Climate Change Data

Alcon Inc.

Climate Impact & Sustainability Data (2021)

Reporting Period: 2021

Environmental Metrics

Total Carbon Emissions:309,083 tCO2e/year (Scope 1 and 2)
Scope 1 Emissions:81,151 tCO2e/year
Scope 2 Emissions:227,933 tCO2e/year (market-based)
Scope 3 Emissions:1,232,428 tCO2e/year (2019 baseline)
Renewable Energy Share:Not disclosed
Total Energy Consumption:2,914,826 GJ/year
Water Consumption:4,864 ML/year
Waste Generated:51,782 tons/year
Carbon Intensity:55 tCO2e/TJ (onsite generated energy); 126 tCO2e/TJ (purchased energy)

ESG Focus Areas

  • Brilliant Lives (Access to eye care)
  • Brilliant Innovation (Sustainable product development)
  • Brilliant Planet (Environmental sustainability)

Environmental Achievements

  • Three manufacturing sites achieved GreenCircle zero waste to landfill certification.
  • 7% decrease in energy intensity compared to 2019 baseline.
  • Approximately 8,400 metric tons of CO2e avoided through energy-saving projects.
  • Approximately 76% of operational waste recycled.

Social Achievements

  • More than 5,000 surgeons trained through Phaco Development program, resulting in over 7 million sight-enhancing or restoring cataract procedures.
  • Over $11 million in Alcon Cares product and equipment donations, supporting 73 medical missions and treating over 40,000 patients.
  • ~2,800 associates volunteered in 137 partner organization events.
  • 35,000+ elementary-aged children screened as part of a pilot Children’s Vision Program.

Governance Achievements

  • 99.5% of full-time associates completed Code of Business Conduct training.
  • ~13% of U.S. procurement sourced from diverse suppliers.
  • Established multi-year diversity and inclusion strategy.

Climate Goals & Targets

Long-term Goals:
  • Not disclosed
Medium-term Goals:
  • Become carbon neutral across global operations by 2030.
  • Divert 100% of non-hazardous waste from landfill at manufacturing sites and distribution centers by 2030.
Short-term Goals:
  • Improve vision for 5 million people with untreated cataracts by 2025.
  • Provide 150,000 vision screenings to children by 2025.

Environmental Challenges

  • COVID-19 pandemic disrupted some ESG initiatives and performance.
  • Increased global turnover rates in 2021.
  • Increased hazardous waste due to expired product disposal.
Mitigation Strategies
  • Continued COVID-19 response hub to provide sites with protocols.
  • Maintained retention rates better than top-quartile pharmaceutical/medical device benchmarks.
  • Implemented 17 water-saving projects at sites.
  • Ongoing site initiatives to reduce non-hazardous waste.

Supply Chain Management

Supplier Audits: 18% of Tier 1 suppliers audited in 2021.

Responsible Procurement
  • Alcon Third Party Code of Conduct
  • EcoVadis platform to track supplier ESG performance.

Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities

Physical Risks
  • Extreme weather and natural disasters
Transition Risks
  • Regulatory changes (carbon disclosure, carbon tax, etc.)
Opportunities
  • Cost savings through energy efficiency initiatives
  • Reduced raw material use in manufacturing and packaging.

Reporting Standards

Frameworks Used: GRI, SASB, TCFD

Certifications: ISO 14001

Third-party Assurance: Not disclosed

UN Sustainable Development Goals

  • Not disclosed

Not disclosed

Sustainable Products & Innovation

  • Green Cell Foam packaging replacement

Awards & Recognition

  • GreenCircle zero waste to landfill certification
  • Great Place to Work certification
  • Top Employer recognition
  • DiversityInc Top Noteworthy Company