Policy Snapshot
www.chanet.org
April 2010
Northeast Ohio’s Hospital Association
Going Green: Start-Up Steps
to a Sustainability Initiative
With all of the pressures weighing on “C-suite” leaders, sustainability may not at first be a top priority. When making the business case for a green initiative, clearly define how the goals of
a green initiative fit into the vision and goals of the organization.
Finding the support of an executive sponsor can help to accelerate the momentum for change, particularly if the sponsor is
Being green is the “in” thing to do. Everyone from President
Obama to leading conservation groups is encouraging the public to
think about sustainability when making everyday decisions. From
simply remembering to grab reusable bags before heading to the store
to as complex as constructing eco-friendly buildings, consumers and
employers are increasingly considering the impact their choices have
on the environment.
Healthcare organizations are also working to minimize their carbon footprint. Green initiatives are a natural fit for them, given their
focus on improving both the health of the environment and the health
of the human population. For a more in-depth discussion of the ways
hospitals are focusing on sustainability, please see The Center for
Health Affairs’ March 2010 Issue Brief: “Following a Greener Path:
How Hospitals are Healing Patients and Preserving the Planet.”
More Than a Passing Fad
While the green movement is enjoying a moment in the spotlight,
there are sound reasons supporting a shift to a more sustainable way
of living as well as a greener way of running day-to-day business
operations. Some focus on the long-term importance of protecting
the environment for future generations. Others cite wanting to create
a working environment that is free of harmful chemicals and other
toxins for company employees and clients.
Besides these reasons, being green may also save you some green.
In the healthcare sector, sustainable facilities have been shown to not
just reduce patients’ length of stay, but also to ease depression, among
other benefits.1 Furthermore, some businesses have found that focusing on a more sustainable way of operating provides them with a
competitive advantage.
Getting Started
If you’re ready to start a green initiative at your organization, you
may be wondering where to begin. Below are some of the start-up
steps to think about when hatching a sustainability initiative.
Gain Executive-Level Support
Securing executive-level support for a green initiative is crucial
to its success. From approving budget items to giving approval for
employee time spent on “greening” tasks, executive support will improve the initiative’s likelihood of success as well as its longevity.
Conduct a Self-Assessment of
Current Practices
Before moving forward with a green
initiative it is important to stop and assess current practices. How much energy
is being purchased from green sources?
How much material is being thrown in the
actively involved and highly visible. Providing examples of how
other companies have leveraged their green initiatives to achieve
key goals can also help sell the idea.
trash that should be recycled? How many products are purchased
from environmentally responsible companies? Performing a self-assessment can help pinpoint where there is room for improvement in
the company’s day-to-day operations as well as assist in developing
realistic short- and long-range goals.
Narrow Your Focus
The sky is the limit when it comes to ways hospitals and other organizations can be more environmentally friendly, yet your initiative
is more likely to be successful if it is has a clear and specific focus.
Fortunately, the majority of green initiatives fall into five categories:
waste management, energy management, environmentally preferred
purchasing, building design and construction, and toxicity/volatile
organic compound reduction.
Waste Management
Every business creates waste. From empty inkjet cartridges to discarded lunch items, all companies have to figure out how to dispose
of the material that accumulates as waste at the end of the day.
Businesses have numerous opportunities to cut down on the
amount of material that ends up in the trash and eventually in a landfill. From recycling to composting, focusing on ways to make even
small changes to the way waste material is handled can pay huge
dividends over a year.
Energy Management
Think about the energy needs of businesses. Heating buildings
in the winter and cooling them in the summer is just the tip of the
iceberg. From the hundreds or thousands of light bulbs required to
keep buildings well lit, to the additional energy needs specific to each
industry, it is easy to understand the enormous overhead costs businesses incur to operate, as well as the impact these energy needs have
on the environment.
For hospitals and other companies, the potential for cost savings is
great if energy management is the main focus of the green initiative.
From the simple act of changing to a more energy efficient light bulb
to the more complex investment in renewable energy sources,
such as wind or solar power, energy management is one
area where many businesses have chosen to focus their attention.
Environmentally Preferred Purchasing
Just as consumers make choices about who to purchase goods and services from, so too do businesses.
Some organizations have chosen to focus their green
initiatives primarily on purchasing products and services
that have a reduced impact on human health and the environment,
otherwise known as environmentally preferred purchasing.
Environmentally preferred purchasing spans the gamut from products that create less waste to those that are more energy efficient. In
some instances there may be cost savings to gain while in other instances the monetary costs may be higher, but the payout in terms of
increased employee safety and health will be immeasurable. The U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency has a Web link (www.epa.gov/epp)
designed to help businesses and consumers find and evaluate green
products and services.
Building Design and Construction
A newer area for businesses to consider in their green initiatives
is designing and constructing buildings that use fewer resources and
create healthier indoor and outdoor environments. The impetus for focusing on green building design and construction as part of a sustainability initiative is clear. In the U.S. buildings account for 72 percent
of electricity consumption, 39 percent of energy use, 38 percent of all
carbon dioxide emissions and 30 percent of waste output. Benefits of
green building include improving air and water quality, reducing solid
waste, enhancing asset value and profits, reducing operating costs and
contributing to overall quality of life.2
Toxicity / Volatile Organic Compound Reduction
Reducing the amount of volatile organic compounds is another potential area to target. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are chemicals that are released as gases from a wide variety of solids and liquids
including paints and lacquers, pesticides, air fresheners and permanent
markers. Exposure to VOCs can produce a variety of short- and longterm health effects ranging from irritation of the eye, nose or throat to
cancer. Green initiatives can focus on ways to minimize employee and
consumer exposure to volatile organic compounds in the workplace,
such as by increasing ventilation when employees use products that
emit VOCs.
Create a Green Team
Once the green initiative’s primary area of focus has been agreed
upon, the time for working to achieve the program’s goals begins.
While securing the support of leadership is crucial to a green initiative’s success, finding the right people to ensure the program’s goals
are achieved is equally important.
Many organizations have been able to successfully achieve their
sustainability initiative’s goals thanks in large part to the creation of
an effective “green team.” Green teams are charged with figuring out
how to implement and maintain sustainability programs.
Deciding who will serve on a company’s green team will vary based
on whether it makes more sense to have an organization-wide green
team or one that is specific to a department. A hospital-wide
green team, for example, might include individuals from the
following areas: administration, nursing/clinical staff, facilities, engineering, environmental services, food services, infection control, laboratory, marketing/public relations, pharmacy, material management, risk management and safety. By
contrast, an operating room green team might include representatives from anesthesia, surgical services, radiology
or operating room purchasing representatives.3
Focus on Employee Engagement
A key ingredient in any sustainability initiative is
getting buy-in from stakeholders, especially from employees. Yet it is also important to think carefully about
how to get employees involved. A phased-in approach
in which smaller groups are initially asked
to participate, perhaps starting with the
green team and then building out, may lead
to more success.
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Even simple steps taken by each individual in a company can help save on energy costs
and lessen the environmental impact of a company’s dayto-day operations. Unplugging computers and other electrical appliances before leaving for the night, remembering to
turn off lights when exiting rooms, and switching to compact
fluorescent light bulbs are just a few examples among a sea of infinite
changes employees can make to both improve the health of the environment and of the company’s bottom line.
Developing a clever marketing plan can help boost employee participation. Making use of table tents, posters, company newsletters, Tshirts and computer screen-savers are just a few of the ways employers can market the new initiative to employees. Recognition programs
can also be created that reward employees who demonstrate a keen
commitment to environmentally friendly practices.
Measure Results and Publicize
After you’ve begun implementing your green initiative it is important to regularly measure how successful it has been and pinpoint areas that might need to be adjusted. Beyond cost savings, measuring
employee participation levels as well as unforeseen benefits and challenges will be important.
Keeping executives regularly apprised of the initiative’s successes
should not be overlooked. Trumpet accomplishments to those in the
“C-suite” as well as the entire organization, and be sure not to overlook external stakeholders. Marketing your successes not just internally, but also to outside customers, may help bolster your organization’s bottom line.
Conclusion
Businesses and consumers are increasingly factoring in the environment when making decisions that range from which light bulb to
buy to which materials to use when constructing a new building. With
hospitals generating up to 30 pounds of waste per bed each day, the
healthcare industry is among the organizations that have begun making changes in its operations with an eye on improving the health of
the environment.4
As awareness of the potential cost savings, as well as the environmental and health benefits, that sustainability can yield has increased,
green initiatives have sprung up at organizations across the country
and around the world. By thinking strategically and carefully crafting
a green initiative that strives to achieve key corporate goals, all businesses can become environmental stewards.
Endnotes
1. Practice GreenHealth Presentation Materials, “The Business Case for
Greening the Healthcare Sector,” October 6, 2009.
2. U.S. Green Building Council. “Green Building Research.” Web
page accessed March 9, 2010. http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.
aspx?CMSPageID=1718
3. Practice Greenhealth. “Waste Reduction – Form a Team.” Web page
accessed March 16, 2010. http://cms.h2e-online.org/ee/waste-reduction/
getting-started/form-a-team
4. Brown, J. “A Green Guide for Green Administrators,” Outpatient Surgery
Magazine, April 2009.
The Center for Health Affairs is a hospital association representing 40 hospitals in Northeast Ohio and serving
those organizations and others through a variety of advocacy and business management services.