Every day, UPSA’s employees are committed to doing good and doing it well, placing people at the heart of their actions to support every stage of life: be well, live well, and act well. This is our mantra. Our mission. These are the three pillars of our Sustainable Pact, which guide the implementation of our social and environmental responsibility. Because, in our view, this is the only path toward a sustainable economy. And it is our development model.
Our mission
We are B Corp certified!
Obtaining B Corp certification, a progressive and rigorous international label, across all our activities in France and abroad means joining a global movement of companies and organizations that meet high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability.
For our employees, it is a recognition of the efforts we’ve been making for many years. What a source of pride!
But far from being an end in itself, this certification reflects a deep conviction and marks the beginning of an exciting journey: the belief that another kind of business model is possible.
In 2024, UPSA became a certified B Corp company for all its activities, both in France and internationally — a responsibility that inspires us to continue advancing toward a sustainable business model!
Be Well:
Enhancing quality of life
Our first commitment: helping everyone live healthier each day through innovative solutions with lasting impact.
For over 90 years, our medicines have been relieving our patients’ pain. Building on this expertise, UPSA is going further with a holistic approach to health, combining our pain relief medications (Dafalgan, Efferalgan) with groundbreaking digital therapy solutions.
This includes the APAISIA app, developed in collaboration with Institut Analgesia (a French research foundation dedicated to innovation in pain management), and the Remedee Well connected solution, created with the start-up Remedee Labs.
By collaborating with the start-up Remedee Labs, UPSA aims to deliver innovative, complementary, and long-lasting solutions for pain management.
Improving our patients’ quality of life also means ensuring treatment continuity and enhancing access to care. Thanks to our commitment to “Made in France” manufacturing, we guarantee zero shortages. We proved this during the COVID-19 pandemic, when we were on the front lines, notably ensuring the availability of paracetamol.
UPSA also combats healthcare deserts in France by supporting initiatives to modernize the care pathway (telemedicine, expanded roles for pharmacists, etc.). We firmly believe that patients can treat everyday ailments at pharmacies, thanks to the expertise of pharmacists, true local healthcare providers. Alongside them, we work to improve access to care.
UPSA has also chosen to be present in women’s daily lives, marked by life stages during which they suffer from disorders linked to hormonal changes. These disorders are often minimized and poorly managed. With Sérélys Pharma, we respond with alternative, natural solutions supported by science. For us, helping women better navigate these moments is an obvious commitment.
The acquisition of Sérélys Pharma, the first for UPSA in over thirty years, marks a key milestone in our commitment to women’s health and well-being.
Finally, caring for the well-being of others goes hand in hand with solidarity. UPSA stands for health for all! We are committed to supporting organizations such as Tulipe and Pharma Solidaire to respond to emergencies (natural disasters and conflicts) and to assist the most vulnerable populations in France through the donation of medicines.
Live Well:
Protecting our environment
How can we reduce our environmental footprint and act against climate change at our level? We address this challenge with sustainable solutions. This is our second commitment.
UPSA aims to achieve collective carbon neutrality on its direct emissions (Scopes 1 and 2) by 2030. This fight against global warming involves significant and lasting investments at our industrial sites in Agen (Lot-et-Garonne, France), including:
- The production of renewable energy, exemplified by the photovoltaic canopies installed in our parking lot;
- Energy efficiency improvements on our sites, such as connecting to the Urban Heat Network (which uses heat recovered from the incineration of household waste in the Agen metropolitan area) and installing heat pumps.
We are also committed to responsible resource management. A recent example is the water recovery system installed on an Air Treatment Unit (CTA) at one of our sites, a first in the pharmaceutical industry!
In addition, we seek to reduce the environmental impact of our products through eco-design. UPSA has conducted Life Cycle Assessments on 75% of its products (by volume), aiming to evaluate their impact and identify areas for improvement.
One example is the optimization of formulas and the lightening of packaging for two of our products (Fervex Low Sugar and Efferalgan 1 gram), resulting in a reduction of 422 tons of packaging waste and 1,091 tons of raw materials annually.
Greening our industry also means developing local sourcing: contributing to the reshoring of a French supply chain for paracetamol production and proactively pursuing responsible purchasing by selecting national and local suppliers.
The final focus area is the engagement of our employees around these issues. For example, by facilitating carpooling at our Agen site (Lot-et-Garonne, France) and raising their awareness throughout the year through a training program on CSR challenges. Because every action counts.
Act Well:
promoting inclusion and local vitality
Our third commitment: valuing our employees and being an engaged player within our local community.
Taking concrete action to build a more inclusive society starts within the company. At UPSA, every employee matters. Every employee is a valuable asset. Every employee plays a role in sustainable progress. Our responsibility is to create the conditions that allow everyone to express themselves and thrive.
This is demonstrated, for example, through our support of the association e-Nable France, which provides 3D-printed prosthetics, our AGIR program that highlights “committed projects” led by our employees, and the Kaizen Awards, which celebrates innovative ideas from our teams that help us improve.
UPSA has become one of the 540 approved French makers of e-Nable by mobilizing its machining workshop to produce prosthetics for children affected by agenesis.
Moreover, we have adopted a proactive approach to professional equality. At UPSA, we chose to anticipate the European directive on pay transparency by implementing a program aimed at gradually reducing wage gaps exceeding 5% over a three-year period.
Furthermore, act well means taking care of the health and safety of our employees, as exemplified by the UPSA Olympics and the charity runs organized by UPSA Move. Other initiatives include our Job Retention program, which provides adapted positions for employees facing health challenges or career transitions; and as a disability-friendly company, UPSA fosters a work environment that supports the employment of people with disabilities.
Act well also means acting responsibly within our ecosystem. Deeply rooted in Lot-et-Garonne, we embrace our territorial responsibility. This is how UPSA sees its role: as a company that grows with its ecosystem and helps it grow in return. We support local sports, cultural, and humanitarian associations that enrich the daily lives of residents. We create direct employment at our sites, as well as indirect jobs throughout our supply chain. We actively engage in local projects alongside public and private stakeholders. Through these efforts, we contribute to the social cohesion of the territory.