As climate pressures intensify and healthcare systems grapple with their environmental footprint, sustainability is becoming a defining force in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries.
From greener manufacturing to biologics produced through low-impact processes, companies are increasingly embedding environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles into their core strategies.
The latest 2026 Global 100 ranking from Corporate Knights highlights the world’s most sustainable corporations, and this year’s list features some pharma and biotech players that stand out for their leadership in advancing both human health and planetary health.
A New Sustainability Benchmark for Life Sciences
Companies are increasingly evaluated not just on emissions or resource use, but on how their core products contribute to a low-carbon and socially responsible economy.
This year’s ranking introduces a new emphasis on “sustainable revenue momentum,” measuring how quickly companies are scaling revenues tied to sustainable products and services, alongside metrics such as sustainable revenue ratio, sustainable investment ratio and ESG performance indicators.
The sustainable revenue momentum metric accounts for one-third of a company’s score, with overall sustainable revenues and sustainable investments accounting for the other two-thirds.
Among the leaders in 2026 are Novonesis A/S, Eisai Co Ltd and Novo Nordisk A/S, each demonstrating different pathways to sustainable impact.
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Novonesis A/S: Biotech Innovation for a Low-Carbon Future
Ranking among the top 10 globally and the highest-ranked pharmaceutical company in Corporate Knights’ 2026 Global 100, Novonesis represents the growing influence of industrial biotechnology in sustainability. The company jumped from 49th on the list in 2025 to eighth place in this year’s rankings.
Novonesis specializes in enzymes and microbial solutions that enable more environmentally friendly processes across industries, from agriculture to bioenergy and food production. By replacing resource-intensive chemical processes with biological alternatives, the company contributes directly to emissions reduction and circular economy models.
Novonesis has made significant progress on sustainability in recent years, including achieving a 67% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions (vs. 2018) and powering its global operations with 100% renewable electricity. It has also restored 20 billion liters of water, while 99.6% of its waste is reused, recycled or recovered, reflecting a strong circular approach, the company says.
Novonesis achieved a sustainable revenue momentum score of 27.7% and sustainable revenue and investment ratios of 100%, along with an A grade letter rating from Corporate Knights.
Eisai Co Ltd: Sustained Leadership in ESG-Driven Pharma
Japan-based Eisai’s ESG approach is closely tied to its human health mission, particularly through its focus on neurology and oncology. Eisai emphasizes access to medicines, ethical supply chains and reduced environmental impact across its operations. It moved down a spot on Corporate Knights’ 100 list this year, from 35th place in 2025 to 36th place this year.
Eisai is advancing sustainability through both environmental and social initiatives, including a steady shift toward renewable energy, reaching over 176,000 MWh of renewable energy consumption globally in FY2024, while continuing to reduce Scope 2 emissions to just a few thousand tons of CO₂.
The company also emphasizes resource efficiency, with over 3.1 million m³ of water intake and ongoing reductions in waste generation, alongside a broader commitment to improving global access to medicines as a core pillar of its ESG strategy. Eisai’s sustainable revenue momentum score on Corporate Knights’ list was 13.3%, sustainable revenue ratio 59.2% and sustainable investment ratio 44.7%. Its letter was an A-.
Novo Nordisk A/S: Scaling Sustainability Alongside Blockbuster Growth
Novo Nordisk has long been a pioneer in integrating ESG into corporate strategy, with initiatives spanning renewable energy adoption, circular manufacturing and responsible sourcing. Having gained tremendous international notoriety through its blockbuster GLP-1 therapies Ozempic and Wegovy, Novo Nordisk operates at a massive global scale, making its sustainability commitments particularly impactful. It moved up in the rankings on Corporate Knights’ 100 list this year, from 62nd on the list in 2025 to 51st place this year.
Novo Nordisk is advancing its “Circular for Zero” strategy with ambitious climate targets, including net-zero emissions across its value chain by 2045 and a 33% reduction in Scope 3 emissions by 2033, which currently account for about 96% of its total footprint. The company is also working closely with suppliers, with over 3,000 having committed to renewable electricity, representing 54% of its emissions.
Notably, all of the company’s production sites source 100% renewable power. The company is also scaling innovations like lower-carbon materials and reusable medical devices, such as reusable, longer-life injection pens. However, the company says more than 95% of the company’s total CO2 emissions come from its 60,000 suppliers, with most of its plastic pens ending up in landfills.
In a video, the company highlights some of its sustainability achievements. In Kenya, Novo Nordisk outlines how it is partnering with an online pharmacy to enable a shorter insulin supply route and reduce prices by more than 30%. In Botega, the company shares how it is part of community projects working to improve access to fresh, healthy food in vulnerable neighborhoods.
On Corporate Knights’ list, Novo Nordisk’s sustainable revenue momentum score is 48.5%, with a sustainable revenue ratio of 18.6% and a sustainable investment ratio of 37.5%. Its letter grade rating is B+.
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