Materiality analysis

Our goal is to be able to operate successfully in the long term while minimizing negative effects of our activities and contributing to our mission of being a leading provider of innovative medicines for the benefit of patients.

We have performed a materiality analysis that helped us to understand, which environmental, social, governance (ESG) and economic topics matter most in the context of Basilea’s business model. These material topics form the basis of our ESG strategy. They are key for the setting of goals and are at the core of our future ESG-related reporting. 

Concept of “double materiality”

In order to comply with the expectations of our stakeholders, the requirements of EU and Swiss regulations, and the GRI standards (2021), we will publish a regularly updated materiality matrix in our annual sustainability report. In accordance with best practice, we look at each material topic from two different perspectives, using the concept of “double materiality”:

1. The “outside-in” perspective: How relevant is a topic for our long-term (business) success?
2. The “inside-out” perspective: What is the impact of our business activities in this area?

Process steps

By means of an online survey we collected input from our employees, representing all our business functions. The employees rated the relevance of each topic from both perspectives (outside-in and inside-out). The results of this survey were then consolidated and presented to Basilea’s management committee. To validate the materiality matrix, we held two workshops with the management committee to discuss, evaluate and agree on the final materiality matrix.

Focus topics for our ESG strategy

Our initial materiality analysis in 2023 identified nine topics that are of particular importance either to Basilea’s long-term success and/or to the environment in which we operate. In 2025, greenhouse gas emissions were added to the focus topics.

We refer to these areas as focus topics as shown in the materiality matrix below.

These 10 focus topics are:

• Product quality and safety
• Antimicrobial resistance
• Animal handling
• Compliance
• Access to medicine
• Intellectual property protection
• Human capital development
• Diversity, equality and inclusion
• Economic performance
• Greenhouse gas emissions

We pursue them strategically and aim to make measurable progress against them. In 2024, we further developed our ESG strategy by defining KPIs for the individual focus topics, and in 2025, a first sustainability report was developed in accordance with the GRI Standards and published within the full-year report.

As part of our materiality analysis, we have also identified topics that we wish to monitor and, in some cases, actively manage. In the interest of full transparency, we will also disclose these topics in future sustainability reporting.