5 Ways to Improve Sustainability with a
Global Central Lab

Sustainability is no longer optional, it’s essential. Many industries are rethinking their environmental and social impact, including pharmaceuticals and life sciences.

Sustainability in pharmaceuticals and life sciences isn’t just about reducing emissions, it’s about protecting human health. Climate-related illnesses, air pollution, and waterborne diseases are on the rise. By prioritizing sustainability, central labs, sponsors, and CROs can help mitigate these risks and build healthier communities.

At LabConnect, our mission is to create healthier communities by supporting our clients in successfully developing new medicines for patients around the world. But as LabConnect’s Senior Director of Sustainability and ESG, Ben Worley, explains, “You can’t do that if you don’t have a healthy environment.”

Why Sustainability Matters in
Central Lab Services

While industries like energy and manufacturing often dominate sustainability discussions, pharmaceuticals and life sciences’ significant carbon footprint is frequently overlooked. In fact, the sector was responsible for nearly 5% of global CO2 emissions in 2022, driven by energy-intensive facilities, extensive supply chains, and high-waste operations.

Clinical trials further contribute to this impact, requiring complex logistics such as biosample transportation, temperature-controlled storage, and energy-heavy lab processes. Many of these emissions fall under Scope 3, meaning that they occur outside of the direct control of the central lab, sponsor, or other reporting organization.

Yet sustainability in pharmaceuticals and life sciences extends beyond environmental concerns. Strong environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives in central labs also promote social equity, ensuring that medical advancements reach communities worldwide, regardless of geography or socioeconomic status.

Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainability in Clinical Trials

Unlike traditional logistics companies that can consolidate shipments, central labs manage thousands of small, time-sensitive sample shipments that require strict temperature controls. This makes it challenging to implement traditional carbon reduction strategies. Instead, LabConnect is focused on innovative solutions, including:

Optimizing Shipping Routes

By analyzing transportation patterns and leveraging data-driven insights, LabConnect can optimize shipping logistics to enhance efficiency and sustainability. Advanced data analytics allow the company to assess historical shipping routes, identify bottlenecks, and pinpoint opportunities for improvement. By integrating real-time tracking and predictive modeling, LabConnect can adjust shipping strategies dynamically, selecting the most efficient lanes based on factors such as weather conditions, carrier performance, and regional infrastructure.

Leveraging Paper-Based Packaging

Traditional EPS foam packaging is derived from fossil fuels, is difficult to recycle, and contributes to long-term environmental waste. LabConnect is piloting the use of paper-based packaging, which offers the same thermal protection for temperature-sensitive bio-samples while reducing its carbon footprint by up to 80%. These materials are lighter, more cost-effective, and fully recyclable, reducing both emissions from transportation and overall waste generation.

Reducing Kit Waste

By leveraging AI and predictive analytics, LabConnect can better forecast the exact number of kits needed at each research site, reducing overproduction and minimizing excess inventory. This technology enables real-time tracking of kit usage, helping sites adjust supply levels dynamically based on patient enrollment and trial progress.

Exploring AI-Driven Logistics

AI can help identify patterns in sample collection, predict delays, and dynamically adjust logistics strategies to minimize waste and emissions. This proactive approach not only enhances the reliability and speed of bio-sample transportation but also reduces excess packaging and fuel consumption.

Investing in Solar Energy

LabConnect is in the process of installing solar panels at three of its locations, marking a strategic move toward renewable energy adoption. These solar installations will help offset a portion of the facilities’ electricity consumption, reducing carbon emissions and lowering operational energy costs over time.

LabConnect Sets Science-Based
Targets for Net Zero

According to McKinsey research, the number of life science companies committed to or setting Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) emission-reduction goals grew from seven to 104 between 2019 to 2022.

In December, LabConnect committed to establishing science-based targets for achieving net-zero emissions. The company is currently establishing its baseline measurements, defining operational and scope boundaries and will submit its science-based targets for approval by SBTi later this year. LabConnect’s targets will be data-driven and aligned with the SBTi to ensure measurable, long-term impact to achieve both near-term commitments and long-term net-zero goals.

The Future of Sustainability
in Clinical Trials

Sustainability is not just about compliance – it’s about innovation. LabConnect is investing in modern technology to enhance the efficiency of clinical trials, reduce waste, and provide clients with sustainable lab solutions. Looking ahead, AI will play a key role in predictive analytics for logistics, personnel management, and waste reduction at clinical trial sites.

LabConnect’s ESG efforts aren’t just about improving internal operations, they are designed to support clinical trial sponsors and research partners in meeting their own sustainability goals. “Many sponsors are looking for ways to make their trials more sustainable, but they don’t always have the resources to make it happen,” says Worley. “LabConnect is in a unique position to provide those services and help our partners differentiate their trials in a competitive landscape.”

By integrating sustainability into every aspect of its operations, LabConnect is setting a new standard for ESG in central lab services. The future of clinical research is not just about accelerating drug development, it’s about advancing healthier communities for a healthier planet.