How to avoid 16,700 CO2e – a case study with Controlant and Vodafone

According to Carbon Trust’s analysis conducted in 2024, Controlant’s innovative solutions helped avoid 16,700 tons of CO2 equivalents (CO2e) in a 12-month period by enabling real-time monitoring of medicines and vaccines during transport worldwide. This achievement underscores Controlant’s commitment to a zero-waste vision, delivering a dual impact: reducing waste and ensuring patients receive safe treatments with an impressive 99.9% delivery success rate.

Watch the case study here:

Waste has no benefit

Each year, an estimated 35% of medicines are spoiled, leading to over $30 billion in losses. This inefficiency not only strains the healthcare industry but also contributes significantly to global waste. Controlant addresses these challenges with innovative solutions that enhance safety, reduce waste, and lower the carbon footprint of pharmaceutical logistics.

Using technology for good

“We wanted to make sure we could use technology for good,” says Gísli Herjólfsson, co-CEO and co-founder of Controlant when reflecting on the journey from a start-up at university to becoming a global leader in real-time visibility for pharma supply chains. "We help our customers reduce operational inefficiencies and reduce their carbon footprint during distribution."

Quantifiable climate impact

A quantitative case study conducted by the London-based independent climate consultancy Carbon Trust, looked at the emissions avoided by using Controlant’s real-time visibility solution to monitor global shipments of vaccines.

The case study found that avoided emissions compared to industry average was a reduction of 53 kg of CO2e per box, which is approximately 15% of the full life cycle emission of a box of vaccines. Taken together, that amounts of 16,700 tonnes of CO2e avoided for deliveries made in one year.

Pharma supply chains of the future

“There is immense amount of waste in pharma supply chains. The problem is caused in part by the lack of real-time monitoring,” explains Vicki Preibisch, VP of Sustainability at Controlant.

Leveraging its re-usable IoT devices, its cloud-based platform and dedicated 24/7 services, Controlant empowers global pharma companies and logistics providers to track condition such as temperature, and location of medicines in transport. With real-time insights, pharma companies can intervene proactively when things are about to go wrong and importantly improve efficiency and reliability while reducing their carbon footprint.

The outcome of using real-time monitoring has been a 99.9% success rate in the safe delivery medicines and vaccines.

The power of partnerships

The global nature of pharma supply chains requires seamless connectivity and collaboration. Partnerships play a pivotal role in Controlant’s ability to deliver exceptional solutions. A key component of Controlant’s offering is the Saga logger, an IoT-enabled device equipped with Vodafone SIM cards. This ensures reliable, real-time data on the condition and location of shipments, regardless of their transit location.

By combining advanced technology with strategic partnerships, Controlant continues to redefine what’s possible in pharmaceutical supply chain management, delivering meaningful benefits to both patients and the planet.