Messages from ESG Festival: AI as a Driver of Sustainability and Growth

Artificial Intelligence and Sustainability panel, held during the second ESG Festival of the Hemofarm Company, brought to the fore the key messages from Tobias Günther, Vice President for IT of the STADA Group, on how artificial intelligence accelerates the journey towards sustainable and competitive business models in the pharmaceutical industry.

Günther pointed out that, over the past 18 months, STADA has trained more than 4,000 employees and integrated AI tools across key business functions, including manufacturing, supply chain, finance, and marketing.

"Our ambition is to democratise AI, enabling 5,000 to 6,000 employees who work with information to use intuitive tools daily that enhance efficiency and quality. "The real value comes from scale and adoption," he stated.

Speaking about the impact on sustainability, Günther emphasised the practical benefits: faster product development, higher quality standards, and waste reduction through smart energy systems, predictive maintenance, and improved data utilisation.

"When AI takes over routine tasks, people can focus on activities that bring greater value, which ultimately translates into better patient care," Günther pointed out.

Günther outlined further integration of AI in manufacturing and the supply chain as the next steps in development, as well as expanding best practices through standardisation and measuring the impact on sustainability. The current pilots cover finance, IT, regulatory, and quality departments, while the focus in manufacturing is on process optimisation and predictive maintenance. In the commercial sector, the focus is on improving communication with pharmacies and distributors.

He particularly emphasised the importance of Serbia in the AI ecosystem of the STADA Group.

"Serbia is a large and dynamic market with an exceptionally developed IT sector and young, skilled professionals. A significant part of our team and solutions is developed right here, at the Serbia Competence Centre. This is a hub from which solutions can quickly be expanded to the region," Günther stressed.

On the topic of the ‘human-centric’ approach, Günther stated that the responsible use of technology must remain in the hands of people:

"Laws are important, but the culture of responsibility is built by us, the experts and users. Technology must serve people, not the other way around. Therefore, responsible professionals must hold key positions in technology companies, and responsibility lies with everyone involved in digital transformation. However, what makes the AI approach 'human-centric' is not defined solely by laws and regulations, but by the responsibility of everyone who uses the technology. Technology should serve humanity, and not make humanity a slave to technology."

The panel also addressed the roles of digital assistants in daily work and the next phase of development towards more autonomous AI agents, highlighting the direction STADA is already taking — from operational efficiency to responsible, intelligent automation.

The messages of Tobias Günther from the ESG Festival clearly define AI as a strategic accelerator of sustainability, efficacy, and quality in the pharmaceutical industry. With extensive employee training, systematic integration of technologies, and a powerful developmental foundation in Serbia, STADA is laying the groundwork for long-term, responsible growth.