The role of biotechnology post COVID-19

Our industry cares about driving positive health outcomes that improve patients’ lives. During the global pandemic, biotechnology companies worldwide pivoted efforts to tackle COVID-19. The  pandemic taught us there is an opportunity for global collaboration and that viruses, like other diseases, don’t care who they impact. It is vital that we maintain and build upon this collaborative response. But beyond collaboration, it is our role as an industry sector to relentlessly pursue faster and better technologies and to educate governments and national agencies to prepare ourselves for the future. Throughout the pandemic, Abcam supported the dedicated research efforts around the globe to understand the virus and then develop vaccines. We are proud of our contribution and extend our thanks again to our team for their unstinting contributions and efforts.

Sustainable foundations

Since its founding, Abcam has been driven by a powerful purpose and is committed to responsible practices. Interest in ESG has grown in awareness and importance in recent years; the ‘Social’ aspect of ESG – and in particular, Abcam’s culture and people – has always been a critical part of our success. I am proud of the culture the company has nurtured and delighted that Abcam was recognised as a top five employer in the UK in the annual Glassdoor awards for the second year running. This was also reflected in Britain’s Most Admired Company awards, in which Abcam was recognised by peers as having the highest commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion within the healthcare industry.

Our commitment to building a sustainable business is evident in how we deliver our strategy and spans the quality and impact of our products, the workspaces we provide, the talent we attract and retain, the ethical standards across our supply chain we uphold, and reducing our environmental footprint. Under Alan Hirzel’s stewardship, we continue to improve in each of these areas, and I am pleased that we have this report to provide further detail on our progress toward our  sustainability commitments and goals.

It is our people who build a sustainable company, and our leaders who steer the way. It is our customers who demand quality, speed and innovation, and our partners who bring their energy and perspective to our collaborations. And it is our investors who demand that we set a standard for delivering our goals in a sustainable way. I want to thank our employees, our customers, our partners, our suppliers, and our investors, who have all contributed to our sustainability story.

Peter Allen
Chairman