The challenges related to climate, raw materials, and the living environment are growing ever larger. At the same time, the demand for healthcare is increasing. This calls for a healthcare sector that not only provides high-quality care but also treats people, the environment, and resources responsibly. That is why Erasmus MC and twelve other organizations signed the new Green Deal for Sustainable Healthcare 2027–2030: Moving Forward Together.
Being and Staying Healthy
It is important for the entire healthcare chain to ensure, as much as possible, that people are and remain healthy. After all, the most sustainable form of care is care that does not need to be provided. A greater focus on disease prevention, on promoting health and a healthy lifestyle, on a healthy healthcare and living environment, and on disease control will lead to more healthy life years and a reduction in healthcare utilization. This saves costs, time, and the use of human resources and materials, and is therefore also good for the environment.
The relevant industry organizations (see box) are therefore jointly taking the next step toward making healthcare more sustainable. They are building on the knowledge, experiences, and successful initiatives developed in recent years. The Ministry of Health, Welfare, and Sport (VWS) no longer plays a coordinating role in this new Green Deal, but it remains a unifying partner within sustainability and climate policy in the healthcare sector.
Concrete Results
In recent years, the Green Deal for Sustainable Healthcare has evolved from a shared ambition into a broad and visible movement within the healthcare sector. Industry organizations, healthcare institutions, health insurers, banks, ministries, and other partners have invested in knowledge sharing, collaboration, and innovative projects. This has led to tangible results, such as:
- A reduction in the environmental impact of healthcare activities.
- Practical and innovative sustainability solutions.
- A growing network of organizations and professionals who actively promote sustainability.
In the coming years, the parties involved aim to achieve greater impact by applying proven solutions more widely within the healthcare sector. Central to this is the principle that sustainable healthcare goes hand in hand with appropriate, affordable, and resilient care
At Erasmus MC, Program Director Hans-Peter Schilte, Program Coordinator Caroline Poot, and Nicole Hunfeld—project leader of “Samen de Zorg Vergroenen” and leader of the Green Team Intensive Care—made a significant contribution to the results of Green Deal 3.0 and to the development of the new strategic direction. Together with approximately 60 Green Teams and 41 sustainability labs, they work every day to make healthcare more sustainable. The extension of the Green Deal offers new opportunities to share their knowledge and further scale up successful initiatives.
More information
More information can be found in the summary on the Green Deal for Sustainable Healthcare website
