Climate Week, continuing in New York City. And when it comes to climate change, global medicine is becoming closely aligned. Now, pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca and the United Nations Children's Fund are expanding their youth health program with an investment topping $100 million. Now, this does tack on additional $35 million over the next five years, with 65 million already invested on helping young people in underserved communities manage disease risks as well as health issues.
Now, since inception, the program has reached 23 million young people across over 60 countries, trained over 1 million people, and supported youth advocates who helped shape 29 laws as well as policies. Now, the goals for the next five year period are to expand to 10 million more young people, as well as help shape 17 public health policies globally.
Well, joining us live here at the New York Stock Exchange to break down the connection between climate and global medicine, is Pam Cheng, AstraZeneca chief sustainability officer. Pam, good morning. Thank you so much for joining us.
Thank you so much for the opportunity to be here.
Well, we're here at the New York Stock Exchange, and it has been quite the week here in New York City with the UN General Assembly as well as Climate Week. So tell us about this initiative.
This is. So AstraZeneca is committed to finding solutions for sustainable and equity solutions for the younger generation. So this is the Young Health program is a very important part of it. Right. So as you said, we are working with more than, you know, NGOs in more than 60 markets around the world to ensure that we help and prevent the chronic diseases and also educate the younger generation around climate and health.
Now, we believe this is really important because these are the folks that will live with the consequences of our action today on climate and on health. So getting their voice heard, getting them around the table to shape the policy is super important. So as you said, by 2030 we aim to reach 33 million young people with this total investment of $100 million.
Yes. And while I have you here, I do want to get your perspective when it comes to sustainable health care. So focusing on that sustainable part. Why is it so important?
It is so important because we see the interdependency between climate change and human health, right. You think about air pollution. You think about the extreme temperatures, the wildfires, the devastating floods in Nepal, for example. It all highlights the impact on humans and on societies. And on top of that, it's also adding to the burdens of chronic disease like respiratory, cardiovascular and cancer.
So we really need to take action. So the the to action AstraZeneca is very much focused on is the decarbonization across the healthcare supply chain from developing the medicine manufacturing supply into patient care pathways. And secondly, really investing early on prevention on early diagnosis, early interventions such that people can live healthier, longer, which is better for the health care system and better for the patient.
And that's where the young Health program comes in as well, because it's really about prevention of diseases for the next generations.
Yeah. And speaking of which, I do want to get your insights when it comes to the Ambition Zero Carbon program. So tell us what this is.
Yes. So within AstraZeneca, we believe being sustainable is good for business and we invest sustainability across everything we do within AstraZeneca. So my remit is actually a good example. So I head up global operations globally and I'm also the chief sustainability officer. So I have to take sustainability into every decision we make.
So the proof point is since 2015, we have actually reduced our emissions from our sites and fleet by more than 88% versus our 2015 baseline. But what's more important is during that same period of time, we have more than doubled our revenue. So we have fundamentally decoupled business growth from emission carbon emissions.
And finally, before I let you go, I do want to ask your perspective about what's happening when it comes to green manufacturing breakthroughs at AstraZeneca.
Absolutely. So we are leveraging the latest technology as well as artificial intelligence really in driving a more efficient, effective and greener chemistry, more robust processes, and ultimately delivering the medicines to the patients in a much, much more efficient and effective way. So combining sustainability, technology and the ladies of artificial intelligence on our shop floors, in our labs.
And less than 60s here. So give us your long term outlook when it comes to sustainability as well as innovation at AstraZeneca.
Absolutely. I think ultimately the companies that were succeed are the companies who leverage sustainability as a catalyst for resilience, for innovation, and for competitive long term, because I think customers, patients would demand companies to be more sustainable in their operations.
Well, thank you so much for sharing the story at AstraZeneca and also all the proactive measures that you're taking.
Thank you so much.
Thank you so.
Much.
Thank you. Appreciate it.
Thank.
You.
