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Back to work… Some objectives for 2012

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So, after two weeks of holiday (although I have to admit it wasn’t really a vacation - I saw my mother pass away after months of fighting…) I am now back in the office. You may recall my last blog post from 2011, where I summarized 2011 and gave a few ideas on what 2012 will be about, at least regarding CSR and environmental affairs in the pharmaceutical sector. Let me here present some of the objectives for 2012 that I, Pfizer and LIF (the association of the research based pharmaceutical industry in Sweden) have in the field:

My most important objective for the year, in my part-time role at LIF, is to deliver according to the project plan for action item 7.2 in the Swedish National Pharmaceutical Strategy (NLS):

7.2. Encourage voluntary control of emissions from pharmaceutical factories (Lead: LIF): Introduction of a voluntary environmental labeling of pharmaceutical products.

In order for LIF to be succesful in this work it is crucial that Sofia Wallström comes to a positive conclusion regarding green economic incentives in her review including action item 7.1. in the National Pharmaceutical Strategy:

7.1. Investigate if the environmental aspects should be considered when decisions on subsidy for a pharmaceutical are decided (Lead: Ministry of Health and Social Affairs): Review of possibilities to – within the context of the national reimbursement system - increasingly take environmental considerations.

Read more about the environmental action items in the National Pharmaceutical Strategy via this link. Below is my hand-written version of the project plan for item 7.2 that I update continuously as the project develops…

Project plan NLS 7.2

I know it is difficult to see the details of the project plan, but I can tell you that an additional crucial issue (in addition to positive conclusions in Sofia W’s work on NLS 7.1) is the development and finalization of green criteria for pharmaceuticals: Which pharmaceuticals are green? Below is a summary of criteria discussed in LIF’s round-table discussions during 2011:

My second most important objective for 2012 will be to develop a CSR platform for LIF, and to maintain and further develop the CSR-programs in Pfizer. When it comes to a CSR platform for LIF you will find some of parts on which I believe the platform should be based in my blog post from Oct 19, when I wrote about my part-time assignment at LIF. Regarding the CSR programs at Pfizer I recommend that you read about them on our Swedish web site and on our global web site. There are a lot of interesting projects, programs and initiatives running. It is a huge task only to maintain them, even more so to further develop them.

If you have followed me here at the blog you would probably know that one of the more interesting developments of our CSR program I strongly believe in is the “more-than-medication initiatives”. Please spend some time reviewing our Canadian colleagues’ initiative at morethanmedication.ca or our Australian colleagues’ program at morethanmedication.com.au. These kinds of initiatives are extremely important in what I refer to as Step 1, in our model called “4 steps to a sustainable use of pharmaceuticals“:

Sustainable use of pharmaceuticals

Let’s hope for a productive and successful 2012!

So, the year 2011 has soon come to an end…

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These days, in the end of the year, it is almost impossible to open a magazine or a newspaper without finding a list of the most important things that happened in 2011. My own list would look something like this (if I take it from a strictly professional perspective). It is worth mentioning that I have not put the “happenings” in any ranking order, these are just some things that come to my mind sitting here in front of the computer.

- The National Pharmaceutical Strategy was published and it did highlight some important issues around Pharmaceuticals and the Environment (e.g. the so called action items number 7.1 to 7.4). One very important action item in the Strategy is number 7.1: Sofia Wallström’s review on environmental considerations within the frame of the pricing and reimbursement system.

- In parallell with the work to develop the Strategy, LIF run a series of round-table discussions (and break-out work group sessions) to develop ideas around green criteria and green economic incentives. These discussions will both be important for action item number 7.1 in the Strategy (see above) and for 7.2: “Encourage voluntary control of emissions from pharmaceutical factories” (see for instance this link for more information)

- As a consequence of the discussions around the National Pharmaceutical Strategy and Sustainability, a work-group within LIF, consisting of among others members from the Environmental Committee, developed a strategy called “4 steps to a sustainable use of pharmaceuticals“.

- I started working part-time at LIF (the Swedish Association of the Research Based Pharmaceutical Industry). It is fun, interesting and challeging - exactly as I want it! I will be the project leader for action item 7.2 in the National Pharmaceutical Strategy, and also develop a CSR strategy or program for LIF.

- LIF has, in collaboration with all relevant stakeholders in the sector, planned for a campaign to be run during spring 2012 on the importance to bring back, to any pharmacy of your choice, any un-used medicines. This is regradless of where you have purchased them. More to come on this item during 2012.

- The All Party Committee on Environmental Objectives was initiated. One of the first priorities is the objective “A Non-toxic Environment”. See the blog post from the initial meeting of the work-group on Pharmaceuticals and the Environment, which is a prioritized issue in the review of the “Non-toxic Environment-objective”.

- One of the most discussed items within the field of pharmaceuticals and the environment was MPA’s report on how GMP can be amended with environmental requirements. An item that will be high on the agenda for several years to come, that’s for sure.

- When it comes to Public Procurement the most important thing that happened during 2011 was that County Councils finally started to follow-up their criteria, and company answers, on environmental and social responsibility issues. See this link for some more details.

- MistraPharma got funding for an additional 4 year period. If you would like to meet one of MistraPharma’s project managers “face-to-face” please have a look on the TEDx lecture given by Joakim Larsson on pharmaceutical substance releases from manufacturing.

- The end of the Dizza Tobak project. After three extremely fun and interesting years our collaboration with among others SAMBA and A Non Smoking Generation the project has come to an end. It will be interesting to see how we manage to build on the experiences we have gained and on the lessons we have learned when it comes to working with youth advocacy leaders and social media.

- The EU communication on CSR was published (see the communication, and also some of my comments on CSR and corporations, e.g. “an enterprise 2020 company“, and how a CSR program in a company can be communicated to colleagues). I will for sure come back to this issue several times during 2012 in my work on developing a CSR strategy/program for LIF.

- The political summit in Almedalen was as always stimulating as well as very interesting. See some of my reflections to seminars and meetings via this link.

- We saw a good participation in Earth Hour 2011, but few political achievements during the large UN Climate Conference in Durban. Cannot really say that I believe any real breakthrough to happen here during 2012…

- I received the award “Women’s Heart of the Year” (in Swedish: Årets Kvinnohjärta) from the Sollentuna Kvinnojour. I have to admit that I am very proud!

- My blogpost number 400 was written… It has become quite a few blog posts during these years… I am actually kind of proud of this as well! It presents a good opportunity for interactive communication, although I have to say that I would still welcome much more comments!

If you would like to read a summary of year 2010 and the ideas and expectations I had for 2011 roughly a year ago follow this link. As you see, some things hang around several years…

The final phase of the Dizza Tobak project…

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We are now in the final weeks of the Dizza Tobak project…

The project was initiated three years ago. It has been a collaboration between, among others, Pfizer Foundation, Pfizer AB, SAMBA, A Non Smoking Generation, and American Cancer Society (ACS). The project is a tobacco prevention initiative, where teenagers are creating e.g. videos to share the message that “tobacco is NOT cool” through their social media channels and through other communication channels. Their contributions have been uploaded on the Dizza Tobak web site. Have a look - there are so many good pieces there! If you want more details on the project please read any of my many blog posts on Dizza Tobak. You’ll find them in the “Dizza Tobak Category Archive“. 

Anders Lönegård, the project manager from SAMBA, is right now finalizing “Dizza Tobak - the Book” and “Dizza Tobak - the Movie” where stories, experiences, lessons learned etc will be told. I promise to come back to the topic as soon as there are more stuff to share. It has been a very successful project, and it is definitely worth sharing!

Action Item 7.2 in the National Pharmaceutical Strategy

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Yesterday I participated in a conference arranged by the “County Council Network on Pharmaceuticals and the Environment” (in Swedish: Landstingens nätverk för Läkemedel och Miljö). This was the third conference arranged by the network (see my comments from last year’s conference via this link).

I had the opportunity to participate in the morning session which started out with Åke Wennmalm (SustainPharma and previously the Environmental Director at Stockholm County Council) describing a 10-year long journey with Pharmaceuticals and the Environment. There is a lot of things that have happened in the last decade!

After Åke, Nina Viberg from SKL entered the stage and she described some ongoing initiatives, e.g. the National Pharmaceutical Strategy and the All-Party Committee on Environmental Objectives. You can read more about these initiatives in my blog post “A Regulatory Update on Pharmaceuticals and the Environment“.

Nina passed the word over to me, and I went in to some more details on the environmental action items (especially items 7.1 and 7.2) in the National Pharmaceutical Strategy:

7.1. Investigate if the environmental aspects should be considered when decisions on subsidy for a pharmaceutical are decided (Lead: Ministry of Health and Social Affairs): Review of possibilities to – within the context of the national reimbursement system - increasingly take environmental considerations.

7.2. Encourage voluntary control of emissions from pharmaceutical factories (Lead: LIF): Introduction of a voluntary environmental labeling of pharmaceutical products.

As you will know from my previous blog posts, I will be the project manager for action item 7.2 and will hopefully be able to connect 7.2 strongly with action item 7.1 which is to be managed by Sofia Wallström in her review. I think it is very important, and it feels reasonable,  that society presents some form of economic incentives if industry is supposed to “volontary implement a system and an assessment model”… I described the work that has been made so far to develop a assessment model by the task force initiated by the LIF Round Table (see the blog post from Sept 28 and follow the links within that blog post for more details).

For the first time I also showed a draft project plan for the “action item 7.2 work task”. As you notice, it is still a draft but it will soon become more formal and official…

Draft project plan...

It might be hard to read but in essence it has four deliverables:

1. An e-learning tool to educate and train colleagues: “What is a green pharmaceutical, and how do you assess grenness?”

2. Development of a model for environmental assessment of pharmaceuticals, with clear criteria to identify green products

3. Development of a tool/methodology/connection between the assessment model and green economic incentives within the pricing and reimburesment system

4. Establish of an organisation to handle/manage the models and systems

As you understand there are very important cross references between 7.2 and 7.1 (i.e. the Sofia Wallström review if environmental aspects can be taken within the frame of the pricing and reimbursement system)!

More to come - stay tuned!

LIF, Green Public Procurement and follow-ups

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As I have mentioned earlier here at the blog (see blog post from Oct 19 and from Nov 29), I start working part-time at the LIF Office today. And perhaps I should take it as “a good sign” that an issue I have worked upon for several years (both within Pfizer and in LIF’s environmental committee), namely green criteria in the tender business process, was highlighted in NyTeknik yesterday. The article shows great progress in the willingness from Swedish County Councils to start evaluate, and follow-up, green criteria. As you may know if you have read my blog post on tenders and public procurement previously (see for instance the blog posts from Sept 8, and May 26), I regard follow-ups as extremely critical for the process to work satisfactory:

Quote from blog post May 26: “And I restated LIF’s position: We welcome requirements, if they are fair, reasonable and in line with the public procurement regulations, e.g. LOU (Lagen om Offentlig Upphandling). LIF’s position also clearly states that requirements should be followed-up, otherwise “honest and serious” companies may suffer compared with “cheaters”.

Green criteria in the public procurement of pharmaceuticals have been developed by the Swedish Environmental Management Council (MSR) in collaboration with all relevant stakeholders in the sector. Those criteria, and all good discussions leading forward to the development of the criteria, will be very valuable during 2012 when green economic incentives and green criteria within the framework of the pricing and reimbursement system are being discussed. One of my main tasks working at the LIF Office during 2012 will be to connect with Sofia Wallström in her review and to establish a model of green criteria and evaluation on which green economic incentives could be based. My task here is the work related to action item 7.2 in the National Pharmaceutical Strategy, and Sofia Wallström’s task is the one described in action item 7.1:

7.1. Investigate if the environmental aspects should be considered when decisions on subsidy for a pharmaceutical are decided (Lead: Ministry of Health and Social Affairs): Review of possibilities to – within the context of the national reimbursement system - increasingly take environmental considerations.
7.2. Encourage voluntary control of emissions from pharmaceutical factories (Lead: LIF): Introduction of a voluntary environmental labeling of pharmaceutical products.

I am looking forward to an interesting year 2012!