Millipore boasts progress on green initiatives

Millipore achieved a worldwide six percent decline in energy consumption last year, and a 12 percent drop in water consumption. Relative to 2006 figures, the reductions are 11 percent and 22 percent, respectively, according to its second annual sustainability report.

Greenhouse gas emissions are down 15 percent, the company says, shy of its goal of a 20-percent drop from 2006 levels.

"Millipore is embedding sustainability practices throughout its entire supply chain," says David Newman, senior director. Practices aim to reduce the company's consumption of non-renewable resources, eliminate waste and adopt behavioral changes that support long-term sustainability, according to an announcement.

Like virtually all industries, pharma has jumped on then sustainability bandwagon. In a voluntary reporting study, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Sanofi-Aventis, Abbott Labs and Johnson & Johnson were high scorers in 2009. To help the cause along, enterprise software makers are offering sustainability applications for their corporate offerings.

- here's Millipore's release