Promega Raises the Bar on Sustainability with Commitment to Science-Based Targets
Promega Corporation, a global biotechnology leader best known for providing innovative solutions in genomics, proteomics and cellular analysis, has taken a decisive step in its climate strategy. The company has announced it will commit to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), aligning its long-term climate goals with a globally recognised framework for science-aligned emissions reduction.
To understand the significance of this move, MoveTheNeedle.news spoke with Corey Meek, Corporate Responsibility Program Manager at Promega. Meek oversees sustainability programs at the Wisconsin-based company, which has long been noted for embedding environmental stewardship into its corporate philosophy.
Sustainability Rooted in a Century-Long Vision
Unlike many publicly traded biotech firms, Promega is privately held, which affords it the freedom to take a longer-term view of business growth. The company is guided by a 100-year vision, an ethos that stretches beyond quarterly reporting cycles and towards legacy-building.
“Sustainability is integrated into daily decision-making and long-range planning,” says Meek. “As a science-based company, Promega approaches climate action with a focus on realistic, science-aligned goals that reflect operational realities.”
This philosophy has helped Promega consistently invest in sustainability, even before the term became a boardroom fixture. The company has been practising environmental stewardship for decades, but formal sustainability reporting and measurable strategies began in 2009. Since then, Promega has evolved its approach, introducing a formal environmental management system, achieving ISO 14001 certification, and now preparing to validate its first set of SBTi targets.
Why SBTi, and Why Now?
The decision to align with SBTi did not come overnight. Promega has maintained climate targets for more than 15 years, but until recently, gaps in its **emissions inventory—particularly Scope 3—**posed challenges.
“Over the past year, we have enhanced our understanding of Scope 3 emissions,” explains Meek. “This is a critical aspect of setting ambitious, informed goals. Our commitment to SBTi represents the next phase of climate action and coincides with evolving customer and regulatory expectations.”
Under SBTi rules, once a company formally commits, it has 24 months to validate its targets. Promega expects to submit its near-term goals within the next year, before entering a collaborative verification process with SBTi to ensure methodological rigour.
Carbon Reductions Already Achieved
Promega is not starting from scratch. The company reports a ~48% reduction in its carbon footprint (indexed to revenue) since 2019. The baseline year for current Scope 1 and 2, as well as certain Scope 3 categories, is 2019.
How has such a reduction been achieved? Primarily through renewable energy adoption. Today, 85% of Promega’s electricity consumption comes from renewable sources. The mix includes on-site solar generation, community energy partnerships, and renewable power purchases.
“These actions provide strong momentum toward achieving our science-based targets,” notes Meek.
The Scope 3 Challenge
Like most companies in biotechnology and life sciences, the bulk of Promega’s climate footprint lies beyond its direct operations. Scope 3 emissions—covering the supply chain, purchased goods, distribution, business travel and more—account for over 70% of Promega’s total footprint.
Addressing these emissions will be central to its SBTi journey. “We will focus on key categories and work closely with major suppliers to help them align with SBTi, set reduction goals, and collaborate on decarbonisation,” says Meek.
Supplier engagement is becoming standard practice across the sector. For example, Thermo Fisher Scientific, one of Promega’s largest peers, has committed to SBTi and is working to decarbonise its supply chain through stricter procurement requirements. Merck KGaA in Germany and Qiagen in the Netherlands have also announced supplier engagement initiatives. By following a similar path, Promega joins the vanguard of life sciences companies demanding upstream change.
Putting Promega in Context
The biotechnology and life sciences industry is often energy-intensive, with large laboratory operations, cold-chain logistics, and high reliance on plastics. At the same time, it plays a critical role in enabling healthcare innovation and advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
In recent years, the industry has accelerated its climate commitments. According to SBTi’s public database, more than 100 life sciences companies worldwide now have validated targets, including multinationals such as Roche, Novartis, and Illumina.
Against this backdrop, Promega’s commitment stands out for two reasons:
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Depth of Preparation: Unlike some peers who have pledged targets while still building internal capacity, Promega has waited until its data—particularly on Scope 3—is robust enough to ensure credibility.
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Revenue-Indexed Progress: Achieving a nearly 50% reduction in emissions intensity since 2019 demonstrates that Promega is already on a decarbonisation pathway, not just setting future ambitions.
“By committing at this stage with comprehensive data and a clear reduction strategy, Promega demonstrates leadership in climate ambition within the sector,” Meek emphasises.
Inside the SBTi Process
Setting science-based targets is not a box-ticking exercise. The process requires deep engagement with corporate functions from operations to procurement, finance to R&D.
“Upon committing formally to SBTi, we will have 24 months to validate our targets,” says Meek. “During the next year, we will submit these targets and collaborate with SBTi to confirm their alignment with requirements and verify the completeness of our methodology.”
The timeline reflects the complexity of aligning corporate climate targets with pathways consistent with limiting warming to 1.5°C. It also reflects rising regulatory pressure: in Europe, the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) will mandate detailed climate disclosures for many companies by 2026, and in the United States, the SEC is finalising similar rules.
Culture and Long-Termism
Promega’s commitment is also cultural. Founded in 1978, the company has grown into a global enterprise with operations in more than 160 countries. Yet it has remained privately owned, allowing its leadership to invest in initiatives like sustainability without immediate shareholder pressure.
This structure underpins the company’s 100-year vision, an ethos that sees climate action not as a compliance exercise but as part of Promega’s social licence to operate. Employees, too, play a role—many of the company’s sustainability initiatives are grassroots in origin, later scaled company-wide.
Challenges Ahead
Despite its strong progress, Promega faces the same hurdles as its peers. Scope 3 decarbonisation requires supplier engagement across global value chains where data quality and capabilities vary widely. Emerging markets may lack renewable infrastructure, while critical raw materials may be hard to substitute.
Moreover, biotech companies must balance sustainability with product integrity—cold-chain logistics, sterile manufacturing environments, and precise laboratory conditions often demand energy-intensive processes.
Still, Promega believes it can navigate these challenges by embedding science-based thinking in its corporate DNA.
Conclusion: Leading by Example
Promega’s decision to commit to SBTi reflects both maturity and momentum. With nearly half of its emissions already reduced relative to revenue since 2019, and with 85% renewable electricity powering its operations, the company is not simply making promises—it is building on demonstrable achievements.
Its next frontier lies in Scope 3, where more than 70% of its climate footprint resides. Success will depend on how effectively it can bring its supply chain on board, a challenge shared across the life sciences industry.
As Meek summarises:
“Our commitment to SBTi represents the next phase of climate action. By taking this step with comprehensive data and a clear reduction strategy, Promega shows that ambitious climate action is not only possible in biotechnology—it is necessary.”
With life sciences peers racing to align with global climate goals, Promega’s cautious but decisive approach may set a new benchmark for the sector: proof that sustainability, science, and long-term vision can coexist in corporate strategy.