BeiGene Introduces Global Environmental, Social, and Governance Strategy

Apr 26, 2022 7:00 AM

Change Is the Cure™, BeiGene’s ESG strategy and framework launched in 2021, defines the Company’s aspirational reason for thinking beyond its products and provides a path to help create a better world

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. & BASEL, Switzerland & BEIJING--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- BeiGene, Ltd. (NASDAQ: BGNE; HKEX: 06160; SSE: 688235), a global, science-driven biotechnology company focused on developing innovative and affordable medicines to improve treatment outcomes and access for patients worldwide, today introduced the Company’s global environmental, social, and governance (ESG) strategy.

“At BeiGene, we are driven by our mission to be a transformational company that addresses global health needs and inequities by making innovative medicines more affordable and accessible,” said John V. Oyler, Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO at BeiGene. “As an industry, we know that we must do better. At BeiGene, this means striving for more efficient ways to develop new therapies, deliver them more broadly, and do so in a way that mitigates our impact on the planet.”

Over the past year, BeiGene formalized its ESG function and defined the Company’s new global ESG strategy and framework, Change Is the Cure™. Designed to address the needs of BeiGene’s diverse stakeholders, this framework includes five focus areas and defines strategic priorities:

  1. Advancing Global Health: Innovative Products and Access & Affordability
  2. Empowering Our People: Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion and Colleague Engagement & Well-Being
  3. Innovating Sustainably: Climate Change and Product Stewardship
  4. Supporting Communities: Patient Engagement & Advocacy and Charitable Giving & Volunteerism
  5. Operating Responsibly: Business Ethics & Integrity and Responsible Sourcing

“While we are just beginning our ESG journey, we are proud of the progress we have made in the past year, including completing our first global carbon footprint analysis across our owned and operated facilities and implementing a new Supplier Code of Conduct,” said Christine Riley Miller, ESG Lead at BeiGene. “We have also defined near-term targets for fiscal year 2022 that will set the foundation for building long-term goals.”

Below are select highlights from BeiGene’s 2021 ESG report, which was developed with reference to Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards:

  • Had approximately 50 candidates in clinical development and more than 30 pivotal trials underway in more than 45 geographies, and more than 50 preclinical programs, including approximately 50 percent with first-in-class or best-in-class potential;
  • Had 16 approved products in China and BRUKINSA® approval in 45 markets, including the U.S., EU, and China;
  • Expanded its investigational pipeline beyond oncology into inflammation and immunology;
  • Launched the BeiGene Clinical Trial Diversity initiative;
  • Formed the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Awareness (IDEA) Council to provide a forum for employees to explore issues of DEI and belonging. Introduced first in the U.S., the IDEA Council is now global with members in Canada, Europe, and China;
  • Expanded its greenhouse gas inventory to be comprehensive of global Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions across our owned and operated facilities;
  • Continued efforts to reduce its environmental impacts in owned and operated manufacturing facilities, including changing its manufacturing process at its Suzhou, China plant to reduce the number and length of sanitation cleanings, eliminating the need for approximately 250 tonnes of purified water in 2021, and at its Guangzhou, China plant, recycling wastewater generated by the clean water system for landscaping, saving almost 55,000 tonnes for greening irrigation water throughout the year; and
  • Held its first global and European patient advocacy forums.

View the full BeiGene 2021 ESG Report here: https://www.beigene.com/PDF/2021-ESG-Report.pdf.

About BeiGene

BeiGene is a global, science-driven biotechnology company focused on developing innovative and affordable medicines to improve treatment outcomes and access for patients worldwide. With a broad portfolio of more than 40 clinical candidates, we are expediting development of our diverse pipeline of novel therapeutics through our own capabilities and collaborations. We are committed to radically improving access to medicines for two billion more people by 2030. BeiGene has a growing global team of over 8,000 colleagues across five continents. To learn more about BeiGene, please visit www.beigene.com and follow us on Twitter at @BeiGeneGlobal.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other federal securities laws, including statements regarding BeiGene’s plans, commitments, aspirations and goals for ESG as well as under the heading “About BeiGene”. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including BeiGene's ability to demonstrate the efficacy and safety of its drug candidates; the clinical results for its drug candidates, which may not support further development or marketing approval; actions of regulatory agencies, which may affect the initiation, timing and progress of clinical trials and marketing approval; BeiGene's ability to achieve commercial success for its marketed medicines and drug candidates, if approved; BeiGene's ability to obtain and maintain protection of intellectual property for its medicines and technology; BeiGene's reliance on third parties to conduct drug development, manufacturing and other services; BeiGene’s limited experience in obtaining regulatory approvals and commercializing pharmaceutical products and its ability to obtain additional funding for operations and to complete the development and commercialization of its drug candidates and achieve and maintain profitability; the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on BeiGene’s clinical development, regulatory, commercial, manufacturing and other operations, as well as those risks more fully discussed in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in BeiGene’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K as well as discussions of potential risks, uncertainties, and other important factors in BeiGene's subsequent filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All information in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and BeiGene undertakes no duty to update such information unless required by law.

Investor
Kevin Mannix
+1 240-410-0129
ir@beigene.com

Media
Emily Collins
+1 201-201-4570
media@beigene.com

Source: BeiGene, Ltd.