In 2024, one of GenDx’s key objectives was to reduce our environmental impact. To bring this vision to life, a group of seven enthusiastic colleagues came together to form the Sustainability Group. This team is dedicated to identifying opportunities, implementing changes, and inspiring our entire company to contribute to a greener future.

How Sustainability at GenDx Started

Our journey toward sustainability began as a colleague-driven initiative. The growing global focus on environmental issues inspired us to take action. This is a problem that can no longer be ignored, so we set some initial goals, milestones, and formed a dedicated group to make it happen. Today, the Sustainability Group works to implement sustainable practices and track their progress, while also raising awareness across the company.

What Sustainability Means for GenDx
For us, sustainability is not just about “going green.” It’s about taking measurable steps to ensure our operations have a minimal environmental footprint, both in and out of the lab. It’s about finding innovative ways to balance quality with eco-consciousness, inspiring others, and making a meaningful impact on the world.

GenDx’s Green Initiatives
We are proud to share some of the steps we’ve taken so far:
-Reducing Styrofoam usage. We’ve cut down our reliance on Styrofoam shipping boxes by 80%.
-Minimizing paper waste. By switching to digital signatures, reusable notebooks, and reducing printed materials like business cards, we’re cutting back significantly. We’ve even started -tracking printing habits to better understand our usage.
-Recycling gloves. Through the Kimberly-Clark Professional RightCycle program, we aim to recycle 90% of our lab gloves.
-Encouraging sustainable travel. For travel within Europe, we prioritize trains and electric vehicles whenever possible.
-Recycling Nanopore flow cells. Around 80% of the flow cells we purchase are returned to Oxford Nanopore for recycling.
-Repurposing materials. Shipping boxes are made available for employees to reuse, such as for moving.
-Energy efficiency. We’ve installed LED lighting, reducing our energy consumption by 50%.

Why Sustainability Matters
Sustainability holds deep personal meaning for many of us at GenDx. Reflecting on years spent in the lab, one colleague shared: “After years of working in labs, I’ve seen how wasteful the work can be—especially with single-use plastics. I’ve always thought about how we could reduce waste while still maintaining the quality of our work. It’s exciting to see new alternatives, like greener plastics, emerging. Now, it’s all about researching and figuring out what solutions work best for us..”

Simple Sustainable Habits
We believe that even small daily actions can contribute to a larger shift. Some of the habits our team members practice include:
-Shopping at local zero-waste stores with reusable containers.
-Using reusable bags and water bottles.
-Composting food waste and recycling.
-Traveling by bike or public transport whenever possible.

Looking Forward to 2025
At GenDx, we are constantly looking for ways to improve and reduce our environmental footprint. Whether it’s through big company-wide changes or individual habits, we’re committed to making a positive impact.

The GenDx Sustainability team