With 8,600 employees in 40 countries, UCB is one of the largest mid-sized biopharmaceutical research and development companies. Its experts are focused on creating valuable solutions that make improvements to the lives of people living with neurological and autoimmune conditions now and into the future. UCB sets itself high standards in respect of innovation and sustainability, including in its IT management. Which is why the biopharma company opted for sustainable leasing and efficient technology management from CHG-MERIDIAN for 11,000 laptops.
For UCB, deciding who would be awarded the contract depended on two criteria: Firstly, the technology manager had to offer a solution that is transparent, cost-efficient, and sustainable in equal measure; secondly, it was a top priority for UCB to deliver the project with a partner who has a presence in more than one location. “We wanted to avoid having to deal with a different partner in each country. We were looking for a single partner to supply our employees with high-quality laptops and finance the equipment whether that be in Europe, the USA, the UK, Switzerland, or North or South America,” says Olivier Ledoux, Head of IT Services at UCB. The decision to go with CHG-MERIDIAN was made in 2021, in no small part because the technology management experts were already known to be reliable and trustworthy from previous projects.
Demonstrably carbon-neutral
UCB was conscious that procuring this volume of new devices would generate a lot of carbon emissions, so opted for CHG-MERIDIAN’s carbonZER0® product. The idea behind it is that because greenhouse gases are distributed very evenly in the atmosphere, regardless of where they are generated, emissions that cannot be avoided in one place can be offset in another. CHG-MERIDIAN calculates the carbon emissions for UCB and offsets them through sustainable investment in certified climate change mitigation projects that are proven to reduce emissions. In return, UCB receives a certificate to prove the exact amount of CO2 offset. “Other than being a consciously sustainable approach and good for the environment, the certificates are an important part of our sustainability report and provide documentary evidence for audits,” says Olivier Ledoux.
Efficiently managed
CHG-MERIDIAN provides UCB with a comprehensive solution for managing the laptops sustainably that is monitored by a dedicated portfolio manager. The tesma technology management system brings together technical and commercial data that covers the entire equipment lifecycle. All data required for the seamless operation of the equipment is collated and displayed transparently and clearly, including registration and contractual data, serial numbers, relevant user information, maintenance and fault reports, and the current processing status. “This saves a lot of money and makes our processes much simpler. Using tesma is very intuitive, it can be adapted to our requirements, and provides an excellent overview of payments and the status of equipment,” says Olivier Ledoux. “Our portfolio manager uses the system to create reports and invoices and notifies us in good time if one of the contracts is coming to an end. This gives us plenty of time to decide whether to return the equipment or renew the contract.”
"The service package from CHG-MERIDIAN is impressive: A customized management system and expert advice enable us to easily and sustainably manage 11,000 laptops around the world."