Decarbonising Clinical Trials at Novartis

Novartis has embedded environmental sustainability across the clinical trial lifecycle, from protocol design through to close-out. This case study explains the overall approach and provides details around three targeted initiatives (investigational medication distribution, reusable shipping boxes, and clinical sample management) which are delivering significant operational, environmental, and financial benefits. The results make a compelling case: low carbon trials and operational efficiency are not competing priorities but can be mutually reinforcing.

~350,000 fewer medication & sample shipments

~20,000 tCO₂e avoided via all 3 initiatives

~$66M cumulated cost savings

(all cumulative impacts 2020–2025 vs 2019 baseline prior programme launch)