WILMINGTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. (NYSE: CRL) today announced the publication of its , which includes progress and results from 2022 and 2023. The 2023 report demonstrates Charles River’s priorities and commitments across its strategic Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) areas of focus: Accelerate Life-Saving Therapies; Lead with Integrity; Inspire our People; and Protect our Planet.
“The work we do at Charles River today extends beyond science. With more than 21,000 employees, our collective efforts are powerful, and our influence is transforming the biopharmaceutical industry to make a difference for both patients and the planet,” said James C. Foster, Chair, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Charles River. “We are proud of the progress we have made on our ESG commitments while working together to develop treatments that can save lives.”
Published every two years, the report highlights Charles River’s progress towards its ambitious Corporate Citizenship goals, as well as new milestones and accomplishments:
Accelerate Life-Saving Therapies
Charles River is committed to bringing effective medicines to patients safely and as quickly as possible and continues to be a trusted, global scientific partner of choice:
- Worked on 80% of the drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the past five years (2019-2023) and 85% of the drugs approved by the FDA in 2023 alone.
- Invested more than $4.5 billion in strategic acquisitions since 2012 to ensure clients have access to emerging therapies and technologies that help bring safe, effective treatments to market faster.
- Launched the , providing clients with access to an industry-leading, secure, cloud-based platform housing study data, study milestones, documents, cost estimates, and program planning tools.
Lead with Integrity
Making a positive impact on patients, animals in its care, and communities where employees work is central to Charles River’s ethos. During the 2022-2023 period, the Company:
- Established a Responsible Animal Use Committee of the Company's Board of Directors and the Office for Responsible Animal Usage (ORAU) to oversee responsible animal utilization and reduction practices, and operating standards of care.
- Further demonstrated its commitment to the 3Rs Principle – Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement – by spearheading the addition of a foundational fourth R, Responsibility – ultimately establishing the to bring renewed focus to its commitment to animal welfare.
- Became a signatory to the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC).
- Received ISO 27001 certification, the international standard for information security management systems (ISMS), in 2023.
Inspire our People
Charles River is committed to providing an exceptional employee experience in which its people can learn, grow, and make an impact. Employee-focused initiatives include:
- Grew 11 Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) to include nearly 4,000 people, helping to cultivate a sense of belonging and inclusion.
- Demonstrated the Company’s commitment to equity by advancing women in leadership, with women representing 53% of total leadership in 2023 and the composition of women at the Executive Leadership level (VP+) increasing to 42% in 2023.
- Remained focused on employee learning and development as employees globally completed more than 410,000 learning sessions.
- Contributed a total of 29,000 employee volunteer hours in 2023, a company record.
Protect our Planet
Charles River operates responsibly and promotes a sustainable future in the communities where the Company operates. Working towards its environmental goals, Charles River:
- Reduced Scope 1 and 2 global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 37% over the last five years, targeting a 50% reduction by 2030.
- Achieved 92% renewable electricity usage globally, working toward the deployment of 100% renewable electricity across operations by 2030.
- Continued advancing global sustainability capital projects through its annual Sustainability Capital Fund, originally introduced in 2020. As of year-end 2023, the fund has supported $13.5 million in projects.
The 2023 Corporate Citizenship Report was prepared in accordance with the latest Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Universal Standards, as well as the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) Biotechnology and Pharmaceuticals Standard. The report is also aligned with relevant U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) and recommendations set out by the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD). The TCFD report will be available later in 2024 at .
Visit the of Charles River’s website to read the 2023 Corporate Citizenship Report in its entirety and learn more about the Company’s ESG disclosures.
About Charles River
Charles River provides essential products and services to help pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, government agencies and leading academic institutions around the globe accelerate their research and drug development efforts. Our dedicated employees are focused on providing clients with exactly what they need to improve and expedite the discovery, early-stage development and safe manufacture of new therapies for the patients who need them. To learn more about our unique portfolio and breadth of services, visit .
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