Sustainability & Social Commitment

Doing excellent research means taking responsibility for how we do it.

At ICN2, sustainability is part of how we understand science. It is a core value that shapes the way we work. We believe that cutting-edge research must go hand in hand with a strong commitment to preserving our planet’s resources and protecting our community.

As a research centre, we know that laboratories are resource-intensive environments. That is why we work to minimise our environmental footprint through certification programmes, strategic planning and practical measures in our day-to-day activities. Our research is guided by the Do No Significant Harm (DNSH) principle and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), helping to ensure that scientific progress is aligned with the environmental goals we collectively pursue.

As part of the Severo Ochoa 3 programme and in line with our current strategic plan, we have reviewed and improved wet laboratory practices through My Green Lab certification, a globally recognised standard for laboratory sustainability. This process has helped us manage resources such as water, energy, consumables, and waste more sustainably, while also considering the wider research supply chain, including transport.

Our My Green Lab Journey

2025: What we've achieved

With Severo Ochoa funding, we coordinated the My Green Lab certification of 15 wet laboratories: 10 achieved the highest “Green” level and five reached “Platinum”. The certified labs scored 82% on average, improving by over 20% against their previous baselines. We also established our first Sustainability Committee (67% research and 33% administrative staff) and brought our institutional framework together in a unified Health, Safety and Sustainability (HSS) Policy.

2026: What we’re working on

We are extending environmental accreditation across ICN2. Three more wet labs are undergoing certification, bringing the total to 18 and covering all ICN2 wet labs once complete. We are also starting sustainability and energy efficiency accreditation for our dry labs, AI platforms and data systems, while replacing older equipment with high-efficiency, oil-free vacuum pumps, recirculating chillers and lower-consumption refrigeration units.

Sustainability Committee

Formed in 2025, the Sustainability Committee brings together members of both ICN2’s administration and research community to coordinate practical actions aimed at minimising the environmental impact of the institute's activities. Meeting monthly, the Committee promotes the exchange of green laboratory practices, supports research groups involved in the My Green Lab 2.0 certification process, contributes to sustainability training for research and support staff, and monitors progress through data-based discussions on waste, travel and emissions across the institute.

The Committee also advances energy-efficiency measures across ICN2 facilities, while launching awareness campaigns to help build a stronger culture of sustainability into everyday research, administrative and institutional practices.

Four Action Pillars: Minimising our Environmental Impact

Energy Efficiency & Low-Carbon Actions

We are reducing Scope 1 and 2 emissions and water use by upgrading our facilities. We have replaced 60 lighting units with LEDs, installed 16 presence sensors and 24 timers in restrooms, and are expanding our solar panels. In organic synthesis labs, we have halved tap water pressure and are replacing single-pass cooling with water-recirculation systems.

Waste Management & Circular Economy

We improve hazardous and non-hazardous waste management through training and communication campaigns. In 2024, we reduced plastic waste by 5% and cardboard waste by 2%, and reached a 15% reuse rate for non-hazardous materials. Working with UAB Campus facilities, UAB-SAF and Circulab, we give non-polluted lab items such as ice packs a second life. An internal online platform also lets staff share surplus reagents, chemical stocks and equipment.

Sustainable Travel & Mobility

Aware that transportation accounts for a significant share of our carbon footprint, we actively work to minimise emissions and the wider environmental impact of research travel and daily commuting. Our revised travel policy includes a decision tree and four sustainability recommendations to guide travel decisions. Regular mobility surveys and a dedicated carpooling network on Microsoft Teams support lower-impact commuting.

Leadership & Collaborations

We build strategic alliances to position ICN2 as an international reference hub for sustainable nanotechnology. We actively collaborate with local and international sustainable research networks, including the BIST Sustainability Working Group, which co-created a Sustainability Handbook to help the scientific community reduce its environmental impact, the IN4SN and SuRe-Cat. ICN2 also launched and leads SNSSN.