Company’s efforts towards wastewater API controls and environmental risk management linked to AMR recognised by Access to Medicine Foundation’s Antimicrobial Resistance Benchmark 2026.
Shionogi Group has announced it was ranked second globally in the 2026 Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Benchmark, highlighting the company’s wastewater management and environmental risk reduction measures linked to antibiotic manufacturing.
In an April 2026 sustainability update, Shionogi stated that active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) discharged from its manufacturing sites are controlled below concentrations considered environmentally impactful. The company said the measures form part of its wider strategy to address pharmaceuticals in the environment (PiE) and antimicrobial resistance.
The update follows the publication of the 2026 AMR Benchmark, an industry assessment carried out by the Netherlands-based non-profit organisation, Access to Medicine Foundation. The report evaluates how pharmaceutical companies are responding to antimicrobial resistance through areas including governance, responsible manufacturing, access and environmental risk management. Shionogi ranked second overall.
Shionogi develops treatments across infectious diseases, including antibiotics, anti-infectives and antivirals, alongside therapies in areas such as central nervous system (CNS) disorders and oncology. According to the company, environmental risk assessments for APIs are conducted throughout the product lifecycle as part of efforts to reduce environmental impact associated with pharmaceutical manufacturing and use.
The company also highlighted its participation in the AMR Industry Alliance, which brings together pharmaceutical companies and stakeholders working to address antimicrobial resistance and environmental emissions linked to antibiotic production.
[Shionogi] stated: “Recognising AMR as a global threat, Shionogi is expanding its antibiotic environmental emission management not only within its own group but also throughout the entire supply chain”
Shionogi’s environmental controls extend beyond individual facilities and into broader supply chain management. The company stated: “Recognising AMR as a global threat, Shionogi is expanding its antibiotic environmental emission management not only within its own group but also throughout the entire supply chain.”
Growing concern around pharmaceutical residues in waterways has increased attention on antibiotic manufacturing and environmental emissions. According to the OECD, pharmaceutical residues have been detected downstream of manufacturing facilities, while environmental exposure to antibiotics is considered a contributing factor in the development of antimicrobial resistance.
Environmental considerations are becoming increasingly important across late stage pharmaceutical development and manufacturing as companies face growing pressure to demonstrate responsible production practices alongside therapeutic innovation. Environmental risk assessments are now embedded within regulatory frameworks in several markets, including the EU, where companies are required to assess the potential environmental impact of medicinal products.
Shionogi CEO Isao Teshirogi said: “We are strongly aware of the need to minimise the negative impacts of our business activities, such as resource depletion, environmental pollution and effects on nature.”
He added: “We are committed to fulfilling our social responsibilities to become a company that remains necessary and valued by society in the future.”
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