As sustainability programs gain momentum and leadership support, send a clear message about the priorities of the program by setting targets or goals. Executive stakeholders will take the program more seriously if deliverables are managed and measured, similar to other programmatic initiatives within the organization. Specific, measurable, and time-bound (often referred to as SMART goals) will set the direction for staffing, capacity, and resource allocation resulting in improved performance and impact.
Practice Greehealth recommends addressing the following questions when setting sustainability goals: “What are the most important drivers of sustainability for your hospital or health system for the next 3-5 years, the next 10-15 years?”