Thought leadership
the challenges of sustainable healthcare. Mölnlycke’s role is multifaceted. We work as a
key solution provider, a partner in collaboration and an orchestrator of value-driven care. Whether it is by educating clinicians to make optimal use of products, identifying pressure- points through funding research like the Non- Value Report, we are working hard to play our role in the transformation towards sustainable healthcare.
How does the healthcare sector contribute to the climate crisis? EDK: The healthcare sector is one of the largest contributors to global greenhouse gas emissions, representing around 5–6% of the total worldwide. If the sector were a country, it would rank among the top carbon polluters. That is an alarming statistic, but it is also an opportunity. It means that the sector has the potential to make a substantial positive impact and at Mölnlycke, sustainability is woven into everything we do. Our purpose is clear: to revolutionise care for people and planet. From preventing healthcare- acquired conditions to designing long-wear dressings that minimise waste, and piloting innovative recycling programmes for medical plastics, we are rethinking care at every level. Through life cycle assessments and our commitment to Net Zero GHG emissions and zero waste across the entire value chain, we are transforming not only how we manufacture, but also how clinicians deliver sustainable care. As an industry, we have a clear responsibility
to help decarbonise healthcare, and that means taking urgent action now. We are committed to decarbonising healthcare by eliminating emissions across our entire value chain and we advocate for an approach to decarbonisation that is deeply embedded in customers’ everyday reality and challenges. Healthcare providers should pursue their decarbonisation goals but not at the cost of compromising patient or clinician safety and wellbeing. Strained budgets and clinician workload are factors that need to be taken into consideration when drawing a roadmap for healthcare decarbonisation.
How is Mölnlycke turning its environmental sustainability ambitions into tangible action? EDK: We are committed to decarbonising healthcare through science-based, measurable action. Our Net Zero targets are validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), and we are already delivering strong progress toward our near-term goals, achieving a 40% reduction in absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions and a 19% reduction in Scope 3 emissions in 2024
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compared to 2021. In addition, all Mölnlycke manufacturing
sites and our headquarters are now powered by 100% renewable electricity. Our ambition extends across the entire value chain, recognising that most emissions occur outside our own operations. From increasing the use of renewable, bio-derived materials in our solutions, to minimising packaging and product waste, optimising medical device lifecycles to reduce consumption, embracing digitalisation, and, crucially, helping prevent avoidable healthcare interventions, we are actively lowering emissions, while supporting more resilient healthcare systems. We are working closely with suppliers and customers to reduce Scope 3 emissions and accelerate the transition to low-carbon healthcare. Beyond decarbonisation, we aim for zero
operational waste to landfill by 2030, already achieving 83% diversion in 2024, and a zero- waste goal by 2050. As a MedTech manufacturer, we see opportunities for impact at every stage of the product lifecycle from designing solutions with lower environmental impact, to optimising manufacturing and logistics, and extending product life cycle through circular and resource- efficient models.
If you could leave one key message for our readers about the future of sustainable healthcare, what would it be? EDK:We know we cannot do this alone. As a sector, we all need to shift our focus. It means thinking less in-terms of products, and more about holistic solutions. EW: It is why we are working with our customers and other stakeholders across the entire value chain and the patient journey to break down barriers and create more efficient and sustainable practices, healthier working conditions and better patient
care. No single stakeholder in the healthcare sector can complete the picture of sustainable healthcare. It is about embracing partnerships to drive collaboration to address the substantial issues that healthcare faces today.
CSJ
Reference 1. Hueto Madrid et al. Putting Patients at Risk: The Effect of Health Care Provider Burnout on Patient Care in the Operating Room. A narrative Review. Journal of Patient
Safety.DOI: 10.1097/ PTS.0000000000001369
SCAN ME
Scan the QR code to download the Non-Value Report
Scan the QR code to download the
white paper: Redefining sustainability in healthcare
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