Tools and resources

Sustainable procurement guide (PDF download)

  • Sustainable procurement
  • Get Started Guide
(Sustainable procurement guide) What we buy matters. The COVID-19 crisis exposed the fragility and vulnerability of our global supply chains. It also has given us an opportunity to move toward localized supply chains that not only reduce environmental harm but also provide local business opportunities and jobs.  More than 70% of health care’s greenhouse gas emissions are derived from the supply…

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Sustainable procurement guide

Renewable electricity procurement

  • Energy
  • Climate and Health
Procuring renewable energy is a highly impactful step your institution can take to reduce its carbon footprint and negative health impacts. The cost of renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, has fallen dramatically in recent years, and accessing them is easier than ever making a shift to renewables much simpler and more cost effective than in the past. This resource includes the issues…

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Core sustainability goals overview

  • Sustainable procurement
Part of Impact purchasing commitment: Getting started guides  A brief overview of our purchasing commitment's seven core sustainability goals.

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PVC and DEHP position statement

  • Sustainable procurement
  • Chemicals
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is a problematic plastic because it requires additives such as plasticizers like diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), among others, and generates chemicals of concern throughout its life cycle – from manufacture, through use and disposal – resulting in potentially hazardous exposures to those chemicals in the workplace, in communities, and in some patients. We have worked with…

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Transition from single-use, disposables to reusables

  • Sustainable procurement
Part of Purchasing Commitment: Getting started guides Over the years, many products in the operating room setting have transitioned to single-use, disposable products, due to convenience, low cost, and infection prevention concerns. The process has led to significant volumes of plastics and other waste, often with little or no available recycling markets. While the upfront price tag of a…

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Furniture and furnishings procurement

  • Chemicals
  • Sustainable procurement
  • Healthy interiors
Part of Impact purchasing commitment: Getting started guides  Every day, patients and employees are exposed to a wide array of chemicals in hospitals and health care facilities, and the priority chemicals of concern have been shown to have a lasting negative impact on individual health, public health, and the environment. Furnishings can be a significant contributor to poor health in interior…

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Renewable electricity procurement

  • Renewable Energy
  • Sustainable procurement
Part of Impact purchasing commitment: Getting started guides  Hospitals are energy-intensive, using 2.5 times more energy per square foot than a typical office building. The burning of fossil fuels drives both air pollution and climate change, with outdoor air pollution killing over 4.5 million people each year globally. Renewable electricity can replace power from fossil fuels – improving…

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Impact purchasing commitment

  • Sustainable procurement
The Impact Purchasing Commitment (IPC) launched with the support of 12 health systems and was designed by the Healthcare Anchor Network in partnership with Health Care Without Harm and Practice Greenhealth. What we buy matters. Sustainability professionals and purchasing managers can work together to embed sustainability into purchasing processes and engage suppliers and group purchasing…

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Sustainable procurement

Sustainable food procurement

  • Food and Beverage Purchasing
  • Sustainable procurement
Part of Impact purchasing commitment: Getting started guides  The way our food is produced, processed, transported, made available for consumption, and consumed has profound impacts on environmental, public, and individual health. At each point in the food system, there are opportunities to support the health of workers, eaters, and the biological systems on which health depends. As large,…

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RPF questions for sustainable electronics

  • Sustainable procurement
These questions to ask during the RFP process will help make informed decisions when purchasing sustainable electronics. 

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Practice Greenhealth is the health care sector’s go-to source for information, tools, data, resources, and expert technical support on sustainability initiatives that help hospitals and health systems meet their health, financial, and community goals.

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