Sustainability

Our Latest Initiative: ISCC PLUS Certified Consumables

Originally crafted from glass, but now primarily made from petroleum-based plastics, laboratory consumables around the world ensure that the stringent quality standards required for advanced research are consistently met. At the same time, the challenge of making processes sustainable is growing. Hamilton is committed to focus­ing on sustainable as well as innovative products. In the consumables area, we are working on various initiatives to offer sustainable solutions.

GreenLine CO-RE II Tips: A Greener Choice

We launched a new CO-RE II tip portfolio called GreenLine, which is made with 65% - 75% (tips) and 85% - 100% (racks)  ISCC certified bio-circular polypropylene using the ISCC mass balance approach.

How It Works

Conventional and renewable raw materials are mixed in a polymer reactor during the manufac­turing process. After polymer manufacturing the portion of ISCC PLUS certified material are allocat­ed using mass balance calculation and sold as ISCC PLUS certified product. 

Certified Supply Chain

Our GreenLine CO-RE II tips are linked to 65 to 75% (tips) and 85% - 100% (racks) certified material on a mass balance basis. This certification confirms that the renewable feedstocks come from verified and alternative sources with a certified supply chain.

Traceability

We can trace the renewable materials back to their Point of Origin, ensuring transparency and accountability in our supply chain.

With our GreenLine CO-RE II tips, you benefit from the trusted Hamilton quality while supporting the transition to alternative raw materials. By incorporating bio-based materials and reducing the use of fossil-based resources, these tips contribute to a more responsible and climate-conscious product life cycle.

For more information, visit the International Sustainability & Carbon Certification website: www.iscc-system.org, and Download our Flyer, Brochure and Equivalency Statement about the new GreenLine Tips below.

Note: ISCC Plus GreenLine Tips currently available in: Switzerland, Germany, France, United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Austria, BeNeLux, Ireland, Hungary, Ireland, Poland, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, India, Romania, Latvia. Other Countries – coming soon

Sustainability is anchored in our corporate culture

But that's not all – we have implemented many initiatives for a better future: Sustainability is about more than just CO₂ reduction and energy consumption - above all, it also includes relationships. We place great emphasis on long-term relationships, be it with our employees and customers, with partners and suppliers, or with the preservation of our society. Sustainability is a key value in our company.

We are committed to a safe and open working environment in line with our corporate culture. Our values “respectful, communicative, reliable, innovative, sustainable and entrepreneurial” reflect our attitude and guide our actions and decisions in our day-to-day business. They are the foundation of Hamilton’s corporate culture.

Our sustainability program defines four focal areas for sustainable action. At its core, the program covers the classic three areas of sustainability – people, environment, value creation – as well as innovation as the fourth area, as we aim to contribute to solving the problems of the future through innovation. In line with our vision “We drive innovation to improve people’s lives,” we make an important contribution to the development of new medicines, diagnostics and personalized medicine. Compliance with ethical principles, the integrity of both our employees and the company, and responsible conduct across all our sites and right through to the supply chain are at the core of our business activities. We aim to sustainably improve the lives of our customers.

3D print instead of milling

FLUOREYE is a small, channel-based fluorescence measurement device for integration into our pipetting platforms. Previously, the FLUOREYE’s cases were milled out of an aluminum cuboid, which resulted in a lot of waste. Instead of milling 90% of the volume out of an aluminum cuboid, we decided to manufacture the cases from scratch using a 3D printer. This not only saves electricity, but also generates much less waste. The small size of the final product means that significantly more units can be delivered to our subsidiaries and customers per trip compared to large plate readers.

400,000 m² less plastic/year

Previously, pipette tips in blister format were packed into plastic bags and then packed into a cardboard box. As part of the “Packaging” consumables sustainability initiative, we have removed the plastic bag completely. The pipette tips are still completely protected against contamination by the sealed blister lid. 
By removing the plastic bag, 400,000 m² of plastic film can be saved, annually. This corresponds approximately to the area of Bonaduz or 62 Football fields. 

Environment – We Cultivate a Conscious Use of Natural Resources and Protect the Environment

When it comes to strategic goals relating to environmental protection, climate protection is at the top of our list and we want to do our part to prevent the worst effects of climate change. We are committed to the Science-Based Targets Initiative and have set ourselves the following targets by 2030, starting from a base year of 2020:

We commit to reduce our emissions in the different sectors by up to 52 % by 2030 compared to the 2020 baseline.

Our photovoltaic systems

At our sites in Switzerland and Romania, we cover part of our electricity requirements with photovoltaic systems. We also use groundwater to heat and cool our buildings and avoid the use of air conditioning wherever possible.

In 2022, this enabled us to generate over 430,000 kWh of clean energy in Switzerland and a further 121,310 kWh in Romania. The new building in Domat/Ems will also be equipped with a photovoltaic system on the roof and facades. Further in 2023, an additional photovoltaic system will be installed at our headquarters in Bonaduz. An expansion of the system in Romania is currently being planned. These photovoltaic systems will bring us a step closer to our goal of producing as much of our own energy as possible.

Optimization of logistics processes

At our site in Domat/Ems, the central high-bay main warehouse for 13,000 pallets is currently being built. The new main warehouse will replace the intermediate warehouses distributed throughout Switzerland and thus lead to massively fewer transport movements within the company overall.

People – We Care for Our Employees and Are Committed to Society

Improving the health of people around the world drives us. To achieve this ambitious goal, we depend on motivated, talented and satisfied employees. Attractive working conditions, the opportunity to develop and an appreciative approach are central to this, because it is easiest to work in a motivating environment. We offer our employees comprehensive services and benefits that contribute to good and attractive working conditions.

In addition, Hamilton Medical is committed to enabling medical teams to provide the best possible ventilation – to every patient, everywhere. We support various social initiatives around the world with donations in kind and our expertise.

Our green canteen in Switzerland

Employees are a company’s most valuable resource, and health is everyone’s highest asset. We attach great importance to healthy nutrition with local products and seasonal fruits and vegetables. For a long time now, vegetarian and vegan dishes have been part of our standard menu. Of course, meat lovers will also find something on our menu, but we make sure that the meat comes exclusively from local farms.

The ecological aspect also plays an important role: biogas is produced from food waste and we have reduced the use of plastic to a minimum by switching from PET bottles to tap water, for example. Paper cups for hot drinks are also history. Everyone has their own bottle or cup, which we provide.

Driving innovation. E-mobility at our Swiss location

To promote the use of zero‑emission cars and plug‑in hybrid vehicles, we set up several charging stations for employees and visitors.

Our management leads by example: Over 50% of Hamilton Medical’s executive team drives either a fully electric car or a plug‑in hybrid. All vehicles of our shared fleet are 100% electric.

Value Creation – As a Family Business, We Are Focused on Long-Term Success

It goes without saying that we comply with the applicable laws and other legal regulations in every country in which we operate. It is the responsibility of each and every employee, including management, regardless of location or line of business, to comply with all applicable laws and codes of conduct and all other Hamilton policies.

CO₂ reduction targets

The Hamilton companies have committed to the CO₂ reduction targets of the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi). SBTi is a globally recognized standard for companies that voluntarily commit to ambitious climate protection targets, with around 6600 companies currently participating. More details on the targets set for 2030 are available in the news article.

UN Global Compact

The UN Global Compact is the world’s largest sustainability initiative for businesses, calling on them to align their strategies and operations with universal principles and take actions that advance societal goals. The Hamilton companies have been participants of the UN Global Compact since 2023 and have committed to incorporating ten principles into our strategies, policies and procedures. With our commitment, we are also making a contribution to achieving the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In particular, Hamilton focuses on SDG 3, to ensure healthy lives and improve well-being for people of all ages. This goal is at the heart of our business activities and is also anchored in our vision “We drive innovation to improve people’s lives”.

Sustainability rating

In order to continuously improve its own sustainability performance, Hamilton Bonaduz AG decided to work with EcoVadis in 2022 to improve its sustainability performance. The Ecovadis assessment model measures various factors along the four thematic areas of environment, labor and human rights, ethics and sustainable procurement and thus represents a universal sustainability rating in which all dimensions of sustainability are included. The assessment is conducted annually and maps improvements but also possible weaknesses in the processes.