Progress Over Perfection: Highlights From Our 8th Annual Earth Day Sustainability Reception

This year’s Earth Day Sustainability Reception reminded us that progress begins not with flawless plans, but with a willingness to act, learn and grow. Nearly 200 life science professionals gathered at our South San Francisco office to explore what it truly takes to build a more sustainable industry. From hard-earned insights to bold questions, the evening was grounded in progress over perfection, with a clear takeaway: curiosity, collaboration and a willingness to challenge the status quo are the real drivers of environmental impact.

A Conversation Rooted in Reality—and Optimism

The keynote fireside chat set the tone for the evening, bringing together Joydeep Ganguly, Senior Vice President of Corporate Operations and Board Chair of the Gilead Foundation at Gilead Sciences and Stefan Lutz, Senior Vice President of Research at Codexis.

The conversation illuminated the intersection of science, systems and sustainability—revealing that lasting progress requires both operational rigor and visionary leadership. “People and corporations always overestimate what they’ll achieve in a year and underestimate what they’ll achieve in 10,” said Ganguly, challenging attendees to think long-term and measure success by consistent, transparent action—not short-term perfection. “What we do in operations matters—we have to build systems that scale and last.”

Lutz reinforced the importance of embedding sustainability into company culture, noting that at Codexis, the commitment goes beyond surface-level efforts. It begins with intentional hiring practices, thoughtful incentives, and engaging teams in meaningful ways. Sustainability, he emphasized, isn’t treated as a standalone function but as a mindset woven into the fabric of the organization. This includes aligning environmental metrics with long-term business strategy and integrating sustainability into R&D from the outset.

The conversation also touched on the practical challenges leaders face when navigating the complex and often overwhelming world of ESG frameworks. Rather than striving for a perfect solution, the takeaway was to take action—start small, build internal understanding, and strengthen capabilities over time.

Making Progress Operational: A Panel on Action

We were honored to welcome California Assemblymember Diane Papan, who represents San Mateo County’s District 21, to open the evening and guide the discussion. In her remarks, she outlined California’s ambitious climate goals—from transitioning to 100% carbon-free electricity by 2045 to achieving net-zero emissions statewide. She also spoke about her efforts to accelerate geothermal energy as a reliable, clean power source. Recognizing the life science sector’s immense capacity for innovation, she emphasized the need for strong public-private collaboration to meet the moment—particularly in the areas of water conservation, energy efficiency and waste reduction.

Assemblymember Papan then led a dynamic panel with sustainability leaders from three Biocom California Core partner companies: Tim Perez, Veolia North America, Ty Lindley, Liquidity Services and David McQuade, Occupational Services. Each panelist shared how their companies are helping life science organizations put sustainability into practice—from advanced waste management systems and regulatory compliance to lab recycling programs and equipment reuse models that reduce landfill waste and extend the life of valuable materials.

Their collective message was clear: upstream thinking, cross-sector partnerships and smart resource recovery strategies can translate big goals into tangible progress. Thanks again to all those who attended the reception and to our sponsors Fisher Scientific (platinum), Gilead (lead), Liquidity Services, Occupational Services and Veolia (supporting).