Sorgenfri, Denmark — Novo Nordisk slashed greenhouse gas emissions and water consumption in 2009, at the same time the Danish pharmaceutical giant boosted sales and profit over the year before.
The company, known for its work with products targeting diabetes, reported Friday it reduced year-over-year emissions by 32 percent in 2009, allowing it to meet a 2014 emissions reduction goal of 10 percent five years early. Novo Nordisk's sales grew 11 percent in 2009, while its operating profit surged 21 percent.
In its annual report, which includes financial, social and environmental performance data, the company credited an 11 percent decline in energy use and its shift to renewable energy sources with helping it meet its climate goal.
For example, the company will use the savings from reduced energy use to buy enough wind electricity from a soon-to-be opened wind farm to meet all electricity needs in the country. Novo Nordisk also uses substantial hydroelectric and biomass energy in Brazil, making its site there the least carbon-intensive of all of its global facilities. The company plans to examine its fleet emissions in 2010 and develop a course of action to reduce its impacts.
The company expressed disappointment in the failure of nations to reach a legally-binding climate change agreement in Copenhagen in December.
"For the business community, we find it now more urgent than ever to keep up momentum on initiatives that will mitigate climate change, contribute to adaptation and drive sustainable development," Novo Nordisk wrote. "We will continue our work to develop a next-generation climate action strategy, taking into account signals from the summit process." 
The company also succeeded in reducing its water consumption in 2009 by 20 percent compared to the year before. Company highlights include cutting water consumption at a French production site by 50 percent between 2005 and 2009 while production grew 60 percent.
Its largest insulin filling facility in a water-stressed region in Brazil received a water mapping to identify reduction opportunities, although the company does anticipate water use will still grow because of an expected increase in total output.
One environmental area of focus for the company -- waste -- did not enjoy the same achievements made in water and energy use. Waste generation grew 3 percent in 2009, largely due to a 24 percent increase in the amount of hazardous waste associated with a larger disposal of ethanol. The company recycled 51 percent of its waste in 2009, unchanged from 2008.
Image courtesy of Novo Nordisk