How Sustainability Improves Employee Recruitment & Retention

The biotech and pharmaceutical industries, tasked with solving global challenges, paradoxically generate over 200 million tonnes of CO₂ annually. This environmental cost creates a tension between innovation and sustainability. However, sustainability isn't just an environmental responsibility; it’s a powerful tool for attracting and retaining top talent in scientific fields.

Researchers Care About Sustainability

Younger generations are acutely aware of the environmental challenges facing the planet. For these individuals, mission-driven work is more than just a preference; it’s a requirement. They want to feel that their efforts are impactful and aligned with their values.

Surveys show that nearly all young workers (96%) expect employers to prioritize sustainability. Even across generations, 69% of employees want companies to reduce carbon emissions, adopt renewable energy, and minimize waste, according to Deloitte’s research.

Sam Chan from the University of Pittsburgh’s Sustainability Team explained that it’s more critical in research and science. She told us, “Researchers care. They want to make the world a better place. Whether advancing science or medicine, they know how much material is going through their labs to do that work. As a result, they're eager to make it better to make the world better.” 

Organizations that rely on scientists and biomedical professionals must create a culture of sustainability. These highly skilled individuals are driven by a keen desire to solve pressing global challenges, not add to them. This awareness can lead to cognitive dissonance for scientists in organizations that do not prioritize sustainability. Their work, meant to solve the planet’s most pressing issues, contributes to the problem—a disheartening reality that erodes engagement and job satisfaction.

Changing the Narrative Around Scientific Waste

One of the most significant barriers to sustainability in scientific fields is the perception that waste is an unavoidable byproduct of innovation. The biotech and pharmaceutical industries generate more than 200 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually, with 40% of those emissions stemming from the production and disposal of single-use items like gloves, PPE, and pipette tip boxes. Such a damaging output starkly contrasts their mission to solve global challenges.

Many scientists, known for their logical and data-driven approach, view the waste generated by research—such as single-use plastics—as a “sunk cost.” This mindset has been reinforced by decades of practices where groundbreaking discoveries came with a hefty toll on the environment. 

However, solutions like Polycarbin’s prove this narrative false. Unlike traditional recycling, which often downcycle materials into lesser-value products, Polycarbin’s circular economy ensures lab plastics are remanufactured into high-value lab consumables. This closed-loop approach reduces reliance on virgin materials, preserving resources while cutting emissions.

Polycarbin conducts third-party audits of its supply chain using ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 compliant Life Cycle Assessments (LCA). These audits power its Carbin Counter™ Customer Dashboard, providing local and global sustainability metrics, including:

• Carbon Emissions Reduced - kilograms of Carbon Dioxide equivalents reduced

• Fresh Water Conserved - liters of fresh water conserved

• Fossil Fuel Demand Reduced - kilograms of crude oil replaced in the market

• Acidification Prevented - kilograms of sulfur dioxide equivalents reduced in the atmosphere

• Eutrophication Prevented - kilograms of nitrogen equivalents prevented from leaching into ecosystems

• Smog Formation Avoided - kilograms of ground-level ozone avoided

It’s Time to Innovate Without Furthering the Climate Crisis

Attracting and retaining top talent is critical for ensuring business continuity. Therefore, companies must surpass surface-level commitments and integrate sustainability into their core operations and culture.

This includes:

• Reducing waste generated in research and laboratory processes.

• Implementing programs that actively measure and mitigate environmental impact.

• Showcasing sustainability achievements in ways that resonate with both current and prospective employees.

By taking these steps, organizations can position themselves not just as employers but as leaders in the movement toward a more sustainable future—a future that scientists are eager to create. This shift can be incredibly motivating for scientists who may have once considered environmental impact a necessary sacrifice. It shows their work can lead to tremendous innovation without compromising their environmental values. 

Ready to Make Science More Sustainable?

Sustainability is more than an environmental necessity; it’s a strategic advantage in attracting the next generation of scientific talent. By aligning with the values of younger scientists and demonstrating that innovation and environmental stewardship can coexist, companies can build teams of passionate, driven individuals. 

Get in touch with us today for a consultation and learn how your lab can make science more sustainable!