Chiesi USA Releases 2023 Sustainability Report and Highlights US Community Engagement Strategy Focus Areas

• 2023 Sustainability Report demonstrates strong impact across Patients, Planet, People and Prosperity
• US Community Engagement Strategy will address access to healthcare, food security, environmental health and STEM education

CARY, N.C., Oct. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Chiesi (key-A-zee), an international research-focused biopharmaceutical group, announced the release of its 2023 Sustainability Report, available here, which showed the company in 2023 has maintained its aggressive approach to delivering shared value for its stakeholders around the globe. Additionally, Chiesi announced today that its US community engagement focus areas in the US will address patients’ access to care, environmental impacts, food insecurity and STEM education as core enterprise level initiatives.

“As we prepare to begin Chiesi’s 90^th year as a company committed to addressing societal challenges as part of our core mission, we are unrelenting in our pursuit to deliver impact to patients, their families, their communities and society,” said Jon Zwinski, general manager, Chiesi USA. “Our 2023 sustainability report demonstrates progress in our goals to adopt ESG measurements in supplier onboarding, protect the planet, and embed sustainability principles further into our business decision-making.”

Looking forward to 2025, Chiesi USA has evolved its acclaimed employee-led program, Chiesi in the Community, to align with four pillars that strive to address social determinants of health that affect patient health outcomes and provide education to ensure continued innovation and diversity of thought:

• Patients obtaining Access to Healthcare
• People gaining Food Security
• Planet and our Environmental Health
• Prosperity through STEM Education

“At Chiesi, our integrated approach to sustainability is rooted in a profound commitment to long-term planning and collaboration. We understand that tackling the social determinants of health requires a collective effort, which is why our Chiesi in the Community program is so pivotal,” said Sunny Grothaus, shared value and sustainability business partner at Chiesi USA. “By focusing on access to healthcare, food security, environmental health, and STEM education, we aim to address immediate needs while setting a foundation for a healthier future. Our strategic partnerships play a crucial role in this mission, enabling us to drive change and foster opportunities for growth and innovation.”

Sustainability highlights, including those from the 2023 report (available here) include:

PATIENTS – Advancing Innovation and Health Equity to Meet Patient Needs

• In 2023, Chiesi Group invested 23.8 percent of its revenue in Research & Development, reinforcing its leadership in innovation.
• Chiesi’s newly instituted unified Patient Journey Framework enhances patient engagement and health equity by addressing gaps in care, aligning with the UN Agenda 2030.
• Aligned with the UN Agenda 2030, Chiesi USA is among nearly all Chiesi affiliates that now have active projects aimed at achieving health equity and delivering greater access to more patients.

PLANET – Climate Transition Plan: Achieving Net Zero by 2035

• Chiesi’s Climate Transition Plan targets Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2035, achieving a 39 percent reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions since 2019.
• Chiesi is investing more than €350 million in developing a new pressurized metered dose inhaler (pMDI). This initiative aims to reduce the current product carbon footprint by 90 percent by substituting the current propellant with a low global warming potential alternative.
• The value chain is crucial in Chiesi’s path to achieving Net Zero by 2035. The Code of Interdependence, co-developed with strategic partners, guides the conduct of suppliers, partners, and distributors. Chiesi has begun implementing EcoVadis as a primary tool to evaluate its suppliers’ environmental and social performance, earning itself the EcoVadis Platinum Medal¹ in 2023.

PEOPLE – Prioritizing Wellbeing, Equity, and Community Development
Chiesi fosters an inclusive workplace. This commitment is underscored by certifications like Great Place to Work ™ (GPTW) and Top Employer.

• Through initiatives promoting equal opportunities, fair compensation, and supportive policies, Chiesi Group aims to ensure employees are rewarded equitably. After closing the gender pay gap in 2022, Chiesi was also certified for Gender Equality by Bureau Veritas.
• In 2023, Chiesi launched programs to achieve equal career progression for all genders by 2030. These include mentoring programs for women and Global Parenthood Guidelines supporting modern families, with flexible work policies, training for new parents, equitable and extended parental leave, and economic and childcare support. New parents receive four months of fully paid leave, with birthing parents getting an additional two months. Chiesi also partners with Parentaly to provide pre-and post-leave support programs for employees and managers, ensuring smooth transitions and long-term success.
• Recognizing the importance of community health to business success, Chiesi’s corporate volunteering program engaged over 2,000 employees (30.5% of the workforce), totaling 16,656 hours—an increase of 77.5% from 2022. In the US, about 150 employees (38% of the workforce) engaged in community efforts, totaling 1,013 hours.

PROSPERITY – Do Good, Do Well, Repeat

• Demonstrating its commitment to social and environmental responsibility, in 2023 Chiesi distributed 77 percent of economic value generated globally to stakeholders – such as local communities, employees, collaborators, suppliers, and vendors. The remaining 23 percent was reinvested into the company to support long-term growth.

Chiesi’s 2023 Sustainability Report has voluntarily undergone an external assurance process in compliance with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). GRI is an independent international standards organization that helps businesses understand and communicate their impacts on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) issues. In response to the new European Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, Chiesi Group is committed to enhancing its data collection and reporting processes, giving equal importance to financial and sustainability reporting, and ensuring they are aligned and integrated.

About Chiesi USA 

Chiesi USA, Inc., headquartered in Cary, North Carolina, is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on commercialization of products for the hospital and target office-based specialties. Chiesi USA is a wholly owned subsidiary of privately-owned Chiesi Farmaceutici S.p.A, a global R&D-focused pharmaceutical company based in Parma, Italy. In the United States, the company delivers therapies and enhances care for patients in the areas of acute cardiology, neonatology, cystic fibrosis and rare diseases. Recognized as a Certified B Corporation, Chiesi is dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of its communities through its employee-led corporate social responsibility program, Chiesi in the Community. Innovation, collaboration and impact are the cornerstones of the Chiesi culture. For more information, visit www.chiesiusa.com. 

About Chiesi Group

Chiesi is a research-oriented international biopharmaceutical group that develops and markets innovative therapeutic solutions in respiratory health, rare diseases, and specialty care. The company’s mission is to improve people’s quality of life and act responsibly towards both the community and the environment. By changing its legal status to a Benefit Corporation in Italy, the US, and France, Chiesi’s commitment to creating shared value for society as a whole is legally binding and central to company-wide decision-making. As a certified B Corp since 2019, we’re part of a global community of businesses that meet high standards of social and environmental impact. The company aims to reach Net-Zero greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions by 2035. With over 85 years of experience, Chiesi is headquartered in Parma (Italy), with 31 affiliates worldwide, and counts more than 7,000 employees. The Group’s research and development center in Parma works alongside 6 other important R&D hubs in France, the US, Canada, China, the UK, and Sweden. For further information please visit www.chiesi.com.

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Contacts

Chiesi US Media Relations: us.mediarelations@chiesi.com

¹ Chiesi Achieves Platinum Medal from EcoVadis: https://www.chiesi.com/en/medal-ecovadis/

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