The industry Low Carbon Clinical Trials (iLCCT) Consortium
A collaboration to measure and reduce the environmental impact of clinical trials
In 2022, we formed the industry Low Carbon Clinical Trials (iLCCT) Consortium, bringing together industry and academic partners. Our aim was to develop a standardised framework and tool that organisations across the life sciences sector could use to estimate, and ultimately reduce, the emissions of clinical trials.
We published the framework in November 2023, and in February 2025 launched the Clinical Trial Carbon Calculator, a free-to-access, easy-to-use self-service tool.
This collaborative approach has accelerated action on sustainability for those who control, influence and have an interest in driving healthcare sustainability.
Our ambition
- Deliver a credible framework for assessing carbon emissions, including a common method, open-access tools and a shared reporting framework
- Drive down the carbon emissions of clinical trials through shared learning and wider stakeholder engagement
- Accelerate the transition to low-carbon, resilient clinical research supply chains
How we will get there
Members are working together to:
- Develop and expand educational resources on leading practice for sustainable clinical trials
- Continuously improve the Clinical Trial Carbon Calculator using feedback and data from users, to enable robust assessments and benchmarking
- Widen engagement across the clinical trial ecosystem through publications, shared supplier expectations, events and conferences, and a growing Community of Practice
How the iLCCT works
The iLCCT operates on pre-competitive principles. Members work collectively, sharing knowledge and resources where collaboration serves a common purpose, without compromising their individual competitive positions.
The work is grounded in our clinical trials framework and complements the Sustainable Markets Initiative (SMI) Health Systems Task Force, launched at COP26 by HM King Charles III, then Prince of Wales, to accelerate the transition to net zero, patient-centred health systems. Task Force members have committed to measuring and reporting trial emissions, with the goal of designing and delivering low-carbon trials that support the health of both people and the planet.
The iLCCT also partners with the Pistoia Alliance, a global not-for-profit membership organisation whose members include 18 of the top 20 pharmaceutical companies. The Alliance champions pre-competitive collaboration in life sciences R&D and runs member-driven projects, making it an ideal partner to co-develop a calculator and framework for measuring greenhouse gas emissions from clinical research.
Industry members
The iLCCT brings together pharmaceutical companies united by a shared commitment to sustainable trials.
Technical partner
Our clinical trials method was developed and is maintained in technical partnership with ERM (Environmental Resources Management), a leading global sustainability consultancy.
Academic partners
Since 2020, we’ve collaborated with publicly funded trialists, and together we published a call to action in The Lancet in 2021. We’ve since worked with the Greener Trials Group to align work across the pharmaceutical industry and publicly funded academic trials.
Together, we co-developed a Common Assessment Method for appraising the environmental impact of clinical trials. The Greener Trials Group then developed NIHR-funded guidance for carbon footprinting publicly funded trials, complementing our guidance for industry-sponsored trials. They have since published how the guidance was developed and applied, and we continue to work together to align our online toolkits.
Interested in joining the iLCCT?
The iLCCT consortium welcomes enquiries from organisations interested in contributing to this work. We would love to hear from you.
