Committing to a sustainable future – the time is NOW

It’s not about what happens to you, but how you respond. These wise words from a mentor of mine have perhaps never been more relevant than in 2020.

This year has been anything but normal, and it would be very easy for any person or company to just focus on surviving.

But for us at Elanco, that’s not enough. We choose to view COVID-19 as an opportunity to separate ourselves, from where we were before the pandemic. COVID can be the catalyst we needed to drive change that otherwise would have taken a decade to develop. We have a major opportunity and responsibility to tackle some of the biggest challenges we face as a society and this pandemic has shown us that we have to act NOW.

It’s never been more apparent that change for a better tomorrow must start today, and our vision is to improve the health and well-being of the majority of the world’s animals.

That’s why we are announcing our Elanco Healthy Purpose 2030 Sustainability Commitments in support of the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goals.

These pledges address critical challenges we face in society – from anxiety and obesity to reducing greenhouse gas emission and creating food security, these pledges aim to drive change for a sustainable future.  We need more protein to feed more people, but with fewer resources. We are facing a growing threat from climate change. We are more socially isolated than ever.

So, what do healthy animals have to do with these issues in human and environmental health? Everything.  

We believe healthier animals are the x-factor in unlocking solutions to these global challenges. Healthier animals create a ripple effect that benefits the health of people and our environment.

Elanco is making the following three commitments:

First, we pledge to create more resilient food systems by enabling 57 million more people to access their annual nutritious protein needs.

With millions in the world unable to access affordable, nutritious protein, the Elanco Protein Pledge is an active commitment to improve the efficiency and sustainability of every farmer the company works with, improve the health and welfare of 3 billion farm animals and support and enhance agricultural productivity and income of 250,000 dairy and poultry smallholder farmers.

Second, we will remove 21 million tons of emissions from customers’ farms while reducing our own impact on the planet.

The natural environment needs protection and Elanco can help reduce impacts and develop solutions to support customers We’ll be our customers’ lead partner on their journey to zero emissions on their farms, grow our product portfolio with environmental benefits and accelerate toward sustainable packaging while achieving 100% renewable sources of electricity across the company’s operations.

Finally, we will improve the world’s well-being by helping at least 100 million healthy pets help people.

Now more than ever, the special bond that people share with their pets, is visible in the form of mental and physical health benefits. Our pets are a furry prescription on four legs, and by helping pets live longer, healthier lives, the health of “their humans” will improve, too.

These are big, far-reaching commitments, and what I’m sharing here just scratches the surface of the hard work, commitment and passion we have for making these goals a reality – something only possible with the Elanco differentiators: people with purpose, access with purpose and innovation with purpose.

Our differentiators shift these goals from sitting alongside our business, to be an integrated part of our business plan, strengthening our performance. Society’s most complex problems can be solved through passionate people and purposeful innovation with a focus on greater access to animal care. Our Elanco people operate with purpose for the good of society and the enterprise. 

When healthy animals are put at the intersection of solutions for the enterprise, I am certain that this decade will bring higher quality lives, less anxiety, less obesity, more companionship and connectivity.

I’m starting this decade with more excitement and energy because of what I see this company can do in partnership with farmers, veterinarians, major food producers and retailers. The time is now.