Sustainability in Healthcare

The strong correlation between people's health and planetary health drives healthcare leaders like 阿斯利康 to address pressing global issues, including climate change, healthcare accessibility, and disease prevention.

Recently, I had an opportunity to lead a training with the Medical Affairs team at AstraZeneca on the mindset shift and strategies to view internal carbon budgets as a competitive advantage, and in the process, I learned a lot about the company's work. Many companies face challenges when it comes to implementing ambitious sustainability plans, and a mindset shift is required to garner internal support for successful greenhouse gas emissions reductions.

“At the heart of the healthcare sector is improving health," says AstraZeneca's CEO Pascal Soriot - named in 2023 to the TIME 100Climate Titan list , "Paradoxically, the healthcare sector contributes around 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions each year.”?

AstraZeneca has one of the most robust sustainability strategies in the world and Soriot's leadership of Sustainable Markets Initiative Health System Task Force was instrumental in outlining minimum sustainability targets for suppliers, setting a benchmark for the global supply chain.

The catalyst to accelerating results: collaboration

In the face of the the global climate crisis, collaboration serves as a powerful catalyst for accelerating results by harnessing the collective power of individuals, organizations, and stakeholders to tackle complex challenges, drive innovation, enhance efficiency, build networks, and adapt to change. By fostering a collaborative culture and mindset, organizations can unlock new opportunities for growth, competitiveness, and sustainable success.

A deeper look into AstraZeneca's sustainability

AstraZeneca's sustainability strategy revolves around nine key focus areas, grouped into three interconnected priorities: access to healthcare, environmental protection, and ethics/transparency - see the flagship Ambition Zero Carbon.

Their ambitions include promoting prevention, increasing access to life-saving treatments, and strengthening health system resilience. Additionally, they aim to accelerate the delivery of net-zero healthcare, proactively manage environmental impact, and invest in nature and biodiversity. Ethical, open, and inclusive behavior is emphasized throughout their organization and value chain.?

The climate crisis is the largest public health crisis of our time

The expanding human population, coupled with a burgeoning consumer economy and reliance on nonrenewable resources, poses a significant challenge to Earth's sustainability. This pressure, compounded by human habits, pushes the planet towards a tipping point where recovery becomes unattainable. Human activities in the past century have triggered an unprecedented rise in global temperatures, exacerbating phenomena like El Ni?o and culminating in 2023 being declared the hottest year on record. Our task is to curb the acceleration of global warming, thereby mitigating its adverse effects on the environment and society.

Leaders in health-centered climate action

AstraZeneca has long been at the forefront of leading sustainability initiatives within the healthcare sector. Consistently ranking among the top 10 companies in the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), they have demonstrated leadership in setting ambitious sustainability goals. As a founding member of the Sustainable Markets Initiative (SMI) and an early supporter of the Terra Carta, AstraZeneca has shown a commitment to driving positive environmental change.

Active collaboration across the healthcare industry is the strategy the leadership team is employing to accelerate results. These partnership aims to accelerate the transition to net-zero health systems by decarbonizing supply chains and patient care pathways.

Moreover, as a strategic partner of the World Economic Forum (WEF), AstraZeneca is deeply committed to global sustainability and social justice initiatives, advocating for ambitious action on climate change. Through their AZ Forest initiative, AstraZeneca supports WEF's 1t.org platform, aiming to contribute to the conservation, restoration, and growth of one trillion trees by 2030.

To learn more about our work, visit us at Climate Executive Coaching

In the next edition of the newsletter, I will dive into the results of our work with the OCEAN Project - the 18 National Olympic Committees in Europe Approaching Carbon Neutrality.