Promoting Sustainability in Healthcare: From Stakeholder Engagement to Building Management and Governance
Sustainability in healthcare is becoming an increasingly important topic as the industry looks to reduce its environmental impact and create more equitable and fair workplaces for employees. Hospitals and clinics, as major providers of healthcare services, play a crucial role in promoting sustainability within the industry.
Employer fairness is one strategy for hospitals and clinics to increase sustainability. This can be accomplished by implementing fair and equitable policies and procedures, such as providing benefits and opportunities for advancement, as well as by fostering a good and inclusive work environment. This not only benefits employees but also helps foster a sustainable culture inside the healthcare facility.
Organizations might begin by developing an employee handbook, as we did at FUH, which outlines every aspect of working in our hospital. This document is updated based on required operational changes, and we continue to disseminate the current version, which is also always available in our internal servers for employees to access the most recent version at any time.
Building management is another critical part of healthcare sustainability. Hospitals and clinics can reduce their environmental impact by implementing energy-efficient practices such as employing renewable energy sources, decreasing waste, and promoting environmentally friendly transportation options. They can also work with the community to promote healthy living and healthcare practices.
As one of the region's most environmentally friendly hospitals, we developed a system that uses recycled water for the landscaping first. In this way, we can foster a water-conscious culture while also lowering the hospital's water usage costs. In addition to this technique, we have invested in a BMS (Building Management System), which transforms our hospital into a computerised building capable of managing the complete climatic and energy requirements for space management.
The healthcare industry has a significant environmental impact, accounting for an estimated 4.4% of worldwide net carbon dioxide emissions, and hospitals alone require nearly 2.5 times more energy per square foot than office buildings. The healthcare industry also produces a significant amount of waste. Many hospitals and healthcare facilities are introducing sustainable methods to address these environmental challenges, such as energy-efficient building design, renewable energy sources, and waste reduction programs.
Chiller management and waste coordination are critical in this issue. KPIs are used to govern all of our chillers under impact control. Our teams at FUH have been working with a centralized waste management firm in Dubai to recycle this garbage as efficiently as possible. Aside from waste management, we also choose the most environmentally friendly laundry service provider.
Another way to increase healthcare sustainability is through governance. This can be accomplished by introducing ethical and sustainable decision-making approaches, such as incorporating Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria into the hospital's operations and investment decisions, into the decision-making process. This includes considering the hospital's actions in relation to the environment, society, and stakeholders. By taking these issues into account, hospitals may make more informed and long-term decisions that benefit not only the hospital but also the community and the environment.
As a result, it is not only about the environment. Hospitals have several stakeholders, and we must handle all of them in the most open manner possible. We made leadership at FUH accessible in a variety of ways. As a result, employees and patients will have a clear understanding of the accountable teams and their contact information. In addition, stakeholders expect the organization to provide updates and developments regarding the organization, which occurs on a regular basis in our hospital.
Finally, there are numerous approaches for hospitals and clinics to increase their sustainability in the healthcare industry. Healthcare providers may create a more equitable and sustainable industry for all by concentrating on employer fairness, building management, and governance. Healthcare providers may ensure that they are making the best decisions for the environment, society, and their stakeholders by adding ESG factors into their decision-making process.
