Zoetis
today published its 2020 Sustainability Report
“Our Journey Toward a Better World” describing
its commitment to continued disclosure on environmental, social and governance
(ESG) topics and progress toward the company’s Driven to Care long-term sustainability aspirations.
The report highlights the company’s journey to champion a healthier, more
sustainable future through specific commitments to Communities, Animals and the
Planet; these commitments build on Zoetis’ purpose and help achieve the United
Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Complementing the report is a
comprehensive ESG Appendix, an update from the company’s baseline disclosure published in November 2020, which
shares key ESG performance indicators, including those set out by the
Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) for the biotechnology and
pharmaceuticals industry.
Building
on its history of supporting the people who care for animals, Zoetis is proud
to commit $35 million over five years through the newly established Zoetis Foundation. The signature work of the Foundation
will advance opportunities for veterinarians and farmers, with grantmaking
focussed on enabling thriving professions and livelihoods. Initially, the
Foundation will focus on scholarships and diversity initiatives to help drive a
more inclusive veterinary community in the U.S. In 2022, the Foundation’s work
will expand to support veterinary debt relief, additional diversity, equity and
inclusion programming, and mental wellness for farmers and veterinarians in the
U.S., as well as support farmer and veterinary livelihoods in Africa,
Australia, Brazil, China and Europe.
“Zoetis
has a long history of addressing important challenges faced by veterinarians
and farmers. Our new charitable foundation represents the next chapter in
extending and driving forward these commitments,” said Jeannette Ferran
Astorga, Head of Sustainability at Zoetis and President of the Zoetis
Foundation. “Specifically, the Zoetis Foundation will look for opportunities to
address lack of diversity in both professions, the need for resources that
support emotional well-being, financial burdens such as veterinary student
loans, and lack of access to a higher standard of animal care in underserved
areas.”
Caring
for Communities and Colleagues
In
2020, Zoetis donated over $6 million to support animals and the people who care
for them, with 9.6 percent of all community investments supporting COVID-19 relief
efforts across the globe. As progress toward its goal to provide at least $1
million in scholarships to veterinary students annually, in 2020 the company
provided over $934,000 in scholarships to support over 400 students. In the
U.S., 34 percent of students supported by the Zoetis and Association of American
Veterinary Medical Colleges Veterinary Student Scholarship Program were
diverse. Zoetis also provided over $1.83 million through charitable programs
and in-kind donations to care for animals impacted by disasters around the
world.
“The
events of the past year reaffirmed our purpose to nurture the world and
humankind by advancing care for animals, and strengthened our resolve to
champion a healthier, more sustainable future for people, animals, and the
planet we share,” said Kristin Peck, Chief Executive Officer of Zoetis. “The
world depends on animals for nutrition, comfort and companionship, and the
people who care for them play essential roles in that dynamic. That was
amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic. I’m incredibly proud of our colleagues who
went above and beyond to safely and effectively connect with customers, keep
our business operations running smoothly, and make a difference in their local
communities to support the health of animals and people who care for them.”
Supporting
colleagues and their health, well-being and safety was the company’s top
priority in navigating the COVID-19 pandemic. Approximately 70 percent of Zoetis’
colleagues moved to remote working arrangements, while strict health and safety
protocols were implemented at the company’s essential sites. In response to a
survey, 85 percent of colleagues reported being satisfied with the company’s
communication, actions and focus on well-being, and 94 percent of colleagues felt they
were able to effectively perform their roles amidst the pandemic. In addition,
Zoetis reported progress toward its aspiration to support colleagues and
cultivate a safe, flexible, diverse and inclusive workplace, including specific
improvements in the diverse representation of our workforce in the U.S. The
report also highlights success as a leader for workplace inclusion by achieving
a 100 percemt score on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index. To
further support colleagues, Zoetis expanded its Colleague Resource Groups
(CRGs) to bring together colleagues who share similar backgrounds and
experiences or interests and can help work toward the company’s diversity,
equity and inclusion aspirations.
Innovating
for Animal Health
Based
on the belief that healthier animals help make a healthier future for all,
Zoetis is committing its innovation expertise to solve sustainability
challenges facing animals and people. One of the company’s sustainability
targets is continued investment in its Center for Transboundary
and Emerging Diseases (CTED).
Through the CTED’s inter-connected capabilities, Zoetis will continue to combat
diseases that pose the greatest risk to animals and people and develop vaccines
for high impact emerging infectious diseases including Foot and Mouth Disease,
African Swine Fever and COVID-19.
More than ever before, SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19 in people)
put a spotlight on the
important connection between animal health and human health. When concerns
first surfaced in February 2020 about SARS-CoV-2 in domestic animals, Zoetis
initiated development activities for diagnostic tests and a vaccine that could
be used in animals. Building on the company’s experience with other coronavirus
vaccines for animals, Zoetis completed initial studies in eight months, and the
resulting vaccine has been used experimentally to help care for zoo animals at
risk of being infected with SARS-CoV-2. Zoetis also developed and validated
feline and canine-specific real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) diagnostic
tests for SARS-CoV-2.
Additionally, to provide products that support
livestock farmers’ and veterinarians’ environmental, social and animal welfare
goals, Zoetis is innovating across the continuum of care to predict, prevent,
detect and treat health conditions. Promoting a preventive approach to animal
health – and helping to reduce the need to use antibiotics to treat disease –
is one way the company is innovating, including new vaccines introduced in 2020
for salmonids and poultry. Alpha ERM Salar and Poulvac E. coli both
are having a direct impact on reducing antibiotics used in raising fish and
poultry.
Protecting the Planet
To minimise the carbon footprint and improve
environmental sustainability of the company’s locations, Zoetis reported it is
sourcing 8.8 percent renewable electricity and progressing toward its RE100 commitmentto source 100 percent renewable energy by 2050. Additionally, eight of the
company’s international manufacturing sites are operating with 100 percent renewable
electricity. To help meet its second goal to reduce energy intensity in
manufacturing and research and development (R and D) by 5 percent by 2025, the company
also shared progress of 2.2 percent reduction while at the same time increasing its
production.
Zoetis is also committed to using resources
wisely, including reducing its energy use and associated greenhouse gas
emissions. The company reported reduction of energy intensity in manufacturing
and R and D by 2.2 percent through investments in energy efficiency upgrades to
manufacturing equipment, utilities including cooling towers, chillers and
boilers, and LED lighting. Further, Zoetis reported progress to minimise its
impact on the environment by reducing its generation of solid non-hazardous and
hazardous waste by increased focus on recycling.
In rethinking product packaging to reduce the
company’s environmental footprint, in 2020 Zoetis formed the Packaging Council
to integrate sustainability considerations into all new packaging designs. The
council is a cross-functional group that develops resources and considers
recyclability, use of recycled and sustainable materials, and greenhouse gas
emissions along with cost, time to market and customer experience.
Zoetis
will continue to share updates on its sustainability activities, including
progress against its Driven to Care goals, and report annually.
About Zoetis
As
the world’s leading animal health company, Zoetis is driven by a singular
purpose: to nurture our world and humankind by advancing care for animals.
After nearly 70 years innovating ways to predict, prevent, detect, and treat
animal illness, Zoetis continues to stand by those raising and caring for
animals worldwide – from livestock farmers to veterinarians and pet owners. The
company’s leading portfolio and pipeline of medicines, vaccines, diagnostics,
and technologies make a difference in over 100 countries. In 2020, Zoetis
generated revenue of $6.7 billion with ~11,300 employees. For more information,
visit the website.
