Operational Sustainability

Climate change and energy management

Reducing Scope 1 and 2 emissions continues to be a top priority in reducing our environmental footprint. In 2024, we achieved a 7.6% reduction toward our goal of 50% by 2030 through continued focus on infrastructure improvements, energy efficiency initiatives, and renewable energy projects.

Key projects included additional solar energy installations at sites in India, Sweden and the U.S., with plans for more sites in six countries in the coming years. Since September 2024, our team in Panoli, India, has successfully transitioned to using green steam produced from biomass briquettes, an innovative approach that saves 99% of natural gas usage for vapor production in chemical operations and significantly reduces our carbon footprint and operational costs.

Reducing Scope 3 emissions is also a key part of Avantor’s 2030 climate strategy, and we have engaged suppliers and partners to better understand emission sources and reduction opportunities. For example, as part of our supplier engagement target, we launched a climate accelerator school in 2024 to support suppliers in their endeavors to commit to and achieve their own SBTi targets.

Learn more about how we engage with our partners through our Responsible Supplier Program.

Landfill Diversion and Waste Management

At Avantor, we remain committed to managing waste and minimizing landfill impact through responsible operations that reduce waste at every stage — from material selection and use to end-of-life impacts. 

We closely monitor and measure waste generation, reuse and recycling to meet local requirements and identify opportunities for reduction, with a particular emphasis on minimizing hazardous waste. For example, in 2024, we launched a new recycling and reuse process at our site in Solon, Ohio, supported by our Material Review Board and EHS team. By evaluating surplus materials for alternative uses and engaging external partners, we project a significant waste reduction at this site within three to four years. We are investigating plans to replicate this approach at facilities in New Jersey, Kentucky and California.

Across our operations, Avantor achieved a total landfill diversion rate of more than 50% in 2024, essentially flat from prior year but representing a larger percentage of sites reporting.  

Packaging waste reduction 

Avantor is also investing in automation technologies across our global distribution centers to minimize packaging waste, improve efficiency and enhance associate safety. Solutions like AutoStore and iPack help consolidate storage, reduce packaging volumes and limit material handling; while innovations such as barcode data readers and robotic pallet-wrapping are streamlining operations and lowering material use. These technologies, along with optimized shipping materials, are delivering measurable results and reinforcing our commitment to smarter, more sustainable logistics.

Site sustainability certifications

Several Avantor sites worldwide were recognized in 2024 for their sustainability initiatives, including:

• CO₂ Performance Ladder Level 3 at offices and labs in the Netherlands
• Green Building Silver Certification at the Avantor Nordic Distribution Center in Sweden
• My Green Lab Silver Certification at the Avantor Chromatography lab in the U.K.
• EPA Region 5 Pollution Prevention Award at the Solon, Ohio manufacturing facility