Risk management procedures for environmental API emissions during the manufacture of medicinal products
Level: Core
The purpose of this special contract term is to ensure that suppliers implement procedures for identifying and managing the risk of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) being released into the environment, so that the production of medicinal products should cause as little an environmental impact as possible.
Details
- Type:
- Special contract terms
- ID:
- 11224
- Group:
- Medicinal Products
Criterion text
During the entire contract period, the supplier must implement procedures to reduce the risk of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) being released into the environment during the manufacture of medicinal products that are included in the agreement. These procedures must be implemented when APIs are produced as well as when APIs are used in pharmaceutical formulation.
At the start of the contract, the supplier must have:
1. adopted a publicly available environmental policy approved by top level management that includes a commitment to reduce the risks of APIs being released into the environment during the manufacture of medicinal products included in the agreement;
2. appointed an individual at the management level who is responsible for ensuring compliance with the policy;
3. adopted procedures for forwarding the environmental policy in writing to any subcontractors it has a contractual relationship with, and for conveying the environmental policy to any subcontractors beyond the first step in the supply chain;
4. adopted procedures for regularly identifying and prioritising the risks of APIs being released into the environment during the manufacture of medicinal products included in the agreement, including mapping the supply chain;
5. adopted procedures for regularly monitoring compliance with the environmental policy; and
6. adopted procedures for taking measures without undue delay when deviations from the environmental policy are identified.
The procedures must be documented and applied over the entire duration of the contract period in the supplier’s own operations as well as those of any subcontractors that contribute to fulfilling the contract.
The measures must be proportionate to the supplier’s operations and its ability to influence the supply chain. If the supplier considers that it lacks such influence, it must take appropriate measures in order to increase its influence. The supplier must be able to explain what measures have been taken with regards to its influence in the supply chain.
Follow-up
[The contracting authority] is entitled to check that the supplier fulfils its obligations under the special contract term. The follow-up may be carried out in different stages: self-assessment and audit.
Upon the request of [the contracting authority] the supplier shall, [within eight (8) weeks/other time period specified by the contracting authority] of receiving the request, confirm compliance with the special contract term in writing. The confirmation can be submitted using the Self-assessment questionnaire—Environmental risk management annex. The supplier must provide the information requested in the form.
The supplier must enable [the contracting authority] to perform audits—carried out by itself or through a representative—of the supplier and/or any subcontractors to ensure that the supplier fulfils its commitment. The supplier must provide the information and documentation needed for confirming that the commitment is followed.
In case of non-compliance
If the supplier does not participate in the follow-up or if there are deficiencies in the documentation that must be provided, corrections must be made within a reasonable time determined by [the contracting authority].
In case of non-compliance with the commitment, the supplier must rectify the situation in accordance with an action plan set by the supplier and approved by [the contracting authority]. The action plan must be prepared within the time frame decided by [the contracting authority], must be proportionate to the nature of the deficiencies and clearly describe how these are to be remedied within the specified time frame.
Subject matter of contract
Procurement object. Medicinal products for Inpatient care.
Information about the criterion
This special contract term focuses on prioritising the environmental aspect of manufacturing medicinal products; namely, reducing the risks of APIs being released into the environment. The special contract term stipulates that the supplier must have procedures in place so that measures can be taken in order to minimise these risks.
The measures taken by the supplier must be proportionate to the supplier's operations and ability to influence the supply chain. If the supplier lacks such influence, or if its influence is limited, it must—according to this special contract term—take appropriate measures in order to increase such influence. What constitutes appropriate measures must be determined on a case by case basis. One example could be to consult together with subcontractors and/or other parties in order to increase transparency and traceability.
When a contracting authority examines a supplier’s risk management, it should take into consideration that different suppliers can adopt different kinds of appropriate procedures and measures for managing the risks of APIs being released into the environment when medicinal products included in the agreement are manufactured.
Note that if the contracting authority has also chosen to include the requirement about sustainable supply chains (Requirement ID 11239) in the procurement contract, the procurement agent may inform the supplier that it can refer to the Self-assessment questionnaire – Sustainable supply chains form when completing the Self-assessment questionnaire – Environmental risk management form, if the required details have been provided there.
Environmental goals
Versions history
The version date indicates when the sustainability criterion was created or last updated. Last reviewed dated tells when we last checked that the sustainability criterion still is relevant.
- Current ID
- 11224
- Version date
- 2019-10-23