Environment

Incyte is committed to operating in a way that minimizes our environmental impact. This commitment includes programs for data collection and analysis in order to measure and reduce hazardous air emissions, greenhouse gases and water use. As an example of this commitment, no Incyte employees including those in the Executive Leadership Team utilize private corporate planes for business travel. Incyte's Greencyte Team is a cross-functional and global team dedicated to seeking ways to minimize our impact on the environment.

Goals

We recognize that protecting the environment is an important part of our mission. Setting specific goals reinforces our commitment and helps drive meaningful change—decreasing our impact on the environment while increasing transparency to our key stakeholders.

Our key environmental target, through combinations of absolute CO₂ reductions and offsets of our emissions, is to be operationally carbon neutral by 2025. Our carbon neutrality target for 2025 includes our global Scopes 1 and 2 emissions, which are the direct and indirect emissions from our wholly owned facilities as well as the emissions from our global fleet.

Three additional specific tactical goals aligned with our target are to:

• Achieve Green Globes Certification for a newly constructed building at U.S. Headquarters after completion
• Include reporting under the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) Framework by 2023
• Complete the transition of the Field Fleet to hybrid and electric vehicles by 2025

U.S. Headquarters

Carbon

Incyte is committed to minimizing our carbon footprint as well as finding ways to offset our impact. 

We are proud to announce that, as of January 1, 2021, our U.S. headquarters’ electricity is 100% renewably sourced from the purchase and retirement of renewable energy certificates. In addition, we achieved three out of a possible four Green Globes in connection with our recent Green Globes Certification for Building 1815 at our U.S. headquarters, which demonstrates outstanding success in resource efficiency, reducing environmental impacts and improving occupant wellness. We achieved ~90% of available points for the materials we used for the building as well as the indoor environmental quality.

As Incyte expands, so must our facilities. As we construct new buildings, our team makes sure to keep environmental responsibility as a priority. When constructing the expanded headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware, for example, the team needed to remove approximately 160 trees but then planted over 400 new trees once construction was completed, more than doubling the original number of trees on-site. As we construct another new building at U.S. headquarters, we continue our focus on sustainability. We have been working with Green Globes throughout this project in order to reach our goal of achieving Green Globes Certification for this building.

BioDiversity

As Incyte continues to expand operations worldwide, we are committed to protecting and preserving biodiversity; we respect nature on and around our facilities and local communities. As part of this effort, we evaluate operations to ensure they comply with international, national, and local regulations concerning the preservation of natural places, promoting open spaces, and assessing land use compliance. Incyte has developed plans to consider facility impact on biodiversity and land when designing new buildings and renovating existing facilities. These plans include:

• A Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan, which establishes and communicates awareness of appropriate practices associated with pollution prevention techniques and materials to divert or prevent storm water contamination
• Spill response procedures to be used in the event of a hazardous chemical spill
• A waste disposal program that outlines procedures for disposal of hazardous waste in compliance with the Federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act

Water

At Incyte Corporate Headquarters, five different storm water management facilities are used:

• Bio retention
• Porous asphalt
• Porous pavers
• Underground detention
• Green roof

Water presence sensors have been installed in high water usage areas to quickly detect leaks and reduce water usage.  Motion and presence sensor faucets are being utilized in new or renovated spaces.

Waste

Incyte’s focus on waste reduction works to utilize “landfill free” practices where available. See below for additional information:

Non-Hazardous Waste: All of the non-hazardous waste from U.S. headquarters in Wilmington, DE is sent to a “landfill free” waste and recycle company where non-recyclable waste is then converted into energy at an eco-friendly facility.

Hazardous Waste: We manage all hazardous waste at Incyte Corporate Headquarters in Wilmington, DE in compliance with EPA regulations. All hazardous waste is recycled, reused, fuel-blended or disposed of at an EPA approved disposal facility. In recent years, over 95% of Incyte’s hazardous waste has been fuel blended for energy recovery.    

We comply with the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), which establishes a cradle-to-grave regulatory system for solid waste and emphasizes control of waste after generation. In line with the 1984 Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments to RCRA, we also recognize the need to: increase waste minimization efforts and to restrict land disposal, minimizing waste generation; reduce volume and toxicity of waste; minimize waste; and minimize waste through the use of a treatment facility, a storage facility, or a disposal facility. 

Incyte's EHS Team works closely with our hazardous waste vendor and our researchers to identify waste minimization and pollution prevention efforts at our research laboratory facilities including the Incyte Research Institute, in particular. These initiatives allow our Hazardous Waste Team to safely divert materials for recycling, recovery or reuse. We encourage researchers to work with the EHS team to identify additional opportunities to reduce our waste and improve our environmental stewardship goals.

European Operations

In Europe, our first manufacturing site is nearing completion in Yverdon-les-Bains, Switzerland. The building and its construction follow strict Swiss regulations regarding environment protection and energy consumption. Additionally, a study was conducted to optimize the future energy consumption of the building itself. The energy produced from the heating and cooling equipment will be partially recovered using heat exchangers, solar panels have been installed on the roof and a specific heating system under the ground will use the residual heat to avoid ice forming at the entry to the buildings during the winter season. The plant’s electricity will be 100% sourced from hydroelectric power, significantly minimizing its impact on emissions.

Our new and consolidated European Headquarters in Morges, Switzerland was constructed through the renovation of an industrial site. The renovation, as at the site in Yverdon-les-Bains, was completed according to the latest Swiss construction regulations, which favor lower energy consumption and minimize environmental impact. Solar panels were installed on the roof, the thermal insulation is beyond what is required by Swiss regulation and the roof will retain rain water through “vegetalized” areas which will also reduce the need for cooling. The selection of Morges as the location of our European headquarters was made in part due to its close proximity to the railway station (and connections to Lausanne and Geneva), with the intent of reducing the need for employees to commute by car.

Employee Involvement

Employees take an active role in our commitment to environmental sustainability. Throughout our offices, there are sorting bins to separate waste from recycling both in public areas and at each individual’s work station. In the cafeteria at our newly-expanded U.S. headquarters, reusable plates, silverware, and trays are used to limit the amount of waste. 

At the U.S. National Business Meetings, for example, there are no disposable glasses, mugs, plates or utensils, and waste is further minimized by distributing materials electronically. There is also a Greencyte booth, where employees are encouraged to submit suggestions and feedback to the team.

Incyte employees take part in company goals by making more environmentally-friendly choices both in and outside the office. Incyte helps support and incentivize these decisions, for example, by providing electric car charging units in our parking garages and lots for complimentary use during the work day.