Laboratories depend on complex global supply networks, and new findings suggest that expectations for transparency across the lab supply chain are quickly intensifying. The newly released 2025 Carbon Impact of Biotech and Pharma report from My Green Lab highlights a significant shift: laboratory suppliers are increasingly being asked to provide supplier emissions data to their customers. This trend reflects a growing need for verified environmental information as organizations strengthen Scope 3 reporting and set more ambitious sustainability targets.
Growing demand for supplier emissions data
According to the report, more than 750 suppliers have now participated in sustainability programs such as Energize, Activate, and the Sustainable Markets Initiative. These programs help organizations develop baselines, collect supplier emissions data, and evaluate renewable energy pathways. Participation is expanding across chemicals, reagents, consumables, cold storage equipment, and specialized manufacturing services—areas that directly support laboratory operations. As expectations increase, more vendors are being asked to provide detailed environmental metrics, including facility-level emissions and information tied to specific product categories.
The report notes that this trend is reshaping procurement practices. Large pharmaceutical companies are requesting standardized disclosures to assess risk, compare vendors, and evaluate progress toward institutional climate goals. This shift places new pressure on suppliers that may not yet have systems in place to consistently gather or report supplier emissions data.
Product-level information becomes a new requirement
One of the most notable developments is the rapid expansion of product carbon footprints (PCF) and life cycle assessments across the lab supply chain. Customers are requesting these datasets for commonly used materials, including pipette tips, cultureware, solvents, and cold storage components. Meeting these expectations requires closer coordination between suppliers and their upstream partners, as well as increased investment in data infrastructure.
For laboratory teams, the availability of product-level information supports better decision-making and improves the accuracy of Scope 3 reporting. As institutional sustainability strategies evolve, consistent and comparable emissions information will become a crucial factor in evaluating vendor performance.
Supplier sustainability requirements extend to renewable energy
In addition to data disclosure, suppliers are encouraged to adopt renewable energy or participate in power purchase agreements facilitated by industry collaboration programs. These renewable energy pathways help reduce the embedded carbon in consumables and equipment frequently used in research environments. As customers advance their decarbonization goals, the ability of upstream manufacturers to demonstrate progress toward emissions reduction is becoming a competitive advantage.
Why these changes matter for lab managers
For laboratory leaders, the rise of supplier sustainability requirements signals a shift in how procurement decisions are made. Environmental information is becoming as important as cost, quality, and lead time. Access to reliable supplier emissions data allows organizations to:
- Strengthen Scope 3 reporting
- Compare vendors more effectively
- Prioritize lower-carbon products and services
- Align purchasing with institutional climate commitments
- Reduce long-term supply risk as regulations evolve
As transparency becomes a new standard across the lab supply chain, laboratory managers will need to work closely with procurement and sustainability teams to evaluate vendor capabilities and integrate environmental criteria into purchasing workflows. Emissions data and sustainability performance are no longer optional—they are becoming central to how scientific organizations operate.
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This article was created with the assistance of Generative AI and has undergone editorial review before publishing.
