The Sustainability Journey Map & Resource Repository intends to support health care suppliers in initiating or accelerating their decarbonization and sustainability efforts. This interactive journey map outlines five key stages of the sustainability journey and provides links to best practices, resources, and toolkits.
Each stage of the journey map includes specific actions to be taken, along with potential challenges that may arise. The resources provided in the journey map will address those challenges. The journey map is circular, meaning organizations can revisit different stages to address regulatory, scientific, business, or other factors that develop while on their sustainability journey.
Background
Through their Supply Chain and Infrastructure Working Group, the NAM Climate Collaborative developed a series of actionable steps designed to empower health care suppliers in their journey toward sustainability. These steps encompass key milestones, each addressing distinct aspects of the sustainability journey. This resource is intended for any health care supplier, regardless of size, industry, or stage in the decarbonization process. However, it will be particularly useful for companies that have yet to begin their decarbonization efforts or have recently started.
Goals
The Sustainability Journey Map seeks to empower health care suppliers, regardless of their size or stage in the decarbonization process, by providing them with a comprehensive guide that spans across five key stages of the sustainability journey. By moving through this journey, suppliers should expect to:
- Enhance their understanding and compliance with environmental regulations
- Integrate sustainability into their organization through effective governance structures, strategic planning, and promoting leadership commitment and accountability
- Reduce carbon emissions within their organizations’ direct operations and energy use
- Extend beyond organizational boundaries, addressing emissions within the entire value chain
- Emphasize continuous improvement, fostering a culture of innovation and transparency while driving resilience in the face of evolving challenges
In summary, the Sustainability Journey Map is a dynamic resource designed to guide health care suppliers on a path towards a more sustainable future.
Journey Map Instructions
An interactive web-based version of the journey map can be accessed below. The interactive journey map is also accessible on mobile devices. Once the journey map has been launched, click any of the icons on the map to begin your journey, which will take you into that stage. Within the stage, you may navigate between the overview, actions, and resources, by clicking on the corresponding icon. Use the arrows to move between different stages. To return to the landing page, click the home button.
For how to better use this tool and further information on the Journey Map, please watch these videos –>
The funding support extended by the NAM Climate Grand Challenge’s sponsors makes work like the Sustainability Journey Map possible. See full list of sponsors.
The Sustainability Journey Map & Resource Repository developed by the Supply Chain & Infrastructure Working Group of the Action Collaborative on Decarbonizing the U.S. Health Sector is intended to assist health care suppliers in their decarbonization and sustainability efforts.
Acknowledgements
The following reviewers provided valuable support for this product:
- JoAnna Abrams, MindClick
- Mercedes Anto, U Health (University of Utah)
- Robert Ellsworth, Medtronic
- Jennifer Kim Field, Henry Schein
- Rebecca Hou, Vizient
- Tom Kalla, The Resource Group
- Kitt Karhohs, McKesson
- Sarah Swenson, J&J
- NAM Staff, including the climate team + Noah Duff
Linked Resources
Easily view the resources from the journey map by category below.
Stage 1: Understanding and Navigating the Regulatory Landscape
The 4 A’s of Climate Leadership (We Mean Business Coalition)
Climate Change Regulatory Actions and Initiatives (S. Environmental Protection Agency)
Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Targets and Market-based Policies (National Conference of State Legislatures)
The Inflation Reduction Act Brings New Opportunities for Health Care’s Climate Action (Health Care Without Harm)
Qualifying Advanced Energy Project Credit Allocation (Internal Revenue Service)
Reducing Healthcare Carbon Emissions: A Primer on Measures and Actions for Healthcare Organizations to Mitigate Climate Change (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality)
SEC Fact Sheet – The Enhancement and Standardization of Climate-Related Disclosures
Stage 2: Governance and Organizational Planning
The 1.5°C Business Playbook (Exponential Roadmap Initiative)
Accelerating Health Equity and Business Resilience through Decarbonization (Black Directors Health Equity Agenda)
Accelerating the Delivery of Net Zero Health Systems (Sustainable Markets Initiative)
Activate Program (Manufacture 2030)
Best Practices from Top Reprocessing Hospitals (Association of Medical Device Reprocessors)
Decarbonising Healthcare Supply Chains (Sustainable Markets Initiative)
Disaster Available Supplies in Hospitals (DASH) tool
FAQs on Target Setting (Science Based Targets initiative)
The Green Print: Advancement of Environmental Sustainability in Healthcare $
Health Sector Commitments to Emissions Reduction and Resilience (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)
Microsoft Sustainability Learning Center
Moving Forward Guide (ecoAmerica)
Overview report: Embedding environmental sustainability into pharma’s DNA (Deloitte)
Reducing Healthcare Carbon Emissions: A Primer on Measures and Actions for Healthcare Organizations to Mitigate Climate Change (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality)
Renewable Thermal Collaborative
Risk Identification and Site Criticality Toolkit (Public Health Emergency)
Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB)
Sustainability Roadmap for Health Care (American Hospital Association)
Sustainable procurement — Guidance (International Organization for Standardization) $
Task force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD)
TCFD Knowledge Hub
Stage 3: Tackling Scope 1 & 2 Emissions
Better Buildings (S. Department of Energy)
BioPreferred Program Catalog (S. Department of Agriculture)
Carbon Accounting 101 (National Academy of Medicine)
Designing a sustainable transition in the MedTech industry
Earth Month 2023 Alternative Energy Webinar Series (UMass Chan Medical School)
Energy to Care (American Society for Health Care Engineering)
Green Power Markets (S. Environmental Protection Agency)
Guide to the Aga Khan Development Network’s Carbon Management Tool (Aga Khan Health Services / The AGA Khan University)
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 (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality)
Scope 1 and Scope 2 Inventory Guidance (S. Environmental Protection Agency)
Sustainability Roadmap for Health Care (American Hospital Association)
Transforming The Medical Device Industry: Road Map To A Circular Economy
Understanding the Circular Economy and What Hospitals Can Do to Grow It (Association of Medical Device Reprocessors)
Waste Audits in Healthcare: A Systematic Review and Description of Best Practices
Stage 4: Tackling Scope 3 Emissions
The 1.5°C Supplier Engagement Guide (Exponential Roadmap Initiative)
Carbon Accounting 101 (National Academy of Medicine)
Catalyzing Collective Action to Decarbonize Healthcare (Kaiser Permanente / Health Care Without Harm / Accenture)
Corporate Value Chain (Scope 3) Standard (GHG Protocol)
EPA Scope 3 Inventory Guidance
Guide to the Aga Khan Development Network’s Carbon Management Tool (Aga Khan Health Services / The AGA Khan University)
Health Care Emissions Impact Calculator (Practice Greenhealth)
Reducing Healthcare Carbon Emissions: A Primer on Measures and Actions for Healthcare Organizations to Mitigate Climate Change (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality)
Scope 3 GHG Emissions Accounting Tool (Practice Greenhealth) $
Supplier Action Guide (Exponential Roadmap Initiative)
Sustainability Roadmap for Health Care (American Hospital Association)
Sustainable procurement — Guidance (International Organization for Standardization) $
Transforming The Medical Device Industry: Road Map To A Circular Economy
Understanding the Circular Economy and What Hospitals Can Do to Grow It (Association of Medical Device Reprocessors)
Stage 5: Continuous Improvement
Action Collaborative on Decarbonizing the US Health Sector – Network Organization (National Academy of Medicine)
Clean Energy Buyers Association
The Green Print: Advancement of Environmental Sustainability in Healthcare $
Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Programs
Sustainability Roadmap for Health Care (American Hospital Association)
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 (Association of Medical Device Reprocessors)
$ – Indicates resource may require payment or be behind a paywall
Feedback
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Help Spread the Word!
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NAM Climate Collaborative releases resource that outlines 5 key stages of the sustainability journey + provides best practices, resources, and toolkits. Use the Sustainability Journey Map to begin or continue your decarbonization efforts: nam.edu/SustainabilityJourneyMap #ClimateActionforHealth
A new interactive resource from @theNAMedicine intends to support health care suppliers in initiating or accelerating their decarbonization and sustainability efforts. Learn more: nam.edu/SustainabilityJourneyMap #ClimateActionforHealth
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