Introduction

Covid-19 was a litmus test that gave Life Sciences companies an opportunity to shine at their best – helping to tackle the big challenges of humanity through innovation and expediency. In response, the Life Sciences sector rose to the occasion: rolling years of research, investment, and experience out of the lab and onto production lines at unprecedented speed to mitigate the effects of the crisis.¹

As a society, we’ve been reminded that Life Sciences companies are uniquely placed to impact society and the environment through their resources and expertise. The sector can now seize the opportunity to carry that momentum forward by demonstrating commitment to evidence-backed action that generates positive impact and sustains business growth and stakeholder trust in the long term.

Indeed, one of the most notable developments is the integration of sustainability² into the business,

leveraging it as a springboard to achieve improved reputation, more impact, and future growth.

In the Life Sciences sector, there is significant room to make bigger strides with these advantages and act on clear opportunities for investment and transformation. Many Life Sciences companies in Europe, the Middle East, India, and Africa (EMEIA) are already applying ESG considerations for better decision-making, according to 2023 research by Source.³

Michael Wagemans
Partner, ESG & Sustainability, KPMG in Belgium
ESG Lead for Life Sciences, KPMG EMA

1 KPMG. (2022). Life Sciences for a better world. Retrieved from: https://assets.kpmg.com/content/dam/kpmg/be/pdf/2022/SPT-brochure-
LifeSciencesForBetterWorld-eng-LR.pdf
2 For the purposes of this publication, we use ‘sustainability’ as a general term, and refer to Environmental, Social, and Governance (‘ESG’)
more specifically in the context of sustainability reporting.
3 Price, B. (2023). Life Sciences: KPMG EMEIA Sector Growth Opportunities. Source. [Presentation].