Ginkgo Bioworks, a leader in cell programming and biosecurity technology, recently released their 2022 Sustainability Report ‘Caring at Ginkgo’. Through this, they shed light on their strategic visions to combat global issues ranging from climate change to biological threats, and emphasized their dedication to upholding diversity and inclusion. Committed to the stewardship of refined biotechnology, Ginkgo Bioworks demonstrates a deep commitment to responsible operational practices and the empowerment of employee ownership.
At Ginkgo Bioworks, we believe that synthetic biology opens up a world of possibilities for addressing a variety of societal and environmental challenges. As our platform advances, we are increasingly motivated by the potential to make a real impact on the world. We also recognize our responsibility to exercise caution and prudence, and are proud to be working with governments across the globe to help them reduce emissions and prepare for potential biological threats.
This year’s report comes as the White House and others are increasingly looking to synthetic biology and biomanufacturing as key to reducing global emissions, improving supply chain resilience, and advancing human health. As detailed in the report, Ginkgo’s platform helps enable leading pharmaceutical, food, and agriculture companies to develop more sustainable solutions.
Ginkgo’s biosecurity business arm, Concentric, is making important advances in protecting public health and national security. Not only has Ginkgo published weekly variant analysis for the CDC’s Traveler-based Genomic Surveillance program (TGS), but also have they developed tools and methodologies to monitor aircraft wastewater.
Even more revolutionary is the creation of ENDAR, a tool created in partnership with IARPA that helps to deter misuse of engineered biology. This ambitious project is indicative of Ginkgo’s goal to build a grand global radar system that can survey a vast array of biological threats.
Ginkgo is strengthening its organizational processes to ensure its commitment to proper platform development and usage. Last July, Ginkgo employees put nine members on the newly minted Caring Committee. In the nine months since, the committee examined over 100 Cost, Caring, and Risk Assessment (CCRA) documents across different markets, from pharma to nutrition and wellness. The committee works to proactively anticipate the benefits and risks of various programs, exploring alternative technical approaches, implementing legal guardrails, and connecting with experts to meet specific needs.
At Ginkgo Bioworks, we recognize that people are the foundation of our success—they are the lifeblood of our platform, the drivers of our innovative technologies, and the collaborators behind the meaningful solutions that we are proud to offer our partners. That’s why Chief People Officer Jeannine Lombardi and our team are so committed to fostering an inclusive work environment where everyone can feel valued and empowered. We are intentional about creating meaningful programs that invest in the growth and development of our team, ensuring that the decisions we make align with our core values each and every day.
Ginkgo is taking strides to revolutionize workforce development in the biotechnology industry through a variety of non-traditional pathways. Partnering with MassBioEd and Northeastern University, Ginkgo is launching a 16-month apprenticeship program that offers free and stipended classroom and laboratory education, followed by a year of paid on-the-job training.
Additionally, Ginkgo is taking initiatives to ensure fair and equitable pay structures by completing its first pay equity audit. The results revealed that the unadjusted pay gap for female Bioworkers was 10.7%, which dramatically shrank to near parity on most teams after accounting for department, tenure, and job family. Ginkgo continues to monitor and adjust pay rates on a regular basis to help ensure an equitable work environment.
About Ginkgo Bioworks
Ginkgo Bioworks is revolutionizing the way we use biology to fuel progress and solve problems. As the leading Horizontal Platform for Cell Programming, Ginkgo provides flexible, end-to-end services that cater to an array of industries, from food to pharmaceuticals and beyond. Its Concentric by Ginkgo Biosecurity and Public Health unit is developing Global Infrastructure in the interest of biosecurity, allowing governments and communities to prevent, detect, and swiftly respond to biological threats.
Forward-Looking Statements of Ginkgo Bioworks
Ginkgo is committed to sustainability and environmental initiatives, but there are many factors that could affect our progress. Volatility of our securities, changes in laws and regulations, the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, changes in biosecurity industry demands, success in our Foundry platform programs, the outcome of legal proceedings, and the product development or commercialization success of our customers are some of the risks we face.
We encourage readers to be aware of all the risks and to stay up to date with our filings with the SEC. Our commitment to sustainability and environmental initiatives is still strong, and we will continue to work towards our goals and objectives.