Healing People and Planet: 3 Things You Need to Know About This Shared Innovation Challenge
Medtronic addresses the environmental impact of healthcare technology, highlighting that the healthcare sector contributes to 4.6% of global greenhouse gas emissions. The company emphasizes three key approaches to sustainable healthcare: recognizing development timelines, reimagining products and packaging, and recruiting partners. Medtronic has installed 22 solar arrays across 16 locations, generating over 35 MWs of power, and signed a virtual power purchase agreement to cover nearly all U.S. energy needs. The company is focusing on sustainable product design through its Sustainability Development Center and emphasizes the importance of supply chain collaboration, as Scope 3 emissions account for over 90% of their carbon footprint.
Medtronic affronta l'impatto ambientale della tecnologia sanitaria, sottolineando che il settore sanitario contribuisce al 4,6% delle emissioni globali di gas serra. L'azienda evidenzia tre approcci chiave per una sanità sostenibile: riconoscere i tempi di sviluppo, ripensare i prodotti e l'imballaggio, e reclutare partner. Medtronic ha installato 22 impianti solari in 16 sedi, generando oltre 35 MW di energia, e ha firmato un accordo di acquisto virtuale di energia per coprire quasi tutti i fabbisogni energetici negli Stati Uniti. L'azienda si sta concentrando sul design di prodotti sostenibili attraverso il suo Centro di Sviluppo della Sostenibilità e sottolinea l'importanza della collaborazione nella catena di fornitura, poiché le emissioni Scope 3 rappresentano oltre il 90% della loro impronta di carbonio.
Medtronic aborda el impacto ambiental de la tecnología en salud, destacando que el sector de salud contribuye con el 4,6% de las emisiones globales de gases de efecto invernadero. La empresa enfatiza tres enfoques clave para una salud sostenible: reconocer los plazos de desarrollo, reimaginar productos y empaques, y reclutar socios. Medtronic ha instalado 22 paneles solares en 16 ubicaciones, generando más de 35 MW de energía, y ha firmado un acuerdo de compra de energía virtual para cubrir casi todas las necesidades energéticas de EE. UU. La empresa se centra en el diseño de productos sostenibles a través de su Centro de Desarrollo Sostenible y enfatiza la importancia de la colaboración en la cadena de suministro, ya que las emisiones de Alcance 3 representan más del 90% de su huella de carbono.
메드트로닉은 의료 기술의 환경적 영향을 다루며, 의료 부문이 전 세계 온실가스 배출의 4.6%를 차지한다는 점을 강조합니다. 회사는 지속 가능한 의료를 위한 세 가지 주요 접근 방식을 강조합니다: 개발 일정 인식, 제품 및 포장 재구상, 파트너 모집. 메드트로닉은 16개 장소에 22개의 태양광 패널을 설치하여 35MW 이상의 전력을 생산하였으며, 미국의 거의 모든 에너지 수요를 충당하기 위해 가상 전력 구매 계약을 체결하였습니다. 회사는 지속 가능한 제품 디자인에 중점을 두고 있으며, 공급망 협력의 중요성을 강조합니다. Scope 3 배출이 그들의 탄소 발자국의 90% 이상을 차지합니다.
Medtronic s'attaque à l'impact environnemental de la technologie de la santé, en soulignant que le secteur de la santé contribue à 4,6% des émissions mondiales de gaz à effet de serre. L'entreprise met en avant trois approches clés pour une santé durable : reconnaître les délais de développement, réimaginer les produits et les emballages, et recruter des partenaires. Medtronic a installé 22 panneaux solaires sur 16 sites, générant plus de 35 MW d'énergie, et a signé un accord d'achat d'énergie virtuel pour couvrir presque tous les besoins énergétiques des États-Unis. L'entreprise se concentre sur la conception de produits durables via son Centre de Développement Durable et souligne l'importance de la collaboration dans la chaîne d'approvisionnement, car les émissions de portée 3 représentent plus de 90% de son empreinte carbone.
Medtronic geht auf die Umweltauswirkungen der Gesundheitstechnologie ein und hebt hervor, dass der Gesundheitssektor 4,6% der globalen Treibhausgasemissionen beiträgt. Das Unternehmen betont drei wesentliche Ansätze für nachhaltige Gesundheitsversorgung: Entwicklungszeitpläne erkennen, Produkte und Verpackungen neu überdenken und Partner gewinnen. Medtronic hat 22 Solaranlagen an 16 Standorten installiert, die über 35 MW Strom erzeugen, und einen virtuellen Stromkaufvertrag unterzeichnet, um nahezu alle Energiebedürfnisse in den USA zu decken. Das Unternehmen konzentriert sich auf nachhaltiges Produktdesign über sein Zentrum für nachhaltige Entwicklung und hebt die Bedeutung der Zusammenarbeit in der Lieferkette hervor, da die Scope 3-Emissionen über 90% ihres CO2-Fußabdrucks ausmachen.
- Installation of 22 solar arrays generating 35 MWs of power
- Virtual power purchase agreement covering nearly all U.S. energy needs
- Establishment of Sustainability Development Center for circular solutions
- Scope 3 emissions account for over 90% of company's carbon footprint
- Complex regulatory requirements restricting circular design solutions
NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / November 21, 2024 /
By Ken Washington, Chief Technology and Innovation Officer, and Raman Venkatesh, Chief Sustainability Officer, Medtronic
When you think about healthcare technology, you may imagine the pacemaker assisting your dad's ailing heart, the sutures your child received after a bike accident, or the pulse oximeter placed on your finger during your annual physical exam. You probably don't think about the energy or resources required to manufacture those products, nor the resulting emissions and waste.
Most discussions about healthcare are, understandably and rightfully, centered on its ability to restore health and save lives; rarely do we talk about its environmental impact. Yet, the healthcare sector is responsible for approximately
It's time to get real about the reality that human health is linked to the health of the planet. We can't be committed to one without also being committed to the other.
The same force that revolutionizes patient care holds the key to creating a more sustainable industry: innovation. Both of us have seen how approaching innovation, with a deliberate focus on sustainability, is better for people, the planet, and profits. Consider the automotive industry where many innovations have made electric vehicles more enjoyable to own and drive, while also providing a cleaner transportation solution. And healthcare, where virtual visits that arose as a necessity during the pandemic, are showing a positive impact on the environment, while also making care more convenient and accessible.
So, how else can health tech make health better for you and the planet? Here are three not-so-simple ways:
Recognize good things take time
We know developing new healthcare technology requires patience and a substantial initial investment before we see long-term success. We need to apply this same mindset to sustainable technology.
Some companies stick with existing solutions because new sustainable technologies are expensive or aren't ready for wide-scale adoption. That's why pilot projects are crucial stepping stones to broader implementation by giving sustainable technology the time it needs to mature and prove its effectiveness. Successful pilot projects often inspire a scalable roadmap for long-term cost efficiency.
At the same time, we need to balance short-term financial pressures with long-term environmental goals. That means adopting a future-oriented view, recognizing today's technology will only get better and become more accessible and affordable over time.
For example, innovations in solar panels over the past decade have made them significantly more cost-effective as a sustainable energy source. This has allowed Medtronic to install 22 solar arrays across 16 locations, generating more than 35 MWs of power-enough to power more than 22,000 homes. And we recently signed a virtual power purchase agreement which adds renewable energy at a scale equivalent to nearly all our U.S. energy needs.
Companies that make these strategic investments today, with the same patience and investment they apply to product development, are setting themselves up for greater growth and profits down the line.
Reimagine products and packaging
Sustainable product and packaging design are some of our industry's most complex challenges due to strict regulatory requirements that restrict circular design solutions.
Companies can begin reducing resource use and waste with takeback programs, recycling product components and transitioning to digital instructions for use. But the goal isn't just to reduce waste-it's to create products that maintain the highest standards of patient care while contributing to a circular economy.
To do that, we need to design products and packaging with their end-of-life journey in mind, whether that's reprocessing, recycling, or biodegradation. It's important to remember there are many ways to reach sustainability goals and although reprocessing is becoming more common practice, sometimes single use devices can be the right option, especially if reprocessing increases risk to patient safety.
It is the conscious actions at the beginning that count a lot-for example, designing for sustainability before the first prototype is even developed. Industry leaders are dedicating R&D teams to spot opportunities for circular solutions within products' lifecycles, like the Sustainability Development Center at Medtronic. (Learn more in our latest Impact Report.)
Recruit partners
No one can solve our industry's environmental challenges alone. It requires collaboration across the healthcare ecosystem.
This starts with our supply chains, given that Scope 3 emissions typically account for over
We also need to think beyond our own value chain and look to others in the industry, academia, civil society, and government to develop breakthrough solutions and new enabling policies and incentive frameworks. For example, the Dutch government's ESCH-R: Creating Circular Hospitals Together program is helping address critical circularity gaps in healthcare with sponsorship from industry partners (including Medtronic). Collaborative approaches like this are key to building the infrastructure, developing the technologies, and creating the standards needed for a collective impact.
The transformation to sustainable healthcare won't happen overnight, but momentum is building, and it will grow because it is good for business and good for the planet. Together, we can create a healthcare technology industry that heals not only people but also the planet we all share.
After all, the healthiest future is one where innovation and sustainability are inseparable.
View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Medtronic on 3blmedia.com.
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SOURCE: Medtronic
View the original press release on accesswire.com
FAQ
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