The health care sector can advance sustainability with these leadership strategies

This is the fifth in a six-part series examining sustainability and decarbonization practices in the health care industry. Previous articles in this series detail the value of integrating sustainability and ESG principles into health care operations, innovations in sustainability, climate-resilient strategies and partnerships.  

The health care industry began prioritizing sustainability years ago, but it has shown the most activity and deliberate leadership over the past few years. Over time, the industry’s approach has evolved to encompass a broad, holistic perspective. This expanded focus includes corporate citizenship, social responsibility, addressing chemicals of concern and integrating health and safety criteria. As sustainability continues to evolve, it has become a key competitive differentiator for organizations striving to be seen as well-managed and desirable employers.

Leadership realities 

In the 2000s, health care companies began to align with the industry trends of organized sustainability and climate action. Forums, consortiums, International Organization for Standardization (ISO) certifications, and sustainability professionals created an initiative and career platform on the goals of decarbonization, reporting, differentiation and governance transparency. As we are halfway through the decade of climate action described by the United Nations, leadership in environmental sustainability has never been more deliberate, yet at a decisive juncture of action and prioritization.  

On one hand, the resources, tools, experts and best practices from other sustainability trendsetting industries such as higher education or high tech have never been more plentiful for cross-pollination and adoption. We have the roadmaps for decarbonization such as the Science Based Targets Initiative, alignment of international frameworks such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and seasoned leaders in their second or third decade of functional experience. 

On the other hand, due to competing priorities, some health care companies are taking a step back from the big initiatives of sustainability and climate action. Many are feeling the pressure to keep overhead costs low amid the threat of a recession, geopolitical unrest, impending regulations and a fluctuating perception of climate risk. 

Inevitably, the progress is led by a cohort of those who are clear on the mission and willing to make the investment to see the win-win of sustainability, economic and social benefits through. For health care such a cohort consists of hospitals, NGOs, policymakers and businesses working together to reduce the sector’s environmental impact, setting powerful examples for others to follow. We now explore some key sustainability leadership approaches in health care and consortium-level work that form the core strategy for collective gain.    

The organization fundamentally defines its path and advancement

Health care organizations (hospitals, clinics, insurance providers, medical devices, diagnostic, others) first need to decide how aligned they are with the cause, purpose and opportunities in sustainability and climate action. Leaders of these entities must consider a basic question: How much sustainability is right for the organization? This automatically begs clarity on whether the organization primarily wants to report, and/or be compliant with regulations, and/or whether there is appetite to lead by example on all fronts, which requires the highest investment. The roadmapping of this trajectory is the most important decision exercise for organizations in this era.  

Once such an alignment decision is made at a leadership level, there are a series of strategies, or approaches in the sustainability and climate action toolbox. Below are some examples predominant in health care, involving progressive levels of effort and investment.  

• Join national and international organizations: Regardless of how aggressively an organization is pursuing sustainability, it’s a strategic win to join leading consortiums for the collective knowledge, best practices, trends and most coveted peripheral vision. 
  
  Cross-sectoral groups such as the World Economic Forum, an international organization for public-private cooperation, have communities with health care embedded as a strategy, solution and end goal. Corporate Eco Forum is an invitation-only forum for senior leaders representing large, influential organizations that demonstrate a serious commitment to sustainability as its core business strategy. 
  
• Find practical solutions within industry: Collaborating with industry peers who understand the unique nuances and opportunities within health care can be one of the most effective approaches. Nonprofits Health Care Without Harm and Practice Green Health, as well as national consortiums National Institutes of Health (NIH), American Public Health Association, The Joint Commission (JC) and  The National Academy of Medicine are rich in resources, tools, frameworks and case studies.

• Advocate and lead at the policy level: State entities play a crucial role in influencing policy and budget. This is a higher investment strategy in terms of staffing and budget to actively participate in shaping policy, standards and rules. There are options at the international level (United Nations agencies) and national level (U.S. General Services Administration), as well as state-level consortiums and agencies. Ceres, a nonprofit advocacy organization, leads a multisectoral group and leverages their strengths to focus on climate and clean energy policy and regulations both at state and federal levels. Health care organizations that invest in these areas can strategically align themselves to achieve collective benefits, contribute to public service and gain prestigious leadership influence.  

• Think globally, act locally: Organizations should participate in municipal-level work to influence action as well as build networks. California’s Health and Human Services programs, especially the Community Assistance, Recovery & Empowerment Act (CARE), took tremendous partnership within the local and state level collaboration to be successful. The City of Boston’s Building Emissions Reduction and Disclosure Ordinance (BERDO) set requirements for large existing buildings to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions over time. Also in Boston, the Green Ribbon Commission is a public-private partnership of key business and civic leaders working to build a comprehensive climate strategy that would create equitable outcomes for all of the city’s residents.

Establishing a strategic roadmap

The pandemic, as the practice runs on risk mitigation, underscored and challenged the health care sector’s ability and responsibility to lead in climate action. The industry is in the early stages of realizing its investment in sustainability, recognizing that a balanced approach that integrates both planetary and patient care has long-term interdependencies and value. It is crucial for health care leaders to understand their current position in the context of sustainability, select appropriate tools and resources for their decision-making processes, and lead by example — whether as early adopters, fast followers or late adopters. Regular assessments and adherence to a strategic roadmap are essential to achieving consistent leadership in sustainability. Smaller, steady achievements accumulate to create a greater, lasting impact.

The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and not those of their current or former employers.