the business planning stage
Environmental Management Operational Plan
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1. Establishing an environmental performance management indicator process
- Establishing a company-wide environmental indicator inventory and baseline
- Further advancing environmental indicator management
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2. Strengthening activities for analyzing environmental impacts and aspects
- Reassessing environmental pollution risk factors such as waste/air/water quality
- Analyzing the company’s environmental impact and aspects in relation to climate change
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3. Enhancing pre-emptive responsiveness against environmental risks
- Regular review of environmental laws and licensing
- Focusing on activities aligned with the company’s ESG goals and direction
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4. Evaluating environmental performance and reflecting goals
- Registering and evaluating changes based on internal and external audit results
- Evaluating qualificationof established indicators and reflecting goals
A Dedicated Team for Efficient Environmental Management
At SK bioscience, the Vice President & Head of SHE, an executive-level position, who reports directly to the CEO, oversees company-wide environmental management. In line with SK bioscience’s operational status, the SHE Planning Team at the headquarters is responsible for company-wide environmental planning and environmental management for Pangyo offices(R&D Center/HQ staff), while the SHE Team in Andong handles environmental management tasks for Andong L HOUSE. To ensure efficient environmental management, the division regularly reports significant environmental status to the management and incorporates it into the management policies. Additionally, the SHE budget, investment performance, and plans are reported to the Board of Directors annually. During this process, the division actively seeks input from the management and the Board of Directors to implement sustainable environmental management practices. In 2022, the headquarters and Andong L HOUSE reported to the management on the environmental performance related to resource circulation, including monthly waste disposal, cumulative recycling rate, and recycling rate improvement. Additionally, the environmental management performance for 2022, as well as the plan for establishing an environmental management system were approved by the Board of Directors through a resolution. This plan includes the development of an environmental indicator inventory and baseline, which has been selected as a company-wide task for 2023.
Compliance with Environmental Laws
The SHE Division conducts environmental regulatory compliance assessments annually to identify environmental risks and opportunities. To identify new environmental regulations and effectively respond to them, we monitor laws and regulations on a bi-weekly basis. Starting from 2023, we are implementing semi-annual cross-checks at each business site to check whether we missed anything. Through the establishment of a monitoring system for domestic and international regulations, and proactive response measures, we have successfully achieved our goal of “zero violations of environmental laws and regulations” over the past three years
Evaluation of Environmental Performance
SK bioscience regularly monitors, analyzes, and evaluates the company’s environmental management performance. We conduct quarterly evaluations of our environmental management system through an Environmental Management Review in accordance with ISO 14001 and report the results to key executives, including the CEO. Additionally, we ensure objective and transparent monitoring of our environmental management system by regularly conducting third-party verifications. To achieve our company-wide environmental goals, we conduct quantitative and qualitative assessments by incorporating environmental factors into our Key Performance Indicators(KPIs). Furthermore, we are working to refine evaluation components to reflect the global business environment and the needs of external stakeholders.
Environmental Training for Employees
SK bioscience operates an environmental training program through mySUNI, the SK education platform, to enhance employees’ understanding of environmental risks and promote eco-friendly activities. The program covers essential concepts and trends for implementing environmental management, such as eco-friendly technologies, RE100, and Net Zero. We actively enhance employees’ understanding and encourage eco-friendly practices in their daily lives. Starting from 2023, in addition to the existing program, we have introduced a new environmental-themed training course for all employees to further enhance environmental awareness at the company level.
2022 Environmental Training Status
| Total Training Hours | 190.85 hours |
|---|---|
| Total Number of Completed Trainees | 97persons |
Building Eco-friendly Business Sites
SK bioscience has applied eco-friendly technologies to the design and construction stages of each of its business sites. The headquarters and R&D center have earned a Grade 1 energy efficiency label in the field of office buildings, the U.S. LEED Platinum certification, and the highest grade in domestic and international ecofriendly building certification systems by applying 101 eco-friendly materials and technologies. Andong L HOUSE applied 16 new eco-friendly technologies, including those that save energy and water resources. The factory was designed to achieve up to 30% energy savings compared to conventional methods by introducing LED lighting and toilet water recycling facilities. As a result, it became the world’s first LEED Gold-certified eco-friendly pharmaceutical factory in 2013. The Songdo R&PD Center incorporated Incheon’s Green Building design standards, Grade 1+ Energy Efficiency design standards, and LEED Gold design standards into the building design process to effectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote low-carbon green growth.
Purchasing Eco-friendly Products
SK bioscience’s purchasing team is dedicated to minimizing environmental risks by promoting the use of eco-friendly raw materials among major suppliers. In the future, we aim to gather data on carbon emissions and the environmental impact of these suppliers and integrate them into our evaluation criteria when selecting suppliers. SK bioscience is committed to gradually incorporating environmental factors into our supplier selection and evaluation processes, making them crucial indicators, and doing its best to purchase eco-friendly raw materials.
Evaluation Criteria for Purchasing Eco-friendly Raw Materials
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Utilizing of Certification Marks
Using ISO 14001, an eco-friendly product certification of an international environmental protection organization, as an evaluation criterion during supplier selection
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Recyclable and Sustainable Raw Materials
Considering the recyclability and sustainability of raw materials when making a purchase
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Eco-friendly Packaging
Promoting the use of paper and biodegradable plastics in packaging
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Eco-friendly Manufacturing Process
Reviewing the use of eco-friendly methods during the manufacturing processes
Management of Environmental Impacts
Waste Management
SK bioscience not only strives to recycle and reuse resources used in the entire production process of its products but also identifies and manages waste generation in each process to prevent environmental pollution caused by waste generation. We monitor every step of the process, from waste generation to treatment. We classify waste that may be contaminated separately and sterilize it before shipment to eliminate its harmfulness, considering the impact of waste on society, people, and nature. Additionally, we strictly manage designated wastes that may contaminate the surrounding environment by disposing of them through external companies. Apart from situations where waste is classified as hazardous waste, which legally requires incineration for disposal, we actively seek external recycling suppliers to recycle general waste, going above and beyond the legal requirements for waste treatment. In 2022, SK bioscience improved the recycling rate of general waste at Andong L HOUSE by approximately 27.8% year-on-year. This was achieved through the identification of new recyclable items, changes in treatment methods, and the addition of management indicators for circular resources. Additionally, the company regularly receives and manages disposal data to understand the amount of waste disposal systematically. Despite a rise in the amount of waste disposed over the past three years due to increased vaccine production in response to the spread of COVID-19, the recycling rate has shown a consistent upward trend. In 2023, we have planned various recycling projects to further enhance the recycling rate of water and waste.
Process Monitoring and Waste Classification Process
Hazardous Chemicals Management System
With the increased importance of managing hazardous chemicals due to strengthened global regulations, by creating an inventory, SK bioscience systematically manages hazardous chemicals at Andong L HOUSE. Furthermore, we review the hazards of new chemicals before introducing them and minimize the use of hazardous chemicals so that we can reduce the risk of hazardous chemical exposure or disposal to a wide range of stakeholder groups, including employees, nearby ecosystems, and local communities. In addition, we introduced the SHE IT system to computerize and manage the Material Safety Data Sheets(MSDS) on new chemical substances and are planning to use the Chemical Hazard Risk Management(CHARM) for all chemicals that will be used at sites to further analyze and manage risk factors. Furthermore, by introducing the Chemical Management System(CMS), we plan to systemize the entire process management, including the import, use, and disposal of chemical substances.
Introduction Process of Chemicals
Hazardous Chemicals Safety Training
We provide training on key chemical substances during new hire training sessions and regular training sessions for all employees to raise awareness of the dangers of chemical substances. We also provide separate training on MSDS to inform the potential dangers of introducing new chemical substances. Moreover, we train chemical handlers by setting up standards for wearing protective equipment against hazardous chemicals. In 2022, we went all out to prevent related accidents by conducting special safety training for these handlers.
Air Pollutant Management
To reduce air pollutants generated by fossil fuels, SK bioscience has replaced industrial bolier fuels with LNG. We have implemented measures to manage air pollutants at the generation stage, including the addition of a number control function to operate the boilers sequentially based on steam requirements. Furthermore, we conduct regular measurements to ensure compliance with emission limits. Andong L HOUSE uses ecofriendly refrigerants that minimize ozone-depleting substances generated during refrigerator operation. In addition, to manage exhaust gas within the workplace, we measure the quality of air that is coming from outside to maintain a fresh air percentage of 30% or higher compared with the standards. We control indoor pollutants and prevent the infiltration of pollutants by operating independent and local heating, ventilation, air conditioning(HVAC) equipment. This is done not only to protect both the atmospheric environment and the respiratory health of employees within the workplace.
Water Pollutant Management
SK bioscience’s water resources management minimizes wastewater generation and reduces water consumption. We utilize the in-house Biokill system to reduce the risk of water pollution effectively. We try to reduce contamination during discharge by removing biological hazards that may arise from the process, and by controlling the pH level and sterilization before discharge. The wastewater from the Andong plant is sent to a wastewater treatment facility, where it is regularly monitored to ensure that its discharge remains below the approved inflow concentration level, as determined by Andong City, in accordance with the plant’s wastewater treatment efficiency. Additionally, we conduct monthly monitoring of wastewater discharge and implement measures to reduce usage. In 2022, we installed an additional wastewater meter to ensure accurate monitoring of the figures for each source of generation. To reduce water consumption, we recycle factory water and are making efforts to identify various ways to consume treated wastewater. Also, we use the rainwater collected in our tanks in factories and manage the water usage through eco-friendly vegetation for water conservation. The usage and discharge of water are measured using a flowmeter, with the figures recorded twice a day.
Biodiversity Conservation
SK bioscience deeply recognizes the value of biodiversity and the importance of preserving ecosystems. We emphasize the importance of environmental conservation to the continuity of our business by including environmental conservation training in our regular training curriculum. We also protect the natural environment and ecosystems in the vicinity by preserving the original form as much as possible when expanding business sites. From the beginning of the industrial complex development, we have collaborated with local governments and industrial complexes to use the least amount of land possible when forming and leveling land, while also making efforts to preserve the remaining space in its original form. SK bioscience will take the lead in safeguarding biodiversity by preserving the natural environment to the greatest extent possible, acknowledging the region’s diverse life forms, and promoting coexistence with the ecosystem.
Biodiversity Risk Management Process
SK bioscience is currently reviewing the ongoing biodiversity conservation process of its parent company. Our plan is to implement Steps 2 and 3 by the first half of 2024 in order to identify biodiversity risks and develop management and mitigation measures. The biodiversity risk management process will be established by referring to global assessment methodologies and frameworks, such as the Taskforce on Nature- related Financial Disclosure(TNFD) guidelines and the Locate Evaluate Assess Prepare(LEAP) approach. Additionally, we are preparing to assess risks by considering biodiversity risks associated with dependency and impact.
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Step 1
Location of Business Site/Value Chain Analysis
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Step 2
Measure Natural Resource Dependency and Impacts
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Step 3
Establish, Implement, and Disclose Reduction Plans