18 Ways Sustainability Can Strengthen a Pharmacy

18 Ways Sustainability Can Strengthen a Pharmacy

Sustainability has become a strategic north star for businesses, organizations and communities, let alone our world. While the buzz continues to grow, attracting a greater audience across our beautiful planet, more and more pharmacies are likewise paying attention to the benefits of incorporating sustainability into their patient engagement and growth strategies.

The following offers 18 ways that Independent Pharmacies, Healthcare Network Pharmacies and Pharmacy Managers can leverage sustainability to strengthen patient / customer loyalty and expansion, as inspired by this feature in Medium.

1. Sets Your Pharmacy Apart

Focusing on sustainability can differentiate a pharmacy by appealing to environmentally conscious consumers. One major advantage is the potential for cost savings through efficient resource use and waste reduction, which also minimizes environmental impact. As more patients become aware and share their disappointment about the negative implications associated with healthcare and pharmaceutical packaging, sustainability measure can help to counter balance those negatives. Even more, an eco-friendly approach can enhance brand reputation and customer loyalty.

2. Demonstrates a Longer-Term Vision

Sustainability is a core tenant of visionary pharmacies. Not only is it important to customers and employees but stakeholders and shareholders recognize sustainability as an indicator of a business’s long-term viability. As we look ahead toward the many uncertainties that remain in the healthcare landscape, sustainability offers focus to rise above all of it. In fact, many critics believe that sustainability is one of the key ways a business can maintain resilience in the marketplace.
- Jamie Houston, Aurora Sustainable Lands

3. Shines a Light on Problem-Solving Values

Adopting sustainability in the long term helps small, mid-size and larger pharmacy chains to move ahead of the market shifts and laws while also offering a way to become more innovative and efficient. A major advantage of these strategies is that they likewise develop a culture of long-term leadership by embracing uncertainty and setting standards.
- Chris Kille, EO Staff

4. Gives Pharmacies A Competitive Edge

Focusing on sustainability can provide a competitive edge, as it aligns with increasing federal mandates for eco-friendly practices. A significant pro is enhanced reputation; businesses that prioritize sustainability often gain favor with the public and governmental organizations, potentially leading to more opportunities and partnerships.
- Dr. Malcolm Adams, Avid Solutions Intl

5. Helps to Expand Your Pharmacy’s Appeal

The focus on sustainability expands the company’s target audience, including people looking for companies that support sustainability. Exploring solutions, good ideas and ways to embrace sustainability also gives employees a purpose and the opportunity to do good in the world, uniting people around a cause.
- Gaidar Magdanurov, Acronis

6. Closes the Gap Between Large Pharmacy Chains and Independent Pharmacies

While sustainability to some advocates is a moral compass and strategic beacon, given the increasing strengthening of high-quality carbon projects, it has also provided a new context of monetizing with carbon credits gained. Sustainable financing syndicating with blended government grants will now narrow the financial chasm between large and smaller enterprises.
- Victor Tay, Global Catalyst Advisory

7. Helps Communities to Thrive

If the surrounding environment and society aren't flourishing along with a company's growth, such imbalances can eventually tower over your business sustainability in multiple ways, even threatening operational existence. Businesses thrive when the surrounding ecosystem feeds their growth and creates a positive loop of cause and effect, opening up new opportunities and synergies.
- Sabeer Nelliparamban, Tyler Petroleum Inc / ZilBank

8. Aligns Your Pharmacy with Patient Values

We're seeing a lot of clients asking us to meet sustainability standards that fit within their value system. Additionally, we have a lot of job candidates asking about them. Internal sustainability standards not only help the environment but they can be used to show potential clients or employees that your company stands for more than just the product you create or the service you provide; it shows your values.
- Scott Wassmer, Appnovation

9. Showcases that Your Pharmacy Truly Cares

It’s encouraging to see more businesses incorporate sustainability in various ways—from making building systems and operations more efficient to reducing corporate travel requirements. Sustainability as a core business value saves on costs and supports employee growth and retention. It shows you care about more than just profits and are creating a lasting, positive legacy.
- Jeff Sprau, Legence

10. Demonstrates Efficiency

One major benefit is that it can help companies reduce costs and waste by finding more efficient ways to operate. For example, businesses can implement circular economy practices like renting or repairing products instead of throwing them away. This can lead to significant cost savings over time.
- Allison Ballard, CORT Furniture Rental

11. Results in Greater Cost Savings

There's a marketing advantage, but it will not apply to every patient. However, if you concentrate on the cost savings, such as energy costs, that's a real advantage. Sustainability practices can cut down your electricity and fuel costs significantly. That kind of efficient thinking can also be applied to making your operations simpler and more logical.
- Zain Jaffer, Zain Ventures

12. Elevates Your Pharmacy Brand

Focusing on sustainability enhances brand reputation, attracting loyal customers and like-minded employees, as well as creating compelling PR content. It also opens the door to press contacts and articles, which can promote the brand effectively. A major pro is cost efficiency through resource management and positioning your company as a sustainability leader, which will appeal to investors and strategic partners.
- Kolja Brand, Aurum Future

13. Provides ROI in Longer Term

Embracing sustainability isn't just good ethics—it's smart economics. Businesses that prioritize eco-friendly practices often see enhanced brand loyalty and attract eco-conscious consumers and investors alike. One major pro is the long-term cost savings; sustainable operations reduce waste and energy usage, leading to significant financial benefits over time. Green is the new gold standard.
- Aleesha Webb, Pioneer Bank

14. Creates Team Efficiency

At AstraZeneca, sustainability is a core part of our strategy that gives us an edge by driving operational efficiency, allowing us to minimize our environmental impact while achieving cost savings. It also helps us mitigate risks to ensure the resilience and longevity of our business by aligning with the values of our stakeholders who prefer companies with strong environmental credentials.
- Mohit Manrao, AstraZeneca

15. Lessens Risk

Focusing on sustainability can be a strategic advantage because it aligns with increasing consumer demand for ethical practices, potentially boosting brand loyalty and market share. A major pro is risk mitigation—sustainable businesses often pre-empt and adapt to regulations, reducing long-term operational costs and protecting against the volatility of resource scarcity.
- Mohammad Bahareth, MBI

16. Broadens Appeal

A 2022 Deloitte study found that 89% of Gen Z believe the world is at a tipping point in responding to climate change, which remains their top concern. Gen Z is our future generation of buyers. Brands like Levi’s and Patagonia understand this market segment well and are already capitalizing on that insight with their practices. Sustainability is also backed by the genuine ethos of what’s good for people is good for business.
- Josh Jebathilak, Fruition

17. Opens the Door to Future Innovations

Focusing on sustainability in business can be a strategic advantage, especially as technology evolves towards green solutions. One pro of adopting an eco-friendly stance is access to innovative sustainable technologies. Early adoption can position a company as a leader in harnessing these advancements to improve efficiency and offer cutting-edge solutions to customers.
- Ran Ronen, Equally AI

18. Exemplifies Integrity

Sustainability boosts brand image, cuts costs via efficiency, attracts eco-conscious consumers and ensures resource availability. This appeals to investors, employees and customers who prioritize ethics. Eco-friendly firms meet society's expectations for a cleaner planet. Sustainability strengthens reputation and stakeholder support.
- Vikrant Shaurya, Authors On Mission

At Parcel Health, our pharmacy partners share our mission to fill medicine cabinets full of safe parcels, not plastics. We look forward to opportunities to partner with more independent, retail, healthcare systems and large retail chain pharmacies. As our partnerships grow and showcase how seamlessly even large retail pharmacies can make the switch to safer, paper-based prescription bottles, it likewise shines the light on how cost effective sustainable practices can be. Most importantly, it likewise shows that a cultural shift is truly underway and it is a collective move that builds real value.

Let’s provide you with a quote - just send in your unique data and explore how seamlessly we can partner to protect people and preserve the planet, one paper pill bottle at a time.