Highlights from the EHS for Biopharma Summit, 2024
Challenges, initiatives and talking points.
Jennifer McKeon and Lindsay Speed represented JMJ at the EHS for Biopharma summit in Boston on February 28 and 29. The summit was well attended, drawing EHS VPs, directors, managers, and specialists from leading companies, all striving for the highest standards of Environmental Health and Safety amid rapid industry change.
Jennifer and Lindsay share key challenges, initiatives and discussions from the two-day event.
Key safety challenges identified:
- Risks in BioPharma environments are often underestimated
- Companies often feel they have to choose between safety and quality
- Effective R&D leadership doesn’t always translate to effective safety leadership
- Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) practices should be integrated with business operations for comprehensive risk management
- The multi-generational workforce brings cultural and mindset differences, impacting risk perception and tolerance
Initiatives companies are adopting to overcome these challenges:
- Strategies such as an annual pulse survey are helping organizations measure leadership engagement
- Use of QR codes is encouraging proactive risk management
- Green Lab initiatives are proving valuable for sustainability and safety enhancement
- Novo Nordisk’s initiative to launch EHS training for sales teams highlights a holistic safety approach
- Adoption of NIOSH‘s Total Worker Health initiative prioritizes employee well-being
Other notable discussions:
- Larger companies recognize opportunities for enhancing safety within their fleet operations
- Importance of scrutinizing supply chains to ensure safety standards are maintained throughout
- Inclusion of occupational physicians in safety committees
- Awareness of “watermelon metrics”- ones that appear to be green and on target but beneath the surface are all red – underscores the importance of transparent safety measurement
Jennifer and Lindsay would like to thank the organizers Hanson Wade, speakers and attendees for sharing their insights and strategies for navigating the complex safety challenges of the Biopharma industry.
Did you attend the EHS for Biopharma Summit? We’d love to hear your takeaways from the event. Contact us.