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Contributing to a more sustainable society is essential for enhancing Astellas’ Sustainability.
Realizing Our Mission of Making Astellas Sustainable
Astellas recognizes that our contribution to social sustainability is essential for our sustainability as an organization. Astellas is committed to engaging in the sustainability of society by fulfilling our social responsibilities as a pharmaceutical company, including but not limited to providing healthcare solutions such as a pharmaceutical products that satisfy unmet medical needs. As a result, we earn trust from society for both the Company and our products, which enhances Astellas’ sustainability.
This positive cycle will lead to the realization of our mission, "sustainable enhancement of enterprise value" through fulfillment of our raison d'etre "contribute toward improving the health of people around the world through the provision of innovative and reliable pharmaceutical products." In short, for Astellas, contributing to the sustainability of society means the realization of its philosophy.
The activities we have carried out under the aforementioned philosophy continue to be well-received externally.
For example, Astellas has been named to the FTSE4Good Index Series, a representative investment index, for 12 consecutive years. Astellas is also included as a constituent in all of the ESG investment indexes adopted by the Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF) in Japan, which are FTSE Blossom Japan Index, MSCI Japan ESG Select Leaders Index, MSCI Japan Empowering Women Index (WIN) and S&P/JPX Carbon Efficient Index.
Sustainability that Astellas is engaged in has two aspects: value creation and value protection.
Through its business activities, Astellas is creating value for society by addressing social issues such as unmet medical needs, and by rewarding stakeholders.
By reinvesting the profit we gain through business activities, we strengthen our capabilities in research and development. In addition, by winning the trust from government and business partners in each country, we create new business opportunities. That is to say, value for Astellas is created.
Astellas seeks to reduce its environmental burden, preserve biodiversity, ensure compliance, and takes measures to prevent corruption. In addition to the social value of these activities, these contribute to mitigating reputation risks and enhancing our corporate brand, thereby protecting our enterprise value.
Astellas deliberates important issues relating to our sustainability at the Executive Committee*1, chaired by the Representative Director, President and CEO, and approved by the Board of Directors, based on the corporate governance system.
In addition, annual sustainability activity results and activity plans for the following year are reported to the Board of Directors, which supervises the operation of business executions. To promote sustainability efforts through all divisions from a long-term, strategic, and company-wide perspective, we established the Sustainability Committee and the Environmental, Social and Governance Working Group (E-S-G Working Group) as frameworks that drive our endeavors.
*1 The organization discusses material matters concerning business strategies, product strategies, corporate management, and personnel of the Company and Astellas Group companies
The Sustainability Committee discusses Astellas' key sustainability issues, including opportunities and risks, which relate to our business execution. The Committee is a cross-functional body that comprises members who are at the head level of Functional Units*2 and the chairman of the committee and members are assigned by the Chief Strategy Officer (CStO) to ensure a professional and effective discussion.
*2 Refer to organizational business unit directly reports to Top Management
Environment, Social and Governance Working Groups (E-S-G Working Groups) consist of cross-functional members, which identify issues and opportunities for Astellas to address Environmental, Social, and Governance issues respective to changes in the external environment, principles and guidelines.
They also work with relevant divisions to plan improvements, set targets, and monitor the progress of their initiatives to contribute to sustainability.
As a Functional Unit, Sustainability is responsible for working as a secretariat of the Sustainability Committee and each Working Group(E-S-G) and responding to sustainability issues throughout the entire Astellas Group, raising sustainability awareness internally and externally in collaboration with communication function.
Astellas prioritized the 9 material issues (Materiality) from the materiality matrix. As we believe that the act of prioritizing and subsequently addressing these 9 material issues will put Astellas on the path to transforming to be a Cutting-Edge, VALUE-driven life science innovator and strengthening resilient and sustainable business operations to meet the expectations of society. Please click here about our key issues and materiality.
This is Astellas' business model for enhancing sustainability and providing innovative healthcare solutions by creating and realizing "VALUE". We will promote initiatives to address the following five material issues.
Astellas strengthens our business operations to ensure the stable supply of our products to patients under any circumstances. We will promote initiatives to address the following four material issues.
Environmental Sustainability
Companies are required to be actively involved in environmental issues. Recognizing that harmony between the global environment and our business activities is a prerequisite to our corporate existence, we shall take proactive measures to conserve the global environment. In addition to the nine material issues listed above, we will promote initiatives for the following two important issues
We have set the mid-term Priorities for Astellas, Initiatives, and Our Commitments by FY2025 as for the two pillars and Environmental Sustainability. We will update our progress against our commitments in the future.
| Material Issues | Mid-term Priorities for Astellas | Initiatives | Our Commitments by FY 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Access to Health Talent and organizational culture for realizing innovation Fulfilling unmet medical needs by creating novel healthcare solutions Transformative treatment through innovative therapeutic methods Value-based pricing | Translate innovative science into VALUE through the Focus Area approach to R&D, introducing novel therapies and modalities to treat diseases with high unmet medical needs | Addressing unmet medical needs for provision of solutions that produce better outcomes than previously possible | Aim to improve the lives of patients and caregivers around the world and contribute to reducing the overall load on the healthcare system. |
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| Advocate a value-based pricing for stakeholders to ensure innovative medicines in new modalities contribute to the health of patients around the world and realize the sustainable healthcare system. | Advocating for value-based pricing as a basis to support access to medical innovations. | Contribute to sustain healthcare systems through advocating for value-based pricing. | |
| Optimizing the number of people under one manager's control and reducing layers, reinforcement of succession planning, and cultivation of a culture ensuring psychological safety and encouraging active feedback. | Foster talents and an organizational culture with trusted capabilities to deliver innovation. |
| Material Issues | Mid-term Priorities for Astellas | Initiatives | Our Commitments by FY 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compliance and ethical business practices Product quality assurance and product safety Responsible supply chain management Safe and appropriate use of products | Sustains a resilient business that continuously supplies products during unpredictable or emergency situations. |
| Establish a more sustainable and resilient value chain. |
| Further enhance capability to secure patient safety and product quality as well as optimizing customer interaction for maximizing VALUE for patients. |
| Ensure patient safety and product quality by fostering a Culture of Quality and by evolving customer experience. |
| Material Issues | Mid-term Priorities for Astellas | Initiatives | Our Commitments by FY 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reduction of environmental burden Climate change and energy | Reduce greenhouse gas emissions toward a goal consistent with the Paris Agreement's and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. | Enhancing energy efficiency and shifting to renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power. Reducing the carbon footprint of the supply chain. | Achieve by FY2025 the amount of reasonable reduction of greenhouse gas emissions target.* *GHG emission reduction targets by FY2030.
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Astellas believes that our innovations will play a part in improving the sustainability of society. This will build trust from society, which will, in turn, also make Astellas more sustainable.
Expectations for companies that contribute to improving the sustainability of society are increasing. Astellas believes that it is important to meet the expectations from society and will disclose the performance and progress of its sustainability activities appropriately.
Based on our commitments, we continue to steadily promote our Sustainability Direction by setting Sustainability Directions Performance Indicators (SDPIs) and disclosing measurable and appropriate tangible actions.
In principle, the scope of coverage is global, and performance for the period or as of the end date indicated is disclosed
Information about pharmaceutical products(including products currently in development) which is included in this SDPIs report is not intended to constitute an advertisement or medical advice
Providing solutions that produce better outcomes improves the lives of patients and caregivers around the world and contributes to reducing the overall load on the healthcare system.
| Unit | FY2023 | FY2024 1st half | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of projects with PoC*1 | projects | 0 | 0 |
| Number of IND*2 filed new drug candidates | projects | 4 | 1 |
| Number of new drugs launched | ー (Cumulative total since FY2023) | 5
(New: VEOZAH, IZERVAY, VYLOY Additional Indication: XTANDI (M0 CSPC), PADCEV (1L mUC)) | 5 |
| Number of projects having any of Breakthrough Therapy*3, Fast Track*4, PRIME*5, Priority Review*6 and SAKIGAKE Designation System*7 | cases | 3 | 2 |
| Number of new Rx+ programs | programs | 1 | 0 |
*1PoC: Proof of Concept/To Confirm efficacy with key clinical data to decide progression to late-stage development
*2IND: Investigational New Drug
*3Breakthrough Therapy: Food and Drug Administration (FDA) program to facilitate the development and review of drugs for serious or life-threatening diseases.
*4Fast Track: A system of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that provides priority review of new drugs with high therapeutic potential for diseases for which a cure is difficult to achieve.
*5PRIME: Priority Medicines / a system implemented by European Medicines Agency (EMA) to strengthen support for the development of medicines for unmet medical needs.
*6Priority Review: A system to give priority to medicinal products that meet certain requirements, in addition to medicinal products designated as orphan medicinal products.
*7SAKIGAKE Designation System: Japanese system to facilitate the domestic development of innovative medicines for life-threatening diseases for which there is no effective treatment, to ensure the early commercialization of such medicines in Japan, ahead of the rest of the world.
Access to Health is one of the material issues for both society and Astellas. We provide the access to our products for as many patients as possible, and impact more than 36 million people (cumulatively) by 2025 by improving disease awareness, prevention, and access to healthcare services.
| Unit | FY2023 | FY2024 1st half | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core Business（Rx, Rx+） | |||
| Number of patients treated with Astellas products*8 | patients (Cumulative total since 1994) | 159.5 million+ | 172 million+ |
| Number of countries to where Astellas products have been delivered | countries | 103 | 103 |
| Number of commercialization of Rx+ programs | programs | 0 | 0 |
| Enhancing the availability of Astellas products | |||
| Number of patients treated through various access programs*9 | patients | 2,055+ | approx. 2,500 |
| Number of countries with various access programs | countries | 61+ | 68 |
| Provide patients in countries where Astellas products are not sold with*10 access to Astellas products with a partner | patients (Cumulative total since 1994) | 100 | 100 |
| Supporting third-party Access to Health programs | |||
| Lives impacted through access to healthcare programs by Astellas (Cumulative total since FY2021, Excluding foundation support) | patients (As of March 2024) | approx. 31,500 | approx. 172,000 |
| Lives impacted through access to healthcare programs by the Astellas Global Health Foundation (AGHF) | patients (Cumulative total since 2018) | 31.4 million (Cumulative total since 2018) | 31.9 million (Cumulative total since 2018) |
| Total funding provided by the Astellas Global Health Foundation (AGHF) | million US$ (Cumulative total since 2018) | 13.3+ | 13.3+ |
| Number of research and development activities to address access to health care issues that collaborate with partners | activities | 4 | 4 |
*8Harnal, VESIcare, Myrbetriq(mirabegron), Prograf, XTANDI,XOSPATA, EVRENZO, PADCEV
*9For details, please visit the following website:
Access to Medicines | Astellas Pharma Inc.
*10For details, please visit the following website:
Initiatives in Tanzania | Astellas Pharma Inc.
Advocate for value-based pricing to maintain a sustainable healthcare system.
| Unit | FY2023 | FY2024 1st half | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Value-based pricing (VBP) (Global) | |||
| Number of implementations of value-based innovative pricing solutions to address value, affordability or access | cases
(Cumulative total since 2023) | 5 | 5 |
| Number of countries where Astellas product is launched with value-based innovative pricing solutions (Cumulative) | countries | 2 | 2 |
| Number of product/brand employing value-based innovative pricing solutions | - | 2 | 2 |
| Value-based pricing (VBP) (Japan only) | |||
| Number of lectures at study groups and events through KEIDANREN*11 activities that include VBP content | cases | 3 | 0 |
| Number of advocacy activity for general public including VBP content | cases | 8 | 8 |
*11KEIDANREN: Japan Business Federation
Ensure talents with trusted capabilities to deliver innovation and create an organizational culture that fosters innovation.
| Unit | FY2023 | FY2024 1st half | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of media reports after Sustainability events | cases | 8 | 4 |
| Percentage of organizations with six hierarchical levels or less from the CEO | % | 83 | 82 |
| Average span of control for all departments*12 | - | 5.9 | 6 |
| Employee utilization rate of internal recognition program | % | 87 | 91 |
| Percentage of employees recognized through internal recognition program | % | 76 | 81 |
| Employee satisfaction rate of internal recognition program | % | Measured in the future | Measured in the future |
| Engagement score | - | 71 | 69 |
Ensuring the reliable production and supply of safe and effective products even in the case of unpredictable or emergency situations is extremely important. Building a more sustainable and flexible value chain by proactively preparing the manufacturing supply chain, and energy procurement.
*13TPLM: Third Party Lifecycle Management
*14CSRD：Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive
*15ABAC：Anti-Bribery Anti-Corruption。For details, please visit the following website:
Primary Areas of Focus | Astellas Pharma Inc.
*16SME：Small and Medium-sized Enterprises
*17SRM：Supplier Relationship Management
*18For details, please visit the following website:
Astellas Receives SBTi Approval for Revised Science-Based Climate Goals to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Ensure product quality assurance and safety for patients by fostering a "Culture of Quality" and enhancing the customer experience.
| Unit | FY2023 | FY2024 1st half | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product Quality Assurance | |||
| Culture of Quality awareness material shared through various internal communications channels | - | Delivered messages by top and senior management including CEO, about the importance of quality. | Delivered messages by top and senior management about the importance of quality from various functions (DigitalX, Technology & Manufacturing, Medical & Development) |
| Completed Culture of Quality scorecard for commercial manufacturing facilities | - | Completed Culture of Quality scorecard assessment for commercial manufacturing facilities (Takaoka, Toyama, Takahagi, Yaizu, Dublin, Kerry, Shenyang) and identified target challenges to focus on for FY24. | Completed the design of a common quality culture questionnaire construct |
| Lean Six Sigma*19 materials and tools shared across communication platforms | - |
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*19Lean Six Sigma: Lean Six Sigma Program is a pillar of the Culture of Quality Program and a leadership approach to maximize efficiency, create whitespace(resources needed to explore new ideas) and reduce cost within Astellas
Astellas has set GHG emission targets consistent with The Paris Agreement and has received the SBT certification. Aim to achieve by FY2025 the amount of reasonable reduction of GHG emissions target. [GHG emission reduction targets by FY2030]*20
Scope 1+2
63% reduction (base year: FY2015)
Scope 3
37.5% reduction (base year: FY2015)
*20For details, please visit the following pages:
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*21CMO: Contracted Manufacturing Organizations
*10For details, please visit the following website:
Initiatives in Tanzania | Astellas Pharma Inc.