Sustainable Supply Chains: Pushing the NHS Towards a Greener Future
In this webinar, we invited Positive Planet and EcoVadis to lead the discussion on how we can create greener supply chains in the NHS to help build a greener future.
The NHS is committed to reaching net zero by 2040 for their directly controlled emissions, and by 2045 for the emissions they influence through goods and services bought from their suppliers. But, to achieve this ambitious goal, the NHS needs a great deal of collaboration from their suppliers.
But what extra steps will the NHS and their suppliers need to take to ensure their success on their net zero journey?
Our Speakers Included:
Bryony Salter, Head of Impact & Sustainability at Positive Planet
Louis Brown, Senior Account Executive at EcoVadis
Bryony Salter, Head of Impact & Sustainability at Positive Planet
After an introduction from our host, Georgia Halston, Bryony Salter, Head of Impact & Sustainability at Positive Planet, commenced the discussion. Bryony began with an introduction to Positive Planet and its core activities.
Bryony jumped into discussing the stages of the changes model. Notably, she highlighted that most businesses currently find themselves in the intent phase. The model presented a dynamic cycle of change, underlining the necessity for a consistent revisitation of intent phases.
She emphasised that incorporating a sustainability lens into policies within businesses is crucial, a task in which Positive Planet provides essential support. They've even facilitated climate leadership courses, fostering a deeper understanding of these principles. The progression towards sustainability involves an initial enablement phase, wherein subsequent adjustments in messaging and objectives for the team are pivotal.
Furthermore, Bryony underscored the importance of sustaining momentum by ingraining sustainability throughout the organisation. She expressed the viewpoint that relying solely on a designated 'green team' is insufficient; instead, sustainability must become an integral aspect of every individual's role, becoming second nature. Bryony further stressed that achieving behaviour change at a broad scale is contingent on effective communication.
Ultimately, Bryony concluded by emphasising the need to surpass the intent phase and progress towards tangible impact.
“Sustainability and net-zero can’t happen overnight because we want them to, they require a change in heart and mind and, therefore, we do need to be thinking about sustainability as a large-scale chain management programme.”
Louis Brown, Senior Account Executive at EcoVadis
Next, we welcomed Louis Brown, Senior Account Executive at EcoVadis. Louis began his presentation by offering an introduction of himself and EcoVadis. He highlighted their pivotal role in assisting organisations to attain a robust understanding of the sustainability-related risks and prospects within their supply chains. EcoVadis actively contributes to enhancing supplier standards and performance, fostering positive changes that leave a tangible impact.
Louis highlighted the significance of implementing sustainable procurement practices within the NHS, emphasising the potential for a substantial reduction in the carbon footprint of its supply chain. He delved into the five essential considerations that the NHS should address when assessing the influence of its supply chain. These included steps like the verification of supply chain data, granting suppliers access to a mutualised platform to relieve survey fatigue, and the importance of educating suppliers.
“The NHS had the opportunity to reduce a supply chain carbon footprint larger than Afghanistan.”
Rounding Up
Finally, after hearing from all our panellists, the event ended with a question-and-answer session with questions from our audience and Georgia.