Ecodesign at the heart of our developments
Research and development: driving ecodesign innovation
Our R&D department plays a key role in integrating ecodesign principles while ensuring full compliance with ISO 13485, MDR 2017/745, and other regulatory frameworks.
This dual focus on innovation and compliance guarantees products that are both safe and sustainable.
Optimizing product design
- Select recyclable or bio-based materials.
- Minimize material use and design for easy recycling.
- Optimize primary and secondary packaging to reduce waste and emissions.
- Improve logistics efficiency through lighter, low-impact packaging solutions
Continuous research and technological progress
- Monitor advances in plastics processing to identify low-emission, high-performance alternatives.
- Minimise the product’s impact by considering every aspect of its existence, from inception to end of life.
Bio-based plastics are classified into three generations based on their raw material sources.
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First-generation plastics come from food crops such as corn or sugar cane.
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Second-generation materials use food waste or by-products like agricultural residues and used oils.
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Third-generation bioplastics rely on innovative, renewable resources such as algae or microorganisms that produce natural polymers.
At SGH Medical Pharma, our R&D focuses on second- and third-generation bio-based plastics, promoting sustainable, low-impact materials that meet the strict quality and safety standards of the medical and pharmaceutical industries.
A comprehensive, life-cycle approach
Ecodesign is not limited to products alone. It encompasses our services, infrastructure, and industrial processes.
By embedding sustainability principles into our design philosophy, we ensure that each innovation contributes to a responsible and efficient value chain.
Our approach is based on three inseparable pillars:
Social responsibility
- Work with French and European suppliers of raw materials.
- Require strategic partners to sign our Ethical Charter.
- Foster local ecosystems by hiring regional talent and suppliers.
- Support inclusion through partnerships with local employment agencies and organizations for people with disabilities.
This strong CSR commitment enhances our employer brand and contributes to attracting new talent.
Economic performance
- Replace industrial machinery with energy-efficient equipment to improve performance and reduce leaks
- Implement a preventive maintenance program for resource optimization
- Develop a decarbonization strategy to achieve long-term cost efficiency and sustainability
Environmental stewardship
- Maintain and improve environmental performance through ISO 14001 certification.
- Conduct life-cycle analyses (LCA) and calculate the carbon footprint of our products.
- Reduce energy and raw material consumption while improving waste sorting and recycling with local collection partners.
From concept to reality: concrete ecodesign achievements
Our commitment to sustainable innovation is reflected in tangible results, including:
- Launch of the Greenov range, featuring bottles and pill dispensers made from rPET and bio-based plastics.
- Optimization of medical devices by reducing material weight and replacing traditional resins
- Support for clients in eco-designing multi-component products using life-cycle analysis methods.
Our commitment: innovate responsibly
Through ecodesign, SGH Medical Pharma aims to redefine the standards of sustainable innovation in the healthcare industry.
By combining scientific rigor, environmental awareness, and social responsibility, we ensure that every product we develop contributes positively to both people and the planet.
Testimonial of Virginie Delay, our Group CSR & Compliance Director
“In 2020, when the management of SGH Medical Pharma decided to integrate CSR into the group’s strategy, it marked a major milestone.
Since then, we have scrutinised all our processes to understand how CSR could be woven into the company’s core policy. As a result, awareness has grown steadily, habits have evolved, and best practices have been firmly established.
Over the years, we have built ‘our’ CSR—an approach that reflects who we are and addresses our specific challenges. We have reached a high level of maturity, which allows us to tackle new challenges with confidence.
Whilst CSR objectives remain demanding, as long as we have a united team, we know exactly where we are going and how to get there.”
Testimonial of Ludovic Soual, our Innovation Pilot
“Over the past five years, we have integrated eco-design principles into the group’s R&D, and this has grown to become one of our core areas of activity.
We are actively researching eco-friendly materials, such as recycled and bio-based materials, that offer interesting alternatives to petroleum-based resins. Our idea books include proposals for alternative usage scenarios, challenging the expected Business Model by incorporating more virtuous cycles.
Finally, we evaluate the environmental performance of the proposed solutions using LCA Screening and product carbone footprint calculations for materials, processes and scenarios.
This provides our clients with all the information they need to select the most suitable solutions from technical, economic and environmental standpoints.
Although the pharmaceutical industry is a highly regulated sector when change remains complex, our clients and their demands are evolving; they are becoming more and more interested in CSR issues. It takes time, but things are moving forward!”