Thermo Fisher Scientific: Sustainability and Quality Management
Thermo Fisher Scientific is a company focused on developing biotechnology products and commercializing laboratory equipment. Headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts, USA, their website is http://corporate.thermofisher.com/en/home.html. They have 65,000 employees in over 50 countries and continue to expand. Their significant presence in Carlsbad, CA, makes them a potential employer, and this is an opportunity to learn about their operations management, business sustainability approach, and quality management practices.
Thermo Fisher’s Commitment to Business Sustainability
Thermo Fisher Scientific has a strong commitment to business sustainability, which is continuously improving. Their mission statement is to enable their customers to make the world healthier, cleaner, and safer.
Sustainability Highlights (2016)
- $750 million invested in research
- $195 million in productivity savings
- 8,000 tons of waste recycled
- 27,000 cubic meters of water saved
- 5.8% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions
Thermo Fisher integrates sustainability into its products, improving efficiency, saving energy, and minimizing waste. They focus on enhancing existing products by using less raw material and fewer laboratory chemicals. As of 2016, 13 Thermo Fisher sites have achieved zero waste certifications. They recognize the potential for improvement in many products and processes and are working towards the future as a world leader in serving science.
Quality Management at Thermo Fisher Scientific
Thermo Fisher is committed to delivering the best quality. Given the precision required in the science field, they adhere to rigorous standards.
Quality Standards and Practices
- GLP (Good Laboratory Practice) accredited
- FDA regulated
- ISO 9001 or ISO 13486 certified facilities
- Sites classified as cGMP (Current Good Manufacturing Practices)
- Audits from major biopharma and diagnostics companies
- Six Sigma and Lean Manufacturing to ensure top quality and lower costs
The company believes in its robust quality management systems, allowing customers and suppliers to audit their operations to ensure quality standards meet expectations. Their commitment to quality is evident across all products and services, crucial to their growth and success in demanding industries.
Questions for the CEO of Thermo Fisher
After learning about Thermo Fisher’s business sustainability and quality management practices, here are three questions for the CEO regarding operations:
- Why did Thermo Fisher decide to open a software development division in Tijuana in 2016, with a capacity for 250 software engineers, instead of expanding the Carlsbad, CA location, which is just an hour away?
- If President Donald Trump removed NAFTA, does Thermo Fisher have a plan to counteract the potential negative effects on operations, given its presence in Canada and Mexico? Or would it benefit from it?
- If Mexican engineers could perform Carlsbad, CA operations in Tijuana, it would significantly decrease the expenses of doing business in California. Is that something you would consider? Or would it be detrimental to your operation?