Palex is a European group specializing in the distribution of medical technologies and devices to hospitals, laboratories, and healthcare professionals. Founded in 1955 in Barcelona, the company has gradually established itself as a leading supplier in Southern Europe. Its role is to act as an intermediary between manufacturers and healthcare facilities, selecting, marketing, and distributing medical equipment, while providing related services such as installation and training.
The company simplifies access to complex technologies for hospitals, allowing them to focus on patient care rather than supplier management. The group offers a broad product catalog, featuring more than 150,000 items from hundreds of partner manufacturers, covering a wide range of fields such as diagnostics, surgery, and laboratory testing. It operates primarily in Spain, Portugal, and Italy, with a presence in France, Austria, and as far as Denmark. The group has now reinforced its European presence with a formal commitment to sustainability through its adherence to the UN Global Compact.
The United Nations Global Compact is a voluntary leadership platform for companies committed to implementing responsible business practices and promoting the ten principles of the Global Compact, which cover human rights, labor, the environment, and anti-corruption.
By joining this initiative, Palex is reinforcing its commitment to sustainable development and responsible governance, aligning its activities with recognized international standards and contributing to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Through its participation in the Global Compact, Palex is committed to integrating these principles into its strategy, operations, and culture, while promoting responsible practices among its ecosystem of partners and stakeholders.
Palex will need to accurately measure the carbon footprint associated with its distribution activities (transportation of medical supplies, logistics, and storage) and implement measures to reduce it, such as optimizing logistics flows, working with more sustainable suppliers, and reducing packaging.
From a social perspective, this involves formalizing and strengthening existing practices that can vary from country to country: harmonized working conditions, training teams on safety and ethical issues, and increased oversight of the supply chain to ensure that partner manufacturers comply with standards regarding human rights and working conditions. In practice, this may involve supplier audits, stricter contractual clauses, or more rigorous selection processes.













