AstraZeneca has inaugurated its new, state-of-the-art headquarters in Cairo, showcasing its commitment to sustainable healthcare in Egypt and across the Middle East and Africa area.
The headquarters adopt sustainability standards that demonstrate the company’s commitment to protecting the environment and its long-term ties to Egypt. The ‘LEED’ gold-certified building in the new eco-friendly area of Cairo reflects AstraZeneca’s ambition to take bold action on climate change and foster sustainable practices across its business and supply chain.
The inaugural ceremony was attended by H.E. Gareth Bayley, British Ambassador to Egypt; H.E. Håkan Emsgård, Swedish Ambassador to Egypt; Prof. Dr. Awad Tag El Din, President’s Advisor for health and prevention affairs; Dr. Ehab Kamal, Advisor to the Minister of Health and Population for Continuous Medical Education; Dr. Pelin Incesu, Area Vice President, Middle East and Africa, AstraZeneca, together with key governmental representatives and esteemed doctors and partners, and AstraZeneca’s employees in Egypt.
At the event, AstraZeneca highlighted its business expansion plans for Egypt, which include launching nine innovative treatments this year and introducing 25 new brands and indications over the next three years. This expansion demonstrates AstraZeneca’s commitment to improving healthcare outcomes in line with Egypt’s 2030 vision. The Company has also been recognised for building equitable workplaces, earning the prestigious “Best Place to Work” award in Egypt for four consecutive years.
AstraZeneca has been a leading advocate for sustainability in the region. At COP27 last year, AstraZeneca Egypt announced several programs to accelerate the decarbonisation of healthcare and the establishment of green hospitals in the country. Additionally, the company has supported clean energy initiatives by installing electric vehicle charging stations at hospitals. AstraZeneca Egypt has also invested in decarbonising its supply chain, by shifting supply routes from air to sea, reducing 2,000 tons of carbon emissions annually.
British Ambassador to Egypt Gareth Bayley said: “Our green partnership with Egypt remains one of our top priorities, following the handover of the COP presidency from the UK to Egypt last November. I am therefore particularly proud to see AstraZeneca, a British-Swedish company, and one which made a tremendous contribution to fighting Covid-19 through its vaccination programme, committed to protecting the environment by opening a new sustainable headquarters in Cairo. AstraZeneca are expanding their operations in Egypt and playing their part in Egypt’s green transformation journey. It is crucial that we see more companies engaged in the decarbonization of the healthcare sector.”
H.E. Håkan Emsgård, Swedish Ambassador in Egypt, shed light on AstraZeneca’s efforts towards sustainability and reducing carbon emissions, demonstrating the solid sustainability strategy of the company and the scientific approach taken. “AstraZeneca’s investment in Egypt is a testament to the country’s potential for economic growth and development,” he said.
Prof. Dr. Awad Tag El Din, the President’s Advisor for health and prevention affairs, commended AstraZeneca’s contribution to the enhancement of the Egyptian healthcare system along other pharmaceutical multinational companies, as well as expressing the importance of local manufacturing towards achieving Egypt 2030 vision. Adding, “AstraZeneca has a solid presence in the Egyptian pharmaceutical market for more than 50 years serving Egyptian patients”. Highlighting that his Excellency invited the company in light of the unprecedented reforms in the healthcare sector, with the launch of the national health insurance, the presidential support, and encouragement of local manufacturing of innovative treatments for oncology and biologics in Egypt.
Dr. Ehab Kamal, Advisor to the Minister of Health and Population for Continuous Medical Education, expressed how pharma companies need to follow sustainable routes towards supporting the healthcare ecosystem. He expressed the importance of introducing innovative treatments and solutions to support Egyptian patients.
Dr. Hatem El Werdany, AstraZeneca Egypt Country President, emphasized that the launch of the new headquarters is a significant milestone for the company. He expressed his commitment to providing a healthy and inclusive work environment for the employees to thrive and grow, which he believes is key to AstraZeneca’s success and bold ambition. Werdany also re-affirmed the company’s commitment to investing in sustainable practices and contributing to Egypt’s growth and development. We are dedicated to transforming the future of healthcare by unlocking the power of what science can do for the health of people, society and the planet.” He added.
Dr. Pelin Incesu, Area Vice President, Middle East and Africa at AstraZeneca, shared that the new office in Egypt marks an exciting milestone for AstraZeneca, adding that “AstraZeneca’s global ambition is to reduce carbon emissions and promote sustainable practices in everything that we do.” She also highlighted that we were one of the first seven companies worldwide to have our Scope 1-3 greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets verified by the Science Based Targets Initiative Net-Zero Corporate Standard, aiming to be net zero by 2045 at the latest.”
