GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is a global healthcare company that discovers, develops and manufactures pharmaceuticals, vaccines and consumer healthcare products. Ensuring the safety of its products and processes is paramount. So is maximizing its long-term impact in improving health around the world. This includes a pledge to reduce its environmental impact by 25% by 2030, cutting greenhouse gas emissions, reducing water impact and redirecting waste for beneficial use.

GSK’s sites must maintain specific temperatures to safely produce and store products. This means that boilers, cooling towers, chillers and other temperature-related systems must operate consistently, which often requires a lot of water.

GSK relies on Ecolab to operate safely and sustainably through a partnership that began in 2005 with Nalco Water, an Ecolab company. Today, GSK has more than 130 3D TRASAR™ installations worldwide, monitoring water in its systems at all times. The technology has produced significant water and energy savings by reducing the need for maintenance and by reusing water and optimizing energy usage. It earned a Sustainability Supplier Award from GSK, which cited it as a solution that “addressed carbon footprints and made bold strategic changes to reduce impact now and in the future.”

Bringing together the expertise of both the Nalco Water and Life Sciences divisions, Ecolab enhanced cleaning and sanitation efficiency with Clean-in-Place and Open-Plant Cleaning, and helped minimize the risk of waterborne pathogens with a Legionella Risk Management Program.  

GSK’s partnership with Ecolab has advanced its goals of reducing water and energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. GSK also reduced solid waste through Ecolab’s PORTA-FEED™ program, replacing plastic, single-use drums with steel, reusable bulk containers. This has reduced chemical drum disposal by at least 80% and has enhanced safety by eliminating the need for GSK employees to handle chemistry.