Sustainability

Sustainability

Working to reduce our carbon footprint

We are committed to sustainability and carbon reduction, aiming to decrease our hospital’s impact on the environment while providing excellent patient care and working environments.

Each year, we support NHS Sustainability Day. We work with patients, visitors, and the local community to develop our sustainability goals and keep environmental responsibility at the forefront of what we do.

Our sustainability objectives are to:

  • sustain the culture change, impact and savings we have already made
  • support leadership on sustainability amongst our clinical and non-clinical areas and our stakeholders
  • integrate sustainability into how we operate and look after our hospitals

Our Green Plan

Our Green Plan sets out how we will contribute the Greener NHS ambition to become the world’s first net-zero health service. Being more sustainable and reducing our carbon footprint is a priority for us, and we can’t wait to do more.

BHRUT Green Plan 2022-25 .pdf [pdf] 1MB

Greener NHS leaders’ pledges

The national Greener NHS ambition is to deliver the world’s first net zero health service and respond to climate change, improving health now and for future generations.

Our Executive team have pledged different ways they will each take action to help us reach this goal – from cycling rather than driving, to eating more locally-sourced food. Read their individual pledges below:

Jacqui Smith, Chair

I pledge to improve my home insulation so I can turn my heating down, use less meat and take the train. I'm also going to listen more to my children because they know more about how to tackle climate change and they will have to live with the consequences if we fail

Matthew Trainer, Chief Executive 

I pledge to reduce my use of polluting forms of travel as much as possible by driving less, taking the train more, and avoiding air travel – and of course by walking or cycling whenever I can

Remi Odejinmi, Director for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

 

I pledge to eat a more plant based diet and reduce our household use of plastics. To reduce my carbon footprint, I will walk or use public transport when I can instead of driving the car.

Ben Morrin, Deputy Chief Executive 

I pledge to double the number of journeys I make to our hospitals on a bike or by train

Kathyrn Halford, Chief Nurse 

I pledge to turn off the lights when I am not in the room, and to buy more locally sourced food.

Magda Smith, Chief Medical Officer

I pledge to not take more than one return air travel trip every three years

Our sustainability target areas

Our sustainability target areas include:

  • energy and carbon reduction in our buildings
  • reducing waste
  • higher rates of recycling by patients, visitors and staff
  • water conservation
  • sustainable travel
  • programmes that support behaviour and culture change

Our key performance indicators

  • Live energy display for our Trusts main buildings where our energy consumption can be viewed at any time and from anywhere
  • On track to achieve up to 2% carbon savings year-on-year
  • Integrate Let our Buildings Sleep initiatives into buildings operations as part of Bank Holidays, Christmas and New Year switch-off plans
  • Improved waste segregation facilities
  • Recorded reduction in high-cost clinical waste
  • Increase in recycling rates
  • Food recycling facilities in all relevant areas
  • Every year themed campaigns on energy savings, waste and recycling, and sustainable travel
  • Live bus information screens in the atria of both hospitals to encourage use of public transport
  • A 20% increase in secured cycle capacity since 2013/14
  • Pro-active awareness and campaigns focusing on healthy modes of travel by our Health and Wellbeing team
  • Cycle to Work and Liftshare Schemes for staff are in place
  • Sustainability and Waste Management is now a mandatory course available as e-learning.

Recognition and awards

Our thanks

We engage and work with a wide range of internal (clinical and non-clinical teams) and external stakeholders (patients, visitors, facilities contractors). This includes the London Boroughs of Havering, Redbridge and Barking and Dagenham, TFL, and ecoDriver company. This engagement is key to our success and to continually achieve our objectives.

We thank all of our partners for their continued support and we look forward to retaining this support for future challenges. Our thanks also extend to our patients and the public for using our sustainability initiative facilities.

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