The importance of sustainability in the healthcare industry

Jesper Jonsson, director of Medical Devices, Owen Mumford, highlights the importance of sustainability in the medical sector.

Dealing with the climate crisis requires commitment from multiple stakeholders. From governments and industry, down to businesses and individuals – it is essential that all those involved in action are moving in the same direction. The healthcare industry’s climate footprint is equivalent to 4.4% of global net emissions, and this cannot be addressed without setting clear targets and taking concrete action. Sustainability within the medical device industry is particularly challenging since it is imperative not to neglect infection control.  

The climate crisis is changing our industry landscape and altering how leaders are approaching strategy, infrastructure, and the futureproofing of their businesses. Approaching sustainability is a nuanced and complex process, but fundamental to the evolution of the medical device industry as it keeps pace with technological, political and social transformation. 

B Corp 

The B Corp process demands that applicants complete a rigorous assessment of over 250 questions in multiple areas, going beyond environmental commitments to review overall governance, treatment of workers and customers, and contribution to the community. The comprehensive process provides a blueprint for companies to demonstrate greater responsibility across their entire business, and to apply growth and profit to the positive gain of the environment, employees and external communities. 

Working towards B Corp certification in 2021 helped to retain focus on our goals and to consolidate and measure our progress. In a heavily regulated industry, this approach suited us well since we were already used to being audited for the quality and safety of our products.  

Energy use 

By taking responsibility for our emissions footprints, we also protect our longevity as a business by developing sustainable structures, and by keeping up with global and national targets. Reducing energy consumption, for instance, leads to wider commercial benefits by reducing overall costs or improving efficiency of machinery in the process. Owen Mumford have established energy reduction initiatives across global operations in the UK, the USA and Malaysia, reducing our Scope 1 and Scope 2 carbon emissions by over a quarter; this covers both direct and indirect emissions from energy use. All our UK sites are now predominantly powered by renewable sources, including energy we generate ourselves via our on-site solar arrays. These initiatives will help us to achieve net zero by 2045 – mirroring the UK NHS target. 

Device design 

Safety is a fundamental aspect for all products, and there are strict limitations on the kinds of materials we can use for their design to ensure users are protected. However, if products are designed with sustainability in mind from the very beginning, it becomes easier to create devices with a lower footprint. At Owen Mumford, goals have been set to create products with an emissions footprint that is much smaller than for previous ranges. We are doing this by reviewing every element of the design and manufacturing process via lifecycle assessments, identifying areas of improvement that, when combined, aim to significantly reduce the overall cradle-to-grave footprint of the devices we create. 

Company buy-in 

Strong sustainability policies require dedicated resource and alignment from all areas of the business. As we look ahead, it is likely that sustainability certifications will become essential for manufacturers, so futureproofing our operations now means we are prepared for these and better positioned to continue growing. This process of change only works effectively when the whole organisation is invested in the goal, so companies have a responsibility to communicate goals clearly and effectively and consider how they relate to wider contexts.  

At Owen Mumford, the sustainability steering group incorporates members from across the business to build upon our sustainability strategy and measure progress effectively. This allows each department to bring their ideas to the table, regardless of their size and scope, to be considered for implementation and gives our associates a say in how we build our sustainability strategy. If done well, initiatives to strengthen environmental responsibility could futureproof our industry, motivate employees and encourage a newfound pride in the work they do and how it connects to the planet.