Drive decarbonization in oral excipients production

Evonik is a specialty chemicals company producing pharmaceutical excipients used in oral drug formulations. Manufacturing these materials requires energy-intensive processes and complex supply chains. To align with its Science-Based Targets and climate neutrality by 2050 goal, Evonik is decarbonizing operations through renewable electricity, process efficiency, waste reduction, and greener raw material qualification — all within strict cGMP and pharmacopeial frameworks. The initiative takes place at Evonik’s European oral excipient manufacturing sites.

To reduce emissions from oral excipient manufacturing, Evonik introduced a multi-pronged approach combining renewable energy sourcing, greener feedstocks, waste reduction, and digital carbon management systems.

All European production sites have transitioned to 100% renewable electricity, cutting Scope 2 emissions to near zero. The company is progressively qualifying low-carbon raw materials and working with suppliers to reduce Scope 3 Category 1 emissions. Continuous process optimization and waste reduction initiatives are underway, targeting a 10% decrease in waste generation by 2030 while maintaining pharmaceutical-grade quality under cGMP.

To enhance transparency and enable long-term reductions, Evonik is automating Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) across production lines. This digital system provides reliable emissions tracking and identifies hotspots for future process improvements.

Figure 1: Tablet coating process using EUDRAGIT® polymer produced at the Evonik Darmstadt site in Germany.

Sustainability impact

Climate

The initiative targets Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions through renewable electricity and process efficiency improvements, and Scope 3 Category 1 emissions via greener feedstocks. Evonik’s European excipient operations now use 100% green electricity. Process improvements and lower-emission raw materials are expected to contribute to an 11% reduction in Scope 3 emissions by 2030, supporting the company’s goal of climate neutrality by 2050. Backward integration has already reduced emissions of 90kg CO2e/kg product.

Nature

Reduces fossil dependency and supports circular feedstocks, reducing negative impacts on ecosystems and resources.

Social

Ensures security of supply of functional polymers as excipients e.g. EUDRAGIT®, safeguarding patient access and compliance while fostering decarbonization.

Business impact

Benefits

The initiative enhances the competitiveness of Evonik’s oral excipient portfolio by combining environmental performance with regulatory compliance, helping secure customer trust and long-term supply contracts.

Costs

Double-digit million EUR, including a new backward-integrated spray drying facility. Green energy dependent on bio-mass availability.

Typical business profile

Relevant for chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturers operating under regulated environments (e.g., cGMP) aiming to decarbonize energy-intensive production processes while maintaining strict product quality standards.

Approach

1. Assess emissions hotspots (completed)

2. Switch to green electricity (completed)

3. Qualify greener raw-materials (ongoing)

4. Reduce waste (ongoing)

5. Implement automated Life Cycle Assessment (ongoing)

6. Monitor and report progress

7. Improve transparence on GHG emissions

Stakeholders involved

Project involves research & development, sustainability, production, procurement, quality and regulatory.

Key parameters to consider

It envisions implementation of well established practices, but overall more challenging for cGMP and regulatory environments.

Implementation and operations tips

• Supplier engagement needs to be improved.

• Regulatory constraints play a big role in implementing new processes /raw materials.