2025 sustainability benchmark data

Practice Greenhealth’s annual Sustainability Benchmark Report provides the most comprehensive dataset tracking health care sustainability, representing the incredible collective impact that our partner health care facilities in the U.S. and Canada had each year as they worked to make their operations more sustainable.

In 2025, a record-breaking 493 participating facilities demonstrated that sustainability in health care is delivering measurable returns, embedding clinical engagement as standard practice, and proving that strategic choices yield outsized impact. This report is made for those participants, and all of our partners, to help them grow the reach and impact of their sustainability programs. 

The annual benchmark report highlights best practices for sustainability integration across 11 impact areas based on 2024 data. Three key findings emerge:

Sustainability efforts deliver measurable returns

• Facilities saved over $200M through sustainability initiatives, with Greening the OR programs contributing $103M.
• Median savings per facility was over $70,000 for GHG and energy reduction projects.
• Returns are driving deeper organizational commitment: 60% of facilities have dedicated sustainability budgets, up from 34% in 2023, and 72% have embedded sustainability into their strategic plans.

Clinical engagement is becoming standard practice

• 62% of facilities have identified a clinical leader for sustainability while 25% have appointed a medical or clinical director of sustainability.
• Clinical teams are driving action on chemicals of concern, with 50% of facilities working to reduce plastic use through device reprocessing, addressing unnecessary use, and using alternative products.
• Clinical engagement is key in taking steps such as reducing nitrous oxide use, increasing use of reusable items, and educating patients on climate-related health risks and protective actions.

Strategic choices amplify impact

• Health care facilities focusing on high-leverage interventions are seeing outsized emissions reductions.
• 70% of facilities have eliminated desflurane, which cuts over 95% of emissions per unit. 66% of facilities are shifting food purchases to reduce animal product purchases; replacing beef with plant-based options reduces emissions per portion by over 90%.
• The data demonstrates this “multiplier effect” – the idea that small changes can yield a significant climate and savings impact.