ACHS Goes Green!
As sustainability initiatives develop in the healthcare sector, ACHS is addressing our own environmental impact for a greener planet.
Sustainability is an increasingly important issue for healthcare organisations, with the healthcare sector accounting for approximately seven percent of Australia’s carbon footprint. ACHS has been bringing sustainability leaders on this topic to our Members, such as Dr Nick Watts, Chief Sustainability Officer from the NHS (UK), who presented an ACHS exclusive Masterclass on how healthcare organisations can address climate change.
ACHS is inspired by healthcare organisations in Australia (see pg 95) and around the world who are focused on adopting sustainable practises, and as a business we are deeply committed to reducing our own impact on the environment. To support our goals to reduce, reuse and recycle, ACHS has formed a Sustainability Committee and developed a Sustainability Strategy to guide us on our mission. Our Strategy focuses on areas of Consumables, Energy Consumption and Environmental Impact.
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To assist in our greener operations, we have joined the Global Green and Healthy Hospitals (GGHH) as a Member. GGHH is an international network of hospitals, health care facilities, health systems and health organisations dedicated to reducing their environmental footprint and promoting public and environmental health. We are excited to learn more about best practices and how we can share knowledge from this partnership.
ACHS Key Sustainability Objectives:
Sustainability Achievements So Far:
- Engaged with Tasman Environmental Markets (TEM), using their ‘BlueHalo Climate Action Technology’ to introduce carbon offsetting.
- Supporting offset projects in Renewable Energy in India, Deforestation in Indonesia and Bush Regeneration in Australia.
- Decreased non-essential travel.
- Reduction in printing with digital platforms for document sharing & signing (SharePoint, DocuSign).
- Introduced eco-friendly ‘Frank Green’ coffee cups for all staff.
- Donated un-used paper to two local schools.
- Education to staff on recycling, explaining terms and symbols so staff can effectively recycle at the office and at home.
- Increasing plants in the office.
- Increase energy efficiency with upgrade to modern air conditioning system.
The ACHS Sustainability Committee are excited to develop these initiatives and we will be sharing updates and learnings with ACHS Members along the way. If you want to read more about our strategy, check out our sustainability page here.
If you are a healthcare organisation wanting to reduce your carbon footprint, learn more at GGHH.
