Sanofi, GDF SUEZ expand collaboration agreement to reduce global energy consumption
Inorder to strengthen their collaboration, Sanofi and GDF SUEZ, through its subsidiary Cofely (GDF Suez Energie Services), has expanded their collaboration agreement by implementing projects in the field of energy at Sanofi industrial sites. This five-year contract includes mainly renewable energy production and distribution systems.
Building on the success of the initial agreement of three-year term contract which was signed on March 2012 for Europe and Turkey, the two groups have expanded to include sites in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, China, and Singapore. All Sanofi’s production lines will be covered: chemicals, pharmaceuticals, vaccines, biotechnology and animal health.
“Thanks to the global footprint of Sanofi and GDF Suez, this innovative partnership enables us to improve our competitiveness and achieve our environmental objectives,” said Christopher A Viehbacher, CEO of Sanofi. “As part of our Corporate Social Responsibility commitments, our ambition is to reduce by 20 per cent our energy consumption by 2020.”
"We welcome this collaboration with Sanofi as a perfect illustration of GDF SUEZ’s strategy of becoming its customers’ energy partner," said Gerard Mestrallet, chairman and CEO of GDF SUEZ. "This collaboration forms part of GDF SUEZ’s approach of providing innovative, energy efficient and environmental solutions to its industrial partners that are both effective and sustainable."
Since the beginning of their collaboration in 2012, the two groups have launched five projects in France, Italy and Germany covering the installation of cogeneration or trigeneration gas turbines, and the construction of biomass boilers to improve the energy and environmental performance of these industrial sites.
The co-investment related to these projects represents 30 million euros in 2013. In the framework of the expanded collaboration, the total co-investments could reach up to 80 million euros.
Sanofi, an integrated global healthcare leader, discovers, develops and distributes therapeutic solutions focused on patients’ needs. Sanofi has core strengths in the field of healthcare with seven growth platforms: diabetes solutions, human vaccines, innovative drugs, consumer healthcare, emerging markets, animal health and the new Genzyme.
GDF SUEZ develops its businesses around a model based on responsible growth to take up today’s major energy and environmental challenges: meeting energy needs, ensuring the security of supply, combating climate change and optimizing the use of resources.