How Procurement Decisions
Shape Lab Sustainability
Packaging, product design, and purchasing patterns are proving to be the real levers
for cutting waste.
Antoine Claux leads strategy deployment for business
partnerships and sustainability at Corning Life
Sciences. With a background in legal affairs and
hands-on experience managing recycling and procurement
initiatives, he helps translate sustainability goals into workable strategies across global markets.
Why is waste reduction in labs still so difficult?
Most labs understand the problem: they use a lot of
single-use plastic. The challenge is what to do about it. We
tend to focus on two fronts. One is dealing with the waste
already being produced — can it be recycled or managed
more efficiently? The other is helping labs generate less
waste to begin with. That’s where procurement comes
in. The way products are selected, designed, and ordered
makes a bigger difference than people expect.
What’s working when it comes to recycling?
We’ve had good results in the U.S. with Corning Recycles, a packaging recycling program that’s free for customers. Labs collect clean, uncontaminated Corning packaging, print a label, and send it back to us. We partner with
recyclers to process it. It’s used by everyone from small
academic labs to large pharma.
In Europe, we’re trying to replicate that, but there are
more nuances — local regulations vary, and cross-border
Antoine Claux, Strategy Deployment Leader,
Business Partnerships & Sustainability,
Corning Life Sciences
INTERVIEW
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shipping isn’t always sustainable. So, we’re identifying local
partners and working through our distributors who already
run similar programs. Often, it’s also about making sure
customers know those options exist.
What are some examples of reducing waste
through design?
We’re focused on two big areas: source reduction and
intensification. Source reduction means designing products
that use less material — for example, we redesigned the
Corning® T-75 flask to have a U-shaped neck, which cut
plastic volume by more than 20 percent. It’s still the Corning flask customers are used to, but with enhanced performance and less generated waste. That adds up over time.
Intensification is more about output; our newer cell culture formats offer higher surface area in smaller volumes.
So instead of using ten T-175 flasks, you can use the Corning HYPERFlask® vessel for 50% less plastic at the same
cell culture surface area and less incubator space. Same
work, less plastic, less storage, and fewer shipments.
How can procurement teams have a
bigger impact?
Procurement teams can drive change through the way
orders are structured. Bulk packaging can cut plastic waste
from packaging by up to 90 percent, but it only works
when labs coordinate. We still see institutions where each
lab orders its own set of centrifuge tubes or pipets — so
they all arrive individually wrapped. A single consolidated
order changes that instantly. It doesn’t require new systems, just better communication.
You’ve mentioned My Green Lab and the
UK’s LEAF program. How do these affect
supplier strategy?
These programs are becoming reference points. They
provide structured guidance for labs looking to reduce
energy use, waste, and overall footprint. We use them
internally when designing products — what counts as
best practice? What would help a lab meet certification
goals? One example is CoolCell, our alcohol-free freezing
system. It uses less energy and no hazardous chemicals.
Products like that are shaped by the feedback these frameworks provide.
Let’s talk about Corning’s own strategy. What
does sustainability deployment look like inside
the company?
We start with what we call ‘voice of the customer’ sessions. These are structured conversations with a range of
lab customers — academic, biotech, pharma — to understand what matters most. Some care about recycling, others
about energy use or packaging. We bring that data to product teams. The U-shaped flask I mentioned came directly
from that process. We know our customers want to reduce
their lab’s environmental impact, and we’re committed
to helping them do that without sacrificing performance
or quality.
How does the Corning EcoChoice™
program fit in?
Corning EcoChoice™ highlights products that meet
certain sustainability criteria. Some are made using renewable energy, others use less material or support more
efficient workflows. The idea is to help labs align procurement with environmental goals without having to rebuild
their processes. We want to make it easy to choose better
options that still fit the lab’s needs. Customer’s can easily
view sustainable choice on the Corning website or through
most distribution programs.
Are lab customers driving change from
their end?
Yes, more customers now bring firm expectations to
procurement discussions. Some say, “In two years, we need
this product to meet a lower carbon threshold — or we’ll
stop buying it.” That kind of pressure drives real progress.
It drives collaboration across product design, packaging,
logistics, and end-of-life planning. These partnerships take
time but lead to meaningful change. Corning® 175cm² U-shaped angled neck cell culture flask
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To learn more, visit: www.corning.com
What’s the biggest misconception you hear
from labs about sustainability?
A lot of people focus on transportation. It’s visible —
boxes arriving from far away — so it feels like the biggest
impact. But when we run the numbers, transport often
accounts for just 2 to 7 percent of a product’s carbon footprint. The rest comes from raw materials, manufacturing,
and packaging. That’s why we focus on renewable energy
in production and design changes that reduce material use.
That’s where labs can move the needle.
Where do you see the most room for
improvement right now?
Packaging and ordering patterns. These are low-hanging
fruit. If labs move to bulk formats and consolidate shipments, they cut a huge amount of plastic and transport
volume without changing what they buy. Beyond that,
it’s about partnerships: labs working with vendors to push
for better options, and vendors being flexible enough to
respond. That’s where the best results come from. Corning® CellBIND® surface HYPERFlask®
Corning® CoolCell® alcohol-free freezing containers
