In Stage 1, "Understanding and Navigating the Regulatory Landscape," health care suppliers embark on understanding and navigating the complex regulatory landscape governing environmental sustainability.

This stage equips supply chain organizations with the necessary knowledge and insights to comply with existing regulations while preparing for upcoming changes in environmental policies. Additionally, this stage highlights the importance of assessing the applicability of environmental justice laws and regulations. By comprehending the regulatory landscape, companies can lay a solid foundation for their sustainability efforts and develop strategies aligned with federal laws and regulations, as well as state-specific and country-specific requirements.

1. Identify federal laws and requirements to comply with
1. Understand key laws and regulations, such as Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing requirements, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) mandates, European Union (EU) directives, and relevant regulations from other countries (for multinational organizations), and more
2. Get ahead of potential requirements through proactive/voluntary efforts
2. Identify existing state laws and compliance prerequisites, actively compile a checklist of state-specific agencies for consultation
1. For multinational companies, identify country-specific laws and compliance prerequisites
2. Assess the applicability of environmental justice laws and regulations
3. Get ahead of potential requirements though proactive/voluntary efforts
3. Identify and engage beneficial voluntary standard-setting organizations
1. E.g., those with guidance on metrics, transparency, goal setting, etc.

1. Complexity of Regulations
1. Navigating the intricate web of environmental regulations and policies can be challenging, especially when regulations vary across regions and evolve over time
2. Compliance Costs
1. Implementing necessary changes to comply with regulations may require upfront investments in technology, processes, and training, posing financial challenges
3. Limited Internal Expertise
1. Organizations may lack in-house expertise and resources to fully comprehend and interpret complex regulations and their implications
4. Changing Regulatory Landscape
1. Constantly evolving regulatory requirements can make it difficult for organizations to keep pace and adapt their sustainability strategies accordingly
5. Stakeholder Alignment
1. Balancing diverse stakeholder expectations and ensuring alignment between internal practices and regulatory obligations can present challenges

Resources

• The 4 A's of Climate Leadership
• ASTM Sustainability Standards
• Climate Change Regulatory Actions and Initiatives
• Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Targets and Market-based Policies
• Inflation Reduction Act
• The Inflation Reduction Act Brings New Opportunities for Health Care's Climate Action
• The Office of Climate Change and Health Equity (OCCHE) Quickfinder for Leveraging the Inflation Reduction Act for the Health Sector
• Qualifying Advanced Energy Project Credit Allocation
• Reducing Healthcare Carbon Emissions: A Primer on Measures and Actions for Healthcare Organizations to Mitigate Climate Change
• SEC Fact Sheet - The Enhancement and Standardization of Climate-Related Disclosures

If you or your organization would like to recommend additional resources to incorporate within this stage, please complete this survey.

In stage 2, "Governance and Organization Planning," health care suppliers focus on establishing effective governance structures and integrating sustainability into their organizational planning.

This stage emphasizes the importance of leadership commitment, proposing a governance plan with clear steps for characterizing emissions and setting decarbonization goals, selecting metrics and standards, and having strategic alignment to drive sustainable practices throughout the organization. By implementing these measures, organizations can effectively integrate sustainability into their operations, ensure accountability, promote equity, build partnerships, and enhance resilience.

1. Make the case to organizational leadership
1. Key elements of the case might include: Return on Investment (ROI), business strategy, KPIs, operational resilience, reputational impacts, customer/shareholder perspective competitive advantage, cost savings, community benefits & equity, etc.
2. Propose a governance plan outlining steps to establish, define, and catalog carbon emissions. This plan should include the creation of decarbonization objectives, accountability measures, reporting structures, governance processes, performance metrics, and a timeline/transition strategy
1. Establish a lead sustainability champion and cross-functional team to define climate strategy and roadmap, including timelines and short, medium and long term goals
2. Measure scope 1 and 2 baseline emissions (scope 3 categories where relevant or possible) using GHG protocol accounting
3. Identify achievable science-based goals/targets for all scopes
4. Establish process/procedures for conducting a robust, science-based climate risk and opportunity assessment
5. Incorporate equity within the governance plan/steps
6. Benchmark and assess staffing/resource needs
1. Identify financial impact metrics, expenditure metrics, and financial estimates and assumptions
7. Define a reporting strategy for internal and external stakeholders
8. Identify potential funding sources
1. E.g., state/federal grants or other incentives
3. Assess potential partnerships/collaborations with others to build resilience and achieve sustainability goals
1. E.g., more efficient energy sources, use of AI and other tools to reduce carbon footprint, regional infrastructure improvements, development of a systematic way to use data systems and analytics to measure and manage progress, and to access comparable data sets and deliver critical data to health systems
4. Assess the impact of environmental risk factors and their implications for health equity
1. Develop an agenda/plan that infuses equity and community engagement to address the health disparities exacerbated by those environmental risk factors
5. Consider how to create transparency/reporting on results
1. E.g., Scoping for own ESG reports
6. Select metrics & reporting standards for:
1. Scopes 1-3, e.g., Greenhouse gas protocol, CDP, Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), Task force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD)
2. Establish a baseline
3. Resilience, e.g., scope and frequency of assessing physical and transitional climate risk of own operations and most significant suppliers
7. Where necessary, develop climate response plans that support employee health and availability, including transportation, food, emergency shelter, generators, etc.

1. Leadership Buy-in
1. Gaining leadership commitment and support for sustainability initiatives may require overcoming skepticism or competing priorities
2. Role Clarity and Capacity
1. Clearly defining roles and responsibilities for sustainability and ensuring adequate resources and capacity to fulfill those roles can be challenging
3. Cultural Shift
1. Nurturing a sustainability-focused culture may require changing mindsets, behaviors, and practices within the organization
4. Data Collection and Reporting
1. Establishing effective systems for collecting and reporting sustainability data can be complex, particularly when data sources are dispersed across different functions

Resources

• The 1.5°C Business Playbook
• Accelerating Health Equity and Business Resilience through Decarbonization
• Accelerating the Delivery of Net Zero Health Systems
• Activate Program
• Best Practices from Top Reprocessing Hospitals
• CDP
• Decarbonising Healthcare Supply Chains
• Disaster Available Supplies in Hospitals (DASH) tool
• EcoVadis
• Energize
• FAQs on Target Setting (SBTi)
• GHG Protocol
• GHG Protocol Online Training
• Global Reporting Initiative
• The Green Print: Advancement of Environmental Sustainability in Healthcare $
• Health Sector Commitments to Emissions Reduction and Resilience
• Moving Forward Guide
• Overview report: Embedding environmental sustainability into pharma's DNA
• Reducing Healthcare Carbon Emissions: A Primer on Measures and Actions for Healthcare Organizations to Mitigate Climate Change
• Renewable Thermal Collaborative
• Risk Identification and Site Criticality Toolkit
• Sustainability Accounting Standards Board
• SASB Materiality Finder
• Sustainability Roadmap for Health Care
• Sustainable Procurement - Guidance $
• Task force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures
• TCFD Knowledge Hub

$ - Indicates resource may require payment or be behind a paywall

If you or your organization would like to recommend additional resources to incorporate within this stage, please complete this survey.

In stage 3, "Tackling Scope 1 & 2 Emissions," health care suppliers focus on measuring, setting goals, and implementing strategies to reduce emissions within their organization's direct operations (Scope 1) and indirect energy use (Scope 2).

This stage involves conducting an emissions inventory, identifying achievable goals, researching emission reduction approaches and technologies, and considering commercially ready and emerging solutions. By taking these actions, organizations can gain insights into their emissions, target feasible reduction areas, and deploy appropriate strategies to drive significant emissions reductions, moving closer to their sustainability goals.

1. Conduct an emissions inventory to quantify and track Scope 1 and 2 emissions across the organization's operations and energy use
1. Identify potential funding sources
1. E.g., state/federal grants or other incentives
2. Begin measuring and reporting Scope 1 and 2 emissions
2. Identify realistic achievable goals across Scopes 1 and 2
1. Focus first on Scopes 1 and 2 that are feasible and within scope of control
1. Create brief descriptor of scopes w/ resources
2. Conduct thorough research into available approaches and technologies for emissions reduction across Scopes 1 and 2. Deliberate carefully to determine the most suitable matches for your assets and operational processes
1. E.g., improving water conservation, HVAC updates, energy conservation campaigns
3. Identify the commercially ready and emerging technologies available over the next 15 years that could be deployed to reach your decarbonization goals
1. E.g., switch to electric vehicles, increase use of telemedicine

1. Data Availability and Quality
1. Obtaining accurate and reliable data on energy consumption and emissions can be challenging, particularly when data sources are decentralized or incomplete
2. Capital Investment Requirements
1. Implementing emissions reduction measures, energy efficiency upgrades, and renewable energy solutions may require upfront investments that can pose financial challenges
3. Technical Complexity
1. Addressing emissions from owned or controlled sources and managing energy consumption require specialized knowledge and expertise, which may not be readily available within the organization
4. Regulatory Considerations
1. Adhering to regulatory requirements and ensuring compliance while pursuing emissions reduction goals can create complexities and potential trade-offs

Resources

• Ameresco's B.Save Calculator
• Better Buildings
• BioPreferred Program Catalog
• Carbon Accounting 101
• Designing a sustainable transition in the MedTech industry
• Earth Month 2023 Alternative Energy Webinar Series
• Energy to Care
• EPA eGRID Power Profiler
• GHG Protocol
• GHG Protocol Online Training
• Green Power Markets
• Green Servitization in the Single-Use Medical Device Industry: How Device OEMs Create Supply Chain Circularity through Reprocessing
• Guide to the Aga Khan Development Network's Carbon Management Tool
• Manufacture 2030
• A Medical Equipment Lifecycle Framework to Improve Healthcare Policy and Sustainability
• Reducing Healthcare Carbon Emissions: A Primer on Measures and Actions for Healthcare Organizations to Mitigate Climate Change
• Scope 1 and Scope 2 Inventory Guidance
• Sustainability Roadmap for Health Care
• Transforming The Medical Device Industry: Road Map To A Circular Economy
• Understanding the Circular Economy and What Hospitals Can Do to Grow It
• Waste Audits in Healthcare: A Systematic Review and Description of Best Practices

If you or your organization would like to recommend additional resources to incorporate within this stage, please complete this survey.

In stage 4, "Tackling Scope 3 Emissions," health care suppliers focus on measuring, setting goals, and implementing strategies to address emissions within their organization's value chain activities beyond its direct control.

This stage involves conducting assessments, quantifying Scope 3 emissions, and initiating measurement and reporting. Additionally, goals, transition plans, and implementation strategies are developed while considering health equity. Researching emission reduction approaches, engaging value chain partners, advocating for sustainable practices, and adopting relevant metrics and standards are essential components of this stage. Through these actions, health care suppliers can significantly reduce their overall carbon footprint and contribute to a more sustainable supply chain.

1. Begin measuring and reporting the most feasible Scope 3 emissions categories (i.e., within the organization's control)
1. Conduct an assessment to identify and quantify Scope 3 emissions across the organization's value chain, including both upstream and downstream activities i. E.g., business travel, logistics, operational waste
2. Address Scope 3 emissions within the organization's control
1. Determine methods for measuring/estimating Scope 3 emissions within the organization's control
2. Create brief descriptor of Scope 3 categories and how to determine which are relevant w/ resources
3. Establish appropriate achievable goals and create transition plan and implementation plan which incorporate health equity
4. Identify potential funding sources
   1. E.g., state/federal grants or other incentives
5. Establish process for continual assessment of risks/threats/opportunities
3. Address Scope 3 emissions not within the organization's control
1. Begin measuring and reporting relevant Scope 3 emissions (by category) that organization does not have direct control over but can influence
2. Create brief descriptor of Scope 3 categories and how to determine which are relevant w/ resources
3. Establish appropriate achievable goals and create transition plan and implementation plan which incorporate health equity
4. Identify potential funding sources
   1. E.g., state/federal grants or other incentives
5. Establish process for continual assessment of risks/threats/opportunities
1. E.g., role of AI/digitization in reducing footprint, role of others in value chain
4. Conduct thorough research into available approaches and technologies for emissions reduction across Scope 3. Deliberate carefully to determine the most suitable matches for your assets and operational processes
1. E.g., Decreasing business travel
5. Advocate for sustainable practices, especially those that promote health equity, with business partners
6. Introduce further metrics & standards for measuring and reporting Scope 3 emissions

1. Data Availability and Quality
1. Gathering accurate and reliable data on Scope 3 emissions from suppliers and across the value chain can be challenging due to data availability, consistency, and transparency issues
2. Supply Chain Complexity
1. Managing emissions across a complex value chain involving numerous suppliers and partners requires coordination, data sharing, and collaboration
3. Stakeholder Engagement
1. Engaging suppliers and other stakeholders in emissions reduction initiatives can be challenging due to varying levels of commitment, capabilities, and priorities
4. Sustainable Procurement
1. Identifying and selecting suppliers with low-carbon footprints and sustainable practices may require extensive supplier evaluation processes and potential adjustments to supply chain relationships

Resources

• The 1.5°C Supplier Engagement Guide
• Carbon Accounting 101
• Catalyzing Collective Action to Decarbonize Healthcare
• Corporate Value Chain (Scope 3) Standard
• EPA Scope 3 Inventory Guidance
• Guide to the Aga Khan Development Network's Carbon Management Tool
• Health Care Emissions Impact Calculator
• Manufacture 2030
• Reducing Healthcare Carbon Emissions: A Primer on Measures and Actions for Healthcare Organizations to Mitigate Climate Change
• Scope 3 GHG Emissions Accounting Tool $
• Supplier Action Guide
• Sustainability Roadmap for Health Care
• Sustainable Procurement - Guidance $
• Transforming The Medical Device Industry: Road Map To A Circular Economy
• Understanding the Circular Economy and What Hospitals Can Do to Grow It

$ - Indicates resource may require payment or be behind a paywall

If you or your organization would like to recommend additional resources to incorporate within this stage, please complete this survey.

In stage 5, "Continuous Improvement," health care suppliers focus on refining and advancing their sustainability efforts.

This stage involves sharing experiences through a report, continuously assessing emissions, adopting new technologies, and adhering to evolving reporting standards. Prioritizing requirements and voluntary standards, mitigating risks, integrating climate factors into business decisions, joining relevant associations, and reporting progress become essential components at this point in the journey. Through ongoing improvement, health care suppliers drive resilience, innovation, and transparency, contributing to a sustainable future.

1. Create a report detailing experience for others to use in their journey
1. Continuous process that will involve assessing current emissions and making improvements based on new technology and reporting standards
2. Assess and prioritize which requirements/voluntary standards can be leveraged to build resilience
1. E.g., a carbon tax that supports the transition to locally generated renewable energy; energy efficiency gains that lessen dependence on foreign oil; climate risk assessment and scenario analysis that highlights hot spots for acute physical risk to own operations or suppliers
3. Leveraging your climate risk and opportunity assessment, prioritize and execute initiatives that mitigate immediate risk and build resiliency
1. E.g., a water recycling or conservation project at a facility in a water-stressed area; a renewable energy installation in a region offering government incentives
4. Integrate climate-related factors into key business decisions for strategy, risk management, resilience, finance and capital planning, R&D, operations (including supplier management and procurement), organizational structure and talent management, pricing, marketing, and investor and government relations
1. Establish an inspection or audit mechanism
1. As initiatives are launching to meet goals, ensure measurement continues overtime and new processes are reassessed for efficiency
5. Consider joining a peer-group and/or other associations/entities
1. E.g., Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council, Action Collaborative to Decarbonize the US Health Sector Network Organizations
6. Report annual progress toward Scopes 1-3 GHG emissions target

1. Data Accuracy and Integrity
1. Ensuring data accuracy and integrity in sustainability reporting can be challenging, requiring robust data management systems and processes
2. Stakeholder Engagement
1. Engaging stakeholders effectively and maintaining ongoing communication and collaboration can be demanding, especially when dealing with diverse interests and expectations
3. Innovation and Adaptation
1. Continuously staying abreast of emerging sustainability trends, innovations, and best practices requires proactive learning and the ability to adapt strategies and practices accordingly
4. Resource Allocation
1. Allocating sufficient resources, including time, budget, and personnel, to sustainably communicate progress, findings, and learnings can be challenging, particularly when faced with other competing priorities

Resources

• Action Collaborative on Decarbonizing the US Health Sector - Network Organization
• Clean Energy Buyers Association
• The Green Print: Advancement of Environmental Sustainability in Healthcare $
• SBIR and STTR Programs
• SME Climate Hub
• Sustainability Roadmap for Health Care
• Sustainable Freight Buyers Alliance $
• Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council $
• Together for Sustainability (TfS) Initiative
• Understanding the Circular Economy and What Hospitals Can Do to Grow It

$ - Indicates resource may require payment or be behind a paywall

If you or your organization would like to recommend additional resources to incorporate within this stage, please complete this survey.

Stage 1 Resources

Resources

• The 4 A's of Climate Leadership
• ASTM Sustainability Standards
• Climate Change Regulatory Actions and Initiatives
• Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Targets and Market-based Policies
• Inflation Reduction Act
• The Inflation Reduction Act Brings New Opportunities for Health Care's Climate Action
• The Office of Climate Change and Health Equity (OCCHE) Quickfinder for Leveraging the Inflation Reduction Act for the Health Sector
• Qualifying Advanced Energy Project Credit Allocation
• Reducing Healthcare Carbon Emissions: A Primer on Measures and Actions for Healthcare Organizations to Mitigate Climate Change
• SEC Fact Sheet - The Enhancement and Standardization of Climate-Related Disclosures

If you or your organization would like to recommend additional resources to incorporate within this stage, please complete this survey.

Stage 2 Resources

Resources

• The 1.5°C Business Playbook
• Accelerating Health Equity and Business Resilience through Decarbonization
• Accelerating the Delivery of Net Zero Health Systems
• Activate Program
• Best Practices from Top Reprocessing Hospitals
• CDP
• Decarbonising Healthcare Supply Chains
• Disaster Available Supplies in Hospitals (DASH) tool
• EcoVadis
• Energize
• FAQs on Target Setting (SBTi)
• GHG Protocol
• GHG Protocol Online Training
• Global Reporting Initiative
• The Green Print: Advancement of Environmental Sustainability in Healthcare $
• Health Sector Commitments to Emissions Reduction and Resilience
• Moving Forward Guide
• Overview report: Embedding environmental sustainability into pharma's DNA
• Reducing Healthcare Carbon Emissions: A Primer on Measures and Actions for Healthcare Organizations to Mitigate Climate Change
• Renewable Thermal Collaborative
• Risk Identification and Site Criticality Toolkit
• Sustainability Accounting Standards Board
• SASB Materiality Finder
• Sustainability Roadmap for Health Care
• Sustainable Procurement - Guidance $
• Task force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures
• TCFD Knowledge Hub

$ - Indicates resource may require payment or be behind a paywall

If you or your organization would like to recommend additional resources to incorporate within this stage, please complete this survey.

Stage 3 Resources

Resources

• Ameresco's B.Save Calculator
• Better Buildings
• BioPreferred Program Catalog
• Carbon Accounting 101
• Designing a sustainable transition in the MedTech industry
• Earth Month 2023 Alternative Energy Webinar Series
• Energy to Care
• EPA eGRID Power Profiler
• GHG Protocol
• GHG Protocol Online Training
• Green Power Markets
• Green Servitization in the Single-Use Medical Device Industry: How Device OEMs Create Supply Chain Circularity through Reprocessing
• Guide to the Aga Khan Development Network's Carbon Management Tool
• Manufacture 2030
• A Medical Equipment Lifecycle Framework to Improve Healthcare Policy and Sustainability
• Reducing Healthcare Carbon Emissions: A Primer on Measures and Actions for Healthcare Organizations to Mitigate Climate Change
• Scope 1 and Scope 2 Inventory Guidance
• Sustainability Roadmap for Health Care
• Transforming The Medical Device Industry: Road Map To A Circular Economy
• Understanding the Circular Economy and What Hospitals Can Do to Grow It
• Waste Audits in Healthcare: A Systematic Review and Description of Best Practices

If you or your organization would like to recommend additional resources to incorporate within this stage, please complete this survey.

Stage 4 Resources

Resources

• The 1.5°C Supplier Engagement Guide
• Carbon Accounting 101
• Catalyzing Collective Action to Decarbonize Healthcare
• Corporate Value Chain (Scope 3) Standard
• EPA Scope 3 Inventory Guidance
• Guide to the Aga Khan Development Network's Carbon Management Tool
• Health Care Emissions Impact Calculator
• Manufacture 2030
• Reducing Healthcare Carbon Emissions: A Primer on Measures and Actions for Healthcare Organizations to Mitigate Climate Change
• Scope 3 GHG Emissions Accounting Tool $
• Supplier Action Guide
• Sustainability Roadmap for Health Care
• Sustainable Procurement - Guidance $
• Transforming The Medical Device Industry: Road Map To A Circular Economy
• Understanding the Circular Economy and What Hospitals Can Do to Grow It

$ - Indicates resource may require payment or be behind a paywall

If you or your organization would like to recommend additional resources to incorporate within this stage, please complete this survey.

Stage 5 Resources

Resources

• Action Collaborative on Decarbonizing the US Health Sector - Network Organization
• Clean Energy Buyers Association
• The Green Print: Advancement of Environmental Sustainability in Healthcare $
• SBIR and STTR Programs
• SME Climate Hub
• Sustainability Roadmap for Health Care
• Sustainable Freight Buyers Alliance $
• Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council $
• Together for Sustainability (TfS) Initiative
• Understanding the Circular Economy and What Hospitals Can Do to Grow It

$ - Indicates resource may require payment or be behind a paywall

If you or your organization would like to recommend additional resources to incorporate within this stage, please complete this survey.