Project
Newcastle Hospitals took part in a Local Enterprise Funded (LEP) project to develop and pilot a healthcare sector-specific version of the SmartCarbon Calculator platform.
The aim was to provide a basis for measuring, reporting and reducing the full carbon footprint, including the impact of our supply chain.
As the first healthcare organisation in the world to declare a climate emergency, we were keen to collaborate with our supply chain organisations, which represent over 60% of the overall carbon footprint.
We set a goal to reach net zero across the footprint plus (including supply chain) by 2040.
What we did
We set up a sustainable procurement working group, led by the director of supplies and procurement, to bring together relevant expertise. Working in partnership with SmartCarbon Ltd, Newcastle Hospitals developed a five step supply chain framework, which aims to proactively engage and support suppliers, from smallest to largest.
Step 1: We listened to supplier views via a questionnaire. We were encouraged by the high response rate and the fact that 98% of respondents supported our net zero goal.
Step 2: We delivered webinars to raise awareness, inform and engage suppliers about our action plans and Carbon Footprint Plus reporting. This included case studies and sharing best practice.
Step 3: We invited suppliers to report their performance directly, via the SmartCarbon Calculator platform.
Step 4: We require suppliers to commit and publish net zero targets aligned with Newcastle Hospital’s 2040 ambition, by 2030.
Step 5: We encourage suppliers to act and reduce their footprints to the greatest possible extent and then consider offsets for the remaining emissions.
The emissions were all calculated using the SmartCarbon Calculator platform with all 6,500 UK Government emissions factors, as well as additional bespoke options, such as working from home and healthcare sector-specific factors.
The supplier dashboard has been developed to calculate supply chain emissions, using a combination of both spend code factors and direct reporting through engagement with our supply chain. This approach was developed to complement the NHS Evergreen Supplier Framework.
We engaged with our suppliers and had 754 responses, 87% in support of the net zero target, most had already calculated their carbon footprint or planned to in the future, and the majority were happy to share that data.
What it means for staff
Improving the accuracy of our carbon footprint is important as we have taken a leadership position on the issue of sustainability.
Over 90% of our staff think it is important for the organisation to work in a more sustainable way. In order to be able to demonstrate our effectiveness in this it is important to be accurate in our calculations.
NHS contribution to the environment/climate emergency
This initiative allows us to more accurately report our carbon footprint, which is essential if we are to achieve net zero. It also means we are engaging actively with the suppliers, encouraging innovation and collaboration in the goal of achieving zero carbon care.
Benefits for patients
The climate emergency is a health emergency, the impacts of climate change will be disproportionately felt by the most vulnerable members of society, exacerbating health inequalities which already impact those people living in the north east of England.
By taking the above steps we expect a significant reduction in carbon emissions as approximately 70% of our total is related to products and services we buy. We are also demonstrating a potential solution to the healthcare carbon footprint for other and even other industries.
Next steps
We have now made the five-step framework a mandatory requirement for our suppliers. This means we will be able to increase the proportion of our supply chain carbon footprint from actual supplier data and decrease the proportion we are calculating via spend based methods.
Testimonials
“SmartCarbon Ltd took NHS BT through a comprehensive data collection, calculation and reporting process that was both aligned to the wider NHS Net Zero Plan and the Greenhouse Gas Protocol.
“This involved utilising the SmartCarbon Calculator platform to produce the desired reports in a format that enabled the organisation to effectively communicate carbon performance in a way that is accessible to all stakeholders, from donor to patient, as we continue to improve and save lives in a sustainable way.” NHS Blood and Transplant
“The support provided by the team at SmartCarbon has been exceptional! They are very knowledgeable, responsive and have been supportive in guiding us to simplify a project that is quite overwhelming when you get started. The calculator is a really easy and useful tool to support our carbon reporting requirements, and is adaptable to organisational and project structures.
“The supporting training and consultancy packages have helped to progress our commitment to reducing our impact and we are looking forward to a continued working relationship as our strategy evolves to match our ambition to do our bit to tackle the climate emergency.” SharpSmart UK
