The project

The carbon footprint of the healthcare sector in the U.S. is around 8.5% of total emissions. With carbon-intensive energy and transportation demands and a robust supply chain, hospitals and health systems are a big contributor to healthcare’s carbon footprint. It is the scale of hospital operations that drives its carbon footprint, demonstrating the scale of opportunity for positive impact through decarbonization. Hospitals and health care providers have the opportunity to improve public health both through the care they deliver and through the way that they deliver that care.

KIMBALL SUSTAINABLE HEALTHCARE partnered with a health system client to develop a multiyear sustainability plan with a roadmap to net zero carbon emissions. We began with an assessment of the client’s environmental impacts, reviewing baseline sustainability data, built environment and operations. We then mapped a high-level pathway to net zero emissions, organized by core impact drivers.

Reducing carbon emissions is a data-driven practice. To focus the strategy, our client measured Scope 1, 2, and partial Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions. We included Scope 3 emissions that were measurable and that were in the immediate control of the client organization. As an example, Staff Commute and Business Travel were in the baseline ghg footprint.

With a complete sustainability baseline including carbon footprint, we outlined a multi-year sustainability strategy. We consulted industry peers for best practices and lessons learned. We aligned with existing hospital priorities and goals, by consulting the operational plan and identifying points of alignment. We then brought the plan to our stakeholders.

In a series of workshops, we engaged senior leaders across the health system to educate, build and inspire bold climate action:

• Educated senior leaders on the climate crisis and our path to sustainability and net zero emissions

• Obtained leadership endorsement of bold targets in each impact area, and together we built a multiyear strategy to meet those targets

• Inspired action, co-creating a year 1 work plan and forming teams to implement each part of the plan

With over 100 senior leaders participating, the outcome was co-creation and refinement of an actionable and timely plan for sustainability implementation with a path to net zero emissions. Executive leadership endorsed and funded the multi-year strategy, thus commencing the organization’s work.

Outcomes

KSH was instrumental in the planning, design, communication, and production of a multi-year strategy that produced:

• A data-driven plan, integrating industry best practices, aligned with and supporting the work of our client organization

• Bold targets for net zero Scope 1 and 2 emissions, zero waste, sustainable design and procurement standards

• Engagement of over 100 senior leaders for the first sustainability education and planning event in the organization’s history

• Full endorsement and funding of a robust year-1 work plan by Executive Leadership

• Development of internal programs to support strategy implementation

Next steps

KSH continues the partnership with our client to implement the multi-year plan through continued initiatives, program development, and engagement across the organization.

Lessons learned

• Sustainability is a team sport - engage leadership across the organization and bring them with you to create a successful strategy

• Carbon reduction is a data-driven practice - measure your footprint to make a targeted plan

• Hospitals have the opportunity and duty to improve health, both through the delivery of care and through the way in which they deliver care

As a clinician-led firm with expertise in hospital sustainability drivers, data, culture, program development and change management, KIMBALL SUSTAINABLE HEALTHCARE provided great value, insight and care in developing a sustainability and net zero carbon emissions strategy with our health system client.

Call to action

Every health care organization needs a plan for net zero carbon emissions. KSH wants to be your partner in the journey. Schedule a call with our team to learn more about how your organization can support bold climate action.