Novo Nordisk First C2C Certified® 4.0 Globally

Article originally published by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute on 3 February 2022.

Novo Nordisk became the first company in the world to achieve Cradle to Cradle Certified® Version 4.0. Certification of their new Semaglutide 2.4 mg packaging line provided Novo Nordisk with deeper understanding of their value chain, opening up new pathways for collaboration with suppliers, and revealing opportunities for circular economy models.

The Danish pharmaceutical manufacturer, which is also the first healthcare company in the world to receive Cradle to Cradle Certified® for a product, obtained Bronze level certification for its Semaglutide 2.4 mg secondary paperboard packaging.

Circular for Zero

The new certification is part of Novo Nordisk’s Circular for Zero strategy, designed to help the company achieve its zero impact ambitions through a circular economy business model and mindset. In particular, the strategy focuses on the use of renewable energy in production, the design of eco-friendly products, and working with suppliers who share the company’s circular ambitions.

Key Insights

To understand more about their raw materials and the impact of their manufacturing processes, Novo Nordisk used the Cradle to Cradle Certified Version 4.0 framework for practically applying their Circular for Zero commitments to the development of the new Semaglutide 2.4 mg packaging.

It also and revealed opportunities to set new supplier requirements for circular economy models.

Working with suppliers through the Material Health assessment stage of certification also gave the company better information about what is actually in the product packaging, and assurance that those materials are not harmful to humans and the environment.

Looking Ahead

Beyond supplier engagement and product innovation, the certification journey has also helped inform Novo Nordisk’s leadership and future-proofing strategies. As the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry steps up to take responsibility for its environmental impacts, the company is using findings from its first Cradle to Cradle certification to inform initiatives to accelerate industry-wide product circularity, such as take-back programs for medical devices.