Sustainability is a rising challenge in the NHS in the face of the climate and biodiversity crises, as well as social and economic risks and the COVID-19 pandemic. The NHS plays a key role in the health and wellbeing of people in the United Kingdom and has a range of opportunities to have a positive impact on people and the planet.
Implementing sustainability across the NHS will require engagement from trusts and health boards and from a range of roles. By thinking about how different roles within the NHS can be used to tackle its issues, we identified that the role of non-executive directors (NED) in delivering sustainable targets has not been fully explored. NEDs are key in influencing the direction of their trust or health board and can promote and integrate new concepts, such as sustainability, into strategies and practices.
Supporting NEDs to empower them to advise, challenge and action sustainability
Nature Positive and the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA) compiled a report for NEDs in the NHS, discussing some of the sustainability challenges that the organisation faces and how NEDs can champion sustainability in their role. We consulted a number of sustainability managers and NEDs in the NHS to better understand the challenges they encounter and the role they could play in supporting sustainability. Some of the key themes we identified were the lack of knowledge and time and the opportunity to involve the wider board and NEDs in sustainability, not just the sustainability team.
To address these gaps, this report serves as guidance to NEDs, supporting them in understanding the sustainability issues that the NHS is tackling, along with tools to empower them to advise, challenge and action sustainability.
The report looks at:
- sustainability issues facing the NHS
- key regulation across the UK’s NHS bodies
- the role that NEDs can play in supporting sustainability within the NHS
- conversation starters for NEDs to use in discussions with different members of the organisation
- next steps for NEDs to take
- additional resources relating to key sustainability topics and the NHS.
Looking to implement sustainability into your organisation?
Nature Positive offers a range of bespoke sustainability services and can provide effective guidance on incorporating sustainable practices into your business. To find out more, please visit our services page.
Banner image by Dawid Zawila on Unsplash